these two are so fantastic. when kristen came to meet with me about her photography for her upcoming birth, she graciously agreed to meet in my living room while my hazel-girl nursed and played. it felt right to have her come into my inner sanctum, as she was thinking about inviting me into hers. my hope was that such an in-home meeting would make her feel more quickly acquainted with me and therefore more comfortable having me at her birth. we talked for a couple of hours, and not just about birth photography, but about birth itself, motherhood, organic farming (that's her husband's job), social work (that's her job and was my husband's college major), and our personal histories. it felt comfortable and familiar. shortly after that meeting, i drove out to their farm to do a maternity photo session. we decided that shooting in their home would give more context to who they are, and the life that this little one was going to be born into. this is something i almost always prefer to do, but it felt particularly potent in light of the fact that kristen and ben are planning a home birth. their were so many unique and beautiful features to their home. like green houses full of organic tomatoes growing in january, a chicken coop full of beautiful birds, barns and outbuildings, and a built-in four poster bed frame custom-made by a friend using wood from the barn. i love their style, and i enjoy their way of being. this session was a joy to do. and i'm tickled with the end results, too.