This was the last family portrait of 2017! A few months before the holidays I put out a post that I was coming to San Francisco for a few days in before Christmas, and did anyone want to book a shoot while I was out there? Erin immediately emailed me and said she was interested!

Erin and I met almost 10 years ago volunteering together at a camp for families of special needs children. What I remember most about Erin from that time was how calm and steady she was with every single person she encountered. How her presence made you feel accepted, secure, and confident. She was collected and loving with the children, the parents, the leaders, her fellow STM (short term missionaries). It was through her involvement in Joni & Friends that she found a lucky lucky man several years ago, and together they continue to volunteer at Joni & Friends twice a year with their sweet baby girl (soon to be a family of 4!).

It was such a great honor to photograph a dear friend and an incredible fellow human. Leave Erin and her family some hearts in the comments below!

XOXO Anna

PS – BONUS TIP:

Erin was about 3 months pregnant in these photos, which was not the original “plan”, and let me know ahead of time that she was expecting. These photos are a great example of how, through simple posing and styling, you can either maximize or hide any curves or even pregnancy. For some of the family photos and headshots we wanted to conceal her bump, but we also wanted to create some photos for an announcement for when the time was right.

Thanks to strategic dressing, styling, and smart posing we were able to accomplish both! Isn’t she stunning?!