Military homecomings always involve a little “hurry up and wait” but sometimes it’s more like “hurry up or you’ll miss it.”
When I texted saying I was on the way to the airport, the response was “Don’t worry about it. I just found out they landed an hour ago.” If you know me though, I’m pretty stubborn and knowing how customs generally operates, I was going to try to make it anyway.
I got to the terminal less than 10 minutes before he came through the doors to hug his wife and daughter after more than 7 months apart.
“These photos captured the relief of having my husband home. We reunited as a family again to continue our adventures together. It was a great way to say welcome home my love. We will cherish these photos forever.”
Sometimes you just end up in the right place at the right time. When I’m photographing a homecoming, the moment a family reunites is pure magic. It’s always such a joy to watch the service members and their loved ones while I wait with my client as a click away capturing their emotion in the last minutes of waiting. Sometimes my client’s service member is one of the first ones out an we capture the hugs and kisses for a few moments before they head home – but there are still many families left waiting. In those cases, I try to find a family or 2 that doesn’t have a photographer and gift them images they weren’t expecting.
Since BWI is a large hub for military flights coming into the US, most of the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines are headed to a connecting flight to get home. There are usually about a dozen or so families at this stop in the journey.
Last night there was just one person left waiting, bouquet of roses in hand. As I approached him to explain that I’d love to photograph his reunion, he said “There he is!”
Camera in hand, I just started photographing this couple as they walked through the tunnel of girl scouts and Operation Welcome Home volunteers, past the terminal, out the doors and across the street toward the parking garage. Not wanting to interrupt their first moment together, I was thankful traffic stopped them before crossing the next lanes and – looking like obsessed paparazzi – I told them I had taken their photos and I would love to send them. Thankfully, they didn’t think I was crazy and we exchanged information before they fell into each others arms again and headed on their way.
Heartlove Photography will hold an event on August 1, 2019 to support the Perinatal Loss Unit at the Johns Hopkins Hospital.
JHH cares for almost 100 families each year suffering from stillbirth or early infant loss and provides each family with a box to hold small keepsakes from their hospital stay, including the infant’s foot prints, hat, hair clippings or other support items. They rely on fundraising to purchase the boxes – since 2016 Heartlove Photography has held community events to decorate boxes and provided them to the hospital at no cost.
Boxes and simple embellishments will be provided to create beautiful hand-made memory boxes at the studio in Pasadena. This event is free and open to the public and no experience is necessary. Volunteers are needed to complete our goal hand-decorating of 100 boxes. All supplies will be provided by Heartlove Photography. Boxes will be delivered to the hospital in August.
RSVP and Share this event on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/events/2450890098570237/
Many of the babies I photograph are between 2-3 weeks old – occasionally I even photograph a 6-8 week old baby in this style. Babies do not expire – there’s nothing wrong or worse about an “older” newborn and I have a lot of experience getting them to sleep and pose just like a few-days-old baby.
That being said, capturing a baby before they turn a week old is something very special. Their skin, expressions, shape all change so fast so I love photographing babies as early as their parent is able to coordinate a portrait session. The studio is set up to be comfortable for a newly postpartum parent, or we can shoot in your home so you don’t have to leave while you’re recovering.
5 Day Old Newborn in wrap and bonnet | Pasadena, MD portrait Studio | Photography by Jillian Mills
5 Day Old Newborn in wrap and bonnet | Pasadena, MD portrait Studio | Photography by Jillian Mills
5 Day Old Newborn | Pasadena, MD portrait Studio | Photography by Jillian Mills
5 Day Old Newborn Posed in Basket | Pasadena, MD portrait Studio | Photography by Jillian Mills
5 Day Old Newborn Posed in Wrap | Pasadena, MD portrait Studio | Photography by Jillian Mills
In celebration of the special moments spent feeding your baby, we’re offering portraits for nursing parents during #WBW2019
AUGUST 3, 2019 | PASADENA, MD
15 minute sessions cost $129+MD sales tax and include your choice of 3 digital images. You’ll have the option (but no obligation!) to purchase more.
Appointments between 10am-12pm will take place in my Pasadena, MD studio. 3-9pm sunset appointments will take place at a beach location in Pasadena, MD. Please consider the location when choosing your appointment time.
This session is for chestfeeding parents and their nursing babies and children.
30 minute sessions in Pasadena, MD where we’ll capture a little bit of the love, laughter and wild energy of you and your children. Sessions will result in an online gallery of images (with 30+ images) from which you’ll choose your 3 favorite images and have the option to purchase more. Limited dates in May, June + July Sunset Pasadena, MD $250 + MD sales tax Includes: 3 full resolution digital images Additional images $35 each/ $350 for all
We promise 30 images, but often end up with many, many more – want to see what you might expect? Watch this slideshow:
Next Steps? 1. Click here to choose a date and time. 2. Check your e-mail for an invoice and questionnaire – pay the invoice and give me more information about your family so I can plan for a great session. 3. Check out my suggestions for what to wear on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/heartlovephoto/family-portrait-inspiration/ (I love bare feet + cotton/linen/muslin for hot summer nights – check out Old Navy, Forever 21 and H&M) 4. Show up prepared to play and laugh and get a little sandy. 5. 2-3 weeks later you’ll get an e-mail with your gallery. Choose your 3 favorites to download and you’re all set. Or choose additional prints ($19+) or digital images ($35 each/$350 for all no matter how many are in the gallery)
There are 20 sessions remaining in this deal and I’ve decided to donate $100 from each session to RAICES to aid the fight to get #justiceforchildren because no human is illegal and no child should be in a cage.
The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that promotes justice by providing free and low-cost legal services to underserved immigrant children, families and refugees in Central and South Texas.
