Christina Ward Photography » Authentic. Warm. Classic. Bright.

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Some people might say that blogging a maternity session so late that the then-unborn babies have by now celebrated their first birthday may be too late.  Those people are probably right.  But … but … BUT I must still share this session, no matter how late in the game, because Cassie absolutely glowed that afternoon.  She and dad-to-be Bill were so goo-ey in love and excited to meet their identical twin girls in a few weeks it positively radiated at my camera.  I was also in my third trimester at the time, and just like with Dawn’s session, there’s something extra special about being hugely pregnant while shooting a maternity session – I felt so connected to what they were experiencing.

So just forget for a moment that these were shot in the spring of 2012 (::gulp::) and take a look at how awesome 32-weeks-pregnant-with-twin-girls looks on beautiful Cassie.  We dodged rain in the public garden and around Beacon Hill, but it didn’t put a damper on their spirits one bit.  Their beautiful daughters, Izzy and Maddie, have been so loved from the very start.  Congrats, you guys — can’t wait to see you again soon, with girls in tow!

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If you’ve followed my blog for some time then you’ve met the Macauley Palumbo family already.  They’re gems.  Gorgeous, kind-hearted, super-fun gems.   I was thrilled when Leiha contacted me late in her second pregnancy to book a combined maternity & family session.  The goal: to capture her gorgeous belly shots along with some special moments between mama and first-born son.

As expected, we had a wild time chasing Billy through the streets of Beacon Hill, ending up at Cafe Vanille on Charles St. for a motivational treat (because toddlers mind a big ol’ camera in their face a whole lot less when they’re ice cream involved!).  I’m now of the mind that every session should include cookies and ice cream, especially when there are kiddos involved!  This was my favorite kind of session, because I love to shoot into the mad-cap energy of kids, and not around it.   Just go with the madness, that’s my motto.  These images are totally fun, spontaneous and genuine; my very favorite kind and the epitome of “my style”.   To be kind of blunt, I don’t go in for the precious, heavily-styled type of sessions, with lots of twee props and staging.  I certainly can appreciate the creativity around those, and there are lots of photographers out there that do an amazing job with that, but it is just not me at all.   I would so much rather jog down city streets and crawl around on the ground to capture the very essence of a toddler being who they are in that moment in time, than dress that same kid up in a 1930’s paper boy outfit and make them sit still on a milk crate.   Even if  reality is a bit messy and doesn’t have that perfect, glossy sheen, I strongly believe the more authentic images will evoke the memories and feelings of what that time in life was like, in all its joy and craziness, 10 and 20 plus years down the line.   For me, that is why I do this.

Okay, but enough about me, let’s get to these fun shots of Leiha and Billy:

These photos represent Part I of II with the Billy and his family, since I was lucky enough to return a few months later to capture the new family of four.   Come back to the blog soon to meet the newest little Palumbo — will it be a boy or girl?   When this session was taken, even Leiha and Jim didn’t know yet …

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In the interest of full disclosure, there’s something you should know about the lovely couple featured in today’s post — Chloe is my best friend in the entire world.  Has been since we were 14 years old, back when we both lived in Southern California.  A few years after I moved to the Boston area, I pulled off the greatest coup known to man and convinced her to move out here.   In the absence of making a new best girl friend out on the East Coast, I figured it would be prudent to just import mine from out West.   And now she and I have both married “local boys” and are calling Massachusetts our home for good.   Funny (and grand) how life works out, and our high school selves could never have imagined these happy endings (or beginnings, actually).

As soon as Chloe and Brandon got engaged visions immediately began swirling of the engagement photos I could take with/for the two of them.   I couldn’t be the photographer at their actual wedding, since I’d be too busy Matron of Honoring, but we had a gorgeous spring afternoon at our disposal in the Sheepfold area of the Lynn Fells Reservation to take some snaps to show off their love and beauty.   I think even Brandon might have to admit that he had fun, in the end ;)

Chloe and Brandon, I love you guys to the moon and back.  I am so grateful for your friendship and hope you will enjoy these photos in your NEW home!

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I met up with Sean and Dawn for a maternity session on a gorgeous, warm spring day in Milton, at Houghton Pond in the Blue  Hills Reservation.   These almost-new parents were so excited about their first baby, totally in love and warmed my heart a hundred ways.  They were waiting until the birth find out if its a boy or a girl, but I’ll spoil the surprise — Baby Max was born last June and is now 9 months old!  How’s that for long-overdue blogging, eh? Looking back at these images now, they mean even more to me as we have both had our baby boys since then and the big, round bellies are just beautiful (and swollen) memories.  I’ve kept in touch with Dawn and have been able to see pictures of Max as he’s grown, and he is SUCH a cutie (and just about the same age as my own Duffy).   We must get our little guys together for a play-date one of these days!

Dawn and Sean: I’m sorry this post has been so delayed, but thank you so much for allowing me to get to know you both a bit and capture this very special time in your lives – it was truly my pleasure, and I hope we can do it again in the future with little Max added in (on the outside this time!).

 

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I know I sound like a broken record, but I always get so lucky dang lucky with my clients – they are the best!  So true, again, with the Sullivan family.  We met up near their home in Boston on an absolutely gorgeous spring day last year.  I absolutely cannot say enough about their unbelievably handsome 7 month old son, Stuart.  Not only was a total champ for the picture-taking, but he stole my heart with his sweetness.   I was pregnant with my own son at the time of this session, and I can tell you I left that day that much more excited about having a little boy of my own after spending a some time with little Stuart.   As you can see, Sophie the Giraffe acted as my assistant — hey, whatever works!  Happy baby with big smiles is what it’s all about.   As a new parent myself (with a baby now very close to this age), these photos are extra special to me on reflection, they are pure joy.

Thank you, Pat and Jo, for sharing your family with me and my camera on this gorgeous afternoon.  It was such a pleasure to spend some time with the you guys and capture some precious moments in time of your family together.

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Remember that time I launched a blog with my website and then didn’t post again for 12+ months?  Yeah …whoopsie!

This long, long hiatus might have led you to believe that I haven’t been busy with photography, and while nothing could be further from the truth as I hope posts in the very-near future will lay bare, there was one major personal project this past year that caused something of a distraction ….

Meet my son, Ansell Duffy Ward — born June 13, 2012, and lighting my world on fire every day since.

My self-imposed maternity leave is long since over.  I cannot wait to re-ignite this blog and play catch-up with posts featuring some my fabulous in-the-bag Spring and Fall ’12 sessions (better late than never!), including ::DRUM-ROLL,PLEASE:: C.B. Ward Photography’s first big wedding — and it was a big one, folks.  Get ready, there’s good stuff ahead.

So, let’s start again, shall we?  I promise to hang around this time, and hope you will too.

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::tap, tap::   Is this thing on?

Holy cow, I’m on the internet.   This right here is the blog portion of C.B. Ward Photography — which is me, Christina Benson Ward.  At your service, in and around the greater Boston area.

How did I get here?  Well, I won’t start at the very beginning (it was a spring evening in Charlottesville, Virginia, just as the dogwoods were in bloom, as my mother tells it), but for the last handful of years I’ve been working as a corporate attorney.   Though it wasn’t very long into my legal career before I started to “secretly” pursue education and training (both formal and informal) in photography.  Over the last year, its become less of a “secret” thing and more like a “second full-time job” thing.  If you’d told me ten years ago that this type-A, self-described “non-creative” law-nerd would one day be starting my own business in a creative industry, I’d have assumed it was the punch line to a really good joke.   I can safely say that this is the most thrilling and terrifying thing I’ve ever done (and I have been mere feet from an about-to-charge rhino, so …).

This website is the culmination of so much dreaming, a fair amount of second-guessing and  lots (and lots) more hard-work, but, at the same time, it is only the very beginning of what I expect to be a lifetime of learning and growth.    I’d be honored if you’d join me for the ride.  Consider this your formal invitation.

Like most photographers’ blogs, this will serve as a place for  me to post my thoughts and favorite images from recent sessions. But I also hope it will evolve into much more than that.  I also envision this as a space where you {past, current or future clients, friends, random internet passer-bys} can get to know me and what I’m about on a between-the-sessions basis.  Sometimes I’ll post things from or about my own life, other photography that inspires me, and maybe the occasionally humorous jibber-jabber.   Because getting to know me is the same as getting to know my photography, as far as I’m concerned.   Of course, I hope you’ll like both.

One last thing: see that “Add a comment” button down there?  I’m pretty sure it works, but how can I be certain unless you test it out? Let me know you’re here and I’ll love you forever (true words).

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  • hootenannie - If anything was ever worth a hearty “OMG,” it’s this site.

    I AM SO EXCITED. And impressed. And proud. Not in a patronizing way, but in an “I can’t believe this girl is my friend” kind of way. CBW, you have grabbed life by the horns, and the result is nothing short of inspiring.

    Consider me subscribed to your posts. I am your biggest fan – maybe just right after your husband. :) xoxoReplyCancel

  • Amy - Super awesome!! Hoppped over from the 503 FB page, and wanted to leave you some love. Your website looks awesome and your photography is very yummy. Wish I lived in Boston!! Sending luck and prayers your way, but I don’t think you’ll need either ;-)ReplyCancel

  • shaina longstreet - Hi Hello!! welcome “to the internet” ;) I popped in from the 503 FB page just wanted to tell you how excited I am for you and how much I love your site and blog (especially the fonts you’ve chosen…I’m a sucker for a good font!). Your writing style is honest and real and I love your images. Good luck girl!! You’re gonna do awesome! :)ReplyCancel

  • Tina - Hey I just found you from the 503 fb too. Great work! You are my inspiration!ReplyCancel

  • Amanda - Another 503er here…just wanted to pop over and say “way to go!” I so admire you for putting yourself out there and launching your site – best wishes for you this year!ReplyCancel

  • Kate - Fantastic. Simply fantastic. Love the wit and the photographs. You are DESTINED for success.ReplyCancel

  • Emily Baker - This is awesome! So very excited for you! Cannot wait to see more posts and keep up with the latest happenings in your life. Love.ReplyCancel

  • Kuang - So beautiful. Congratulations, Christina!!ReplyCancel

  • Kate Walker - Amazing, Christina! I’m so proud of you.ReplyCancel

  • Darcy - Christina, congratulations! This is huge and incredibly inspiring. Best of luck!ReplyCancel

  • Matt Daugherty - Christina – I don’t know if you remember me from high school, but this is awesome! My wife has been a corporate finance professional for the past seven years and is currently trying to make the jump into baking, as it is HER passion. I’m going to show her your website as inspiration and reassurance that it IS possible! Congratulations on living your dream! – MattReplyCancel

  • Mary Tinti - Brilliant! Just brilliant, Christina (and I say that both as a proud friend and a totally ecstatic client). Dave and I are so excited to be along for the ride! XOXOReplyCancel

  • Kerri Mitchell - Wow friend! You certainly are inspiring! And a busy bee :) Can’t wait to keep tabs on your photographic adventures all the way across the country. Love you!ReplyCancel

  • Kerry Roush - Perfection. Congratulations! I can’t wait to watch my fellow 503’r and Redlands’r achieve crazy success in the photography world. I’ll be blog-stalking and rooting for you all the way. ;)ReplyCancel

  • Bethie - Christina – Congratulations!!

    You are a wonder, but of course, I already knew that.

    I have no doubt you will knock it out of the park – way to go!!

    Much love and wishing you the greatest success!ReplyCancel

  • Dea - Your photographs are amzing.ReplyCancel

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