Dela Cruz in Home Lifestyle Session

If you follow me on social media, it will come to no surprise to you that documentary sessions are my favorite. Specifically, in home family sessions. They’re so intimate and personal. Something a normal outdoor session, just cannot duplicate.

When I get the honor to photograph a family in their homes, I try my best to allow them to freely go about their normal day as much as possible, and ask them to try and forget I’m even there. I do this, in hopes to capture them authentically, so I am able to tell their story in a genuine way. I am so appreciative of families that trust me enough to ask me to come into their space, and I only wish to, in the end, hand over quality memories.

The Dela Cruz family were such a blast. They were so organic during their shoot and made me feel so very welcome. They danced in the morning light, snuggled in bed, made muffins for breakfast, and ended the morning laughing and cracking jokes in the kitchen. I struggled choosing just a handful for this blog when I was so tempted to share them all.

I hope you enjoy this set as much as I enjoyed creating them <3

xoxo

Thanks for viewing <3

Jasmin & Jordan - Okinawa Family Photographer

It has been forever since I sat down and blogged something, and honestly this session was one of my favorites I’ve ever photographed. It was so hard narrowing down my favorites from this session, because I love every single one!

Since starting photography in 2012 I always strived to capture emotion above all else. I truly believe if you can feel the emotions in an image, you will resonate with that image more. This is especially true when it comes to motherhood sessions. I want my moms to see their images and say “My gosh this is how motherhood feels!” I hope i can showcase this through these images. During this session it was windy which brought in some amazing cloud cover. I was overwhelmed with the beauty of Okinawa beaches when I arrived here, but to add an amazing dramatic sky, made it all the more beautiful. I have tried my very best for you all to see not only the gorgeous location that we are blessed to live in, but the love between a new momma and her son.

Here’s what Jasmin has said about being a first time momma <3

“The day I found out I was going to be a mother was such an unforgettable day. Fast forward to when my sweet “little” 8lb baby boy was born, and it was hands down the second-best day of my life! Here I thought 39 weeks was sufficient time to prepare for my son. Yet, everything I read about parenting and motherhood went out of the window the second he was placed into my arms. My son has become one of my favorite people in the whole wide world, our bond is unbreakable and my love for him will conquer all. Even on our tough days, he has taught me to be patient beyond measure. Being a mother is such a blessing, and I am forever grateful for the chance to nurture, teach, and love him. Motherhood is challenging yet rewarding in so many ways. The love I feel from my son, is what keeps me striving to be better. Although he’s not able to express it verbally, I know it’s there. As a new mom, I struggle with finding the balance between being Jasmin, a wife, and now a mom. It’s inevitable, but I have a great support system that reminds me I’m not just a mom. Simply put, there’s this unexplainable feeling that happens when your tiny human enters the world, and you realize you become their world, then you enter one of fiercest groups on earth, known as motherhood!”

— Jasmin Mathis

I think we all feel that way at times, feeling like our identity is 100% a mother and struggling to find ourselves again. Parenthood is hard, but so rewarding. You will find yourself again!

Thank you Jasmin for trusting me with capturing you and Jordan. You’re such a beautiful, kind and caring mother, Jordan is so lucky.

Thank you for stopping by and looking!

xoxo

Danielle and Nani - Motherhood Session - Raleigh NC Family Photographer - Willmington NC Photographer

The AirForce has introduced me to some amazing friends and I am so blessed to have met Danielle, and even more so to be her neighbor!! I had the pleasure of photographing Danielle and her daughter Nani yesterday and I am seriously in awe of how these images turned out. I hope you all enjoy these as much as I do!

XO

Thank for viewing!! <3

The Saunders Wedding at Madison at The Mill - Orange, VA

I am so excited to share these images with you! Courtney and Andre were such a pleasure to photograph, they are a gorgeous couple who were fun and full of joy…their celebration was no different.

It was so hard picking just a few favorites to feature here on this blog, but I hope I did this wedding justice. Thank you Courtney and Andre for trusting me with your precious memories.

I am thankful for my wonderful second shooter, April Miller Photography of Orange Va for assisting me the day of! Thanks so much!

Vendors:

Catering/Decor: Abbey Catering

Florals: The Posey Detail

DJ: Eric Wilson

Transportation: Ambassador Limousine

Venue: Madison at the Mill

Makeup: Samar Rammar

Hair: Sarah Tompkins

Officiant: Margo Bruce

Cake: Ruby Red Sweets

Photography: Lauren McKeown Photography

Maddox Asher - North Carolina Family Photographer - Goldsboro North Carolina Family Photographer

I have a confession to make….I never know what to write in blog posts. Honestly, I suck at it. I didn’t know what to say that would do my son justice. So I’ve decide to just ask him “What do you want people to know about you?” Here’s what he said:

1. “I am cool.”

2. “I like to play with my friends and play video games.”

3. “I am very good at math.”

4. “I am very smart.”

5. “I love my family.”

6. “Aspen, my sister is my best friend.”

7. “I want people to be nice to one another, and treat people with kindness and respect.” (OMG CRYING)

8. “I know my family loves me, a lot.”

9. “My favorite food is pizza and my favorite drink is lemonade. Oh, and my favorite color is, red and green, the Christmas colors…and orange and black.” (LOL)

10. “Sometimes I have a hard time saying words and that makes me frustrated, but I am really smart and I really like myself.” (AND NOW IM CRYING HARDER, I DON’T DESERVE THIS PERFECT HUMAN)

Thanks for looking! Leave a heart below <3

Sarah and Chasity - Dancing in the Rain

I feel like these images are here to explain themselves, but I’ll give a little back story.

Sarah, Chasity and I were sitting on the porch just hanging out and out of freaking nowhere a big storm comes rolling in. I mean…sunshine one second and a bucket of water on your head the next. We joked at first about “dancing in the rain” and about how I love rainy day pictures…up until I was like “I mean….I DID bring my camera.” LOL

Sarah and Chasity shot up and ran to the closet to grab a “matching” outfit and out the door we went. NOW…it WAS raining the second we walked inside to change…then when we get out to the field…NO RAIN. So we waited…did the rain dance….and waited some more….then suddenly the rain rolled on in! lol Turns out we were standing in a freaking tornado…well not directly, but we heard the area we were in got one haha

Now when you’re looking at these, keep in mind we were laughing and making jokes the entire time, so most of these are meant to be hilarious! But I really enjoyed how they turned out, I hope you do as well!

Thanks for looking! Leave a comment below and let me know what your thoughts are on these! Or…just hit the little heart ;) <3

The Henry Family and Maternity

I’ve been photographing Erin and her family since 2015 and watching them grow has been such an honor. I love returning clients because they get to also experience my growth as an artist as well. I was thrilled when I got an email from Erin asking me if I was interested in photographing her maternity/family session. My true passion since day 1 as a photographer has been to document genuine moments. My goal for every session is to capture those laughs, hugs, and tender moments. As parents we will especially cherish the real smiles and moments that capture the essence of our children.

I hope you all enjoy this session as much as I did.

Erin, Matt and Brielle, as always, it was such an honor to document your family <3

Thank you for viewing! Click the heart icon below to show support and love <3

Cows are a Girls Best Friend

My dear friend Sarah Stanley has become “that crazy cat lady”… except with cows lol

Her love for her babies is so sweet it warms my heart. So when she asked me to photograph her and her cows, I said “OMG YES”. I think it’s important to love creatures, especially “farmed animals” so we can have a better understanding of what that animal is instead of an item on our menu. Cattle are intelligent and super social creatures, so being able to see them as “pets” is such a fun and refreshing point of view. I’m so happy to have captured these! Thank you Sarah for trusting me!

Thanks for viewing! <3 Click the heart below to show support!

Jeff and Rachel Sunrise Engagement Session - North Carolina Photographer

I had the honor of meeting Rachel at another wedding I photographed last year, so I was beyond thrilled when she contacted me to photograph her engagement session.

Jeff and Rachel were so much fun. We all laughed and joked the entire time which makes every session so much easier. We met at 7:30am to catch the sunrise in Culpeper, Va. I seriously recommend sunrise sessions for all of you, they are so nice for those of you who would still like to have the rest of your day to do what you need!

Thank you Rachel and Jeff for being such troopers on this chilly and breezy morning! You both were so much fun and I am so thrilled for you two and your happiness!

Thanks for looking!

Rachel and Austin's Early Spring Engagement Session

When one of your best friends sister contacts you for an engagement session, you JUMP on it. Especially when that sister is so incredibly sweet and gorgeous as Rachel is.

I am really happy with how these turned out and I hope you all do as well!

I had so much capturing your love for Austin, and his for you Rachel. I really hope you enjoy these photos for a lifetime. Thank you for trusting me!

Aspen Mila

Personal Blog - February 2019 - My Daughter, Aspen Mila

January 2019 - Personal Blog - Virginia Family Photographer - North Carolina Family Photographer

While editing I came across nearly 1000 images that I have been holding back from sharing with the world. I always get really nervous when sharing my work and putting myself out there. I think “damn are these too ‘creative’, is anyone going to like these?” I tend to play it “safe” with paid sessions, so my personal work is always super dramatic, I have more creative freedom and therefore I feel more fulfilled with personal work. I’ve decided to put this work out there and share it with you all! So my goal this year is to post a monthly update with all my work! It will feature my cute little kids, some weird selfies probably, and my fiance I guess ;) I really hope you all enjoy these! We celebrated my son turning 7 and my daughter turning 5 this month, so you’ll see plenty of donuts featured in this months photos lol (birthday tradition). Please do me a favor and let me know what you think and which image is your favorite!! <3

Love you all,

Lauren

Family Session at Big Meadows - Virginia

Have you ever created something and take a step back and say "holy crap this is good"? haha well, I did with this session. I had to tell myself over and over again that it's okay to like your own work and it's okay to be proud of something you have created. 

This session was so perfect. The sky presented us with its most beautiful colors and dramatic clouds. Also these kids have the most GORGEOUS red hair and photographing them was such an honor. I hope you all enjoy these images, I'm going to keep the dialog short and let these images speak for themselves. <3 

Thanks for visiting :) 

The Lamb Family at Shenandoah National Park

As some of you all know, I took a very long break from my business. It was a deeply personal decision and one I did not choose to make lightly. The break was much needed and very therapeutic being able to place my family and self before work. But like all breaks...they end! I'm pleased to say that I'm FULLY back to business and so excited for what this year has to bring! One of my first sessions "back" was The Lamb Family! It was a cool and cloudy evening, which to my surprise made some amazing scenery! 

I was so afraid that the sun wouldn't come out and the pictures out look dull...but i'm officially in LOVE with overcast all over again!! Bring me all the rain clouds!!  

Guy's I really just love capturing true emotions. I don't spend whole lot of time posing my clients or instructing them what to do with their hands. lol I like for things to happen organically. I've been in front a lens before, and let me tell you, It's always the pictures of me laughing (without some awkward pose) that are my favorite. So I try and let my clients be free so they're relaxed...which I feel translates to a more authentic piece of art work.  I hope you all enjoy this session! Take a look and feel free to leave some love :)

Thanks for looking!