As I gear up to launch my new website, a branch of Shirley Lynne Photography that focuses on the beauty and chaos of Motherhood, it is fun reflecting back to where it all started. Soon after becoming a mother myself, in October 2015, I had this idea of capturing Mom's in action in a typical "Day in the Life". At the time of this first 3 hour Day in the Life of a Mom session, I wasn't quite sure where the idea would take me, but I did know I had fallen in love with it.  

I think before becoming a mother, I had no idea what a typical day of being a Mom involved. I cringe now, when I look back, and remember thinking it would probably be relatively easy (because it is natural right?), that maternity leave was going to be nothing but amazing, and because I am a photographer, that of course I would take a million beautiful photos of my baby. I obviously learned a lot in that first year of motherhood... still learning, always will be. But one thing that stood out to me, was how you just cannot put into words what the experience is like. How hard you can work in a day and yet feel like you took several steps backwards. How you can have a complete lack of confidence in your parenting abilities, while also not finding a way to take a break because nobody can do the job just like you. How you can actually have the highest highs and the lowest lows literally minutes apart. Right now, I have a 10 month old baby and a 2.5 year old toddler; I'm on that roller coaster!  But one thing is for certain, I never want to forget this phase of life - the tantrums, the hugs, how hard I worked, how much we loved - all of it. And it has become a huge passion of mine to capture this for other people. Real emotion and real moments. 

So, here is the first 3 hour documentary family photo session I did, capturing an amazing Mom in action with her 3 young kids. I couldn't believe how much happens in just a "typical" 3 hour block of time in a Mom's home life, and to this day, it still amazes me every time I photograph a family. There is never a dull moment and all the moments captured will be worth looking back on over the years. I have grown as a photographer, and a mother, immensely over the past two years, but these photos will always hold a special place in my heart for sparking an idea and fueling a passion!