From Belly to Big Sister: A Maternity & Family Session at Sycamore Valley Park
Some sessions stay with me longer than others, and this one is a perfect example of why I love what I do at Aika Cardin Photography Studio. I had the joy of photographing this Danville family not once, but twice — first during mom's pregnancy, and then again seven months later, once baby Aiden had arrived and 6-year-old Annabelle had officially become a big sister. I orginally met Annabelle from Ballet Recital Photo Day for Tutu School, San Ramon, she looked so adorable in recital Tutu outfits! A Park That Means Something When mom reached out to plan her maternity session, she had one request: she wanted the photos taken at Sycamore Valley Park in Danville. It wasn't a random choice — it's the park their family visits all the time, where Annabelle has grown up playing, and where so many of their everyday family memories already live. It only made sense that this next chapter would be captured there too. So when it came time to plan the family session a few months later, the decision was easy: same park, same family, new addition. There's something really special about photographing a family in a place that already holds meaning for them, rather than a generic backdrop. It makes the images feel like their story, not just a photoshoot. The Maternity Session During the maternity session, it was just mom, dad, and Annabelle — soon to be a family of four. We spent the session capturing the…