A baby's first birthday is a huge milestone.
Every family chooses to celebrate their little one's birthday differently, but many mark the special occasion with a photo shoot that they can always look back on and cherish.
While some parents (including my own) choose to take their babies to a studio to get their portraits done, others prefer to have the photos taken in a more natural setting, like in their own backyard. This natural environment is not only familiar to the baby, it also makes the photos feel organic and not as staged.
Ahead of baby Luke Lewis' first birthday on October 13, 2017, mom Mandy Lewis decided to hire photographer Christina Elmore of The Shutter Owl Photography to take some portraits of her son. Mandy decided to shoot Luke's portraits on her parents' farm in Lincolnton, North Carolina, which Christina described as an "amazing" backdrop.
While Christina expected the photo shoot to be relatively uneventful, she was taken aback when Mandy asked if they could try to get some photos of Luke with one of the baby calves on the farm.
"It ended up being anything but usual after I arrived," Christina told LittleThings.
Luckily, the photos of the two babies together turned out more adorable than anyone could have imagined! Check out Luke's first birthday photo shoot below, and make sure to SHARE this special moment with friends and family on Facebook!
Thumbnail Photo: Christina Elmore / The Shutter Owl Photography
When photographer Christina Elmore showed up to photograph Luke Lewis for his first birthday, it felt like any other photo shoot.
"This was going to be one of my usual first birthday milestone sessions," Christina told LittleThings.
Luke's mom Mandy opted to take Luke's photos on her parents' farm in Lincolnton, North Carolina.
"The backdrop of the farm was amazing, and Luke is one of the sweetest babies I have ever met!" Christina said.
The farm is home to various animals, including cows and their baby calves. What Christina never expected, though, was Mandy's request to photograph Luke with the baby calves.
"It was unexpected, but Luke's mom wanted to try to get some pictures of Luke with one of their calves," Christina said. "When she asked me during the shoot, I was really excited at the idea, but there's truly no way I could have expected the sweet moment that was going to unfold before our eyes that I had the opportunity to capture."
Though getting the baby calf over to Luke was a struggle, it was all smooth sailing once everyone was in place.
"Mandy's sister, Danielle, trying to half-drag, half-carry this baby calf, whom she named Opal, out to the field for the shoot beforehand was pretty hilarious," said Christina. "It was better than I could have visualized, as much as I wish I could take the credit."
Though the photo shoot was anything but ordinary, it turned out to be a beautiful shoot that Luke's family will always remember.
Happy birthday, Luke!
Did this photo shoot make you smile? Make sure to SHARE it with your friends on Facebook!
