Exploring a New Chapter of Motherhood: Why I’m Taking a Sabbatical from Birth Photography

By Lo | Fort Worth Motherhood & Family Photographer

A Loss That Shifted Everything

It’s hard to know how to start something like this. In September of 2024, my entire world shifted. My father passed away. suddenly, unexpectedly and in an instant. everything felt different. The loss shook me and my family to the core. It wasn’t just grief. it was like the axis I stood on tilted, and I didn’t recognize the shape of life anymore. I’ve always been drawn to the emotional gravity of birth the rawness, the transformation, the sacred in between but suddenly, I found myself navigating my own kind of in between. A season of deep loss. A pause. A reckoning. And in that stillness, something in me shifted.

Why I'm Stepping Away from Birth Work — For Now

For years, I’ve walked alongside families as they welcomed new life into the world, holding space for birth stories full of power, chaos, and raw beauty. As both a birth photographer and a doula, I know how deeply important it is to show up fully, grounded and present, for the women trusting you in those sacred hours. But in this season of loss, I’ve realized my own heart needs space to heal before I can serve in the birth space again. I can’t pour into others while I’m still trying to find my footing, and birth work deserves more than half hearted energy. So for now, I’m choosing to step back. Not forever, but for a while. This is a pause, not a goodbye.

Rediscovering the Magic of Motherhood Storytelling

In this in between season, I’ve been pulled toward something different. A slower kind of storytelling. one where the emotions still run deep, but in a gentler rhythm. I’m finding healing in photographing mothers with their children, families tangled up in each other at golden hour, and sleepy newborns cradled in sunlit rooms. These aren’t just sessions! they’re little windows into the sacredness of ordinary moments and I’ve realized how deeply I want to preserve that kind of magic for others, too.

I’m currently focusing on outdoor family sessions, maternity stories, and lifestyle newborn photography in a cozy Fort Worth studio I rent. Everything I do is rooted in emotion and storytelling nothing stiff or overly posed. I offer styling guidance and access to a collection of flowing, boho dresses because I believe the right wardrobe helps moms feel confident and beautiful in front of the camera. These sessions are designed to be calm, connected, and full of intention.

Bringing Stories to Life with Cinematic Films

And something new that’s lighting me up? Cinematic films. I’ve started offering short, emotional videos alongside sessions. a way to capture the sound of your baby’s laugh, the way your toddler runs into your arms, or how the wind lifts your hair while you're holding your child. It’s storytelling in motion, and I don’t see many other photographers in the Fort Worth area doing this. It feels like such a natural extension of the way I see motherhood: fleeting, messy, emotional, and worth remembering with more than just still images.

The Beauty in the Storm

Another part of my work that feels especially personal right now is the way I edit. I’m drawn to the bold, the moody, the in between light. While many photographers reschedule for blue skies and perfect weather, I lean into the overcast days, the heavy clouds, the storm that’s just passed. There’s something so honest and beautiful about photographing families under big, dramatic Texas skies. the kind of skies that feel like they’re holding space for something bigger. I’ve always been that way, but lately it’s become even more meaningful. There’s healing in that kind of wild, untamed beauty and I want my clients to feel it, too.

If You're in a Tender Season, Too I'm With You

This new season of work is tender and deeply intentional. I’m still finding my footing, still healing, but I’m also falling in love with photography all over again in a new way. If you’re in a season of transition too, or simply want to be seen and celebrated in your motherhood, I would be honored to tell your story. Whether it’s with photos, film, or both I want to help you hold onto the things that matter most.

If this resonates with you, reach out. I’d love to connect, dream with you, and create something honest and beautiful together.