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Growing Our Rainbow: My Experience with Pregnancy after Loss

11/7/2019

My Experience with Pregnancy after Loss | Columbia, SC Newborn and Family Photographer | Nicole Watford Photography

Back in July, on the anniversary of our miscarriage, we announced that we were expecting our rainbow baby. It’s hard to believe that I am now well into the third trimester of this pregnancy, and that our newest little love will be joining us in just a couple of months!

As we have walked this journey of loss of our second child, it has been healing for me to open and honest about our experiences. Today, I wanted to share a bit of my perspective on what it has been like for me to experience pregnancy after a loss.

Joyful Family Session at Hampton Park | Charleston, SC Family Photographer

11/4/2019

Fall family session in Charleston, SC | Charleston, SC Family Photographer | Nicole Watford Photography

It was a Saturday morning in the Lowcountry that felt more like June than late October. Overcast skies gave way to a bright, sunny morning, and golden sunlight filtered through trees dripping with Spanish moss. A sweet family of three strolled through Charleston’s beautiful Hampton Park — mom, dad, and baby girl — and I was absolutely captivated by the sweet, quiet way they interacted with one another. As we paused to capture some photos near a garden still vibrant with flowers, butterflies dipped and darted among the blooms, and I couldn’t help but think what a perfect morning it was to enjoy one of the last days of this year’s seemingly endless summer!

Navy and Burgundy Fall Family Session on the Columbia Riverwalk | Columbia, SC Family Photographer

10/23/2019

It was a warm, sunny afternoon following a day of nothing but rain and a week of cool, fall temperatures. A sweet family of four gathered together at Columbia's Riverwalk Park, a place that they have many special memories together. As we walked along the Congaree River, sounds of jazz music wafted down from the Gervais Street Bridge Dinner and provided the perfect, upbeat soundtrack as we stopped along the river for photos. As we smiled and laughed, it felt like the kind of afternoon you want to remember always, a feeling that you want to bottle up and keep.

Cozy Fall Family Session at Home | Sumter, SC Lifestyle Photographer

10/15/2019

Snuggles and tickles on mom and dad’s bed, the room filled with the most gorgeous morning light. Reading favorite stories. Mom and daughter baking cookies together while dad and son played together on the floor. Dancing together to favorite songs. A sweet and happy boy, grinning with the biggest smiles after kisses from his mama, and his spunky, independent big sister eager to help, show the way, and jump into all the fun! There was such a feeling of coziness and warmth in this precious family’s home, and it truly felt like the most perfect fall Saturday morning as I snapped photos of them enjoying each other and their time together during their lifestyle family session!

Golden Hour Fall Family Session in Downtown Chapin | Columbia, SC Family Photographer

10/7/2019

Fall Golden Hour Brothers Session in Downtown Chapin | Columbia, SC Family Photographer | Nicole Watford Photography

Crisp, cool air blowing through rows of trees tinged with autumn leaves. The sweetest brothers, dressed to impress in their most adorable (and stylish!) duds. The sounds of laughter echoing between buildings as bubbles floated away in the breeze. This playful session in downtown Chapin was the absolute best way I could have imagined to kick off the busy fall photography season, from the blissfully cool weather that came after a week of record-breaking high temperatures to all the fun we had dancing, playing with planes and trains, running down sidewalks, and waving and smiling at everyone who passed by!

Elegant Blue and Floral Newborn Session at Home | Columbia, SC Lifestyle Newborn Photographer

9/16/2019

Blue Floral Newborn Lifestyle Session | Columbia, SC Newborn Photographer

There is always a certain type of magic that I feel when I walk into the home of a family who has just welcomed a new baby. The air holds a sense of the great shift that has taken place — the newness of life, a feeling of how the months and months of preparation and anticipation have finally yielded the greatest joy imaginable. As I stepped through Paige and Brian’s front door on a bright September morning, I immediately felt captivated by the warmth within their home. This was my first newborn session since finding out that we had our own sweet baby on the way, as I watched these proud new parents interacting with their baby girl — tending to her needs, holding her, talking to her sweetly — I felt my heart swell with emotion, imagining how those first weeks with our new baby will look for us in just a few short months!

Now Booking Fall 2019 Family Sessions in Columbia, SC!

8/29/2019

Now booking fall 2019 family sessions in Columbia, SC! | Nicole Watford Photography

UPDATE: My fall calendar is now 100% booked for family sessions! I'm looking forward to serving so many amazing families before the end of the year! If you would like to inquire about a family session this spring, use my contact form (or email me directly). Thank you so much!

It's that time of year, friends! September is fast approaching, and it's time to start think about updating those family photos in time for the holidays!

With our sweet baby due to arrive in early January, I am only taking on a limited number of family sessions this fall through the end of November! My calendar is already filling up quickly, and once I am fully booked, I won't be opening any more availability for family sessions until spring of 2020!

Colorful Baby Portrait Session at Home | Columbia, SC Baby Photographer

8/19/2019

Oh, what a sweet way to start out my Saturday morning with this beautiful baby girl in front of my camera! It’s always exciting when I get to start out my weekend with a session, but when this precious baby girl was immediately all smiles for me, I just knew we were going to get some of the sweetest portraits of her for her upcoming pageant!

Lily is Cancer Free! | Sunrise Golden Hour session in Downtown Spartanburg | Spartanburg, SC Family Photographer

8/6/2019

Family Sunrise Session in Spartanburg, SC | Nicole Watford Photography

It was a misty summer morning, and the clouds enveloped the top of the tallest buildings in downtown Spartanburg, obscuring them from view. The quiet downtown streets were just starting to come to life in the early Saturday light, and the two sweetest puppy parents and Lily, their most precious beagle, strolled down alleyways and sidewalks as we stopped here and there to capture some sweet moments of their family of three. Although the morning was cloudy, there was so much light and joy — Lily had just completed her chemo treatments for her battle with lymphoma and was now cancer-free and in full remission!

Happy July!

7/1/2019

I don't know about you, but I cannot BELIEVE it is already July 1! That means this year is already half over... how in the WORLD did that happen?!

May and June are always busy months for me, but this year, they absolutely FLEW by. And so much life has been packed into them. Our son is officially 2 ½ years old (cue ALL the tears!). My husband and I celebrated both our birthdays (as well as a half dozen family birthdays!) and toasted our 7th anniversary. There have been home projects, lazy afternoons, and family outings. We have blown hundreds of bubbles blown, spent dozens of afternoons splashing in the kiddie pool, and etched oodles of chalk drawings across our driveway. We've been on the go with doctor’s appointments, meetups with friends, and visits with family.

Essentially, we’ve packed a lot of life and memories into the last 61 days!
Summer, to me, always feels like a time for reflection. I think it’s almost ingrained in me after all my years as a student and then as a teacher. I’ve been doing lots of reflecting and goal setting, and it still amazes me to think about where I was a year ago and how far I’ve come in the last year!
There are some BIG changes on the horizon with this little business of mine, and I can’t wait to share those with you soon!

In the meantime, HAPPY SUMMER! I hope you're finding some time to enjoy the season (and perhaps a slower pace of life for a few months!).

Columbia, SC Photographer | Nicole Watford Photography

Hi! I'm nicole!

I love photographing families in every stage of life, creating warm, bright, and natural images that you will treasure for a lifetime. What I love most about being behind the camera is telling the story in front of me, highlighting the joy and relationships between loved ones and capturing each personality!

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Nicole Watford is a newborn & family photographer based in Columbia, SC.

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