Blake | Richmond, VA Family, Baby Photographer.

“Sometimes people come into your life for a moment, a day or a lifetime. It matters not the time they spent with you but how they impacted your life in that time.” -unknown

I want you to meet a beautiful family…. this is the “N” family. The “N” family has been through every parent’s worst nightmare. Their beautiful baby Blake, who was two months old when I photographed him, unexpectedly passed away two weeks after our photo session. He passed away two weeks ago today.

People come into our lives for a variety of reasons. I am primarily a photographer in the Charlottesville area..although I do from time to time travel to Richmond to meet a client. The “N” family were one of those few families I have the opportunity to photograph in Richmond. I met them on a Saturday morning at my favorite spot in their area. I was instantly drawn to how kind and sweet they were. How beautiful their two boys were… Keller, their oldest son, as described by his father “lit up like he was on the red carpet” for our session. Baby Blake for being only two months old, held himself up so well, made such great eye contact and was a breeze to photograph. I know he thought we were insane trying desperately to get him to smile. As you will see below, the only smiles we got were when he was in mommy’s arms for the most part. What I didn’t know at that session, was how precious these images would be a short two weeks later.

As a photographer, my job is to preserve memories. And I always try my best to do just that. But when I learned of Blake’s passing, it made that realization become even more clear. I was heartbroken beyond belief for their family. I immediately contacted them to have prints ordered and overnighted for the service. Because in that instant, the “N” family weren’t just clients, they were friends. Friends who needed love and support and by having these pictures, I was able to give them just some of that.

It kills me to look at these pictures. I have certainly learned in life that not all things make sense. I just feel honored that they choose me… that I had the opportunity to document what are precious, precious portraits of a life gone too soon.

After I left the funeral home and dried my eyes, I made the hour or so drive home and I sat in deep thought the entire ride. There were many thoughts in my mind…. mostly sorrow and sadness. And just feeling heartbroken for the “N” family. But at one point, I literally said out loud, “God, you have me right where you want me…and this is where I am supposed to be.” And for a moment, I could at least feel like I was able to provide something to make this family happy. Even though no one should ever have to look at pictures of their child to remember them.

It took me a while to be able to share this blog post. To get the words onto “paper”. It still breaks my heart to see these pictures and I think about the “N” family every day. I thank them for letting me share their story. I hope that everyone who is reading this, wherever you are, will take away a couple of things from what I have written. One, tomorrow is not promised. No one thinks this will happen to them. I am sure the “N” family didn’t have this even on their radar. Blake was a perfectly healthy, thriving baby who fit into their family beautifully. Two, document. A lot of us have babies and think, “oh, I will just wait until he is a bit older, maybe when he can sit up, or his first birthday to have pictures taken”, well, I hope that this may change your mind. Have your babies photographed. Have a picture of you holding your baby, the way they fit perfectly into your arms, the way you look at them as though they are a miracle and you’ve never loved anything more. Find someone in your budget and don’t look back. You never know how much you may treasure those portraits days, months or years later.

Rest in Peace beautiful Blake.

Oldfields Photography specializes in newborn, maternity, baby and family photography in the Charlottesville and Richmond, Virginia and surrounding areas.