Seattle Family Photography client Iris - Mother of the Month - July

Meet Iris and Elizabeth, a mother daughter duo who have blessed me and my family photography studio for more than six years.

As a family photographer, I meet, observe and photograph many mothers. I love that part of my job because these women teach me so much about being a woman and being a mother. I met Iris a long time ago and was impressed with her candor and her love for her daughter. She also an amazing mother to observe as she interacted with her daughter. She was loving and she was fierce. Every time I see her and Elizabeth it is like seeing old friends. What a gift it is to be able to watch both of them grow!

My daughter Elizabeth is 6; she is my absolute everything. I have challenged myself to grow, mature and balance my life for her. I found out I was pregnant on my 23rd birthday. I felt so young and my relationship with her dad was very non traditional. He is 25 years older than I am. Motherhood scared me because I knew that I would need to step up and take on both parenting roles. At the time, I was very dependent on him but wanted to break free to support myself which I am finally doing.

I LOVE being a mother and truly enjoy watching both my daughter and myself grow so much through life’s beautiful journey. I spend a lot of my free time in Olympia with my family and sharing with Elizabeth the things I grew up with. In the summers we enjoy going to my mom’s beach where we canoe, swim and walk together. We love my mom’s horses. My dream is to have a horse again someday and to teach Elizabeth to ride.

I love photography because it can capture so many moments that have so much meaning. I struggled to find a good photographer whose work I truly loved. A friend told me about Jennifer Loomis and I immediately fell in love with her work. The first shoot she did for us was such an amazing experience. Not only is she an amazing photographer but also an amazing, inspirational and strong woman. I really clicked with her because she’s so easy and comfortable to be around. Nothing about her photo sessions feel pressured or forced, just natural and real, which is what I love. She has been photographing Elizabeth and I for 6 years now and to me there is nothing that can compare to a photo that Jennifer has done. She puts her heart into her work and I am blessed to know her as a photographer, woman and now a mother.I knew I wanted to give Elizabeth everything I could and to be able to offer her opportunities that I didn’t have growing up. I’m finally proving to myself that I can be an independent and strong woman. I want Elizabeth to have her own independence and strength more than anything. I recently moved back to Bellevue from Olympia so that Elizabeth could go to a Spanish immersion school. I had my heart set on her going there because of what it had to offer her. I have taken my moms tie-dye business over in Olympia, which I love and I also have an Arbonne business. I’m proud of myself and of Elizabeth. Thank you Jennifer Loomis for capturing so many special moments and memories!!!