Watch Maddie Grow with Taryn van Rensburg Photography

I am such a sentimental person. I love photographs. I love treasuring and preserving memories. I have folders and folders of beautifully shot images of Maddie that I have taken of her throughout her first 16 months of her life. But of all the photographs I have of Maddie, there are these which I hold so closely to my heart.

Before we even planned on starting our family I always knew that when we started our family I would do professional photo shoots of their life/lives from the get go. From maternity shoots to newborn to birthdays. I wanted to have them professionally done for me to treasure and for our child/children to have one day.

I have the privilege of working closely with Ballito based photographer, Taryn van Rensburg on the magazine covers we shoot and I knew the moment I found out that we were pregnant that she would be the perfect person to photograph our journey and our little Maddie’s first year and beyond.

I recently got given the beautifully packaged photo box of photographs from the shoots I booked with her and I am so excited to share them all with you and most recently our family photo shoot which I given you a sneak peek at over the past month on my Instagram page.

So here are my special photographs:

MATERNITY:
At around 33 weeks I dressed up my bump and got in front of Taryn’s lens to document the start of Maddie’s gorgeous montage of memories. In mommy’s belly. I know so many moms hated their pregnant bodies and choose not to do a maternity shoot but looking back now – I am so glad that we had these photos taken. I cannot remember being this big and how I looked pregnant! These photographs show me now what a warrior I was! I grew and carried a baby! My body is amazing! My body is powerful! When I look back I remember so many moments of my pregnancy – the hard, the good, the worries and the pain. I cannot wait to show Maddie these pictures one day – “mommy grew you in her belly”. On a side note – I can totally see now how much I really was ‘glowing’ as they put it then, I never truly believed it until now! Haha!

Dress by Bianca Warren Designs
Necklace by Lauren Ginn Accessories

NEWBORN:
At just 10 days young, our most precious miracle had her photography debut! For the first time after my husband saw these pictures he knew booking Taryn to photograph our daughter’s first year and beyond was the right decision. These are pictures you can never get back! Taryn is a true artist and has an amazing way of working with newborns!

SITTER:
Taken at just over eight months old when she could sit but not move – these are my favourite images of Maddie. She looks like a real doll and this shoot allowed me to dress Maddie up and I even got to dress her up in a dress I wore at my sitter session 27-years-ago!

Dress: Bianca Warren Designs
Maddie’s blue romper: Penny Lane SA

SMASH THE CAKE:
You cannot turn one without having a smash the cake photoshoot! It is a right of passage! We had so much fun styling and witnessing this shoot. Maddie knew exactly what to do with her cake!

Stationery by La Maison

FAMILY:
And to finish off Maddie’s first year – we did a special family shoot at 15 months old in a special spot in Ballito – just across the road from where Brett and I got married. I just adore the setting and Taryn captured our family so well!

My dress: Kathrin Kidger
Maddie’s dress: Rue de Lapinou
Maddie’s shoes: Harry & Boo

Nothing can come close to how much these pictures mean to Brett and I. Worth every single cent and more! I wish that more people who can afford to will book these kinds of shoots for their children because they really are so special and worth so incredibly much when you look back at how much your tiny miracle has grown. I cannot wait to show Maddie them one day and continue to do our annual family photo shoot with Taryn to add to this collection.

For more information on Taryn’s maternity, newborn and ‘Watch Me Grow’ (sitter, smash the cake and family shoot before 18 months) packages or to book a shoot visit tarynvanrensburg.co.za or email taryn@tarynvanrensburg.co.za