A Weekend Full of Love — Samantha Jane Photography

With both of my sisters pregnant in 2025, I traveled out to Rexburg, Idaho with my new baby (who arrived in Fall 2024) and camera bag in tow for a double baby shower weekend. Y’all know what that means - double maternity shoots! And just because I’m crazy, I decided to squeeze in a family shoot for my friend Hannah too. What can I say, I like a full schedule.

Five days, four airplanes, three photoshoots, two baby showers, all in one crazy fun weekend.

My little sister Jessica was pregnant with her first, a little boy, and the vibe she wanted for her shoot was very Pinterest-esque, indie album cover feels.

I LOVE a chance to edit a little differently than my usual and Jess has always leaned towards warmer edits in her previous shoots (we’ve worked together for her proposal, engagements, bridals, and more!), so I was excited to get to switch it up again for this session.

Jess and Jeremy are both three years younger than me and since I was the first sibling to get married and have kids, I’ve been so anxious for the day my siblings also started having kids.

We had a major baby boom in my family/on my mom’s side, with two of my cousins also welcoming new babies that year. It has been so fun to watch our ranks grow and grow, and reminisce on what we used to do as kids. Sibling and cousin bonds are so fun and I hope to have our kids be close to their cousins as well.

We’ve already been planning, and enjoying, “cousin camp” at my mom and dad’s place for the summers! It’s so fun to see my mom and dad be grandparents now, and they always work on their backyard for weeks to get it ready for us all.

Ash and her husband Kevin also welcomed a baby boy just three weeks after Jess and Jeremy! I’ve had the pleasure of photographing Ash and Kevin’s Grand Teton elopement several years ago and then Denver maternity photos for their first, Liza, back in 2023.

I think one of my favorite things about repeat clients is getting to see the updates and additions in their lives over the years, especially when it’s my very own family members.

Now where Jess is indie, Ash leans towards high-class and high-contrast. If we were categorizing my sister’s in early 2000s room themes, Ash is New York. Ashleigh has always been very fashionable, and her closet, which still contains pieces from our childhood days, could probably rival your favorite influencers.

There was even once a time my sisters and I all worked at our mom’s formal wear store, ordering products, attending markets, and even managing and attending fashion shows, including in New York City. I was certainly not surprised when she pulled this dress out of her suitcase because even though it’s a piece I’d probably never consider for a photoshoot, she pulls it off effortlessly.

Having Liza in Ash’s shoot also took me straight back to that Denver maternity shoot we did several years ago. Now my sister has the sweetest mini-me hanging around! Change of course is inevitable and I’m just happy I get to be along for the ride as both a witness and a documenter.

My docket then included the sweetest studio family session with my dear friends Hannah and Sawyer. Hannah and I met working at our college newspaper and became fast friends. Many years, kids, and moves have not lessened my love for her.

Wrangling two kids with a brand new baby is not for the faint of heart, but Hannah is truly one of the most patient women I know and she kept her cool, alongside Sawyer, who has that “well, it is what it is” attitude and rolled with punches. Their dynamic allowed for us to get some super sweet moments while still allowing room for fun and play.