May the Force Be With You Always or Meet the Michalsens
There is something seriously amazing about photographing newborns. The way they blink their eyes open as they slowly focus on different subjects; I can’t help but wonder how they are making sense of this new world they have just entered. I sometimes wish that we were all allowed this fresh perspective when we were old enough to be conscious of this sort of blessing. Babies have no preconceived notions; the world is an amazing place for them, full of goodness and wonder. 
Photographing newborns also gives me a VIP pass to observe parents interacting with their new baby. They have only just met a few days prior, but the intensity with which they love their little being is something that is breathtaking. The love a parent possesses for their baby is biological; it is not taught, it is not learned, it is innate. A parent’s love for their baby is love in its purest form.
The minute I met the Michalsens, I knew I was going to be able to capture the kind of love I just described.
And Beckett makes it pretty easy to fall in love with him.
Meredith and Brian decided to leave Beckett's gender a surprise, so until he was born, he was dubbed "Baby Yoda". And now, the force will always be with him.
I asked Meredith the first thing she thought when she saw Beckett for the first time and she replied, “I love this child more than I thought possible, and I just met him." And it is so apparent.
The best way I can describe the connection between Meredith and Beckett is watching them interact makes you want to go home and hug your mom. When he hears her voice, his eyes search the room for her. When she holds him, his body relaxes. Meredith is a natural. It amazes me how automatic being a mom is for her, especially with Beckett being her first baby. He makes her so happy, and the feeling is mutual.
Then you add Brian to the equation and you have yourself a family with super powers. I can already envision the future; Beckett will be Brian’s little shadow. Where there is Brian, there is Beckett. Much like Meredith, Brian has a knack for being a father. When it comes to little Beckett, he takes care to swaddle him in a way that seems to provide instant comfort, he cradles him in way that makes Beckett feel safe, and he talks to him in a way that lets Beckett know he is cared for.
The most exciting part in all of this is that I will be following Beckett for the first year of his life. Every few months I get to photograph his growth, watch him develop his personality, and document these fleeting, monumental moments for this new family. I cannot wait to create beautiful photographs as a memento of a time that flies by all too quickly.
