Good morning! If you enjoyed the last post showing Elizabeth’s transformation and Beautiful Session portraits, and if you thought to yourself, “WOW! I wish I could do something like that!”…..well, what are you waiting for?! This is the perfect time to celebrate you! You are beautiful and being good to yourself not only increases your own happiness, but it benefits the lives of your husband, your children, your family and friends and anyone who cares about you! I would LOVE to get you into the studio! It’s your turn <3

The experience during and after your session will be amazing! Here is what Elizabeth and her husband Charley had to say:

“Ashley Ward and Ashley Ward Photography~
All I can say is a big WOW And Thank you for an awesome experience today.
MOTHERS DAY PERFECT GIFT INFO….…..Calling all Dads looking for that unforgettable gift for your wife for Mother’s day – It is something she would probably hesitate to buy for herself but she will LOVE it. I am a witness to the incredible and lasting experience that is Ashley Ward Photography’s Beautiful You session. It’s not called Beautiful you but that is exactly how the whole experience made me feel today.
Ashley has created an experience from when you walk through the front door of her new studio in 5 points, with the rich colors and glamorous feeling and style. You begin to feel the pampering as you move to the special dressing area to discuss outfit selection. No stress there – Ashley knows how to make a tank top and faded jeans be GLAMOROUS! Creating the professional looks for hair and makeup was Amy Schaming. She is such an artist! I was teased, curled, quaffed, extended and pampered!! I never knew my hair was capable of that!! Then the make up – oh my – better than a facial! And absolutely gorgeous! Then – photo time…
Each shot was carefully chosen and thought out – It was surprising and overwhelming to know that everything was focused on me – Each outfit, hair curl, accessories and body position were adjusted if it wasn’t just the exact way Ashley and Amy had envisioned me to look. The continual re-touching of hair, makeup, props and styling to make for the most beautiful shots made me feel like a super model, a movie star, a TV star, a Rockstar, a fairy princess and a beautiful Mom and wife… all in a few hours. But the feeling and experience will last a life time. I will have these photography portraits to give to my children. Who knows what tomorrow may bring – I may not even be here. But I am grateful that Ashley Ward captured this time in my life – not when I am 20 pounds lighter, or when I have flawless 18 year old skin or that bridal glow but instead with a few streaks of grey and one too many wrinkles around my eyes and on my forehead. We get to an age where we begin to get behind the camera – not in front of it celebrating life and the beauty that God created in us because we don’t feel like we “look good” enough. I’m done with that. These images are life changing. I mean it. I may not look like I walked out of a professional photo shoot every day but I will carry this feeling with me. Ashley Ward is an artist and her vision is beautiful and she made me feel that way too…
I will post some of the shots on Monday. I am so excited! I hope you will get to experience her talent and vision soon!”
- Elizabeth K.

“Husbands take note. This is an amazing thing. You know your wife is beautiful, but does she know it? She should. Last weekend Elizabeth sat for a session with Ashley Ward photography. It is probably the first time since our wedding day that she did something to capture that beauty when it just about her. No babies, no kids, no dogs or husbands. Just her. That whole day after she was walking on a cloud. The experience was so special that she could not stop talking about it. I don’t know about any other guys, but my wife is more beautiful today than the day I married her. Now I get to share that with everyone. Eat your heart out!

This may not be something she would have done for herself if she had not been friends with Ashley. But now that I know how it made her feel I would buy it for her in a heartbeat. Forget the flowers and the candy. Get her one of these sessions with Ashley. Show her how beautiful she is.”
-Charley K.

A beautiful baby is coming any day now!! She will be adored by her mother, her father, her big sister, and the family dog. She will have beautiful photographs made to celebrate and document her welcome into the family. And when she grows older, she will be so thankful for the wonderful photographs made of her gorgeous mother and her loving family and how happy they were as they anticipated her arrival!
I cannot wait to meet her!!

The beauty of a woman during pregnancy is so incredible! There is a softness and a beauty that is truly extraordinary. When it is quiet and still, you can feel the bond between mother and child and it is so moving to me to photograph a woman during this time. I am thrilled to say I will be blogging quite a few maternity session over the next few months. Nothing could make me happier. They are one of my favorite sessions:)

The mom-to-be was glowing for her session and it was an absolute honor and pleasure to photograph her. This sweet baby will be arriving any day and I cannot wait!

Today I am overwhelmed with the beauty of motherhood! This last week my sister visited from NYC and stayed at my mother’s home in Folly Beach, SC. I was so excited to see her. Here she was, my beautiful baby sister, blossoming into a gorgeous mother! At just under 7 months she is one of the most beautiful pregnant women I have ever seen…….all the more glorious for the struggle she endured to become pregnant. For those who know and love my sister, we celebrate and are even more thankful for her pregnancy because it was so difficult to achieve. My sister and I have both battled with our own fertility demons for years. And my own family may be much smaller than I planned and wished for, but I will continue to be grateful and say prayers of thanks for my beautiful daughter. I am so happy that my sister will be able to experience the absolute privilege and honor of becoming a mother.

I was also struck by the beauty of other mothers I have spent time with recently and just wanted to share these images with you. I am not ready to blog these sessions yet but just felt the desire to share these images with you now. The first image(s) is my sister, of course……in all her radiant glory. Be sure to keep checking the blog and my facebook page for more of her maternity session on the beach in Charleston SC at Folly Beach.

The second image is a mom I have had the great pleasure of working with 4 times now. I first photographed her when her daughter made her debut in this world and visited her family again for more sessions at 6 months and 1 year. And now here she is with baby number 2, her handsome son! She and her husband are such lovely people and I just am so happy to know them. They are so at ease and trusting in our sessions together. I love when clients can relax and enjoy the process and experience of the shoot so much because it lets me see the story and beauty and takes the images to a new level where the intimacy and emotions can be read in the portraits.

And finally the third image is a new mom I met for the first time recently……a mom who has been doubly-blessed! With TWINS. A boy and a girl! And I was so taken by her lovely spirit. Although the demands of twins were obviously not an easy thing to meet and she and her husband were tired and still a bit overwhelmed, I believe, they were patient and kind and trusting and happy and it was such an honor to be there capturing their growing family and all the love they have for these two precious little beings. And mom was just glorious and I was so happy to capture this portrait of her. Someday she may barely remember the details of these first few weeks and all that she was feeling….the elation, the joy, the fatigue and the love……but she will have these portraits to help her relive and celebrate this time.

Mommies…….no matter how your blessings come to you……motherhood is beautiful on you!