I've made a slideshow of Isaac, the preemie baby I've just re-photographed at five months. It's up on my site under Portraits/Slideshows which links from over on the right side here. He's such a dreamy big monkey now...just as sweet of temperament and cuddly as ever, and while undoubtably his cheeks are the same remarkably adorable cheeks as I shot umplumped shortly after his autumn birth, it's hard, mostly, to catch the tiny vulnerable preemie in any of the current shots. His parents have shots from our first session all over their home, and I just stood before them, familiar as I am with them, and stared at how tiny Isaac was to begin with. Back then, worried about Isacc's fragility, no one but his parents could hold him, and he almost disappears into enfolding arms. If ever I had a question about whether it is worth commemorating a child's birth and new days in pictures, Isaac, newborn, answers it. He is so different now after just a few months, that without pictures, good, artistic pictures, much of that early vulnerability would surely be forgotten. I know one can't quite recapture such states even with photographs--even with video that captures sound and movement--but oh, when the pictures are lovely, it is quite a pleasure even to try, to stand before a photograph of him tucked tight into his parents' arms and marvel at his size.
Besides finding Isaac himself remarkable, I found his mothers' happiness compelling. These are women who waited a long time for their son, and perhaps their joy at his arrival is to be expected, but still, palpable delight absolutely leaks from them, and when you leave their presence you can't help but to leave grinning, made just a little happier by knowing this small simple unit called a family is there behind you, loving each other.
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