I am so glad to be a part of an organization of photographers who participate in a program called Operation: Love Reunited. In short, the program offers portrait sessions at no charge to military families who are experiencing a deployment. It’s an awesome program, and I love meeting families where one or both of the parents is a member of the Armed Forces.
Little Tucker turned one month old just last week, and I was so excited when his mom got in touch to do an OpLove session. Tucker’s dad had to deploy back to Kosovo just a few days after Tucker was born. I am so excited to send his dad an album in the mail — with some beautiful photos of his adorable little boy! I met Tucker and his mom at their home, and Tucker was such a good sport — especially after some food and cuddles from his mom!
Look how tiny Tucker’s feet are next to his dad’s dog tags!
I love the images we captured of the bond between Tucker and his mom. There’s something so moving and beautiful about a relationship between a mother and her baby. You can just tell that Brandi is an awesome mom! The photos are just so filled with love!
I love these next few photos… seriously. Tucker is the main focus, but you can just see how Brandi interacts with her little boy!
This boy has the best, brightest blue eyes!
I love how well this American flag patterned blanket photographed!
I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of baby yawns! :)
Yellow ribbons signify supporting our troops. Military families display yellow ribbons when they have a deployed soldier, and Brandi had a great idea to tie a big ribbon around Tucker! :) In these photos, Tucker is laying on his dad’s Army banner.
Brandi, thanks for asking me to photograph Tucker’s one-month-old photos! He’s just beautiful! I’ll be thinking of you all, and praying for a quick and safe return of your husband!
If you know a member of the military who is going to be deployed or who will be arriving home soon, send them my way! I’d love to work with military families going through deployment — to either do a “surprise” session of the family to send to the deployed soldier, or family portraits right after they return — or to capture the actual homecoming! Just visit the contact page on www.ericamay.com!
This session also helps me get one step closer to completing #81 on my list of 101 things to do in 1001 days! :)
these are some of my favorites from your OP sessions. i love the ones with the yellow bow tied around him…very neat
Yay! I was looking forward to seeing the little Tucker man! I love the one with the dog tags on the feet…so adorable! Patrick will love these pictures, but who wouldn’t?
Doesn’t my little man look so adorable!!! I can’t wait to get home to be with you guys.
The feet + the dog tags = lump in my throat! Beautiful, Erica!
Hi Erica! I visit your site just to look at the pics-I have to say, these are truly amazing!
My husband is a vet and he said that these pictures would be an incredible and uplifting thing to see if you were deployed, and that they are very touching. He says that that is why they do the things they must do.
Well done! I love the yellow ribbon ones, especially.
These are great Erica! Love the colour in them. (Oh, and no, that’s not a spelling mistake. I’m from Australia, and that’s how we spell it here!) Those little feet and the dog tags… how gorgeous! Bet that little family all love these images…. especially his daddy.
[...] Shawnee Mission Park, shawnee mission park photos You might remember this little guy from the portraits we took when he was just one month old. His daddy was deployed during that time, and his mom got in touch with me to do an Operation: Love [...]
I absolutely loved these pictures! My fiance is deployed right now and will be home in September! These really captured so many things including the love from both parents even though dad was not there. Beautiful work
Hi! I really do think your pictures are great. There is one big problem. This soldier/airman/marine/sailor’s social security number is on the internet. I do hope for OPSEC and overall privacy reasons you take down or at least distort the tag itself so that the number is not able to be seen. It is a wonderful photo. It just needs some editing or to be removed. This has been pinned all over the place and I feel bad for that military member especially if what is that ?– Patrick Perry gets his identity stolen because no one corrected this issue. :( Feel free to message me. I am not hiding. I don’t mean to be rude or mean but if I had my dog tags out there for the world info and all I would be devastated!