Charissa & Baby at Home with Rockport Family Photographer Mae Burke

Last summer I had one of my very favorite sessions ever here in Rockport.

A beautiful mom, her husband, three boys and one baby girl.
It was a magical, sweaty evening that made me fall in LOVE with this family

In fact, at the time I had been planning to quit my business, (but then Harvey, and blah blah blah...) and when I got home to edit them, I turned to my husband, leaned into his chest and started crying saying "It sucks this is over, I love it so much and I'm really good at it."

Plans changed (PRAISE THE LORDT!) and the second I got another inquiry from Charissa, I was thrilled. I'll be photographing her again this summer, but first, we needed to celebrate her itty bitty baby girl's first birthday!

Charissa booked a Loyalty Session and we met at her home here in Rockport just to capture a few frames of who this little lady is.

Charissa says she's not "good with words" but I would argue that she uses up all of her energy pouring into her kiddos. And she wrapped up our experience rather susinctly, in my opinion!

"We hired Mae.
She was fabulous.
Motherhood is hard."

I am so lucky to get to photograph amazing mothers and their families like this.
Thank you for sharing your love for them with me, Charissa.

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I find so much joy in photographing expecting couples, babies, and families in Rockport, Texas - For more information on these sessions, visit my shop or email me at hello@maeburke.com for more info on booking a session with me.

kovak family waiting for baby

Rachel and her husband are the kind of people who get excited when they invite someone over. When I invite someone over, I'm secretly counting down the minutes until I get my "me time" again, but Rachel and Dan, I can see the giddiness in their faces every time I ring their doorbell.

Rachel is a student turned client turned friend who teaches me about hospitality, selflessness, and kindness every timeI'm around her. I was absolutely thrilled to be able to photograph her and her loving family as they wait for the arrival of their newest baby girl

From Rachel
"As a mother of five, soon to be six, children, I see now more clearly than ever the truth in the poem "Babies Don’t Keep". Babies don’t keep... and neither do toddlers or children or pre-teens. I am acutely aware of that feeling that time is slipping through my fingers.

"I often contemplate the Psalm: “Teach us the brevity of life that we may grow in wisdom.” These days with my children at home are so precious to me and have been my motivation to be a photographer myself, if only a hobbyist."

"Yet even with the very best intentions, with a long to-do list, I often miss capturing the everyday moments that I hold so dear. And as the one behind the camera, it is rare for me to be in the photo with my children, even though I spend every day with them as a homeschooling mom.

"It was such a gift to have Mae come into our home to take photos of our family, capturing a glimpse of our everyday, in a way that was artful and beautiful. I feel so awkward in front of the camera but she put me completely at ease. She urged us not to smile at the camera but to just be ourselves. She talked with us throughout the shoot and it felt like connecting with an old friend. She captured authentic connections between us and that is what I treasure most of all. These are the moments I want to remember forever, not a staged photoshoot in a field where everyone forces a smile at the camera. I couldn’t be happier with Mae’s work. She is a true artist."

I can't wait to revisit this family in a few months to meet the new little person they welcome into their love. Thank you, Rachel, for allowing me into this beautiful time in your life.

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I will be visiting San Antonio more frequently as well as Houston, Austin, and DFW.
Dates are scheduled for November through March in select cities.
Please email me at hello@maeburke.com for more info,
or visit my store to purchase your session.

family on an easter weekend

Melissa is one of the many women all over the country who have parents who have decided to settle down and retire in Rockport, Texas. Over the years, more and more of my clients have been sweet families who are vacationing in the Coastal Bend, and becoming their photographer has been so fun.

Over Easter weekend, my client's family and one of her sister's family came together to visit their mama and I was loving capturing their little reunion.

From Melissa
"The session was wonderful - I love that Mae was flexible enough for us to split it into two locations and times so we got different feels. She was also open enough to include other family members, which made some of the images even more special. Rockport is the best of small town Americana.  My favorite time to visit is the 4th of July...people literally walk from their homes to gather as a community and watch the fireworks as a community.  It struck me a few years ago that not much has probably changed in decades.  Rockport is a welcome change from the hustle of day to day in the city.  I also love that my parents have retired there.  They are making it home and I know my kids will make memories that last a lifetime."

"Mae captured my moment in motherhood. When I look at my photos I see Laughter...peace...and a tiny bit of stress when we weren't all cooperating at the same time. Everything is hard about being a parent, but I am not sure it has much to do with age.  I try not to take the joy out of being a parent by second guessing every decision or measuring every milestone.  I have more than my fair share of blessings.  I do not take that for granted. I am so much more patient that I ever was before.  I do not let the little things at home stress me out...spilled milk - no big deal, broken glass - just a thing, etc.  I was also able to spend my 20s and early 30s collecting passport stamps and building my career.  I don't think there is right or ready time to be a mom, but being "advanced maternal age" worked for me.

"Thank you, Mae, for allowing me to consider my motherhood journey. It sounds cliché, but right now we are...busy. I have a very full time corporate job and try my best to harmonize being a mother and wife.  I don't get it right every day, but I love those babies.  My goal is to make like less "busy." These images will be framed in our house for sure.  I love that Austen was laughing and Heston was both serious and laughing while running.  That is him. I know I will cherish these when my babies are grown.

Thank you, Humble family, for sharing the love of your family with me.

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To book your session while you are down in the Coastal Bend,
be sure to visit the shop for all the details

or email me at hello@maeburke.com