Erin Flynn | Pilot Mountain Maternity Photo Session

Pilot Mountain has always represented a peaceful place for me.  High atop the mountain at an elevation of 2400 feet, its quiet and calm surroundings make for a beautiful photo session setting.  It was only right to suggest this location for Erin’s maternity photo session!  Erin and Patrick Flynn, once residents of Winston Salem, North Carolina agreed to photograph here without having visited Pilot Mountain in a few years. They drove from their home in Charlotte on a Friday afternoon, did their photo session, and drove back home afterward.  I call that dedication and trust in me, as a photographer. Whew!

We have been planning this date for some months now so that it fell right when Erin was 34 weeks pregnant.  As we drove toward Pilot Mountain, I could see the clouds were starting to accumulate, hiding the bright sun behind them.  I felt a bit discouraged since I had hoped to capture a beautiful sunset and the golden glow on this Momma-to-be. However, after checking the weather forecast on multiple outlets, there was only a 20% chance of rain in the area, so I felt confident it would move around us.

Patrick and Erin are having a little girl! She is due to arrive towards the end of September.  They’ve chosen a name, but have decided to announce it publicly once she is born.  Their lives have been busy with getting ready for their little girl’s arrival. They’ve enjoyed celebrating with friends and family at a plethora of baby showers.  Their favorite gift so far is a crib that they have put into the woodland animal themed nursery.  These parents can hardly wait for all the sweet baby cuddles they’ll enjoy when she’s here soon enough!

Erin is a fellow photographer friend of mine whom just began her own photography business, Erin Flynn Photography in Charlotte, North Carolina. Check her out if you’re in the area!  We’ve become fast friends as we connect over our joint passion for photography — chatting weekly about business, sharing beautiful images, and learning this whole photography thing together!

We began Erin’s session in the beautiful field of yellow wildflowers.  She dawned a gorgeous ivory lace maternity dress, which she looked so elegant in.  It was the perfect setting for the beginning of their session.  Erin and Patrick brought their sweet dog Sammy, a Shih Tzu, along with them.  Sammy stole the show! He sat beside them perfectly posed during the entire session.  I truly believe he thought it was his own personal doggie photo session — just for him!  Sammy has been their only fur child since he was a puppy, 6 years ago.  He even has his own Instagram, follow Sammy on his adventures especially as he becomes a new big brother, at @Sammy_the_shih_tzu!

Next, we moved to the most gorgeous spot on the mountaintop! We could see for miles and miles, the faint horizon in the distance. Those original storm clouds were building up along the horizon.  The air temperatures had dropped and the wind had picked up a bit.  I’ve been atop this location many times and have never seen it like this.  A storm was certainly brewing despite the original weather forecasts.  The wind whipped and twirled around us, not really blowing in one single direction.  Erin faced it all with a huge smile and made the most of the less than desirable circumstances.  At least it was not raining! We joked that hopefully, this was not a premonition that baby girl would come into the world like a whirlwind.  The moodiness of the sky and air gave the photo session a mystical, mysterious feel. There was a certain electric rawness in the air.  We captured some amazing images with the dark clouds and sun peaking out in the distance!

Both Patrick and Erin killed it! We had a blast weathering the elements during their photo session and luckily it did not begin to rain until the very end of the photo session. We grabbed the necessary shots, packed things up, and let Mother Nature do her thing. Afterwards, on the way home, Erin messaged me, “It was well worth the long drive to capture this time in our lives at such a beautiful location!”

Location: Pilot Mountain, North Carolina

Maternity Dress: ohm_maternity