Morgan Petroski 11/12/17 Morgan Petroski 11/12/17

Alice in Jazzland - Sweet Jubilee

Next month Sweet Jubilee is debuting their first original, full-length show, Alice in Jazzland. Back in April I took some promotional photos for them while I was in Albuquerque visiting. We chose the ABQ Botanic Garden and ventured into the Children's Fantasy Garden that was the perfect backdrop for Alice and her friends. I can't wait to see some videos (hopefully) of the performance since I'm so many miles away now. If you are reading this and in Albuquerque, go check out their show! Ticket and performance info HERE.

alice reads a book as the white rabbit peeks from behind a carrot

dancers in 1920s red and blue inspired costumes do charleston

woman dressed as queen of hearts with cards and dragon

queen of hearts with cards flying in the air

three girls in purple top with leg raised to knee

cast of alice in jazzland around table of flowers

Morgan Petroski 10/26/17 Morgan Petroski 10/26/17

Porter Family: Family Session & Day in the Life

The Porter Family - Family Session

For the third year in a row I was fortunate to photograph the Porter family. This year they welcomed baby Thaddeus to the family. You can easily tell how in love the entire family is with him. Big sister Jane didn't have to be asked to hug or kiss him, she was so excited when she was holding him she naturally loved on her little brother. I love creating family portraits that a family will look back on and remember they didn't have to pretend for the camera, they just got to be themselves.

Day in the Life - 1 hr Session

This year we also did a shortened "Day in the Life" session. After their portrait session I followed the Porters back home to capture a bit of their new daily life as a family of four. If you are interested in a "Day in the Life" session please contact me as they are quickly becoming my favorite thing to photograph!

Click here to learn about booking a session

Morgan Petroski 9/6/17 Morgan Petroski 9/6/17

World Breastfeeding Week 2017

A portrait series of local breastfeeding mothers for last month's World Breastfeeding Week 2017.

I haven’t done much photo work in Montreal since our move, but I gave myself this portrait series project and a deadline for World Breastfeeding Week and I’m so glad I did! Getting behind the camera on a regular basis again felt so good. I had my tiny little assistant on my back the whole time, and wouldn’t you know, he was already helping me get smiles out of people and making them feel comfortable.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to the wonderful mamas who volunteered to be photographed for the series and for sharing some words about breastfeeding! It was a pleasure getting to know each and every one of you and capturing this special time in your life.

I am available for hire if anyone would still like a breastfeeding photo session. Please contact me and we can chat.
❤️
Morgan

“For me breastfeeding is more than just feeding my daughters. it’s about nurturing, comforting, being there for them when they need me the most. I’ll always look back on these days with such a accomplished feeling.” ~ Claudia and her daughter Billie

“We have been having a few rough nights at our place with both girls having a bit of a cold. Last night after Gabby woke up for what felt like the thousandth time I sat there breastfeeding her and holding her tiny hand and I thought to myself thank god I have these moments to help me through it. With all the uncertainties we face as parents and the unending times where we question ourselves, thank god I have this breastfeeding relationship that makes me feel like I know what I’m doing, like I got this, and I’m doing the best I can do for my babies.“ ~ Melissa and her daughter Gabby

“To me, breastfeeding is a unique gift that only I can give to my child. It forces me to slow down, snuggle her, and enjoy her precious little face.” ~ Kim and her daughter Rose

“Breastfeeding my second son Balthazar has been a beautiful experience but not without its challenges. His newborn days have been spent nursing around the clock as he struggles to keep up with the flow, often with great protest. As we approach three months, his demands are lessening and I am able to embrace the closeness inherent in these surges of oxytocin. This is the start of a long conversation: a back and forth of supply and demand filled with comfort, safety and nourishment. I am so grateful for these moments.” ~ Heather and her son Balthazar

“When my daughter was born, breastfeeding was nothing more than a practical decision. But now, as I am introducing my baby to solid foods and spending less time breastfeeding, I am realizing how intimate this mother-daughter experience is and how much I’ll miss it.” ~ Olya and her daughter Valentina

“Sometimes it’s wonderful and beautiful but at other times it is really really tough.” ~ Moire and her daughter Elodie

“Breastfeeding for me wasn’t easy. After six incredibly long weeks things began to finally happen and it magically became part of our life. Our moments spent nursing together will forever remain a beautiful memory as I am now at the end of this breastfeeding journey. It has been a two year adventure and I am so grateful to have had the chance to experience all the ups and downs that come with it. Thank you my dear boy for allowing me to nourish and soothe you.” ~ Alicia and her son Ramsey

“Breastfeeding with my first baby has been an ongoing amazing adventure. Through those unique moments, I have the chance to connect with Florence in a way that no one else can. Breastfeeding goes beyond food; it is offering the very best of your love. Motherhood isn’t always easy but when your baby stops nursing for a few seconds to look up at you and smile, you then realize this is the one thing you are doing absolutely right.” ~ Maude and her daughter Florence

“It’s not often people stop and say “Good job making all the food this tiny human being needs with your own body for six whole months,” and even less often, “Excellent work continuing to provide this balanced diet and crazy unique love to your older child!” I think we need to recognize that. Breastfeeding is so often over-romanticized. I don’t think that’s useful. There’s a lot that’s nice and sweet about it, but it’s also a lot of work. You look like you’re just sitting there, but really you’re doing everything all at once.” ~ Marianne with her children Thomas and Noelle

“When I first began my breastfeeding journey, I could never have imagined where it would take me. I came into it with so many preconceptions about how, when, why and for how long I wanted to breastfeed my baby girl. Here I am 3 1/2 years later, having learned so much. Though I never imagined myself nursing a toddler or even two children at once, I’m glad that this is the path we took, as it’s always been the easiest option for me. I feel my children have a stronger relationship for it and I wouldn’t change a thing.” ~ Anastasia with her children, James, Zoe, and Lauren

Morgan Petroski 6/7/17 Morgan Petroski 6/7/17

New Chapter, New Country

Four-month-old Moby Hjelm helps Beth Trujillo lay out A1 on Friday, Jan. 27, 2017, on his mother's last day the Albuquerque Journal.

This post is a bit overdue I'll admit it. Back in January of this year I had my last day in the newsroom of the Albuquerque Journal. A newsroom that had come to feel like a second home. Journalists, we're funny people. We know our city or our beat all too well, way better than our non-journalist friends. We become a second family when we spend such odd hours with our coworkers, sometimes on last minute road trips, sometimes just filing and editing late into the night racing to the final deadline. We eat (free) pizza on election nights together as the results come in. We celebrate when our coworkers have family milestones: marriages, births, and graduations. And also support each other when harder times hit. I was only supposed to be in Albuquerque for six months. SIX MONTHS. I arrived in the summer of 2007 and almost immediately started counting down. Not that I didn't love it. I did. However, I was in my "intern" part of life and expected to move on to another internship in six months and thus wanted to make the most of my short time there as most interns do. I had a blast. I took every opportunity that came my way. I climbed a crazy peak, flew in a hot air balloon, drove all over the state whenever asked, and tried my hardest to make some cool photos.

I ended up staying nine and half years. The Land of Enchantment really was the Land of Entrapment. I became a staff photographer, then the assistant photo editor, and then the photo editor. A lot changed in that window of time as well. A newspaper that was so focused on the print product, finally started paying attention to the web. (I feel like I can say this as a GenY-er who saw the writing on the wall from the day I walked in the door.) And with the push to web, the photo department had a chance like never before to be seen.

But, I've gotten off track...

About the same time as my maternity leave was starting with my son, my husband was offered a post-doc at the University of Montreal. So it was finally time to say goodbye to my Journal family and start a new chapter in Canada. So on a bittersweet Friday afternoon, I brought my 4-month-old son to work with me and said my goodbyes to the people and building that had welcomed me nine and a half years earlier. It's been a few months now, and I still miss the journalism adrenaline rush, but mostly I miss my co-workers and comrades who made the daily battles worth it.

So, here I am, now in Montreal, missing New Mexico a little, but also enjoying this new wonderful city. If anyone needs a photographer, or a journalist, I'd still very much love to tell your story.

Morgan Petroski 2/28/17 Morgan Petroski 2/28/17

Krista & Sam's Wedding - Denver Museum of Nature and Science

Krista and Sam were married at the Denver Museum of Nature and Sciencein August of 2016*. The weather, the venue, everything was perfect. Krista and Sam were surrounded with love from their oh-so-fun families, what more could you ask for? Oh, a beautiful sunset? Check! Enjoy some images from their big day.

*My blogging was majorly delayed due to the arrival of my son only a month later.