Ben Finch Photography » Newborn

The Maynards {Newborn | Athens, TN}

Ben Finch — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:02:14 +0000

We’re from the same neighborhood. Growing up just down the street from one another, I’ve known Chris since I was in elementary school. Most of my memories of him involve either skateboards or Boy Scout meetings… oh the days! And his sister, Amanda, & I were in the same grade so we’ve been friends for ages.

Well, we’re back living in the same hood again. Just a few short months ago, Chris & his wife, Emily, purchased a house two streets over from ours. They’ve been overhauling the home & have recently moved in just prior to the birth of their first child, Ben. On March 8, 2012 at 1:25am, Ben was born into this world weighing 7.2 lbs at 20″ long.

I was privileged to visit the Maynard’s home last Thursday to pay Ben a visit & to welcome him. Congrats my friends… thanks for the opportunity to photograph your beautiful baby son. And, I can’t wait to put some steaks & burgers on the grill soon!

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I love seeing these little features!

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So happy for you guys! Love this little smirk on Ben’s face.

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Evelyn Rose Atkins {Newborn Session | Huntsville, AL}

Ben Finch — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:00:10 +0000

This past weekend seemed like a whirlwind. Last thing I recall was sitting in my office at about 11 am on Friday trying to send a few remaining emails while also getting a few projects in enough order so that I could be gone for the weekend. A good friend of mine & rockstar photographer (literally… John Legend & Matisyahu to name two!), Mary Margaret Chambliss, emailed me a few weeks back to see if I’d be up for a weekend in Birmingham helping her photograph a wedding. I met MM a few years back at a photographer conference & we hit it off & have kept in touch since. And since I rarely get the opportunity to assist a wedding, I thought it would be a good experience, a reminder even of why I love what I do. It certainly was.

Joy’s parents were kind to keep our kids & we enjoyed two nights away in Birmingham. It was truly fantastic & I can’t tell you how much I enjoy date nights with my bride. Friday night we had a quiet dinner at The Cheesecake Factory, followed by brunch the next morning at one of my new favorite diggs… Another Broken Egg Cafe in Mountain Brook. A few hours later, Mary Margaret & I rocked the wedding at Canterbury Methodist, followed by a beautiful reception at the Mountain Brook Club. And congrats to MaryeBeasley & Richard… you guys know how to throw a party!!!

The next morning I woke up completely exhausted from all the activity (getting in at 2am does that to an old guy). Yet I had an idea of what the afternoon held & was eager to visit a friend I’ve known for years. I drove up to Huntsville & was greeted by the Atkins family. Eric & I went to high school together & we’ve kept in touch since. He happens to be one of the smartest guys I know & has become quite famous on #Instagram… I’m slightly jealous. He’s a great guy & has a genuine love for the Lord. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that he’s an Alabama fan! I met his wife, Erin, when they were dating & was reminded how he clearly married up! Ha.

Erin & Eric invited me to come photograph their beautiful new daughter, Evelyn Rose. I was honored & had such a fantastic time photographing & catching up with friends. And, EV is so beautiful! When I arrived, she was nestled in her crib, sound asleep.

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One of my favorites.

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Look at all that hair!

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This may be my favorite of her by herself.

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Beautiful little features.

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TIny toes.

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Eric was absolutely thrilled about his new girl!

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Love that.

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Congrats my friends. I was honored to visit & photograph this season of your lives.

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Emma Nicholson {Newborn Session | Maryville, TN}

Alan & Jenn — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 01:07:32 +0000

Despite what Ben and some misguided others may tell you, East Tennessee is Big Orange Country! If you don’t believe me, just wait a Saturday or two and see UT Nation come alive. However, when choosing colleges, the Big Orange was a little too big for me. I much preferred a bit smaller setting, and Maryville College was just the right fit for both Jenn and I. It’s here where we met Elizabeth Benton (now Elizabeth Nicholson). Elizabeth and I were both biology majors, and, even though she was a year ahead of me, we still got to know each other very well. This is due to the fact that, at a small school, you know EVERYONE who shares your major, regardless of your graduation date! In fact, our campus was small enough that Jenn and Elizabeth knew each other even though Jennifer was an education major. Elizabeth’s husband John, on the other hand, graduated from the University of Tennessee. While talking to him during our photoshoot, I found out that he had classes with over 300 people in an auditorium; my graduating class had less than that! I get nervous just thinking about a class that big!

Elizabeth and John met shortly after they graduated. They met while working; John is an officer with the sheriff’s department (so don’t mess with him!) and Elizabeth is a nurse practitioner. They’ve been married for several years now and recently welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world! When we met Emma Nicholson for the first time, she was all of 10 days old and as cute as they come! Thanks Liz for allowing us to capture these images and congratulations to both of you on an absolutely beautiful baby girl! (As an aside, Elizabeth’s family owns the world famous Benton’s Country Hams off of Highway 411; be sure and stop by sometime!)

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Doesn’t Elizabeth look great? Hard to imagine that she had a baby 10 days ago!

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I love how peaceful Emma is in these pictures.

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OK, so our original intention was to take a few images with Emma in a basket and then move on. Well, apparently, lying in a basket is her off switch! She slept soundly for about 30 minutes so we just fired away!

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Molly Claire Finch {Newborn | Athens, TN}

Ben Finch — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 11:00:09 +0000

The following pictures couldn’t be any dearer to my heart. I guess I always wanted a little girl. It rings true in my heart when they say there is special bond between a Daddy & his girl. I feel it already!

Molly Claire Finch was born a few short days ago on August 4, 2011, weighing 7.1 lbs at 19.5 inches long (here’s my recap). She has already stolen the hearts of the whole family. Our boys think she is the most wonderful gift. Sometimes in the middle of playing, they’ll suddenly stop, yell, “Baby Molly!!!” They’ll throw down their toys, run into her room, climb up on the bed, give her a few kisses & hugs, & sprint back to resume playing. On numerous occasions, they’ve decorated her bouncy seat with their artwork. I’m so proud of the way they have welcomed her!

And Joy. Wow, she has done an incredible job adjusting to 3 kids ages 3 & under. She has been very patient & kind, lovingly showing care to each of the children. I applaud her. And we’re both thankful to our families for stepping in & caring for us all.

Here are some pics from Molly’s first session with Daddy; isn’t she beautiful!

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Look at those lips!

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“Hey Daddy! You taking my picture?”

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I can’t even believe how beautiful she is. Show her love… leave her some welcoming comments below!

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Molly Claire Finch {Cleveland, TN}

Ben Finch — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 20:24:35 +0000

The day after. As I write, I’m sitting in a leather recliner that I’ve grown particularly dreadful of, following a routinely interrupted night’s sleep. I’m quite certain I spent most of the night wrestling this “un-hospitable” make-shift bed. I’m the type of guys who needs to stretch his legs in the night… Amen?! Yet I find myself quite content. I look to my left & see my bride taking a much needed nap. She’s exhausted from a full day of laboring; she did such an incredible job. At the foot of her hospital bed is a little cart with our less than 24 hour addition, our little girl, Molly Claire Finch. She’s sleeping as well. I can see through the clear sides of her bassinet & I notice her head full of black hair (I’m jealous). Life is good… really good!

Yesterday was a long & glorious day. We were scheduled to arrive at the hospital at 7:30 am to be induced to labor. After a quiet morning & afternoon, the pace began to change around 4pm. Before we knew it, Molly was ready to come; around 6:15pm we had our little girl. We’re blessed to announce her arrival. Everyone… meet Molly Claire Finch, born August 4, 2011, weighing 7.1 lbs. & 19.5 inches long.

Here are a some special moments I captured within the last 24-hours.

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Look at that face; love those little “pouty” lips.

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Joy’s parents were able to visit & were eager to see their little granddaughter. We’re very thankful to them for keeping Brennan & Knox this past week in order to give Joy & I some rest before Molly’s coming.

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They brought Brennan & Knox to see their little sister. It was great to see Brennan respond so well to Miss Molly. He loves her & has been eager to give her hugs & kisses.

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Knox was excited to see Molly too but is a bit too energetic to sit around for long. Also, I’m thankful my sister, Amy, & her family were here too!

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Us!

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My dad & mom, holding the first granddaughter on my side of the family. With our two boys & my sister’s two boys, Molly is certain to be well taken of.

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Look at all this hair & those puffy little lips. She’s beautiful!

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Ryan Bessom {Infant Lifestyle Session | Sweetwater, TN}

Ben Finch — Mon, 09 May 2011 12:49:15 +0000

She was visiting her grandparents while her parents took a much needed beach vacation. Ryan is the 8-month old daughter of Matthew & Bethany Bessom. I’ve know Matthew for as long as I can recall. We were were in school together until we went to different colleges. I will always remember him to be textbook smart & wonderfully talented. Although I hated not being able to hang with Matthew & meet his lovely bride, it was a pleasure to photograph his beautiful daughter. I met up with Ryan’s grandmothers just before “tea” time. Here are a few favorites:

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She looks like a doll!

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Outside for tea time.

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One of my favorites… such a beautiful profile.

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She had a blast outside in the flower garden.

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The Stroubes {Newborn Lifestyle Session | Hendersonville, TN}

Alan & Jenn — Sun, 08 May 2011 21:08:57 +0000

When Jenn and I first met the Stroubes, I (Alan) was a young little dentite (surely that’s the word for dental student). I was a second year student, and part of being a D2 was to act as a mentor to incoming first year students. I was assigned one Marissa Stroube…and the rest is history. Marissa and Adam (who is never actually called Adam, only Stroube) quickly became some of our absolute closest friends during our time in Memphis. Even though our apartments were over a mile apart, we practically lived together. I’ve often described our friendship by saying that the Stroubes are the kind of friends that you call and just say, “Hey, we’re coming over to watch TV.” Sometimes, we would forego calling altogether and just show up. Talk about great friends!

Recently, we were thrilled to find out that the Marissa and Stroube were expecting their first, a little girl. Little Elissa made her arrival a little early (three and a half weeks to be exact), but she was as healthy as can be. I can only speculate that she was just so excited to get started with life! She is absolutely beautiful with a full head of hair! Some would even say she already has more hair than her father, although I would certainly not be one of those people!

As always, time has marched on. We no longer live a mile apart, and the trips to the apartment for TV watching have diminished. However, I am thankful to say that we are still such close friends with the Stroubes. Congratulations you two! You are already such great parents, and we thank you for allowing us to capture these early memories.

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Sampson has taken his new place in the household in stride. He still demands some petting every now and then though!

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Look at that full head of hair!

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My favorite image by far!

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The Danners {Lifestyle Session, South Pittsburgh, TN}

Ben Finch — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 20:09:52 +0000

Although born in Alabama, my sister & I were raised in East TN. And several times a year my family would head Southwest to Muscle Shoals, AL to visit my grandparents, cousins & extended family. The route took us through the somewhat quiet town of South Pittsburgh, TN, bordering the state line of Alabama. I have such fond memories of driving through the historic downtown area, passing the little shops as we rode by. And, as any little boy would do, I would find myself itching to go inside one of the countless Tennessee-Alabama firework/gas stations situated along the route.

A flood of memories resurfaced when I was able to visit the Danner family in their home last Tuesday. About a year ago, the Danners left Athens to take up residence in South Pittsburgh. And just a few short weeks ago, on March 12, Travis & Rachel welcomed Levi into the world. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with good friends & rejoicing with them.

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Can you believe this bassinet that Travis made? My goodness! I’m thoroughly impressed to say the least.

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I always have much to talk about with the Danners. We’ve both had the opportunity to visit Israel on a few occasions & share a love for the Bible. You can see photos & keepsakes throughout Levi’s nursery. I love it!

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What a good looking family!

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Levi, you are blessed to have such great parents. Travis & Rachel, congrats; you have a beautiful little boy. Thank you for the opportunity to share this time with you!

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The McConkeys {Lifestyle Session, Englewood, TN}

Ben Finch — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 15:19:24 +0000

You may recall this sweet family from last November when they welcomed their newest addition, Taryn. It was so enjoyable to visit the McConkey family at their home on Monday & play around on their farm. It’s been 6 months since Taryn’s birth so we wanted to capture this fun stage of life. She’s grown so much & looked quite adorable with her little bow in her hair.

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She was likely thinking, “What in the world are you people doing laying me down in the middle of this cow field?”

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Chrissi is such a pleasure to be around; she communicates such joy to her children.

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A fun family pic in the field (L to R): Kendyl, Chrissi, Taryn & Jason.

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I thought these images of Kendyl were beautiful… she’ll look back with fond memories of being raised on the farm. Love it!

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Thanks friends for allowing me into your life… it’s wonderful to watch your family grow!

The Silveys {Newborn Lifestyle Session | Knoxville, TN}

Ben Finch — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 21:38:33 +0000

Whoa!!! What a busy season it has turned out to be. Aside from all the rush that comes along with the Holidays, I’m so fortunate to have been booked with many shoots & projects. As we cruise toward the year end I’m humbled at how fortunate I’ve been to meet so many great people & share such wonderful times with what seems like a multitude of new clients. I can’t recall a time in my life where I’ve been so thankful.

A little over a week ago I met for the first time Michael & Merve Silvey, along with their little boy, Isaac Murat Silvey. When I first received Merve’s email, I could sense the amount of gratitude she possessed as she recounted their journey & difficulty having children. Gracefully, God saw fit to bless the Silvey’s with a wonderful, healthy little boy. Isaac was born on October 25th right at 34 weeks, weighing 5 pounds 4 ounces and 17 inches long. Here’s a few of my favorites from my visit to their home.

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I love this little face he kept making.

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The Silvey’s are such a nice & hospitable family. I really enjoyed their conversation & friendship… it was especially fun to talk to Merve, who is originally from Istanbul, Turkey. Because my undergraduate & graduate studies are in Biblical Studies, I was eager to hear more about her family & culture… I couldn’t help but ask her about the Grand Bazaar & I absolutely loved a map they had of ancient Constantinople. At one point she told me, “Ben, I think you need to go to Turkey.” I think I shall.

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I love capturing shots of the nursery… it’s neat to see how parents have prepared a special place for their new baby.

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Love this picture of Merve & Isaac’s noses touching.

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And this might be my favorite image; I become quite emotional as I think about the bond I have with my little boys.

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Merve is also an artist… we incorporated some of her work into several pics.

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“And who do you think you are?” is what I imagined the cat saying to me in this picture.

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Michael & Merve, I am so thankful to have shared this time with you. I look forward to watching Isaac grow… you are a blessed family!

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