patel baby shower | 3.1.2025
Last month, I headed to the Schaumburg Country Club on a sunny but chilly March weekend. What I was met with was a beautiful display of love and culture. A grand ballroom was decorated with candles, flowers, and the biggest neon sign known to man that spelled, “Oh Baby,” (so cool). I received a new camera body a few months back, the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, and I was so excited to use it.
When I met Aditi and Samidh, they were surrounded by loved ones. We made our introductions and then headed into the brisk courtyard for maternity portraits. The mid-day sun was absolutely gorgeous! Aditi and Samidh were both glistening in vibrant colors. Chappell Roan was playing over the loud speaker. Life was good! I tried out my 85mm lens for the first time, which honestly I forgot I had! I paired that with my Mark III and my 50mm with my Canon EOS 7D Mark II.
Once we were back inside, I got to work taking detail shots of the venue and decorations. There were huge, stunning flowers covering a spectacular backdrop. Two tables were off to the side had activities for guests to play - sign the baby book, suggest a name, and guess who to family baby pictures. The food buffet was sizzling.
After family portraits, it was time for a beautiful Hindu ceremony where Aditi was surrounded by her female family members. They all sang a lovely song as Aditi’s sister-in-law filled her lap with blessings - gifts, fruit, and sweets. She was then adorned with a bracelet from her other sister-in-law. To finish, Aditi’s brother-in-law brushed red powder on her cheek. I had never witnessed this kind of ceremony before. It was such a rich, cultural, and love-filled thing to witness. As I go back through the pictures in post, the smiles I see during these shots are just incredible and so filled with love.
After some dances by Aditi and Samidh’s family, it was time for games! The first game was simple - each person playing is paired with another. A bear is placed in front of them. The MC says a combination of head, shoulders, knees, and toes. The pairs each touch those respective areas until sometime during that combination, the MC says, “bear!” Each person lunges for the bear in front of them. Whoever grabs the bear first, wins!
The second game consisted of some of the men of the family trying to put said bears into diapers…blindfolded. Oh the giggles that were heard!
After some lovely speeches, I said farewell to Aditi and Samidh to leave them to celebrate with their family and friends. I packed up my gear, headed home, and dove into editing. I couldn’t be more proud of this gallery. I had such a fun time shooting and later editing an afternoon filled with culture, family, love, and joy.
If you’re interested in viewing the whole gallery, you can view the gallery here.