Home in Time | Military Homecoming | El Paso, TX Photographer

A last minute email to ask if I'd be able to photograph a homecoming in which her husband hasn't seen her growing baby belly in months ... Um, YES PLEASE! I jumped at the opportunity, especially since she and I were somewhat the same pregnancy month. ;)

These two just melted my heart. They are so sweet and in love. I cannot wait to hear how they are doing with their new baby in their new home! Their home I'm sure will be full of love and joy. And that baby will be their all.

I mean, come on! *sigh* So adorable!

Find out more on military homecomings HERE & book your military homecoming today!

*** Please remember that all images are copyrighted to Sharilyn Wells Photography, LLC. Please do not copy or alter any images without SWP, LLC consent. ***

Miss Me, Miss Me, Now You Gotta Kiss Me | Military Homecoming | Fort Bragg, NC Photographer

Y'all know how much I love homecomings! I mean, I honestly don't care where they are or what time of the day they are. I love photographing these special moments for my clients to cherish forever! And, I'll repeat myself, each family's story is incredibly different and I love sharing with you.

Like all homecomings, it seems, five billion units were coming home around the same time. And of course, the families don't really get to be told a hard time until it's a day or so out. This family wasn't any different. Because his final homecoming was in the middle of the night, momma decided to leave their little one at home so she could sleep. But she did bring a sign with baby's picture on it and dang! It was super cute!

 

I love the emotion that comes along with homecomings. She looked and looked for her hubby in the crowd of maroon berets and to her right he snuck up on her. But not too sneaky as she jumped down from her platform and ran into his arms. <3

I'm telling ya, photographing and experiencing it myself, there is no better feeling than having him back in your arms. (Children cuddles aside that is) ;)

She showed him the sign she made for him of their little girl. He joked that she didn't look as happy in his picture than she did on the picture momma made for a friend who also came home who didn't have nearby family.

These two. <3 passionate!

You can see the love they have for each other in every picture. This is just too cute and reminds me of two teenaged kids. <3

Welcome home soldier!

** Please remember that all images are copyrighted to Sharilyn Wells Photography, LLC. Please do not copy or alter any images without SWP, LLC consent. *** 

Small & Late, but none-the-less Great Homecoming | Military Homecoming | Fort Bragg, NC Photographer

As y'all know, each homecoming has it's own story to it. She contacted me at the end of January to book a homecoming session for her and her boyfriend in May. (I like her style! She made sure she had a photographer with LOTS of notice ensuring she'd get one ... and that one was ME!) :)

When she finally got a time frame in May, I made sure to block off a few days to ensure I'd be there for them. It was all looking fantastic for the first weekend in May and then she got the updates ... they had been pushed back a few days. Then they were up in the air with a date .... sigh, those darn military flights!

Finally, we were looking good, the 5th of May at 5:30pm. What a fantastic time! That's like golden hour for lighting and by the time they were to be getting in the car, the rush hour traffic would be off post.

Aha ... yet another push back ... May 8th at 3:30 .... in the MORNING! Gah! LOL

Listen, folks, if you book me and everything pans out with my babysitting needs and personal obligations ... I'll be there. Sitting with you at your location in the wee hours of night or the butt-crack of dawn. I'll have coffee in one hand and my camera in the other! ;)

There was literally 4 soldiers who walked of that early bird. I have never seen Green Ramp so empty during a homecoming. As you saw above, the rows of seating were empty except my client and the three other families. I had so much room to maneuver around the couple, I was in heaven! haha!

How cute are they?! They may not be married (yet) ;) but they still understand the hardships of a military life and the commitment (and struggles) that couples go through during these long periods of separation.

I just love the emotion of those reunion jitters and butterflies ... shoot, I get them watching these couples be reunited! lol

Make sure to book your reunion as soon as possible! To learn more click HERE.

*** Please remember that all images are copyrighted to Sharilyn Wells Photography, LLC. Please do not copy or alter any images without SWP, LLC consent. ***

PS ... can I let you in on a little secret? Must have been the reunion jitters, or constant time changes, or both.... but I had to do a little photoshopping on the sign .... can you see what needed to be corrected? ;)

Welcome Home | Military Homecoming | Fort Bragg, NC Photographer

This was another cute homecoming as his entire family was there to welcome him home and one excited wife! <3 Her times and dates kept changing ... as per the norm a homecoming. Those darn military schedules are never predictable. But we finally got word and it was at a different location that I had never shot at before.

I was a tad nervous only because I didn't know the location, but it seemed that within the same weeks that led to this homecoming, a lot of photographers were photographing here and I was able to pull from their knowledge of the location. Seeeeee??? This is why it's so important to know the photographers in your area and - gasp - befriend them! ;) No, but seriously, there are some great photographers out here and it was awesome for them to "shed some light" (see what I did there?) ;) on the location.

We arrived around 5pm and were told they were still about an hour out. They were actually flying into Fort Bragg, but wanted families at Simmons Air Field so we had to wait for them to get their gear unloaded and turned in before they were to march into the Hanger at Simmons.

When the buses pulled around the fence, everyone ... and I mean EVERYONE ran from the (somewhat) cooler outside to the much more humid and warm inside of the hanger. But sigh .... they still weren't going to walk off that bus just yet ...

Mom and wife were super anxious and updating other family and friends via phone.

Finally, the buses' brakes were heard outside the hanger and the crowd began to buzz again with excitement. Then it happened ... they marched in as the band played a marching tune.

After the usual National Anthem, Army Song and SHORT (i know right? surprising) words from the commander, the soldiers were released to their families.

We waited and waited and I even asked her what she was going to do. Wait in one place or go running. She decided to not run, but walk quickly to the formation to find him. It seemed like for ever and even though she was waving her sign ... she wasn't finding him. THEN he found HER in the crowd and they ran to each other. How cute is his face?!
 

I nearly ran over momma though because when she saw him, she too began to run to him. I had to .... slightly... push my way through (you can see her arm as she took pics above in the reunion shots) so I could get this precious moment. How stinking awesome are they?!

Then it was momma's turn. ;) Look at that joy and relief in her face!

 Here's the family. Mom, Dad, brothers (girlfriend and wife) and then his beloved wife. Looking good.

How perfect is that flag above them?! I totally dig it.

Together at last. And look at that light outside the hanger ... lol I wish were could've shot some pics on the flight line! Would have been gorgeous!

*** Please remember that all images are copyrighted to Sharilyn Wells Photography, LLC. Please do not copy or alter any images without SWP, LLC consent. ***