Cassandra and Ashton

The young lad with the curly hair you see here is Ashton, already a troublemaker at just 5 months of age when this photo was shot. The image at the bottom of this post is Ashton’s mom, Cassandra, who celebrated her 21st birthday yesterday! She looks pretty good for having had a baby one year ago, right?

I was introduced to Cassandra through my friend Lauren, who met her at a club via some friends, one of whom was Cassandra’s cousin. Lauren thought Cassandra and I could make some great photos together, so she hooked us up. I picked up Cassandra from the train station on a blustery December day in 2006. She was nervous, quiet, shy. She’d always aspired to be a model, maybe even on the level of Playboy, but never pursued it seriously. Five shots in to our session, Cassandra had to cut it short and go home due to illness.

At the time, I chalked it up to nerves, maybe a few too many drinks the night before, or perhaps she simply didn’t like me. Turns out she was just sick.

That was 2006, and my how things change! In mid-2007, Cassandra told me she was happily pregnant with her first child and engaged to be married. Cassandra’s modeling dreams would have to be put on hold for a little while longer. Cassandra ballooned up to 200lbs during her pregnancy, but quickly shed the weight with the help of a personal trainer after giving birth.

I photographed baby Ashton in May, and at the end of our session, Cassandra asked if I could take a few photos of her too. Sure, why not? Oh, what a monster I unleashed. Shortly after, Cassandra joined ModelMayhem using some of the images that I shot to start off her profile. A firestorm of activity led to modeling gigs with a few other photographers, and a proper shoot between Cassandra and myself, the results of which you see below.

It was nearly two years in the making, but we finally got it done. Happy 21st birthday, Cassandra, and happy 1st birthday Ashton! I look forward to photographing you both again soon!