Derek & Katie: Winter Purdue University Maternity Photos

Derek & Katie had to fight to be parents.

Derek and Katie are two the kindest souls you’ll ever meet. Derek is a fireman who is laidback and rolls with the punches, and Katie teaches ag and loves her students fiercely. (She even included students in their wedding!)

I met Derek and Katie when they trusted me to be their wedding photographer in 2018. (You can see their wedding at Cosgrave Christmas Tree Farm here!) After being married for a year, this sweet couple decided to start a family. However, nothing prepared them for the heartache of three miscarriages.

Between 2019 and 2020, Derek and Katie lost three babies.

They were—of course—crushed. But, they didn’t give up.

While friends and family told them, “Just be patient. It’ll happen when you stop stressing about it,” Derek and Katie knew in their hearts that they needed answers if they wanted to have a family. So, they saw specialists, started working with a midwife, ran tests, and fought for their children.

Now, they are just a few weeks away from welcoming their healthy baby girl (whose legs and arms are measuring in the 90th percentile) into the world! And, they’re openly sharing their story in hopes of helping other couples struggling with fertility feel less alone and find answers.

Derek & Katie decided to take their maternity photos at Purdue University.

While I don’t take many winter photoshoots simply because Indiana gets pretty brown and gray when there isn’t snow on the ground, I do make an exception for maternity photos, because—well—we’re on baby’s schedule!

Derek and Katie are due at the end of January, so they decided to do their maternity photos at the beginning of January—right after the holidays.

To distract from Indiana’s gray and brown winter state, I encourage couples to use locations with lots of buildings to add interest to photos. Katie went to Purdue, and Derek and Katie regularly walk their pups through campus, so taking winter Purdue University maternity photos was perfect and sentimental for the Cooks!

This was the fourth time I’ve had the pleasure of photographing Derek and Katie (their engagement session, wedding day, one-year anniversary session, and now their maternity session), and I so love every opportunity I get to spend time with them.

This session was especially special, however, because I know how badly they’ve wanted to be parents. And, now, their dream is finally coming true!

Congratulations, Derek & Katie!

Derek and Katie, you are going to be the best parents. (Katie has 100+ students. Having one babe at home is going to be a breeze!) Between the two of you, I have no doubt that your baby girl will learn how to love others well, to be confident in who she is, and likely a thing or two about ag and fire safety!

Congratulations, Derek and Katie! I can’t wait to meet your sweet girl, and I hope you love these previews from your winter Purdue University maternity photos!

Winter Purdue University maternity photos in West Lafayette, Indiana Pro Tip: If shoes just aren’t comfortable late into pregnancy but you still want to look dressy, go with booties! If you don’t zip the sides, nobody will know! Katie’s booties may or may not be unzipped for this entire session!