The look on a man’s face when he meets his son for the first time is a truly emotion-packed event. When Brandi contacted me to photograph her husbands homecoming I was delighted. I absolutely LOVE the military homecomings I’ve photographed in the past — quite possibly the most raw and true emotions I’ve ever witnessed, let alone photographed. But when she told me how he had been gone for THIRTEEN MONTHS and had never met their son who was now 9 months, I was honored to document this incredible moment.

I always feel a rush of adrenaline and anxiety during these moments, and am worried I’m going to be a basket case crying my eyes out, however the task of photographing and composing each shot keeps me busy enough to keep it together — that is until I edit them later… ;) The moment was not anything less than I had hoped for. We weren’t exactly sure which set of doors he would come through so we were kind of standing in the middle. When she saw him she started screaming and running, as I ran behind her snapping as quickly as possible not to miss a beat of the first time this daddy got to meet his little boy. The look of emotion on his face when he first kissed his wife and when he held his son are enough to make me a little misty-eyed when looking back.

Congratulations Trawick Family! So glad you got your man home once and for all!