A new mom found a meaningful way to honor her deployed husband in a series of stunning maternity photos. 

By Zara Husaini Hanawalt
Traci Lynn Photography

Wesley and Nicole Bedwell just welcomed their first child together—but unfortunately, Wesley had to experience much of his wife's pregnancy from afar: He was deployed just a month after they learned they were expecting a baby.

But Nicole still managed to find a way to include her husband in her maternity photos, and it's all thanks to photographer Traci Fugitt of Traci Lynn Photography

Nicole hired the photographer to shoot her maternity photos while Wesley was stationed in Japan—but when the mother expressed her desire to somehow incorporate her husband in the photos, she and Fugitt began thinking of ideas.

"Nicole expressed how upsetting it was that he was deployed, so we decide he needed to be in them somehow," Fugitt said. "Nicole got him to pose like he did and send me the images to Photoshop together, I put them side by side to show the difference between the locations. 7,000 miles away, they waited together for [their daughter] Pyper."

The photos stunning and whimsical—and its safe to say they really honor the new father. Fugitt managed to create a composite of both Nicole and Wesley that both highlights their different settings and creates a unified image. 

"Nicole and Wesley are so thankful for the pictures, their entire family was in tears and speechless," Fugitt said. "The happiness that this has brought forward, how amazing it is to be here welcoming them the baby today, it's just something there aren't words to describe. Incredible would be close...When people see the picture, I hope they thank a soldier for their service, and feel the love radiating from it. Even 7,000 miles away, Wesley's love for his wife and newborn daughter is amazing. The anticipation was well worth it!"



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