to mothers with an aching heart
light & HOPE
providing
A Mother's Wishful Heart provides complimentary bereavement photography to mothers in the Salt Lake and Utah Valleys who are facing the loss of their newborn or young child. Each session includes the digital files and a beautifully crafted heirloom album to cherish and hold because I understand that a mother's arms should never be left empty.
I believe that families are eternal, that every life should be celebrated, no matter how short-lived it may be, and that family members who have passed on can still influence and bless our lives each day. Let's celebrate your loved one and their important role in your life - they have helped shape who you are and they will be there to support and sustain you through your grief of missing them.
started it all
get to know the one who
Like most parents, I fell in love with Lila the moment the doctor placed her on my chest. It was like the world had shifted and I finally understood that every moment in my life was preparation for this incredible honor to be a mother. As a newborn, Lila had white hair and the prettiest blue eyes, one of which would eventually turn green. She had the smallest cry and I remember thinking that she must be such a sweetheart. I had no idea that weak cry was actually an indicator of something terribly wrong. For a few blissful hours my little girl had safely entered the world and was nothing short of perfection. In the days to come I would think of this snippet of time often and wish that I could bottle it up somehow, drink it in, and forget the reality of what would become our situation.
It took over a year and a lot of research and perseverance before we knew what was happening inside her little body. After countless tests and even more tears, she was diagnosed with Vici Syndrome, which is a rare and fatal disease. My. Heart. Broke.
I'd like to introduce you to an angel named Lila. In all honesty, I did not know her that well during her time on earth, but her light and goodness has touched my life forever. I am so very honored to lead A Mother's Wishful Heart in her honor and to continue spreading light and hope to those who need it most.
Lila's story
Told by her mother, Kristi
isn't she beautiful!
The beauty is that, just as no two family members are the same, no two Wishful Heart Sessions will be the same. If you have a situation that you feel warrants a Wishful Heart Session, please contact me and we will begin the planning process.
wishful heart sessions
Wishful Heart Sessions are crafted specifically for each family's individual needs. They often require special arrangements and accommodations to be made in terms of location, medical equipment, and emergent timing. Great care is taken in the planning and we work closely with the families to plan a session that will celebrate and commemorate the life of their loved one.
Typical circumstances that precede a Wishful Heart Session include, but are certainly not limited to the following:
Newborns:
Children:
Families:
Funerals:
complications during pregnancy and/or delivery, stillborn infants
terminal illness, special needs that make family photos difficult, cancer, loss of life
postpartum depression, loss of a parent, life-changing accident or trauma
body dressing before services, funeral services, graveside services
A Wishful Heart Session includes a custom session, digital versions of all edited portraits, and an heirloom linen album for the family to enjoy. A fine art print or matted portrait collection may be exchanged for linen album based on the family's preferences.
a session includes
funding
All Wishful Heart Sessions will be fully funded by profits of Heather Pickett Photography. The client receiving the Wishful Heart Session will be able to do so at no cost to them.
availability
If you have a loved one that you think would benefit or enjoy a Wishful Heart Session, please use the Nominate a Loved One button below to contact us. We will gather some general information from you and then reach out to them directly.
NEWBORNS: complications during pregnancy and/or delivery, stillborn infants
CHILDREN: terminal illness, special needs that make family photos difficult, cancer diagnosis, loss of life
FAMILIES: postpartum depression, loss of a parent, life-changing accident or trauma
FUNERALS: body dressing before services, funeral services, graveside services.
If you have a need for a Wishful Heart Session, please contact us as soon as possible. Requests are prioritized based on level of urgency and funding availability. After a request form is completed, you will be sent a questionnaire to gather additional details so that when we have availability, we can get busy on your session right away.
Our ability to provide Wishful Heart Sessions relies upon profits from Heather Pickett Photography and generous donors. If our mission has resonated with you, please consider making a small contribution - every little bit helps. All donations will be used exclusively for Wishful Heart Sessions.
heather
get to know
My most prized and endearing role is being a mother. I remember sitting in the hospital with each of my newborns and staring at their little features. I wanted to take in every wrinkle and flake of newborn skin so that I would never forget their tiny details. I remember how they smelled after their first bath. I remember watching my husband hold them for the first time and falling in love all over again. These are the moments that I want to bottle up and treasure forever.
Before I became a photographer, I worked as a Registered Nurse, for which I am still licensed. Working as a Registered Nurse in the Pediatric & Cardiac ICU at Primary Children's Hospital, Labor & Delivery at St. Mark's Hospital, and Maternity & Newborn Nursery at Intermountain Medical Center, I have been with families on the happiest day of their lives, and also the most tragic. I have seen, first hand, how beautiful and fleeting life with your loved ones can be.
Capturing these beautiful and fleeting moments is one of the primary reasons I became a newborn photographer. In fact, I am the first Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) in the nation to earn that merit by exclusively using newborns as their subjects. Being a CPP ensures that I excel at the technical and aesthetic aspects of photography. It means I have a solid knowledge of how to use light correctly - even in difficult lighting situations. You can rest assured that your images with be both technically correct and emotionally powerful, which means they will be a timeless work of art for you and your family to enjoy.
My hope is to help every mother capture these fleeting moments with their newborns and to create timeless, heirloom artwork that will bottle these treasured moments for generations to come.
registered Nurse &
Certified Professional Photographer
Mother. Registered Nurse. Professional Photographer.
