Hollie Stokes Photography

09/01/2021

“In the family we learn to love, to forgive, to be generous and open, not closed and selfish. We learn to move beyond our needs, to encounter others and share our lives with them....."

Family Storytelling Session Link Below:

“In the family we learn to love, to forgive, to be generous and open, not closed and selfish. We learn to move beyond our needs, to encounter others and share our lives with them. That is why families are so important in God’s plan.” Pope Francis

04/16/2020

I feel so very fortunate that I've had the opportunity to connect and build relationships with other female artists from around the world. For the past two years we have been documenting our journey's at mothers. Navigating the in's and out's of motherhood. Leaving behind artifacts for our children. I have poured out my heart out along side these women for the past two years. While oceans and cultures separate us, the joys and struggles bring us together. Now, more thane ever.

I would love to invite you to our April 2020 Artifact Motherhood loop. Start by clicking the link below, at the end of the blog there will be another link to click to move onto the next artist.

My family and I have been quarantined at home for 34 days. I have left my home only a handful of times to pick up groceries or prescriptions. I must confess, I was very optimistic when this all started. I thought it was going to be an opportunity to slow down and really w**d out the daily hustle. I

03/06/2020

Welcome to our Season of Motherhood, a new series in the Artifact Motherhood Project. We are a group of artists and mothers from around the world sharing stories of our journeys of motherhood with words and images we want to leave as artifacts for our children and the generations to come.

I hope you will join and follow the loop around to each photographer by clicking the link below.

Tylenol, thermometer, Ibuprofen, chicken noodle soup, nasal aspirator, kleenex, humidifier, Albuterol, Amoxicillin, eye drops, wipes, and lots and lots of snuggles… this is my new, weekly checklist. I’ve lost count of the many viruses and bacterial infections we are suffering. Flu A&B came t

10/26/2019

It was such an honor to spend the weekend observing this beautiful new momma navigate the ins and outs of her new daily routine, watching her soak in moments of sweetness amidst the sleepless nights, around the clock feedings, and diaper changes, observing her whisper, my sweet little bird, into her newborn’s ear, while drowsily soaking in every little detail of his expressions and tiny, perfect body, as though trying to etch each detail onto her heart. Sarah Lane Deheck Nick Deheck

Her full session by clicking on the link below.

https://www.holliestokes.com/blog/2019/10/19/in-home-storytelling-session-deheck

08/12/2019

I had a fairly in-depth discussion with a fellow photographer about the idea of taking responsibility for every single detail that comes into contact with my frame... the concept that everything in my picture should support and/or add to the story being told. This concept has been on my mind quite a bit lately. So much it's transcended from an idea on my photography journey into a notion I carry with me on my journey as a mother. Responsibility....taking ownership of the supporting details in my life, my season, my motherhood. What exactly does that look like?

I documented a morning with my girls before the boys woke up. Every detail, in every picture, has a purpose for being there. Out of this came one of my favorite pictures to date. A moment of my daughter coloring on the floor, bathing in the golden morning light, everything from the pictures hanging on the wall to the lonely cheerio on the floor, has a purpose for being there. Because these are the supporting details that paint the picture of my season as a mother of four. MORE pictures and the full story for Artifact Motherhood is up on the blog. Follow the link below.

https://www.holliestokes.com/blog/2019/8/5/supporting-details

06/24/2019

The most misleading part of motherhood is the dream of motherhood-- turning dreams into expectations. In my fantasies, I pictured myself curled up with my children, delving into adventures and relationships with books in a way that I experienced as a child. In all of my time spent imagining the future, I failed to factor in the actual journey. Would we struggle with processing? Would we feel frustrated with the process of learning? Abandoning my own plan and embracing the journey is a type of vulnerability that not only forces me to see the beauty of the REAL in my own family but also appreciate how hard won each sight word victory is for my hardworking son...

Another Artifact Motherhood Collective post is up on the blog, our journey by following the link below:

https://www.holliestokes.com/blog/2019/6/17/wonderfully-and-perfectly-made

06/22/2019

It's quite an honor and humbling to observe motherhood behind my lens. Whether it's my own family or a client's family. I take this job seriously. The fact of the matter is, I believe there is beauty in our own homes, even amidst our mundane daily routines.

This in-home storytelling session was one of those humbling experiences. I had the opportunity to observe this mother console, caress and care for her sweet 3-month-old. Doing her normal everyday bathtime routine.

More from this Summer Storytelling Session by following the link below

https://www.holliestokes.com/blog/2019/6/5/griffin

06/04/2019

One of the things I love about documenting and observing motherhood are the unique stories that unfold. The little details of our journey, as mothers, that illustrate the stage of life we’re in. This stage may seem like a constant flow of energy, from one activity to another. It can be difficult to stop and savor our everyday. I believe if we actually take the time to be intentional with these moments; we discover the beauty of not only being present, but also the beauty in moments we too often over look and take for granted.

What ever stage you may be in, what details would you like to remember? Let's talk.

05/30/2019

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of documenting a dear friend and mother of two. This is Jessica and she is as beautiful inside as she is out. One of my first Artifact Motherhood sessions, she has since welcomed another son into her sweet family. We’ve been discussing, on and off, doing a similar session with her newest addition. A few of my favorite moments from her Motherhood Summer Story below. Find more of her session in the link below.

https://www.holliestokes.com/blog/2019/5/30/summer-story-session-ray

05/29/2019

It’s no secret that my favorite thing to do is to capture the beauty of ordinary moments--the moments otherwise missed or overlooked. What if we had someone to document our families day in and day out? What would yours look like? I’m a firm believer that we don’t have to create a backdrop to paint the beauty of our families. The beauty is here; the beauty is now. It’s the grandfather beaming over his namesake. It’s the uncle spending quality time with his nieces and nephews before he’s deployed. It's the grandparents baking with their grandchildren, having a dance partying the kitchen while the cookies bake. It’s the faces of a family gathered around the fire-pit and talking, sharing memories and life. There is so much beauty in our everyday lives. As a photographer, there is no greater blessing than showing my clients just how beautiful their families truly are--exactly as they are.

After a long materinity leave, this Family's Documentary Session is up on the blog. Link to more pictures below

https://www.holliestokes.com/blog/2019/4/17/family-documentary-shoot-in-claremore-oklahoma

04/12/2019

The kitchen is the heart of our home. With four littles coming and going it's often times the messiest place. This is where our meals are made, where the band-aids are kept, where our morning and evening routines start.

This moment was captured roughly a year ago, in the kitchen sink. Anyone who knows me, knows I love bathing my babies here. There is a true convenience factor, but I LOVE looking back at how itty bitty they were in relation to the space around them. Not to mention, there is something truly poetic and nostalgic about sink baths.

Where's the heart of your home? And how do you document your time there?

04/07/2019

One of my favorite times to blog is for the Artifact Motherhood blog circle. Bi monthly, I join a group of amazing mothers and artists from around the globe, as we document and share our journeys as mothers. New post is up on the blog. Link below.

I’ve been surrounded by boys all of my life, and I never imagined I’d be blessed with two pretty daughters. I truly thought my fate was sealed as a boy mom. Now that I have you two,  I can't help but reflect on how the prettiest, most influential women in my life instilled important values