This is a story I never expected to tell because, for most of my life, I didn’t picture myself as a dad. My wife Kara and I met at the ROM more than a decade ago and fell in love a few years later. Kara wanted kids, but it wasn’t something I thought much about. Yet the moment we learned that she was pregnant, I couldn’t imagine wanting anything more.
From the start, I was eager to document Kara’s pregnancy — not just because it’s in my nature as a photojournalist, but because I wanted to remember every bit of it. I wanted to capture the key events — like the ultrasound, where we heard our son’s heartbeat for the first time — but also the daily “life” moments that might otherwise fade away, lost to the dulling effects of time.
Distance was a challenge: Kara worked in Ann Arbor, Michigan; I was based in Toronto. We spent as much time as we could together, and I made sure to always have my camera at the ready. I took thousands of photos over several months. When I wanted to include myself, I positioned the camera close by and set it to take a picture every few seconds. It was often set to silent, which allowed me to naturally capture scenes without the distraction of a shutter click.
When Kara went into labour, I wanted to be present for her while also documenting the momentous occasion. Photographing my son with tears in my eyes was a new experience.
It’s hard to put elegantly into words how it feels to navigate these first few weeks of fatherhood. It’s incredible, nerve-wracking and emotional all at once. For my first Father’s Day, we’re planning to slow down and take it all in as a new family. Kara has ordered a cake for the weekend, which works out perfectly, since the day before Father’s Day is also my birthday. There will be plenty of photos, I’m sure.
Welcome to your future, my son.
Kara Ma has her first ultrasound in Toronto. The ultrasound took place at about seven weeks in the pregnancy. We were both extremely excited when they were able to detect a heartbeat.
Kara, overcome with emotion, is pictured while we find out the baby’s gender over the phone at our home in Toronto.
Kara with her mother Grace at her parent’s place in Toronto. The cake had blue filling, which we used as a gender reveal for her parents.
Kara applies oil to her belly at our home in Toronto. This is a routine she began early on in the pregnancy as a preventative measure against stretch marks.
I tried to decide where to place space-themed decals on the wall near the bassinet at our home in Toronto. I had my camera positioned nearby, set to take a photo every three seconds.
Kara stretches at her apartment in Ann Arbor. Kara made the switch from working out to daily stretching around the third trimester, to both feel better and prepare for labour.
Kai cries as a measurement is taken of his head a little over an hour after being born.
Kai rests on Kara’s chest a few hours after his birth.
I look at my son after placing him back in his bassinet in the early morning during our second night’s stay at the hospital. While I frequently had my camera around my shoulder to capture fleeting moments, I also kept a tripod ready nearby to also capture images like this.
Kai rests in his bassinet before leaving the hospital to head home. It was a moment I couldn’t have been more excited and nervous about.
