Cold and Epic... and my first maternity shoot!
It was really awesome to have my first ever maternity shoot be with dear friends.
I've been taking photos for two decades, but it wasn't until really recently that I decided to shoot baby bumps and newborns exclusively. (Read more about my story on my about page). It truly feels like an honor to do these shoots. My own experiences with making a life instilled in me a deep reverence for the pregnancy and birthing process. When I say it's magical, I really mean it. It's a miraculous feat of nature every time a baby is born.
Shooting with Vanya and Alessya was the best. (Plus I was nearly as excited to meet this baby as they were!) I had a new little one myself at this time, and as every new parent knows there's a really tender period during postpartum where working feels really difficult and hazy. I had that feeling during this shoot - my boobs were filling up with milk and I missed my babe and my hormones were kicking my butt - but being with these guys making belly-art felt like a treat and made my first maternity shoot so much easier.
We had a blast! We wandered around Discovery Park - which, if you've never been, is a photographic DREAM). Ocean scenes, a lighthouse, mountains, sailboats... and of course, golden hour on Puget Sound. Perfection.
I loved Alessya's classy, goddess style. (She made that headdress herself and it was gorgeous!) Working with clients who also have an artistic eye is amazing because the collaboration opportunities are off the charts.
You can't really tell from these photos, but this shoot was COLD. (Mommy-to-be was so smart to bring fur coats. Smart and sexy!)
This was a couple shoot, but I have to admit, I have an affinity for taking pics of just the mama-to-be and her belly. Yes, it takes two to tango, lol, but pregnant bodies win all the things.
This shoot taught me a TON, plus it got me out of the house (which was hard but a welcomed change in scenery during my COVID postpartum). I got a sense of what it's like to pose pregnant bodies, work with pregnant people and their partners, and it started my photographic wheelhouse a-churnin.' While I know how to take photos, during this shoot I learned that taking pics of baby bumps is it's own thing! Every type of photography has a unique, shall we say, je ne sais quoi, and method by which to arrive to the gorgeous final shots. After this shoot I couldn't WAIT to keep learning about maternity photography.
BONUS: I got to take pics of these two with their little sweetheart.
Love these three humans so much and I'm so glad I got to document this portion of their stories!
