A STORY OF REAL AND RAW MOTHERHOOD.
I had wanted to do a shoot for a long time with a pregnant mother. I wanted the shoot to be really raw and real and honest. I didn't want it to be all smiles and floaty cream dresses. That wasn't my vision or my reality. For me though, I am always full of self doubt about new ideas and projects. Paid work, no stress, I know what my job is, but anything that that I don't have a clear and complete idea about, I worry so much about letting the person who I am shooting down. I never want to waste anyone's time. It's all part of being an artist and an emotional being I think. I put off doing anything about this idea for so, so, so long but then one day I put out the call for someone to model for me and waited.
Marissa contacted me and I knew she would be perfect. I'm not sure how I knew, but she was literally the best person I could have asked for to begin this foray into this powerful word of motherhood portraits. She opened up and was fearless in how she let me shoot her and just said yes to all the ideas I had. Little Tommy was also the most compliant child I think I have ever photographed and also particularly photogenic. I was blessed to have come across this fantastic pair and the little bump that turned out to be divine little Willa.
This work makes me feel something that I don't feel when I photograph weddings or families. I can't put my finger on it, what the feeling is called. Maybe it's that female connectedness and overwhelming sense that these women and giving me so much of themselves and I don't take that lightly. I want to honor that strength and power that they show me and shoot tastefully, artfully and full of absolute admiration of the female body. I hope that shows.
