This is probably the most frequent push back I get while doing maternity photo sessions. Feeling beautiful while being pregnant. I have heard excuses such as ; “I am really feeling self conscious, maybe I shouldn’t do them” or “Who wants to see me with a giant belly?” and even “I cant imagine them turning out since I feel like shit”.
The thing is, we are all beautiful. People fill our heads with negativity with out even meaning to. I have heard people say to me (when I was pregnant) “Oh my, you are so big”. “Are you feeling ok?” (As if I wasn’t??). “You look tired”. All of these little phrases equate into “I must not be beautiful”.
That’s all crap. If you look at my maternity portfolio, not a single woman is a “model”. These are all real women who are expecting a baby. That’s it. Yet, they are all beautiful–both in the traditional sense of outer beauty, but more importantly in the sense that they are a human growing another human. That in itself makes them beautiful. That beauty is what shines through.
Meet Ariel. She is a normal woman who really is extraordinary in every way. While she was comfortable in front of the camera granted many others who are not and that is totally ok. I just wrapped up photographing her birth as well as being her doula (more on that later) and have just got around to sharing some of her exquisite maternity shots.
These were taken at FD Photo Studio in downtown Los Angeles. Ariel wanted light and airy and classic images. I believe that is what she got. I hope you love them as well.
