Capturing the Glow: A Journey Through Maternity Photography
Introduction:
As a photographer, there are few sessions as heartwarming and joyous as maternity photography. It's a time when the anticipation of new life fills the air, and the glow of expectant mothers radiates through every image captured. Join me as I recount the magic of a recent maternity photography session, where I had the privilege of documenting the beauty and love of mother, Brianna. This session, I would like to note, was one that was also sensitive to the situation as the baby has been diagnosed with trisomy 18.
You are probably wondering, what is trisomy 18? What's the importance of this diagnosis? Here is a definition as provided by the Minnesota Department of Health:
"Trisomy 18 is a disorder in which babies are born with 3 copies of chromosome 18 instead of 2. For an unknown reason, this accident occurs at the time of conception and all cells in the body will have this structure."
When a baby is diagnosed with trisomy 18, the parent/s can expect heart defects and unusal body appearances as the baby develops inside the womb. There are other problems that unfortunately happen as the baby develops. It is estimated that only 10% of babies with trisomy 18 live to through their first birthdays.
With all this being said, the session touched my heart in a different way. I also have a friend from highschool who's wife recently had went through the same pain as well. This truly is one that is hard to speak about as I can only imagine the countless mothers who have been in this same exact situation as Brianna.
Setting the Scene:
I wanted Brianna to be in a place that would be calm and represent the beauty of becoming a mother. For me, nature is always my #1 option if the weather chooses to be in my favor. On this particular day, after rainfall for almost 2 straight weeks, it was beautiful and that Texas sun was shining bright for us! We ventured to a park in League City, Texas called Heritage Park. Let me just tell y'all, WOW! Such a gorgeous park with plenty of landscape and trees! In additon there are a couple of bridges that go over the water including 2 very small piers for fishing and enjoying the lake. It was phenomenal and I knew she loved the area as much as I did. We shoot close to end of the afternoon, just enough to where the sun is shining through the trees and the shadows casted on her really gave the warm, motherly glow that she wanted! She wore a lace maternity dress to capture the essence of her, but she wanted the light to shine on her and the dress to kapture its beauty in all the sunlight.
Brianna's Story:
Throughout the session, I wanted to get to know Brianna and her unique journey so far. This is just a short exhibit of her story:
"I didn't know what would come of the future of the baby. As a mother, we all hope for beautiful and healthy babies. When I received news that the baby was diagnosed with trisomy-18, it really caught me off guard. No mother wants to hear that something is going to be the matter. Pregnancy has its ups and down, and some days can be very difficult. When I heard the news, everything became harder naturally knowing that the baby would only live for so long. I want to be able to celebrate the baby for as long as I can and to document all the moments that I can. I want his story told, and the best way to tell that is through documenting; photography. I really appreciate you taking the time to get to know me and to document the moments that I hold close to my heart and soul."
Capturing the Connection:
As the session continued on, I encouraged Brianna to really accentuate herself and beautiful golden locks! I wish I could do her hair like hers, oh my gosh, seriously the prettiest hair!!! That sunlight really did wonders for the session and I could feel God's touch with her and her baby. Of course, we had to create the shape of heart for a classic maternity pose. One of my favorite details and such a great way to say "I love you, my child." We mostly took solo portraits of the expectant mother Brianna, showcasing her strength, grace, and undeniable beauty in this transformative stage of life; a way to celebrate motherhood.
Conclusion:
As the session drew to a close, we basked in the afterglow of a morning well spent, immortalizing the love, anticipation, and beauty of this special time in the expectant family's life. Maternity photography is more than just capturing images; it's about preserving memories, celebrating new beginnings, and honoring the incredible journey of parenthood. And as I bid farewell to the expectant couple, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the opportunity to be a part of their story, capturing moments they will cherish for a lifetime.
