Maternity and motherhood expose you.  That is the honest truth.  They strip you down to your raw self.  In that moment when you are bringing a baby into the world there is nothing except your natural animal instincts taking over.  Your body is in control.  Even if you had a list of how everything was supposed to be, it flew out the window with that first push.  You’re lucky if you even make it that far.  I remember going to the hospital thinking I was going to be able to be all modest, with a sheet over my lap and just the doctor and one nurse in the room with my husband and I.  The whole hospital staff could have been there for all I care and know.  In that moment I was overcome with womanhood and bringing a life into the world.  Mascara….forget about it.

It doesn’t stop there with the laboring raw, naked and instinctive.  Motherhood will continue to expose you.  You will find out what your really made of when you’re cleaning up smeared baby poop artistically applied to the wall you just painted.  You will find out just how strong you are when you realize that you haven’t had more than 3 hours of sleep straight in three months.  That first time you have to trust your mother instincts when the doctor says there is nothing wrong will expose the mama in you for sure.  Year by year the layers will be peeled back.  The real you, will be exposed.

Eventually what is left will be an amazing woman.  Strong, brave, confident, fiercely loyal, selfless, loving, tolerant, patient and a zillion other wonderful raw traits that you never knew where in you.  They weren’t, at least not like they are now.  Motherhood made you that way.

Like a block of stone carved by a master. Layer by layer is chiseled away.  Years of work.  Until all that is left is the most beautiful master piece you have ever seen.  A woman, a mother….

I love photographing maternity clients near nude.  With all of their curves exposed.  It is poetic and symbolic.  Raw beauty is the best kind.