Why I became a maternity and family photographer ~ International Women's Day 2024
Tomorrow marks International Women's Day 2024. It's a special date that has inspired me to share the story behind why I picked up my camera to capture the beauty of motherhood and maternity.
It was sometime in my adolescence when I started taking photos from an old film camera and there my passion started for the art of photography.
It began with just documenting the world around me. My 90-something-year old Grandma in her old-rickety house with a garden full of potted geraniums. The fun and chaos of my older brothers and sisters. Weird and wonderful scenes I would come across in my home of Meanjin/Brisbane.
Even in those earlier years, I was always drawn to real and raw narratives. This is just one of the reasons I've dedicated my lens to one of life's most profoundly beautiful journeys: motherhood.
The story of how I landed in this field of photography started a few years back. Shortly before departing Australia for a stint overseas with my partner, I began capturing images of my sister and my best friend. They were both new mothers to their gorgeous baby boys and both navigating their new identity as ‘Mother’.
When I picked up my camera to shoot them, my aim wasn't just to provide them with tangible memories of this special time. My intention was to mirror back to them the beauty and strength I saw in them as they blossomed into their ways of being. A beauty and strength I knew they sometimes didn't always see themselves. It was a profound experience and one that solidified my decision to focus on maternity and family photography, particularly focusing on motherhood.
When I capture images of mothers, the focus on their magnificent bodies doesn't just come from a place of mere fascination. It stems from a deep belief in the importance of body positivity, embracing ourselves just as we are and the awe-inspiring strength inherent in the journey of motherhood. Each stretch mark, each curve, tells a story of creation, resilience and love.
These are stories worth telling and worth celebrating, not just today but every day.
I’d be honoured to document your experience of maternity and motherhood. If you’d like to book a session with me, get in touch via the form below.
