There is something inherently magic about a pregnant woman.
It is unimaginable the amount of love a mother's heart is capable of. I had no clue what I was in for when I was waiting for my little girl to arrive. Everyone says that the moment they see their baby they are in complete love. I realized quickly that this cannot be true. As I fall more in love with her every day! Watching her see, learn and explore are moments enough to make my heart almost burst.
The moment I found out I was pregnant my heart raced, and it still does to this day. It races when she smiles at me, when I see her with her daddy. When I realize that this husband, partner and best friend of mine and myself created this little human, my heart skips a beat.
Seeing women who are expecting when I am out and about makes me excited! Although, I must contain myself from swooning over them and telling them how wonderful it all is.
They know. Even mixed in with fear, uncertainty and anxiety, they know.
You can only imagine my love, then, when I am photographing a woman who is close to welcoming their little one. I am instantly happy, relaxed, and amazed!
I mean, that belly! How can you not feel something when you think about how there is a person growing in there! *sigh* Truly amazing!
As we move through poses, their home, and their outfits I am constantly looking for the feelings. Focusing on the bundle in the middle, but keeping the details of the smiles and the expressions that bring out the emotion of a maternity photo shoot.
In these photos is Becca. She was carrying Cole, her second child and first son. We had this session on a Tuesday and their little mister had his birth day the Friday just after! So this momma had a beautiful big belly, a lot of anticipation and that "glow" that everyone talks about.
By the way, the "glow", it IS real. It is something we think we can see because we can feel it so intensely when we are around an expecting mother. I believe dads-to-be glow as well, and for the same reason! Mom may have the midsection of the 3rd trimester, but dad's have just as much excitement, anticipation and nerves that radiate to those of us who meet them.
This mini-project was driven by that joy I get, that rush, when I photograph a woman who has been working so hard, enduring some unpleasantness (maybe a lot of unpleasantness), going to the doctor office and feeling like they work there, stretching and changing, anticipating, worrying, shopping, planning, nesting and completely beaming. I have realized a moment with my camera that I am SO passionate about and even though I drove 200+ miles round trip on almost a whim, it was totally and absolutely worth it!
These images are of the first half of the session. In the uncomplicated black and white version of these personal and intimate images. Enjoy!
Special thank you to Becca for being the subject of my photographing for what I am sure seemed like forever, for changing your clothes a gillion times and for holding out until I took so many photos that this turned into a multi-post project of love! Mostly, congratulations to you and your little family that is now a total of FOUR! Yay! Welcome to the world baby Cole!
It makes my "job", capturing joy & love, easy when I feel it so deeply.
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***All photographs are copyright Samantha Raye Photography/Samantha Taplin***
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*Article is original to and copyright Samantha Raye Photography/Samantha Taplin*
