What Expectant Moms Are Doing With Their Tummies
“I am sorry I never got professional photographs of my pregnancy.” That is one of the biggest regrets my clients mention upon seeing our expectant mom display prints. While they are coming in for their personal nude or boudoir session they do reflect on what could have been.
Unlike a lot of photography sessions, this is one you cannot just reschedule. That glow of impending motherhood is one of the most fleeting of moments to photograph.
We had a reluctant mom-to-be come in a while back. Kim hated having her photograph taken at the best of times and she had not really gotten used to her temporary shape. She was nervously here because of what her mom had not done. She had not left any legacy of her connection to Kim in pictures. Kim’s own little newborn was to have a trail of connection photographs that started in the womb.
She had read studies that revealed that for a young child to be able to “see” where they came from, that they belong, is huge in their connection to family. It was important enough to her, to forge this connection, that she fought through her insecurities and fears to get what she found to be personal art.
There are so many ways to capture the expectant tummy moment. From nudes to flowing gowns that showcase the tummy. There are times of the pregnancy arch that are the best. You can also capture the progression of the tummy growing. There are cute, sentimental, artful or just touching ways to express these life-changing moments.
Something that is new is the body painted belly. We are building up quite the gallery of colourful tummies. From realistic x-rays of the baby inside to colourful designs; even playful designs that hint of aspiring sports stars.
Body painters love shapes to paint on, their designs can develop into near 3d creations. Women like Melissa S. can be totally transformed, actually disappearing into the art. She loved the idea of the seahorse. She had decided her little girl was going to have a remarkably unique life, her colourful, near-mythical Sea Horse was just the start.
In about 2 weeks newly expecting Jenn is coming in with a pregnant girlfriend in tow. Her pregnancy is just a few months old; she envisions a whole series showcasing her expanding tummy. They have not settled on their vision but they will be the latest of our painted belly creations.
Timing is everything; Jessica had a feeling about that. She called up asking if we could photograph that day, we could not get her in until early evening so the session ran late. About two hours after the session finished she was delivering her only child. She came back in for one of the most tender mothers and newborn images I have ever taken.
A session like that does not have time to squeeze in some cool brush strokes on the tummy, which is sad.
Melissa M. , a good friend of Melissa S , made time in a stunningly busy schedule for a painted flowers series on her tummy. Melody, our body painter, painstakingly created one flower then scrubbed it off after the photography for the next flourish of petals. By the last of the flower paintings Melissa M. was laying down, catching a nap as her tummy was decorated. Not many will notice the flower has a slightly different perspective.
This is so new that most expectant moms have no idea they can have their tummies painted, please share this cool thing body painters can do. It is such a delightfully fresh choice for a mom.
Expectant moms have so many choices and ways to express their moment to glow; they don’t need to have any regrets years from now.
PS: Our Body Painters for these masterpieces are Melody Kielik, Amanda Toszer and Joanne Hawkins.
