DAILY STORIES
Long before I became pregnant with my daughter Mila, I had envisioned a perfect maternity session for myself. In my mind, I created a picture of an idyllic landscape, rich in flowers and lavish greenery with a floral wren and flowing dress.
When I found out I was expecting and my daughter was due in May, I had to reinvent my vision of a maternity session because the original one became impossible to carry out due to the season.
Winter maternity session can seem challenging to some but they can also turn into the most magical and splendid experiences you can imagine.
Today, I want to share with you a glimpse of a couple of winter sessions that I had with my clients recently.
Winter photography can be very spectacular especially when there are favorable weather conditions. Maternity sessions done during this time are very unique. Fun and give a lot of opportunities to take unforgettable pictures.
You can create magical, almost heavenly images with a stunning winter landscape in the background. Depending on your preferences, you may choose more neutral colors for your outfit that will create a sense of unity with the surrounding nature. Also you may choose more solid colors that will create a wonderful contrast between you and the background.
The ideas for a winter session outfits are endless and you can be very creative using items and textures you would likely not be able to use during other seasons. Faux furs, plaids, furry shawls and hats are only the examples that can be used in a session and turn you into a stunning snow queen.
Another advantage of the winter maternity sessions is the temperature. Colder temperatures seem to be more comforting to expecting moms rather than the heat and humidity of the late spring and summer. Keep in mind, that posing for an hour can be exhausting when it’s hot and sunny outside and you have to endure increased swelling and fatigue that comes with higher temperatures.
Winter maternity sessions can be done in a rustic, nature-based setting or in the city. Chicago is one of those cities that offer a little bit of both. I have photographed moms-to-be in front of the frozen Lake Michigan with snowy trees on the side as well as in the beautiful, urban Millenium Park that offers spectacular vistas of the city. We can also combine the two if that’s your preference.
Strength of a Warrior. Regaining Self-Confidence During Infertility.
February 21, 2020 /
Boudoir
OPEN
Those of you who have worked with me or followed my blog know that I love stories. And if I can tell the story using the lens of my camera, my work becomes that much more meaningful.
Even though the common perception is that I photograph “naked ladies” as some have described it… Not many know that I actually work with women whose images often hide deep, sometimes very painful tales.
A couple of weeks ago, I had an opportunity to work with Michelle, a fellow photographer whose story touched me very deeply and on many different levels. As someone who has struggled with infertility myself, I could very much relate to her pain and sense of disappointment. She came in hoping that a boudoir session would help her reconnect with her body and her lost sense of femininity and womanhood.
Infertility affects more and more women each year and although the roots of the problem may vary… the psychological pain that comes with it is universal. It is very difficult to find words that could accurately describe the depth of that pain. It’s the kind of pain that rips you apart, makes you question your self-worth and leaves you feeling broken and disabled.
Women often lose an emotional connection with their own bodies as they go through intensive and invasive medical procedures. Their bodies become objects of countless tests, exams and needle pokes. The process of creating a life is being deprived of its intimacy and privacy. This, in turn, can be traumatizing, leaving wounds that are sometimes impossible to heal.
The relationship and connection with your body becomes even more difficult to maintain when we build up conflicting emotions toward our bodies. On one hand, we are told to nourish it and take good care of it as that can help increase the chances of pregnancy. On another hand, hateful feelings of resentment and disconnection are very common as the body is unable to do what we want it to do.
Infertility affects relationships with our partners as well. Exposed and deprived of intimacy… sexual and romantic relationships suffer greatly as a result of not being able to conceive. Women often feel unattractive and “less of a woman” when they encounter difficulties with conception.
A BOUDOIR SESSION can be very therapeutic and liberating for women who suffer from infertility. It can improve their sense of attractiveness and sensuality, so often lost in the exhausting battle of trying to get pregnant.
Women who have decided to do a boudoir session often say that it helped them reconnect with their bodies, learn to love their bodies again and to feel comfortable in their own skin.
An intimate photography session can help rebuilt the body image that has been often broken by sense of powerlessness and inadequacy. It can give hope and encouragement to keep going and accept oneself unconditionally.
Our reproductive abilities are only a small part of us as human beings. We are so much more than that and I wish each and every woman who has her own personal story of struggling with conceiving to find her inner peace and her own sense of acceptance of what is.
I would like to thank Michelle for taking up the courage to step out of the isolation zone. She is a warrior- strong and inspiring. There are so many of us women who have experienced the pain of infertility- we need to talk about it and not let any of us feel alone and isolated on this path.
This recent holiday season has given me some opportunities to pause and reflect on some truly important things. One of them was shopping and the meaninglessness of this act. Just like many of us, I spent hours and hours before Christmas looking for things my loved ones would like and appreciate. The emphasis here is on the word “things”. I bought a plethora of various items from socks and gloves to jewelry and electronics. Some family members loved what they got, others seemed unimpressed.
And just like many of us, a few days after Christmas, I found myself again in a huge crowd of people, this time returning and exchanging the gifts I got and simply did not like.
“What a madness” I thought to myself and left the store feeling completely depleted and claustrophobic. I returned home and gave it some more thought. “My goodness, when did gifts become so meaningless?”, I asked myself out loud.
I quickly remembered my client from a few months ago and the conversation we had at that time. She told me a truly inspiring story on gift giving and how it works in her relationship. Sarah said that the only gifts her and her boyfriend ever exchange are experiences.
It was her birthday and her boyfriend decided to purchase a boudoir session as a gift for her. No rings or earrings, no purses or shoes- but an experience of something new and exciting. How wonderful is that?!
Instead of tangible items that clutter our space, we can choose to shower our loved ones with experiences they will never forget.
Expensive goods such as designer bags or clothes seem like a luxury when you first think about it. Especially, when someone spends a lot of money on us. The true luxury though lays somewhere else and has nothing to do with a pricy tag or a designer logo. Gifting someone an experience that helps them create precious memories for a lifetime or an experience that helps them connect with themselves, feel loved and appreciated from within- is when you truly give someone luxury.
Boudoir photography is growing in popularity. Each day there are new ads advertising this increasingly trendy genre. Chicago itself has an impressive number of photographers offering their skills and experience in capturing female beauty and sensuality.
On one hand, it is wonderful that clients have a lot of options to choose from. On another hand, too many choices can be confusing and make the selection process more difficult.
The question is- how do you choose the right boudoir photographer if you have a hundred options? What do you need to look at and be cognizant of before you decide on a session with a particular photographer?
These are some of the things you should consider while looking for a boudoir photographer.
