THE MOTHER OF ALL BABY COLUMNS
Douglas: Pregnancy photo shoot a rite of passage for moms-to-be
September 28, 2011
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Ann Douglas
SPECIAL TO THE STAR
Ever since Demi Moore made headlines 20 years ago by posing pregnant and in the buff on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine, the pregnancy photo shoot has become a rite of passage for many moms-to-be.
“Some moms prefer to bare their bellies; others prefer to keep covered up,” says Summerside, P.E.I., photographer Jill Hardy (jillhardyphotography.com). “The images should be personal and reflect who she is as a woman and a mother.”
These days pregnancy photography often means taking photos of mom, her partner, plus brothers and sisters eager to meet the new arrival. “Including older siblings can help them to feel more involved in the baby's life and what's to come,” says Hardy.
SEE A PHOTO GALLERY OF GORGEOUS PREGNANCY PHOTOS
Chilliwack, B.C., photographer Kim Mallory (kimmallory.com) encourages her clients to think about “who they are and what they love” when selecting a location for their shoot. “I have one client who is not a girly-girl at all. I took her out to the back alleys where there are wrought-iron gates and ended up with photos that totally defined her.”
The photo shoot should be scheduled sometime between six months and eight-and-a-half months, depending on the mom’s body type and the baby’s rate of growth, says Mallory. “I want moms-to-be looking radiant, as opposed to feeling uncomfortable. Getting that timing right can make or break a prenatal photo shoot.”
When it comes to choosing a photographer to take photos of you when you’re pregnant, “Try to find someone whose work really resonates with you,” Mallory suggests. If it’s within your means, don’t make price your key criteria, she says. “These photos are so time-sensitive. You only have one chance to get this right.”
When the day of your pregnancy photo shoot arrives, let go of any preconceived notions you may have about the shots you want. “Just have an open mind and see what happens, especially if there are other kids involved, suggests Carin Bondar (carinbondar.com), a biologist, writer, and mother of four from Chilliwack, B.C. “You never know what the perfect shot is going to look like. It may be completely different from what you had imagined. I had grandiose notions of my other children looking pensively at my belly with their hands reaching for it, but, please, that’s not going to happen!”
Instead, focus on enjoying the experience of being photographed with the people you love.
“All of my pregnancies have been different and special in their own way, so it was important to me to make sure to celebrate this baby — our fourth — as well,” explains Bondar. “This will definitely be my last, so it’s nice to have the memories of this time captured in such a beautiful way.”
Ann Douglas is the author of The Mother of All Pregnancy Books (2nd Canadian edition, Wiley 2011). Her website is www.having-a-baby.com.
Ripe: The Essence of the Pregnant Nude
New Jersey photographer Alexa Garbarino had been taking nude photos of pregnant women before Demi Moore appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair, but, once that iconic cover appeared (in August of 1991), everything changed. “After Demi, it became a lot more enticing for pregnant women to show that aspect of themselves.” Garbarino photographed nude pregnant women on the Brooklyn Bridge, in the New York subway system, next to the ocean in Portland, Maine, and “wherever anyone would get naked for me.” The resulting images are collected in Ripe: The Essence of the Pregnant Nude (alexagarbarino.com, $60, Amazon.com), a powerful celebration of the beauty of the pregnant body and the sheer joy of being pregnant. – Ann Douglas