Last month I captured Michelle’s Mommy and Me photoshoot for her second maternity session. I remember Michelle’s first Intimate Portrait session back in 2021 and her first maternity session in 2022. It’s been an honor and joy getting to know her and capture such important milestones in her life. Witnessing her growth has been the cherry on top. A couple years later and three sessions together we are both grateful she felt the fear and did it anyway. Her trust plus passion to capture memories along with my mission to liberate mommas through maternity photography has given her a new relationship with herself.
“If you can believe it, this was my 3rd shoot with the very talented MacKenzie. Have you seen her work? Then you understand why I continue coming back. With that much experience, you’d think I’d have zero reservations, zero apprehension about being photographed. Quite the contrary…”
Mommy And Me Photoshoot Behind The Scenes
“This was likely the hardest shoot to commit to. Motherhood has transformed me, mind, body, and spirit. While I’m learning to embrace many of those changes, I’m still quite intolerant of the changes to my body. 60 lbs overweight, more cellulite than I care to admit, veins and marks, wider hips, droopy breasts, dermatitis and rosacea in the face, and so on. I’ve avoided mirrors for the past 9 months, I shower in the dark, and I refuse to take any pregnancy photos. And yet I’ve committed to a boudoir maternity shoot? Makes zero sense.
So why didn’t I cancel? For a few reasons. First, my faith and trust in MacKenzie’s ability to draw out my beauty through her work. Her attention to detail, her understanding and appreciation of the female form, all of it gave me comfort in the days before the shoot. She’s a phenom at what she does, if anyone can capture something beautiful during my 2nd pregnancy, it’s her.
Second, the big picture. As a woman navigating my way through this appearance obsessed world, I tend to be incredibly hard on myself. I hide, I cover up, I edit. Fast forward years later, I look back at some of those photos and can’t believe how great I looked. I think to myself “why was I hiding?” It happens time and time again. So….if history is any indication of the future, maybe I’ll feel the same way 10 years from now when I look back at these maternity photos. Maybe I’ll feel proud, strong, and sexy. Maybe I’ll feel grateful that despite my fears, I did it anyway.
And lastly, I didn’t cancel because I wanted to capture this pregnancy with my 16 month old in tow. He made me a mama, this new, unfamiliar version of myself I’m just getting to know. So of course he had to play a part in this experience. It would have felt incomplete without him.
There you have it…why I ignored my loud, inner critic and did it anyway. “
How Did The Mommy & Me Session Go?
“And how did it go? A little chaotic with my son running around, but fun and so memorable! MacKenzie cultivated such an inviting space for this soon-to-be mama to bare her skin. She welcomed my idea to curate my own playlist for the shoot, and offered a variety of boho chic seating options to ensure versatility in the photos. Her energy was lovely, so relaxed, supportive, and kind. And she followed Teddys lead, confident she would capture his essence, despite his refusal to cooperate for mama. As always, her skillset was unmatched. She paid attention to everything, from a hair out of place to the bend of my finger. I didn’t have to act or “try to look sexy.” I just had to listen and follow directions. In all honesty, as someone who avoids cameras, I wish other photographers took charge the way she does. I never know what to do, so I need direction, I need someone to say “chin up, angle your face toward the window, bend your leg slightly…” otherwise, I come out looking like Chandler from Friends (the engagement photos episode).
Mommy & Me Photoshoot With Blue Flame Studio Co
“Overall, it was a fantastic experience. The final product, a box of metallic prints, is surreal. I look at them and can’t believe how beautiful I look…how strong and confident I am. How well mamahood suites me. How sweet and innocent my baby boy looks. I feel silly for hiding the past 9 months. Hindsight bias, right?
A big thanks to MacKenzie for everything! You’re a consummate professional, a badass at your craft and I look forward to the next life transition that warrants another visit with my favorite boudoir guru. “
