When a client and I discussed doing a maternity session, I asked her how did she want to be photographed. She took that question and ran with it! We met and over a few weeks, planned and custom designed her portrait session. Needless to say, my heart raced with elation at having a client who had a vision and was willing to experiment and share her dream with me. It was so much more than I could have hoped for. It was just as much a wonderful creative experience for me as it was for her.
In planning her session, we gave each other an idea of what we wanted to see and decided a Pinterest board we could share would be very helpful. Here, I was able to see her likes, some posing, and some themes that called to her. I could also add what I would love to see her in and also give her feedback on her inspiration images. When being photographed it’s so important to communicate not only what you don’t want because that’s always easier to come up with, but also to state what you do want to see, how you want the images to “feel” like. She was sure about what she didn’t want; no desert, no flower crowns, and no sunsets. (So yay for me, we were doing this inside, glam all the way!)
So now that we had the location, it was time to discuss wardrobe (clapping hands) and she told me, that she was making her outfits. (um, excuse me?) Yup, you heard me right, she. made. them. Each had a different feel and each captured a different part of her personality. I was blown away.
The day of the shoot, she came, full makeup, big hair, accessories and proper foundation garments all in tow! She came ready, on a mission and whatever nerves I had, went out the window, because this was going to be amazing!
Enough talking…
Yes, she made this two-piece amazing gown!
She danced for many years and when she lived in Hawaii, learned to Hula there. I’m so glad she wanted to express her love of Hula in her portraits. I’ve taken a hula class from her, and her hips move like a pendulum, it was amazing and an awesome exercise! (My thighs and my abs spoke to me for days!)
For this image, she had purchased a beautiful ombre fabric and we simply draped and pulled for the striped effect. She said she couldn’t resist buying it.
It was exciting to have to push myself creatively, not only with the images I was photographing but we styled the room! That was a first for me and something I would really love to do again!
I LOVE black and white images and I didn’t do many for this session because we had so much color to work with, it seemed like a waste not to focus on color. But I loved how the sun hit her hair and the flower in her hair (yup, she made that too!!!) and it was just a different perspective to see the sun in black and white.
The other beautiful detail she used was that in every photo, for every outfit, she not only coordinated her jewelry, but it all had a sentimental significance to her. So again, she created yet another layer of uniqueness and special significance to her portraits.
Ok, I got dramatic with this last image, but hello! how couldn’t I?!! She is amazing in this gown and like she said, these eyebrows were on point! I just saw her like a painting, dramatic, larger than life…giving life.
We talked and laughed and snacked that day as we played dress up. It was a memorable session for me and it reinforced how communication and planning create the dream session for both client and photographer.
Thank you, Melissa, for letting me share in this special time and for creating this keepsake for you and your baby to have to look back on forever!
Karina Bravo Photography 