.maternity pictures.

i can not tell you how important i think it is to have maternity pictures done - at least the first time around!  ladies!  our bodies are AMAZING!  to think that our bodies can stretch to accomodate one - sometimes more than one baby!  it seriously blows my mind.

now, i totally understand that some of us have pregnancy fat face/ass worse than others. i find myself super lucky.  i have definitely filled out in my face, arms, thighs, boobs (yay!), and bootie.  i have to say though, i really love my pregnant body - new cellulite and all.

we have to immortalize our bodies during this time - you can be as modest, or as free with your body as you like.  what matters is capturing this miracle - of just you, or even better, with 'yo baby daddy' too!  i wish that when i had mine done, that nick was still in america, but he was already in england.  my pics were super rushed - i actually did them two days before i moved to england!  i knew i needed them to be done before i left because i didn't know any photographers in england, and let me tell you how important it is to have someone good.  THE MOST IMPORTANT THING EVER!!!!!  ok, at least to me.

you need someone that knows how to make a woman look and feel beautiful, hide her flaws, and celebrate her best features.  someone who will make you feel super comfortable, and even sexy while you lug your big ass into different positions.  someone who understands that you might need to take a break, or eat something, or get touched up frequently because you are sweating like a pig.  trust me, not just anyone can do maternity photography well.

funny thing, i actually got into shooting maternity last year for the first time.  my best friend's sister-in-law was pregnant, and i photographed her and her husband.  i loved it so much, and i have been doing it here and there ever since.  i guess my clock was *ahem* ticking, or something...fast forward to my pregnancy, and it was time to think about how my own shoot would look.

i chose to have a good friend of mine, pawel litwinski shoot me.  if you look at his site, you will see that he is actually an AMAZING car photographer.  and here is why i chose him...first, i wanted someone that i could get naked with, and they wouldn't be looking at anything but how the light was hitting me and my curves.  second, i knew he understood light and curves, since those are two main components of shooting cars.  and three, because he is a true artist, and that is what maternity shots are all about - fine art!

i chose to go all the way with my images - i'm not that shy, so getting naked wasn't bad for me at all.  a little cold in the hills, but totally worth it as far as i was concerned!  so, without further adieu....here are my shots - and i absolutely love them. if you don't want to see me nakey, then stop now :)

thank you pawel, for making my images so special and comfortable.  i will treasure them forever.  also, thank you to my sister ashley for my gorgeous hair, and my dear friend sarah for my makeup and wardrobe (that i did wear...)


if you feel like you have seen WAY too much of me, i warned you!   and by the way, the best time to have maternity shots done is in your 7th month!  go for it, you will not regret it!


xx