This photoshoot with Esther was everything I had hoped—except for the mass amount of people. Oh my gosh, there were people everywhere! However; I have now become the clone expert. Haha-not really-but close enough. I really thought, mistakenly that a Thursday evening would find very few people on the beach in Malibu. I was wrong.

The place we were at had a ton of stairs and I have to give props to Esther. At 8 months pregnant, she was a trooper and handled the stairs like a fit athlete. The dress is pretty light and comes from my maternity wardrobe. When she saw the color, she was all over it. I agree, it is pretty stunning against the beach sunset.

Esther already has three beautiful children and had never celebrated in this way. She decided to opt for a beach maternity photoshoot. It fits her and her bubbly personality.

Ready to claim yourself and set up a maternity session? Contact he here.

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Chantelle wore a gorgeous pink body suit with a detachable pink skirt from Mama Bump Rentals. She chose this light feminine color to celebrate the birth of her baby girl due in July. If you would like more information about a stand alone maternity portrait session, please click here. If you would like more information about birth photography that includes a petite maternity photo session, please click here.

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The day of the photoshoot

Arriving pretty early to the studio, I look around and start moving things around to form just what is in my minds eye. The key light goes there and the reflector here. The flooring is placed just so and the perfect background is chosen. I test the lights, my camera and everything is a go.

The momma-to-be walks into the studio and I show her to where the wardrobe is. I show her the setups and we begin. We have great fun exchanging various stories about the trials and tribulations of motherhood. We laugh about the feeling of being huge, but also revel in the fact that we are amazing creatures able to grow humans.

After spending nearly 90 minutes photographing this gorgeous woman, we say goodbye. It is awkward during this time of COVID. There are no hugs goodbye, but rather an alcohol wipe as a term of endearment. Sigh, will we ever get back to the days where we hug hello and goodbye?

Post Production

The maternity photo doesn’t end when I push the shutter button. In my vision, I see the end result. What I just photographed is only part of the equation. I have spent endless hours watching webinars, asking questions in my Facebook groups and staring endlessly at good ole YouTube videos. This is where I take a good maternity portrait and turn it into a great one. I know many people are opposed to photoshop believing somehow it is not authentic, but I am here to tell you I will use a myriad of software applications to elevate a photograph without hesitation to give you a piece of art. That is what I feel creativity is. You are hiring me to be creative and take portraits in a certain style. That creativity is a process from idea, to the technical lighting stuff to post production. I am not sure this needs to be said, but this really applies only to my studio work. Birth photography is an entirely different animal.

I really hope you love these as much as I do…this was almost exactly the idea I had in my head before I touched anything. If you would like to discuss your ideas for your maternity photography shoot, contact me here. A special thank you goes out to Nick Rail Music for their stunning instruments.

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At the end of the crazy year known as 2020, a gentleman from the magazine ShoutOut LA contacted me. He asked if I would like to be interviewed for their start up magazine. I gave them a resounding Heck yea! It seems I always have so much to say! However; they shot me some real zingers that I really had to think about. I had to be brave and really tell my story of how I came to Los Angeles and continued my work as a birth and maternity photographer.

I invite you to read my interview with ShoutOut LA Magazine here

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So 2020 has been a bit of a whammy, hasn’t it? I have really neglected my beloved blog. Being the last day of 2020, it is fitting I make this year in review type of post. The last entry was in July and so much has happened since then! I have had several maternity sessions during COVID.

With hospitals not allowing birth photographers in and birth centers doing a reduction in support people allowed to attend, I have turned my focus to three things.

Doula Certification

The first is I am in the process of getting certified as a Doula. This is something I am really excited about! It not only allows me to grow as a birth worker, but will further my skills in holding space for the laboring person and partner. What does that mean though-holding space? It simply means being physically, mentally and emotionally present without judgement. “The person who is holding space helps set the tone for a kind, curious, and judgment-free interaction where the other person can be vulnerable, and like the term says “have space.” 

Maternity Sessions During COVID

The second thing I have focused on during 2020 is studio maternity photography. Maternity sessions during COVID are alive and well. Several online courses and webinars have led me to really excel in this genre. I have also been entering images into photography competitions which is something I have never done before. Winning a bronze in the RISE International Photography Competition motivated and pushed me to excel.

Website optimization

Finally, I have worked hard on this website. If you are visiting again, you will see it is much faster loading. There was a time for most of 2020 that the website was as slow as this year was long! My invaluable website builder, Tom, has put up with endless emails and phone calls from me and, well, I am incredibly indebted to him for what you are seeing now.

I look forward to a wonderful year ahead filled with growth, love and births!

The post Maternity Sessions During COVID and other News appeared first on BIRTH AND BEAUTY.

Finally the day came in July that I could go back in. I wore a mask and nearly keeled over several times breathing in my own hot breath. I stayed more than 6 feet away and took as many precautions as possible.  It was all worth it! These images turned out fabulous and I had a hard time pairing them down.  I hope you like these studio portraits as much as I do! You can see more of maternity portraits here.

Why Get Pregnancy Photos?

This from the American Pregnancy Association: “Let’s be honest. Every pregnant woman wants the perfect maternity photo shoot. Whether you feel up to the photo shoot or not, the thought of capturing the beauty of your developing baby bump is intriguing, and a must-do. While others are “glowing” and all you can think about is spontaneous hunger, how much your back aches and fears of popping early, a maternity photo shoot is the last thing you want to sign up for. But guess what? You will regret not getting a maternity shoot done”.

When is the Best Time for these Sessions?

The best time to do your pregnancy portraits is just around your 7th month. I want to capture your beauty and your tummy before you get too uncomfortable. It is safe to say anywhere from 32-36 weeks is optimal.

Ready to do your pregnancy portraits? Contact me today!

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When this mother to be for the second time came in, I was overjoyed she elected to bring her little son. Momma came in with a baby in her belly and another in her arms!

What to Wear When Doing Maternity Portraits with other Children

There was some concern about coordinating outfits. I knew I wanted to see her in this sage colored dress from Chicaboo. I saw the little boy and knew he would be perfect for the little outfit I had ordered. Now his outfit was brown; however, I changed it to a variation of sage in the post processing. This is not something I typically do (change colors in Photoshop), but it really seemed to work in this case.

Maternity Posing with Another Child

Other children in your maternity photos can add such a personal touch. There is nothing like sharing the bond with baby’s siblings. Children can be held, as seen above, holding on to mom, placing a hand on moms belly or even giving mom a sweet kiss.

If you are doing a lifestyle session at home, the family gathering on the bed it perfect as seen with the image below. But why a bed? Is this a trend? I get asked a lot about this. Truth is the bedroom is the most intimate space you have. What better place to celebrate love?

If you are ready to book your session, I am ready to get you on the schedule. Lets talk!

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I do hope you take a look and learn more about me and why I love birth photography so much. It truly makes my heart sing. The full article can be seen here.

http://voyagela.com/interview/art-life-leona-darnell/

The maternity images that started it all 🙂

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