A little while back I decided to join in with a photography collaboration another photographer was organizing. The idea was to get a photographer from every state to participate, so I stepped up for Florida. The theme ended up being "Perfectly Imperfect." I had a few different ideas, but ultimately what I kept coming back to was: moms. Maybe because I can relate? I don't know. But when I think perfectly imperfect, motherhood comes to mind.
We give so much of ourselves when we have kids, from the obvious physical changes to our body, to the less obvious mental ones. When you have a child, it can feel like your life is no longer yours. Everything becomes about the kids. Say goodbye to free time, and doing whatever you feel like doing at any given moment. Everything needs to be planned around the kids. Sometimes you'd kill to be able to just go to the bathroom alone, eat your lunch without a child climbing on you, or have 20 lousy minutes of quiet time to read a book. Not to mention the new fear, the constant anxiety, that something might happen to them. Or the crazy sadness you feel when you witness just how quickly they're growing, which then leads to baby fever...but then three minutes later the kids are fighting, and the baby fever quickly passes. Not to make it sound like it's all bad, though...believe me, the good far outweighs the bad. There is no love as fierce as the love you have for your child. Nothing fills your heart like your toddler exclaiming "Mama!" and running happily to you when you return from a rare child-free errand. You miss your space, but you also desperately cling to every moment with your small children, because you know this time is fleeting.
Each day you go back and forth from feeling intense love, to screaming in your head "OMG when does school start up again???" You love being a mom, but some days you also feel like crying. It's a roller coaster of emotions.
And back to the physical changes. Many of us say goodbye to our bikini-wearing days. Even if you do get back to your pre-baby weight, it's still not the same. There's that mom pooch that just won't go away. And the stretch marks, of course. But...you can cringe at them, or you can choose to wear them as a badge of honor. You brought new life into the world; that's beautiful! Your new tiger stripes are proof of that. You know, in case the toys all over your floor, endless diaper changes, and the NEVER ENDING NOISE weren't enough.
Perfectly Imperfect was the theme. The mom bod fits the bill for that I think, but it's more than just body image. As moms, we are strong and loving, but also exhausted and sometimes a little bit crazy. We can feel loved and alone at the same time. Feel both whole, and also a little broken. It's complicated...and perfectly imperfect.
My model is proud mom to four beautiful kids. Four! The shoot went about how you'd expect a session to go with 4 kids ages 7 and below. It was chaos, and wonderful. Children snuggling with their mom, playing with each other, ignoring my instructions, getting yelled at by their mom. I loved it. I hope she didn't get too stressed out. They all did great. Nothing ever goes perfectly with small children involved, and I knew that going in, so I'd have been thrilled with anything half as close to the images I had pictured in my mind. And these came out pretty darn close to what I'd imagined! When I put out a model call looking for a mom willing to show off her "mom belly," I really wasn't expecting to get much of a response, but this girl stepped up immediately and I'm so glad that she did!
So as I said before, this is part of a collaboration with other photographers. There was originally supposed to be a photographer from every state...but over time many dropped out, and some are still working on it. Below are links to photos of each of the other photographer's involved in this, it's not complete yet, obviously, but I will continue to add to the list as I get their info, so check back! I love to see everyone's interpretation of "Perfectly Imperfect."
Colorado - Susan Smith Photography
Connecticut - Aly Inspired Photography
Kansas - Heather Sears Photography
Mississippi - Heaven On Heels Photography
Nebraska - E3 Photography Studio
South Dakota - Farabee's Fotos