When I was pregnant, I asked everyone I knew to share their birth story with me. I knew I wanted to try my best to have a healthy, natural birth, but had no idea what to expect. Some of the stories were beautiful and peaceful, some were scary and difficult. I listened to every one of them with an open mind and heart. I now understand, that those stories and the power of every woman who came before me, every woman that has yet to be are inside of me. When I got to the point during childbirth that I thought I could not go any further, they carried me. They pushed me to dig deeper. They threw the rope I needed to pull from to help guide my son into this world.

For this shoot I wanted Kristina to embrace that divine power that will be her strength as she steps into her new role as a mother. I wanted to encourage her and to create space for her to enjoy the moment she is in right now. Everything about her will change dramatically in the following months. Soon, her heart will open up in a raw, delicate way that is indescribable. As she is going through the stages of being pregnant, it is already happening. The journey from Maiden to Mother, has been the most life changing experience I have had. I feel everything so much deeper and with a more empathetic view. My heart has softened, yet become more protective. It is truly a blessing for me to be able to create beautiful art with women in this very precious part of their journey.

The images below were all created with 35mm and Polaroid film. Kristina gave me full creative control and really encouraged me to push things as far as I wanted. I couldn't be more happy with the magic we made. I am so grateful for this amazing opportunity to make art with her.