Motherhood Portrait session: Polly
Being a Mum is chaotic and messy. We never know from one moment to the next if we are doing a good job or not. We don't receive a pay rise or performance reviews; no matter how hard we work. We are filled with self-doubt the moment that they place our newborn in our arms. So receiving validation that we are a good Mum has to come from within. How regularly do you pat yourself on the back and say " Well done! You are winning at motherhood". Hardly ever, right?
I am very sensitive to this when I chat with a Mum about a motherhood session. I start our conversations with the question, "Describe your ideal Sunday to me". This is the starting point for a whole-hearted portrait session. These sessions are real and authentic. My personal goal is for the Mum to look at her images and feel like she is a good Mum. To whisper to herself, " I am a good Mum".
Polly is a photographer whose work I admire. We have stalked each other online and recently I reached out to her and asked to meet for a coffee and chat. We have been chatting every since. When I asked Polly to describe her ideal morning with her boys, she said we usually start in the kitchen, making breakfast, and then we go back to my bedroom for snuggles and tickles. She recently moved into a new house and wanted to document their new space; to start making new memories.
I arrived at Polly's home as the kitchen was filling with morning light. She welcomed me with open arms and offered me a coffee. Her boys jumped up onto the kitchen bench for a Milo, and our session started. It was a crazy, chaotic, and laughter filled session. We needed to pause twice because of tears after head bumps. But what I noticed is that they were so comfortable with each other. It wasn't forced or posed. This is truly how Polly connects with her boys.
After I returned home and started editing the photos, I felt like I had captured Polly's whole heart. She is a beautiful Mum, and her boys adore her. I can imagine them looking back at these images when they are older and bigger, and asking "Were we really that small?" I hope Polly looks at these and sees the beautiful Mum she truly is.
To read Polly's kind words about her session and portraits