“Giving birth and being born brings us into the essence of creation where the human spirit is courageous and bold and the body, a miracle of wisdom.” I could not love that quote any more. It is so powerful. Before I continue about my love for maternity sessions, I want to make it clear that everyone is different. Some choose to have a family and some choose not to, while others are unable to. One way of living your life is no better than the other and we all must respect that. There must never be judgments based on how someone chooses to live their life. We are all a result of someone deciding to take part in creation and that is something to respect, whether you take the path to create yourselves or not. Others decide to create their family through adoption and that is also something to respect and celebrate. Every family, every couple and every human should have the right to choose what is best for them and how they want to live their life. Let’s just be respectful to each other and celebrate the paths we make for ourselves.

 I do adore absolutely everything about maternity sessions for the people that decide it is for them. The reason why I love maternity sessions so much is because being pregnant is hard (not that I’ve experienced it but I have been around many pregnant women and listen to everything they have to say). Yes it is a miracle what our bodies are capable, and yes it can be a truly wonderful experience for some. But that doesn’t change the fact it’s hard. It can be exhausting, painful, uncomfortable and scary. No matter if a woman enjoys her experience of being pregnant or not, it is hard to have so many changes happen to your body. I’ve witnessed so many women struggle to feel beautiful while they’re pregnant. And that is why I love maternity sessions so much, because I get to show women just how beautiful they are. What they’re doing is courageous and beautiful. I want them to celebrate this time in their life. In the past women did not celebrate their pregnant bodies. They wore baggy clothes to hide their shape and they avoided photos. My mother barely has any photos of her pregnant, and they certainly were not photos of celebration. She regrets not capturing that moment of her life. It is so important to capture every monumental moment of your life because they quickly become memories. One day you will want to have something tangible to look back on, especially to share with your children and loved ones.

I was fortunate enough to photograph three friends (two of them sisters) who all had boys within weeks of each other. Each woman had a different experience and each woman is stunning in her own right. I could not be more honoured to capture the beauty that is them. Thank you Krysten, Katelyn and Kendall, for being courageous and celebrating this time in your life. Thank you for choosing me to capture your journey. – Ally