Why Motherhood?

 The birth of my first child thrust me into the new world of motherhood. It was a transformative moment in my life, and birth, for the first time, became beautiful to me. I loved being surrounded by a group of women working together in a work that only we know and seeing my body and mind do something so marvelously difficult. I decided soon after to pursue training as a doula and immediately fell in love. Every birth I attended changed me and taught me. To be part of God’s process of giving and sustaining life is overwhelmingly beautiful and worshipful, even with its challenges. When I was working as a doula I began to pick up my camera to document the births I attended. I would write the birth story and deliver the images and hoped that the women saw the beauty and strength through those photos that I saw taking them.

We moved overseas for 7 years and while most of my birthy things were put on hold, I was able to attend a couple of births and had two more of my own, this time at home. I learned from the midwives there, experienced birth care in a new culture, and had one of my own births photographed for the first time. As my kids grew so did my vision for motherhood. With four kids of my own I have learned the importance of a printed image, not just to tell the story, but to write, strengthen and preserve family identity, history and culture.

We returned to the States and I decided to pick up the camera and enter the birth room again, this time combining doula care and birth photography together. As a follower of Christ I seek to align my work with His. I acknowledge the inherent value God has placed on people as His image bearers and the importance of women (and mothers) and their unique contribution to society. I hope to display this value both in my storytelling and in the support I offer mothers and babies (inside and outside the womb). I am excited to connect with your family and grateful for the opportunity of doing the work of documenting women as they become mothers. I hope to be part of the resurrection of a true appreciation for the beauty of motherhood.