I met Lorena when I was 6 months pregnant with my 6th child. It never, ever would have entered my mind to do maternity pictures. I thought those where only affordable by the “rich and famous”. I also thought that there would be no way that I would want “formal” picture of me while I was pregnant. I was really not interested.
I wound run into Lorena 3 times a week when we would drop our children off at playschool and Lorena would tease me about having some maternity pictures done.
After about 6 weeks I got curious and went onto her website. The maternity photos beautifully done and extremely affordable. Since this was my last pregnancy I decide that I would do it! When I was looking through her old website I never looked through the whole site- I missed the photos of the tasteful, but still partial nude shots. Thank goodness! I never would have mustered up the courage.
Lorena was so patient when we were doing ALL the family shots and took the cues from the kids as to what would work best. Remember at the time we were 2 adults and 5 1/2 kids. Complicated…
I was relieved that we were coming to the end of the session (so I thought). Lorena then told me that now it was time to do the “bare belly shots”. I thought she was kidding. She explained that the photos were going to tasteful and with different lighting to really show the belly. Inside my head I was FREAKING out. All I could think of was all the imperfections. Stretch marks, fat, ugly belly button! Lorena said “trust me. We can take the photos and if you never want to look at them again then you can always put them in a drawer. But this time will never be here again.” She knew.
Well, I trusted Lorena, a woman I hardly knew. When the photos came in I was so grateful. The time had past. My daughter was already born when I saw the maternity photos for the first time. I couldn’t believe that was my belly! I didn’t see the imperfections that I was so consumed with at the session.
I now have beautiful, artistic, precious maternity portraits displayed in my house that I frequently look at (now 5 years later). I am forever grateful.
I also have many wonderful pictures of my family interacting with me and each other; at a time when there was excitement, nervousness and lots of emotion. I look at those maternity photos and can remember that time so clearly because of those beautiful, timeless photos.
Eternally Grateful,
Tami L.
