From the Book of Life: Pregnancy Photos

Pin It

“It is said that the present is pregnant with the future."

~Voltaire

When my sister-in-law asked me to take her pregnancy photos, I laughed.  Inside.  Loudly.

First of all, I'm not a people photographer.  I'm not really a photographer of ANYTHING other than food (and saying that I photograph food is a stretch unless you consider putting food on a plate, telling it to sit still, and snapping photos of it "real photography"). 

Second of all, this pregnancy photo thing is new and perplexing to me.  I guess it is because in all of my five pregnancies, I never thought to "document" my body for posterity.  But then again, I'm not of the "cute-when-pregnant" variety.  I'm more of the "watch-out-she's-gonna-blow!" variety.

Case in point:  When I was pregnant with my first baby (not last, FIRST), I was playing the organ at church for the congregation. This was a true exercise of faith because I could not see my feet and had no idea which pedals I was pressing. After the final hymn, I heaved myself off of the bench and slowly began to waddle home.  A woman at church took my elbow and told me that her elderly father had been visiting with her that day, and when he saw my belly, he exclaimed: "That woman shouldn't be playing the organ! She should be taking a nap!"

He did not say, "Oh, look how cute!  She should photograph that belly!"

Nope.

Instead, I inspired pity and fear in my beholder, and the best thing he could do for me was to suggest I hide under a very large blanket for a snooze.

But for all you women who ARE photograph worthy while pregnant, my hat is off to you.  My sister-in-law is certainly among your ranks.

So without further ado, here are some of the prego pix . . .

And my favorite of the bunch . . . 

 

If I looked like a Renaissance Madonna as my sister-in-law does, I would totally jump at the chance to immortalize the scene.

As it is, I think I'd better stay right where I am in these types of photographs . . .

Out of sight. :)