“After going through multiple losses over the course of 2 years leading up to this pregnancy, there was a moment where I lost trust in my body. I simply didn’t think my body was capable of carrying and growing a healthy baby. I had to regain that trust when I became pregnant with my son who is now our firstborn. The most beautiful deep love, connection, and appreciation for my body blossomed during this pregnancy and I wanted a way to document it.

Caitlyn captured that love for my body, my son, and the journey my husband and I were on so beautifully which helped us celebrate this momentous time in our lives.  There was something so special about choosing the beach as our maternity photo session. Even though it was a chilly and cloudy day in Charleston, I felt radiant. I owe a lot of that to Caitlyn as she helped me feel natural, free and allowed me to fully feel connected to my son instead of just posing for pictures.

My journey to motherhood taught me that things in life don’t always go as planned and can often be unpredictable. I think motherhood may always keep me on my toes but will surprise me in the best ways. At the end of the day, the content feeling that comes over me as I hold my son in my arms is unmeasurable.

I believe you become a mother the moment you open your heart to the life growing inside of you. Being a mother is one of the greatest gifts life can offer. If you think about it, you are your baby’s first home. The closeness you feel to your baby is unlike anything else. When they are earthside, it’s amazing to see them grow into their personalities and you realize “my body created that.” The hardest yet greatest job out there!”  New Mother, Laysa

” We chose the Isle of Palms Beach, just outside of Charleston, SC for our session. This session was my second all film session, and my first using Portra 400 as opposed to my usual film stock (Fuji400h). Being new to shooting Portra 400 film, I was curious to see how the new-to-me film stock would handle the beautiful greens of the grass, the sand, and the sun as it peeked through the clouds during our session.

Each time I look at this gallery, all I see is pure joy. Despite a difficult journey to parenthood, Laysa and Steve had such a positive outlook on this pregnancy. Laysa and I connected on Instagram shortly after I had experienced a miscarriage myself, and one of the things she said as we prepared for her session has stuck with me throughout my own journey. She noted that the beginning of the pregnancy was full of anxiety, but added that “our joy has outweighed that fear.”

It was clear that they wanted to celebrate and document each moment with their son. They know what an incredible blessing he is to their family. During our session, Laysa just had that beautiful glow about her. She was patient and graceful. Their personalities meshed so perfectly that those in-between moments were some of my favorites to document. Their images are why I love shooting film- it slows down the session and allows me to be a storyteller.

In the process of helping other Mothers prepare for their sessions, I have had the honor of getting to know so many wonderful women. It is such an honor that they each share their journeys to motherhood with me. Each journey is unique- and while I hope my images help my clients remember only the good parts, I know through my own experience that motherhood isn’t always pretty.

This session was incredibly fulfilling to me as a motherhood photographer who, like so many others, has also experienced loss. Somehow the milestones I photograph for other families feel even more sacred than they did before. Even through the difficult seasons of motherhood, there is so much JOY. That JOY is what I want to document for my clients and their children. It is my hope that they look back at their images years from now and feel that love and joy all over again.

This was honestly such a fulfilling session, and I’m so thankful to have connected with them.” Caitlyn, Photographer

 

CAITLYN MOTYCKA PHOTOGRAPHY
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