Capturing the Moment

I used to think that there was nothing more beautiful than a pregnant woman. That was until I became pregnant with this little girl and my body began to do things that I never thought were possible. To say that I haven’t felt as glamourous as I did during the first pregnancy would be an understatement.

This pregnancy has taken such a toll on my body that I was in no way prepared for. I was so proud to show off my belly when I was pregnant with Harlan. So much so that I happily strutted around in a bikini at eight months pregnant. I wouldn’t have been caught dead in shorts this pregnancy, much less a bikini.

When I was pregnant with Harlan I couldn’t wait to take maternity pictures to document the pregnancy. This time around, with the way I was feeling about my body, I was very reluctant to do so. The more I thought about it, though, the more I knew that if I didn’t I would end up regretting it. I would hate to tell this little girl that I didn’t have pictures of myself pregnant with her just because I didn’t feel “pretty.” So I put aside my self pity and made an appointment at PhotoOp, a portrait studio right here in New York City.

The first time I met Nathan Gindi, the creator of the Upper West Side studio, was at the Big City Mom’s Biggest Baby Shower. I took a look at the photos he had displayed and could not get over how beautiful they looked.

I’ll the the first to admit that I have never been a huge fan of formal pictures in a portrait studio. I’ve always preferred something outside and more organic, but Nathan’s photos had me thinking otherwise. All of the pictures looked so natural, which was exactly the look I wanted to go for.

When we arrived at the studio, the first thing that Harlan noticed was the big wall filled with clothes from Zara Kids and Crew Cuts as well as props to use during the shoot. She specifically had her eyes on the tutus (of course) and an umbrella with rain boots (which didn’t make the cut for our photos.)

Nathan’s staff was incredibly professional and made us feel so comfortable. They guided us through the entire process and even entertained Harlan when she was about at the end of her rope for the picture taking.

Harlan and I had the opportunity to take pictures together, just the two of us. It was such a special moment for me because it was the first time that I was able to capture the constant love that she shows for my belly and her baby sister.

MacKay and I were also able to get our moment together as we embraced the thought of bringing another miracle into this world.

Of course Harlan had to have her moment to shine.

As did I.

This last picture is probably one of the most emotional for me. It really captures the love that my family shares for one another. This one was taken at the very end of the shoot and Harlan was so tired and ready to go home. With a little laughter from MacKay and I, Harlan was ready to give us one big smile. We didn’t tell her to put her head on MacKay’s shoulder, she just did it. This is probably the last photo we will have of just the three of us. Such an incredible moment in time that was captured for us to treasure forever.

Thank you to Nathan and his team for a wonderful afternoon that I can always look back on. The moments that PhotoOp has captured are truly ones that I will always savor.

To learn more about PhotoOp and their Upper West Side location, please visit their website.

Disclaimer: I was not compensated for this post. I did receive the photo shoot and three images for purposes of review. All opinions expressed are my own.