Kiran’s photo-shoot has a special place in my heart. Capturing someone so versatile as her, unafraid to pursue what she loves and finding a beautiful balance in everything.
Kiran is an architect who runs her own architecture firm. She is now, a mother to two sweet children. Being a fitness enthusiast, she finds time for herself amid work and family and does yoga and cycling. She is such a vivacious personality; you can’t help but fall into that aura of hers. We did her maternity shoot in her eighth month of pregnancy. She was still going to work, letting her little son tag along, and also made it a point to find time to cycle and work out. It was so heart-warming to see her balance work, family and pregnancy with such lovely grace. So much respect and love to you, Kiran.
I had a fun time photographing Kiran. Her little son is just a bundle of energy; jumping around us, checking on the photographs on occasion and just being all over his mother. I kept going back to some of the photographs he jumped into – where the raw emotions of mother and son can be seen as clear as day. I photographed her in yoga poses, cycling as well as a series that showed her as the career-oriented woman that is. My motive was to capture the many facets of her vibrant and dynamic personality.
All these reminded me of my own pregnancy journey. I had so many doubts – is it okay if I continue taking up photography assignments, is it okay if I travel and so on and so forth. It is very important to get the right advice during your pregnancy – many a time, people we look up to base their advice on their own experiences or what had been carried down from generations. This is going to shape our approach to the whole pregnancy and I am grateful to have had only a positive influence; I learnt to listen to my body and mind, and pregnancy was never a restrictive experience for me. I remember taking up photography assignments even in my ninth month of pregnancy. Unsolicited opinions and judgements will always be showered upon you, but don’t let those deter you. I'm eternally grateful to Birth Village, Kochi, for being my guide and helping me have a beautiful birthing experience. Coincidentally, Kiran is a two-time BV mum and that was another thing I was really excited about.
It’s not often you find women wanting their pregnancy photographs that reflect who they really are; especially in our country. We have been culturally conditioned to restrict ourselves as women, even more so during pregnancy. Pregnancy does not have to tie you down; it is a natural process that our amazing bodies can go through and our lives do not have to change for the worse.
More strength and love to you,
From one woman to another.
