Muddy Maternity Shoot Embraces the Beautiful Mess That Is Motherhood
We may live in an Instagram-filtered, Pinterest-perfect world, but if the reaction to one family's unusual maternity photo shoot is any indication, most of us prefer the real thing, even when it's a little (or a lot) messy.
The photos, taken by Dallas birth photographer Elaine Baca, show very pregnant mom-to-be Brittany Barton, her husband Jon, and their two oldest sons throwing, dancing in, and just generally living it up in the Texas mud.
Not what you'd have in mind for your maternity session? Apparently it wasn't what Brittany planned either, but as Baca told CafeMom, "In Waxahachie, Texas, when it rains it pours. In the weeks leading up to the maternity session, the rain was relentless."
The family rescheduled several times and considered indoor photo locales, but Baca had a better idea for the family. She knew they were outdoorsy, fun, and up for anything. "They have a huge backyard which backs up to a field, and I knew it had lots of muddy puddles, so I asked her what she thought about playing in the rain and ending with a mud fight," the owner of Lane B Photography says. "I don't think she even hesitated; she said she trusted my vision and wanted to go for it!"
The results are pure magic ... a reminder that life may get messy, but that's part of the fun, especially when you have kids!
Missed a Spot!
Hey Mom, can I add some more on the back?
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Dad's Turn!
Bigger handprints this time.
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Look, Ma, Dirty Hands!
"Photo sessions are all about preserving memories and making new ones," Baca says. "With small children it's about remembering their ever-changing personalities and quirks that make them unique. Why worry about making them stand still and smile for the camera when you can engage and play with them to get their natural expressions captured on camera?"
Here, Dad!
Mom wasn't the only one to get a hearty helping of wet dirt dumped on her!
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Squishing and Stomping
Nearly half the moms in America confess to getting stressed out by the perfection of Pinterest, but the Bartons' photos show the beauty in getting messy.
All on Dad
"It's so rare that I see two parents who work so well together to raise and care for their children while being so in love," Baca says of this couple.
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Good and Dirty
Big smiles!
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Almost Clean
Check out more of Elaine Baca's photos on her website.