Saturday 5 April 2014

Marvel

My hope is that these images will further help to create a platform of hope and promise for the future.  Anne Geddes.

Back in 2005, when I was in my own process of moving from 'crawling' to 'tottering' in the field of fine art photography, another Christian artist in Scotland shared some images with me he'd recently taken for a new mum of some very natural (nude) images of her and her new arrival, playing together in the afternoon. The images 'shouted' - here was something I really wanted to do. Later that year, on a trip to America, I visited a bookshop and came across a copy of Anne Geddes' wonderful work, Pure, which was quickly purchased. I hoped and prayed for an opportunity to share in such beauty.

Fast forward to 2011, and Kirstie, a model I had worked with on many occasions, became a mum again, and wanted some images of her and her new arrival:



It was a truly sublime moment for me - the joy of capturing the natural bond shared between mother and baby was something unique, and left me pondering about covering another stage of this amazing part of life - maternity.

In September 2014, my muse, Magenta, and I, were commissioned to create images to accompany a new theatrical version of Shakespeare's The Tempest, and we set off to Cornwall to do so, unaware that my Muse was already expecting her first child. This week, now just a month away from the birth, we met up in my home studio to mark the moment with some wonderful images:



My desire has long been to 'say' something about the natural grace and splendor of the human body, and all the richness of charm and wonder this includes. I think in this work, I may be getting closer to that goal.

A huge thank you to Magenta and Kirstie for allowing me to share these very special moments, which so clearly express the marvel of the Creator's hand.