1.) The “Existentialist”This group thinks pregnancy is fascinating and is curious about the changes the body goes through during this unique stage in life.
I often get clients in this category that want to photograph the progression of pregnancy so that they can look back on how their body changed so drastically over a relatively short period of time. They view the beauty of pregnancy as one of the natural wonders of life. While the photograph may be aesthetically pleasing, the true beauty is much deeper and less tangible. The beauty lies in the miracle of life and less in the physicality represented by the photo. Clients in this category often like more abstract styles of shots. The shot “Chrysalis” is a very good example of this type of mindset.2.) The “Scientist” Similar to the “Existentialist”, this individual is more interested in the changes that occur in the body. However, the fascination is less about the existential philosophy of being and more about the chemical and biological process that occur to create this change. People in this group view maternity photography as a means of documentation and are more interested in the reality and less in the philosophy or spirituality of the experience. I get a lot of clients in this group and they seem to prefer photos that represent the “tangibility” of their pregnancy. Examples may include profile shots documenting the progression of pregnancy or a tape measure around the belly to show how many inches were gained during pregnancy.
3.) The “Artist” This group of individuals is purely interested in the aesthetic appeal of the photograph and is about as far removed from the “Scientist” as possible. In fact, the only thing this group shares with the scientific group is the interest in maternity photography. However, their reasons are totally different. This individual finds pregnancy a beautiful experience that should be photographed and hung on the wall for all to enjoy.
Clients in this group often appreciate and request the same “style” of shots as the “Existentialist” and the more abstract, the better. “Birth” is a good example of this. The client who had that shot done has a 16x20 print hanging over her mantle at home.
4.) The “Utilitarian” Despite the growing trend in maternity photography, there are still a number of people who view pregnancy as simply a necessity that must be suffered in order to have children and there is nothing beautiful about it. They typically have no interest in being photographed. Individuals in this group feel that this is a temporary stage of their life and they will be incredibly happy when it’s over so that they can hold that wonderful baby they suffered so much for.
5.) The “Not-for-Me” Group Individuals in this group may fit into one of the first 3 groups but when it comes to having photos done for themselves, they are very hesitant and in most cases won’t do it. Occasionally I’ll have a client in this group that will (hesitantly) have a maternity session done. Most of the time, they come because they do not want to regret not having it done and/or to “humor” their spouse. What fascinates me most about this group is how much they love their photos once they’re done. For those of you who may fall into this group, I recommend to go for it… You can always file the photos away and never look at them again... BUT you’ll never be able to go back and re-capture that “moment” in your life.
I always hate shoehorning people into a "group" and in reality most people are probably a mix of several of these "types". Personally I think of myself as more the "Artistic" type with a fair amount of "Existentialism" mixed in with some "Scientist". These are merely random observations I’ve made over the years and I'm sure there are probably other “types” of people. What do you think? Do you fit into one of these groups?
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