Belly Blunders - 27 Weeks ▌A Silhouette Diary - Cochise County Photographer, Arizona

If you can't laugh with me, I give you permission to just laugh at me; at the risk of looking totally ridiculous, I'm posting this week's attempt at "the belly shot" and revealing the foolishness sometimes involved in the creative process... For weeks now I have been toying with the concept of Mother vs. Warrior. I guess it started when we confirmed that baby number 3 will be our third boy. I was trying to visually combine the pregnant silhouette with the number 3, in a way that depicted strength and calm. Originally I wanted to pose in the Warrior 3 yoga position, but this turned out to not be the most flattering of yoga poses, actually minimizing the appearance of my growing tummy. So then my yoga instructor suggested that a headstand, of all things, would surely accentuate my 27 week old bump. I'm pretty adept at this pose, so not an impossible suggestion, I'll try anything once. With the sun sinking low and in good position for silhouettes, I ventured solo up to the top of a nearby mountain, with these yoga thoughts in mind. I learned several things, all of which I am so grateful I learned on my own, without an audience:
1.) When attempting silhouettes with limited daylight, seriously consider taking an assistant. How else are you going to know for sure if you are in profile, in front of the sun, and yes, it sometimes takes longer than 10 seconds (the self timer...)for a pregnant woman to achieve a proper headstand.
2.) When running between camera and yoga mat, in the desert, keep your damn shoes on. I got one shot off before planting a nasty goat head "pokey" in the arch of my foot!
3.) If you think to yourself, a pregnant woman doing a headstand on the top of a mountain might just end up looking silly, you are probably very right.
4.) Get pregnant in January, so when you attempt such a shot at 27 weeks you're not freezing your butt off in the blustery winter wind.


This first shot must mean that my milk will be plentiful, or that love for the baby radiates from my bosom. I'm just happy the sun flare didn't line up to become nipples!


A headstand, yes, a great idea! White socks, also a fantastic idea. Purple yoga mat, sort of unavoidable, what else was I going to put my head on?! Not in profile? Where is that assistant when you need them? Asking a passing hiker to assist in my endeavor - NEVER! I packed up when a second car arrived in the parking lot...


The only decent capture from the day, though armless, and totally lacking creativity.


And today, when not even trying, hiking down a dirt road in Garden Canyon with The Baby, at a painfully slow pace I might add, I saw our shadow, our hands clasped together, and snapped a single frame. It wasn't until I got home and downloaded the image that I saw how my wide angle lens had made my legs look amazingly skinny, and my belly ever so noticeable despite the North Face parka I was wearing. NEATO! Focusing on a shadow as a form of silhouette opens up a new door of thought!

Hope I made you laugh. A Happy New Year to everyone! Since the ball dropped in New York 40 minutes ago, I guess I can go to bed early and call it a year!