This summer, I drove out to Reculver Towers for a maternity session with first-time mum Anna and her husband, Vlad. They’re both from Ukraine and arrived with a gift of chocolate—a first for me, and such a sweet surprise. Please don’t get me used to that!
We headed down to the beach. It was one of those evenings where everything slows down and sparks with beauty and creativity—the tide low and calm, the sky slowly transforming into sunset. Walking there wasn’t easy (this spot is a pebble beach), but we took our time, sharing stories. Anna doesn’t speak English, so Vlad translated for us with such patience and kindness.
She wore the most beautiful handmade robe by Kahani London, soft and flowing, almost like it had stepped out of another time. It was the hottest day of the summer, and as planned, we dipped into the sea—because how could we not? The water was warm and gentle, wrapping around her as the sun shimmered over the ripples. I had brought a box of seashell treasures with me, the largest—a clam borrowed from a friend—became a vessel to pour water over her beautiful belly. I worked with my signature slow shutter for that dreamy, painterly look. The whole scene felt cinematic, like it belonged to another century.
A Maternity Session Inspired by Renaissance Paintings
This maternity session was born from an obsession I’ve carried since I was a teenager—Renaissance art. Botticelli, Cabanel… the way their paintings hold women with reverence. Embracing natural curves, celebrating feminine softness and powerful strength all at once. Real bodies. Real shapes. That evening on the beach, with the towers watching over us, I felt like I was painting her through my camera—spiralling around her, chasing the light, testing every angle. It seemed impossible to go wrong. Everything was beautiful: the way the light kissed her skin, the ripples in the water, the softness of her hands.
Towards the end, I asked Vlad to step in for a few photos of them together. It wasn’t just about Anna’s pregnancy—it was about them too, the beginning of this little family. The way he looked at her full of love and tenderness, yet some quiet ferocity, like these two would fight every war and cross countries to bring their children into a safer world.
Clients who ignite my artistic flame
I often think about how comparison steals our peace, how scrolling can drown out our own voice, our own flame. I wonder what our art would become if we could only see what’s inside us—if we created with blinkers on, guided only by feeling and imagination. That night in Reculver, I felt that freedom. Just me, them, the sea, and the kind of light you wish you could bottle.
I was so excited on the drive home to Margate. I imported the photos into Lightroom straightaway and got stuck in an editing frenzy, the kind that springs on you on your time off, not one you planned just because you loved what you created right there. Pure beauty, poetry and art. I was just so proud of myself. These are the moments that remind me why I do this job. Those snaps are not just photographs, but pieces of art that belong on walls.
If you feel called to create something like this—a maternity session that feels deeply feminine and artistic that will make you feel like a goddess—my heart (and my calendar) are open for summer 2026. Summers are short. Let’s make them count. Block your session today!
🐚🌊
Alba
📹 See the BTS film from this session on Instagram
