When Ashley Caminiti entered the late stages of her pregnancy, her photographer friend, Emily Peter, noticed that she was feeling down. So Emily took it upon herself to organize a fabulous photoshoot to uplift the spirits of this expectant mother.
At 26 years old, Emily hails from the beautiful town of Harrison Hot Springs in British Columbia, Canada. She told The Epoch Times, “Ashley is usually very confident, but I could tell something was off.”
Upon further inquiry, Emily learned that Ashley had been feeling somewhat off for a while, not as cheerful and sunny as usual.
“She mentioned how few people openly discuss this topic,” Emily said, “because when you’re pregnant, people naturally assume you should be happy.”
Emily realized her friend was struggling to cope with the physical changes during pregnancy, so she suggested capturing some beautiful maternity photos. Previously, Emily had taken engagement and wedding photos for Ashley.
“I told her, ‘Hey, you need to capture this unique moment in your life with a camera for memories’,” Emily said, “even if you’re not in the best mental state, we’ll just go out, have fun, and make it a happy day.”
Ultimately, less than two weeks before Ashley’s due date, the close friends headed to a picturesque location near Chilliwack Lake as planned, with mountains in the background.
Under Emily’s meticulous arrangement, Ashley wore ethereal wings handmade by a friend from a flower shop that day, along with a unique dress made from recycled lace.
“It was raining during the shoot, everything was wet, but that didn’t stop our photography session,” Emily said, “seeing Ashley in high spirits, I thought it was amazing. She was happy all day.”
For Emily, this photography experience was significant as she witnessed how this unique outdoor activity made Ashley excited about nurturing a little life within her.
On December 15, 2023, Ashley and her husband welcomed their daughter Natalia.
“Seeing the newborn baby was so exciting,” Emily said, “Ashley is a great mother. You can tell all her pregnancy nerves disappeared because she had this beautiful baby.”
Subsequently, Emily shared a video about the photoshoot on her Instagram, captioning it, “Let’s normalize all the emotions during pregnancy, including the lesser-discussed depressive feelings.”
Undoubtedly, the post quickly gained popularity and received thousands of heartfelt comments.
“Most comments came from women who said they wanted to have maternity photos taken but felt they weren’t beautiful enough,” Emily said, “It’s really sad because every pregnant woman is beautiful. You are nurturing life, and no matter how your body changes, it’s beautiful.”
She believes the resonance of this photography session with so many women is due to seeing someone openly discuss the struggles during their pregnancy, which brought them comfort.
She said, “This resonance allows these women to establish an emotional connection, making them feel like ‘Oh, I’m not alone’.”
The photographer now encourages other expectant mothers to take some photos as well, emphasizing it’s a period worth cherishing, the most beautiful memory.