Breastfeeding is a natural way for mothers to feed their babies, a part of human biology, and a normal part of life for many families. So why is it that female nipples, images of breastfeeding, and breastfeeding discussions are viewed as taboo or offensive?
Today’s guest Laura Parkin-Warner is ready to rethink the way we view breastfeeding through her beautiful photographs of natural motherhood. Her breastfeeding photography project aims to normalize images of natural motherhood and remove the stigma around breastfeeding so we can feel more open about the ways we choose to nourish our children.
Laura is also passionate about capturing authentic emotion in the photographs she takes. She shares why her photography business is rooted in passion and connection, why she doesn’t pose her clients, and how she embraces creativity and finds her artistic voice. This conversation with Laura will leave you feeling bold and empowered, and I can’t wait to share it with you!
What’s in this episode:
- [02:31] Laura’s passion for motherhood and nursing photography, and how and why she breaks some of the rules of photography
- [07:38] How Laura develops connections with her clients, including getting to know them beforehand and not doing poses at photoshoots
- [11:23] How Laura became passionate about motherhood and nursing photography, and the importance of normalizing breastfeeding
- [14:00] Laura’s support for normalizing women’s nipples especially in light of gender disparity
- [21:00] Her approach to clothes and colors in shoots, how and where she finds inspiration when she’s feeling stagnant in her work, and her advice on how to find your voice as an artist
- [30:39] What Laura loves about self-portraiture, and what you can learn from employing another photographer to do a shoot for you
- [37:35] Why it’s important for new photographers to learn business skills while honing their photography skills when starting out
Tune in to this episode with Laura to learn more about capturing natural motherhood moments and the importance of creating connections with your clients.
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Meet Laura
Laura began her photography career like so many of us, picking up someone else’s camera and exclaiming “Hey! This would be a fun job!” whilst working all the businessy bits out later. She is incredibly stubborn, however, so stuck at it, hyperfocused and not only learnt her camera skills but also things to help her business (which she’s really passionate about in her mentoring sessions) such as marketing, web development, branding, and social media. She has a handful of features from Looks Like Film, Unscripted, Phlock, Birth & Beyond, and Photovogue. She won the 2019 Muddy Stiletto award for Gloucestershire and has been accepted as a Click Pro Elite member.
Laura is also one of our amazing teachers inside our 2023 Newborn Retreat with her video Emotive Motherhood Connections. Reserve your spot for the 2023 Online Newborn Retreat: https://themilkyway.ca/2023-newborn-retreat/
Connect with Laura
Did this episode with Laura leave you wanting to hear more about breastfeeding photography and capturing unposed, natural motherhood moments? Check out this episode from Michelle McKay
