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Every Pregnant Woman Should Feel Beautiful!

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1 Yes, because I believe maternity photos are super important and every woman should be on the cover for her bravery in this journey.
2 Why maternity photos are worth it?

This is the title used in a little article in Closer magazine this week. An article that featured one of my images!

Yes, you heard it right.

And wait . . . there is more! The same image also made it to the front cover!

Of course, this was a big win for me but also a big win for all the pregnant mums.

Yes, because I believe maternity photos are super important and every woman should be on the cover for her bravery in this journey.

Even if pregnancy is not always an easy journey of glowing and beauty, actually it could be a very troubled and uncomfortable journey indeed, it’s so worthy to be captured. It’s one in a life time opportunity because even if you get pregnant again, the experience will totally be different every time.

But wait a second! Are you curious to see the image? I bet you are . . .

demi moore style maternity shot

It’s a Demi Moore style image. That iconic maternity photo that was in Vanity Fair cover in 1991 and created a lot chatting! And it is on the magazine cover

closer magazine cover: real mums-to-be celebrate 30 years of doing a Demi

Why maternity photos are worth it?

I wrote a post about why maternity photos are worth it but I believe I can better answer with the words of the mums interviewed.

“I contacted Valentina to arrange a shoot with my newborn-to-be and toddler. And when I spoke to Valentina she suggested I should also do a bump shoot. I knew this was likely to be the last pregnancy I’d ever have – and I’d always secretly thought that it would be fun to recreate the famous Demi Moore pregnancy shot – so I said yes.

“Surprisingly doing a naked shoot didn’t feel scary at all – Valentina was so relaxed and I felt comfortable. I felt empowered – and it was a great distraction from the sleepless nights, back pain and heartburn that pregnancy often brings!

“When I saw the pictures, I was thrilled to have such a unique shot to remember carrying a little human being, and I even uploaded one to Instagram. I didn’t feel self-conscious about people seeing it because there’s nothing embarrassing about being a pregnant woman. It’s a gift and one of the biggest milestones in any woman’s life.

“I think it’s great that so many normal women are following the celeb trend of embracing their pregnant bodies with maternity photos.

Related article: Unveiling the Truth: Debunking 5 Myths About Maternity Photography

article talking about the importance of maternity photos

Of course you don’t have to be naked to celebrate your body. Every woman decides the way she wants to be photographed but it’s an experience that I recommend to all pregnant mums. Because it’s empowering!

Please find more information about my photography on my website and feel free to get in touch with any questions.

📞 07577 978246 or ⁠
💌 vale@photographybyvalentina.com

London Maternity and Newborn Photographer

Posted in Maternity

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This is part of Reflections Beyond the Frame, a personal series about slowing down, looking inward, and seeing ourselves without the need for polish or perfection.

Today’s reflection: Letting go.

Perfection has held me back for years, since school, in motherhood, and through the slow unfolding of my business.

I thought striving for it meant reaching for something better. But lately, I’ve been asking: what is perfection, really?

It’s not real.
It’s not shared.
It only exists in my mind—and even there, it shifts constantly.
It often disguises itself as fear:
Fear of not being good enough.
Fear of being judged.
Fear of being truly seen.

So if perfection is born from fear…
What are we really striving for?

What looks “perfect” to me might mean nothing to someone else.

So why chase something that holds me back more than it helps me move forward?

This photo is part of that question.
A self-portrait.
An exercise in showing up blurry, unfinished, imperfect—real.
Letting go isn’t always graceful.
Sometimes it’s quiet.
A small shift.
A decision to be soft where I used to hold tension.
To show up as I am.
To be seen anyway.

Progression is now my mantra.

Not perfection. Just movement. Just honesty.
Just me.

What have you been holding onto that no longer serves you? Maybe today’s the day to let it go.

#reflectionsbeyondtheframe #LettingGoOfPerfection #progressnotperfection #selfportrait #photographyashealing #CreativeProcess #SlowContent #ImperfectlyHuman

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Open post by by_valentina with ID 17961151094786680
This is part of Reflections Beyond the Frame, a personal series about slowing down, looking inward, and seeing ourselves without the need for polish or perfection. Today’s reflection: Letting go. Perfection has held me back for years, since school, in motherhood, and through the slow unfolding of my business. 
I thought striving for it meant reaching for something better. But lately, I’ve been asking: what is perfection, really? It’s not real.
It’s not shared.
It only exists in my mind—and even there, it shifts constantly. It often disguises itself as fear:
Fear of not being good enough.
Fear of being judged.
Fear of being truly seen. So if perfection is born from fear…
What are we really striving for? What looks “perfect” to me might mean nothing to someone else. 
So why chase something that holds me back more than it helps me move forward? This photo is part of that question.
A self-portrait.
An exercise in showing up blurry, unfinished, imperfect—real. Letting go isn’t always graceful.
Sometimes it’s quiet.
A small shift.
A decision to be soft where I used to hold tension.
To show up as I am.
To be seen anyway. Progression is now my mantra. 
Not perfection. Just movement. Just honesty.
Just me. What have you been holding onto that no longer serves you? Maybe today’s the day to let it go. #reflectionsbeyondtheframe #LettingGoOfPerfection #progressnotperfection #selfportrait #photographyashealing #CreativeProcess #SlowContent #ImperfectlyHuman

Post-pregnancy body changes are real and it’s okay if you’re not feeling like yourself right away.

Your body has done something incredible. It’s carried life, endured change, and deserves so much more than criticism. It deserves care. Patience. Kindness.

The stretch marks. The softness. The shifts in shape. They’re not flaws, they’re part of your story.

Let this be your reminder:
You don’t need to bounce back.
You don’t need to be “done” healing.
You just need to meet yourself with compassion.
Tag a fellow mum who might need to hear this today. 🤍

#postpartumbody #realmotherhood #motherhoodphotography #empoweredmotherhood #bodyafterbaby #bekindtoyou #londonphotographer

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Open post by by_valentina with ID 17955046298805946
Post-pregnancy body changes are real and it’s okay if you’re not feeling like yourself right away. Your body has done something incredible. It’s carried life, endured change, and deserves so much more than criticism. It deserves care. Patience. Kindness. The stretch marks. The softness. The shifts in shape. They’re not flaws, they’re part of your story. Let this be your reminder:
You don’t need to bounce back.
You don’t need to be “done” healing.
You just need to meet yourself with compassion. Tag a fellow mum who might need to hear this today. 🤍 #postpartumbody #realmotherhood #motherhoodphotography #empoweredmotherhood #bodyafterbaby #bekindtoyou #londonphotographer

Friday mood:
Joy for no reason.
Giggles on demand.
Wearing your best neutral and letting the light hit just right.
Basically… life goals. 😍
How’s your Friday going?

#fridaymood #babyvibes #lifegoal #londonbabyphotographer

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Open post by by_valentina with ID 18062391508892972
Friday mood:
Joy for no reason.
Giggles on demand.
Wearing your best neutral and letting the light hit just right. Basically… life goals. 😍 How’s your Friday going? #fridaymood #babyvibes #lifegoal #londonbabyphotographer

Did you know I’ve been working on a book?

Maybe if you’ve been following me for a while, you’ve seen me share a few bits here and there when I first started it. But I feel like I need to start again and give you the full picture.

I had a really hard time when I was breastfeeding my daughter. For a long time, I thought I was the only one who found it hard. The only one carrying that weight of doubt, guilt, and shame.
But I wasn’t. And neither are you.

At some point, I found myself asking: Why don’t we talk about breastfeeding honestly?
The challenges. The struggles. The pain. The real talk, you know?

This project was born from my own experience and from the stories of so many incredible women who shared their journeys with me. It’s about bringing more awareness, about making sure no mother feels alone in this, and about breaking the silence that so often leaves us blaming ourselves.

Because every journey is different. And every story deserves to be told.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing more about this project that means so much to me, the one I’ve truly put my heart into.

I’d love for you to follow along.

#breastfeedingjourney #honestmotherhood #breastfeedingmoments #breastfeedingawareness #storytellingthroughphotography #breastfeedingjourney

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Open post by by_valentina with ID 18054424046189984
Did you know I’ve been working on a book? Maybe if you’ve been following me for a while, you’ve seen me share a few bits here and there when I first started it. But I feel like I need to start again and give you the full picture. I had a really hard time when I was breastfeeding my daughter. For a long time, I thought I was the only one who found it hard. The only one carrying that weight of doubt, guilt, and shame. But I wasn’t. And neither are you. At some point, I found myself asking: Why don’t we talk about breastfeeding honestly?
The challenges. The struggles. The pain. The real talk, you know? This project was born from my own experience and from the stories of so many incredible women who shared their journeys with me. It’s about bringing more awareness, about making sure no mother feels alone in this, and about breaking the silence that so often leaves us blaming ourselves. Because every journey is different. And every story deserves to be told. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing more about this project that means so much to me, the one I’ve truly put my heart into. 
I’d love for you to follow along. #breastfeedingjourney #honestmotherhood #breastfeedingmoments #breastfeedingawareness #storytellingthroughphotography #breastfeedingjourney

VALE@PHOTOGRAPHYBYVALENTINA.COM

07577 978246

LONDON NEWBORN & MATERNITY PHOTOGRAPHER

BASED NEAR RICHMOND - TWICKENHAM