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My most recent Gender Reveal Session was especially exciting for me because not only were the family some very special friends, but the news of their pregnancy comes after years of heartache, loss and months of medical treatment to get to this point. When I received a message from Shona a little while back saying that she wanted to book in a gender reveal shoot, my heart quite literally did a little happy dance. In fact I think I had to read it a couple of times just to make sure I had read it correctly before running downstairs to tell my husband.
In the weeks leading up to our session Shona and I poured through different reveal ideas and the excitement and anticipation grew and grew. We finally decided on an epic Powder Paint Reveal where we would fire off an air pressured canon of powder paint in the either pink or blue depending on what I found written in the elusive envelope from their doctor. They would then proceed to enjoy a rather messy powder paint fight between them. I can honestly say, this one of the most fun sessions I have ever had the pleasure of photographing. From the look on their faces as they saw the blue cloud rise above them to the beaming smile on their son's face as he covered them in bright blue paint, the whole session was just pure joy.
It's strange really, that when I was younger I used to just assume that getting pregnant and having babies was something that could happen very easily. It is now that I have children of my own and I have an amazing friend like Shona who has weathered the storm of struggling to have a baby, and who has been brave enough to share the story of your journey with her friends and family, that I can really appreciate how difficult it can be.
So if there is anyone out there reading this, who has suffered the loss of a baby or who is struggling to get pregnant, please remember:
"The Greater the Storm, the Brighter the Rainbow"
I now also know that this is why babies born after a loss are often referred to as Rainbow Babies. And although the Rainbow doesn't take away the storm, nor does it erase the pain of the loss suffered, it can give families hope in what's to come.
So I hope you all enjoy these pictures as much as I enjoyed capturing this special moment for Shona, Ben and Rory and I cannot wait to meet their gorgeous little boy in a few months when we welcome him into this crazy world.
