By Jane Han
I don't know when it all began, but at one point, maternity photos somehow became a pregnancy must-do. For those of you who aren't familiar with what maternity photos are, they are basically portraits of moms-to-be proudly presenting their round, bulging bellies in the most beautiful and almost sacred way possible.
The big camera day usually takes place somewhere between 32 and 36 weeks to make sure the tummy is downright obvious. But mine was possible this past weekend, at just 25 weeks, thanks to my twins who make mommy's stomach already plenty big.
Now I've seen tons of these pictures of my friends so I was given enough exposure and was pretty confident that I could deliver the right poses — or so I thought. Let's just say what I envisioned did not exactly translate into reality.
I imagined myself striking a peaceful and relaxed pose, looking down at my stomach with a refined smile and a loving eye, up against a brightly-lit white backdrop. I'm embarrassed to admit it but, yes, a sort of a heavenly look.
But when the photographer showed me the pictures on the computer screen after the session, boy, was it a reality check.
First of all, the 15 kilograms that I have gained so far is clearly obvious in my face, unlike what everyone, especially my husband, has been telling me.
But aside from the bigger cheeks, it wasn't really the hair, the makeup or even the smile that made the photos unflattering.
I think it was the plain awkwardness of having to display my tummy, a part of my body that I was a lot more used to hiding in my pre-pregnancy days. And the awkwardness somehow showed through the camera lens.
Even my husband, who is usually pretty good in front of the camera, came out looking unpleasant in our couple's shots. Apparently, he wasn't feeling too comfortable down on his knees, putting his head up against my belly with both eyes closed, as directed by the photographer.
As a side note, I noticed that the overall theme and style of maternity photos is quite different in the United States and Korea. Here, it's a lot more sensual and deep, while the mood is a lot more conservative and bright in Korean studios.
I'm used to the Korean style, so I should say that played a big part in our photo failure.
We paid close to $200 for the one-hour session and could've ended up pretty disappointed and annoyed. But thankfully, both of us walked out laughing for the good memories we made with our two girls.
Of course, the major Taco Bell feast we indulged in as a consolation treat made everyone happier.
Now all we need is a few good hours of intensive Photoshopping to give the pictures a little virtual nip and tuck here and there. Thank God for Photoshop.
Lesson of the day? Envisioning a pose in your head isn't enough, especially when your body has changed so drastically. Practice in front of the mirror at home to make sure you capture that perfect moment with your unborn baby.
Trust me, it's better to feel awkward at home than to feel awkward in a heavily-lit, high-stakes atmosphere with perfect strangers watching.
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The big camera day usually takes place somewhere between 32 and 36 weeks to make sure the tummy is downright obvious. But mine was possible this past weekend, at just 25 weeks, thanks to my twins who make mommy's stomach already plenty big.
Now I've seen tons of these pictures of my friends so I was given enough exposure and was pretty confident that I could deliver the right poses — or so I thought. Let's just say what I envisioned did not exactly translate into reality.
I imagined myself striking a peaceful and relaxed pose, looking down at my stomach with a refined smile and a loving eye, up against a brightly-lit white backdrop. I'm embarrassed to admit it but, yes, a sort of a heavenly look.
But when the photographer showed me the pictures on the computer screen after the session, boy, was it a reality check.
First of all, the 15 kilograms that I have gained so far is clearly obvious in my face, unlike what everyone, especially my husband, has been telling me.
But aside from the bigger cheeks, it wasn't really the hair, the makeup or even the smile that made the photos unflattering.
I think it was the plain awkwardness of having to display my tummy, a part of my body that I was a lot more used to hiding in my pre-pregnancy days. And the awkwardness somehow showed through the camera lens.
Even my husband, who is usually pretty good in front of the camera, came out looking unpleasant in our couple's shots. Apparently, he wasn't feeling too comfortable down on his knees, putting his head up against my belly with both eyes closed, as directed by the photographer.
As a side note, I noticed that the overall theme and style of maternity photos is quite different in the United States and Korea. Here, it's a lot more sensual and deep, while the mood is a lot more conservative and bright in Korean studios.
I'm used to the Korean style, so I should say that played a big part in our photo failure.
We paid close to $200 for the one-hour session and could've ended up pretty disappointed and annoyed. But thankfully, both of us walked out laughing for the good memories we made with our two girls.
Of course, the major Taco Bell feast we indulged in as a consolation treat made everyone happier.
Now all we need is a few good hours of intensive Photoshopping to give the pictures a little virtual nip and tuck here and there. Thank God for Photoshop.
Lesson of the day? Envisioning a pose in your head isn't enough, especially when your body has changed so drastically. Practice in front of the mirror at home to make sure you capture that perfect moment with your unborn baby.
Trust me, it's better to feel awkward at home than to feel awkward in a heavily-lit, high-stakes atmosphere with perfect strangers watching.
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