Pregnancy Bodypainting Collaboration

Photo: Erin White, Bodypainter: Emma Cammack, Model: Morgan Dodds

Sometimes personal collaborations create something beautiful. A few weeks ago I painted my pregnant friend, Morgan, who is due any day now. We discussed painting her growing bump and a plan developed. We wanted to paint something that represented a mother's love. "Being pregnant with our first child has been nothing but a sheer blessing. My husband and I waited 5 years of being married, while being stationed in Germany for 4 of those years with exploring the world together. We were ready for the next step in our lives." This is her first, much anticipated baby and Morgan is recording her pregnancy journey through photography and film. She is a Make-Up Artist and Cosmetologist and is fascinated with body art. We had met up a few times and discussed Bodypainting and all things Skin Wars. "I had met Emma a few times, and followed her on Facebook, as many of you know she's a judge off Skin Wars, and international body painter. I had uploaded a few pictures of my belly where Emma offered to paint my tummy. This turned into a beautiful collaboration between Emma Cammack, Tiffany Hudson, Erin White, and myself." Morgan chose elephants, so I painted an elephant calf holding it's mother's trunk onto her belly to represent her bond with her soon to be born little boy and to compliment the colours Morgan and her husband have chosen for their nursery. 

Bodypainting is not just for size 0 models. It is a way to own and celebrate your body in all it's majesty. Celebrating your body and creating art with it is empowering. Pregnancy in particular is a beautiful time in a woman's life. I love the fact that Morgan overcame her initial nervousness and trusted the team to create something to celebrate her pregnancy. Bodies are beautiful. Women too often worry about feeling too fat, or bloated or ugly in pregnancy, when in reality they are beautiful. Watching the behind the scenes video and seeing the genuine smiles and beauty in Morgan's face you can see how empowered the experience made her. 

Photo: Erin White, Bodypainter: Emma Cammack, Model: Morgan Dodds

It was wonderful to collaborate with some other local creatives who specialise in working with mothers and infants, something that was important to Morgan, "While working as a make up artist in the local military community I've had the best of times meeting the best of the best photographers, and extreme talent in the local area. Once I had confirmed I was pregnant I messaged Tiffany right away to film my birthing video. I have worked with her before for my business commercial and instantly fell in love with her work." Tiffany's business Tiffany Hudson Films specialises in Birth Videos, documenting the journey. 

Behind the Scenes. Photo: Erin White, Model: Morgan Dodds, Bodypainter: Emma Cammack

Our photographer Erin White works creates beautiful Maternity and newborn photography in her Baltimore Studio. Erin's work with Breast feeding Mothers nursing in nature, "Women in the Wild" went viral last year and she had worked with Morgan and developed a rapport. "I had met Erin a few years back, where I was her personal makeup artist for her photography business. This turned out so beautiful, and I couldn't have asked for a better group of ladies to help me and my son remember such a beautiful time in my life." Erin worked with Morgan and made her feel beautiful, comfortable and relaxed. 

Photo: Erin White, Bodypainter: Emma Cammack, Model: Morgan Dodds

The images and BTS video from the day are gorgeous. I love seeing process images and film and seeing art in development. What is lovely in this video is seeing the response from both Morgan and her baby to being painted. Some of the special moments from the shoot that Tiffany captured; like the baby move and respond to the brush stroked from inside the womb, kicking the brush and Morgan's belly moving with the brushstrokes and seeing the beautiful smile on Morgan's face that really shows how gorgeous she felt in the paint. Beautiful moments captured on film. Scroll to the bottom of this post to view it. 

Photo: Erin White, Bodypainter: Emma Cammack, Model: Morgan Dodds

Moments like this are meaningful for new mothers and can help remember the beauty and elegance of pregnancy. Pregnant women have an amazing aura and glow about them, I feel like Morgan was so serene, beautiful and empowered during this shoot. "Often times when a woman gets pregnant we don't always feel that confident as things are quickly changing inside, and on the outside. I never felt un beautiful, in fact after this day I felt the best I think I had ever felt in my pregnancy." I hope that together we have created memories she can cherish forever, even when this moment in her life is a distant memory. Don't forget to check out the behind the scenes video at the bottom of the post by Tiffany Hudson Films, it really captures the essence of being painted beautifully. 




The creative team on this project are: 

Photography by Erin White,  www.erinwhitephotography.com

Behind the Scenes Footage by Tiffany Hudson, www.tiffanyhudsonfilms.com

Bodypainting by Emma Cammack, www.emmacammack.com

Model and Make-Up Artist, Morgan Dodds, www.instagram.com/makeupbymorgandodds/

Bodypainting BTS from tiffany hudson on Vimeo.