Eugene, Oregon maternity photographer: Alia

Alia is expecting her baby girl in a few short weeks and has already booked her newborn photography session with me for soon after the big day. I am so excited to meet her new little one! In the meantime, it was delightful to meet Alia and work with her doing a maternity photography session.

Alia reached out to me about doing a milk bath session for her maternity shoot. I had never done a milk bath session before, but they are very much in vogue at the moment and it’s easy to see why. They are absolutely gorgeous! I’ve seen them done by other photographers in other areas of the country, so when Alia asked me about the possibility of doing it I was very excited for the opportunity. I am always up for adventure and trying new things—especially when it comes to exploring new methods of photography—so this was right up my alley! 

Normally I welcome subjects to my photography studio in Eugene, Oregon, but this time I was able to welcome Alia straight into my home—and into my master bathroom! 

Milk baths have been used as a beauty treatment for thousands of years—although frankly I don’t think Alia needs much in the way of beauty treatments! Made famous by Cleopatra of Egypt, who supposedly bathed in donkey’s milk to keep her skin soft and radiant, the milk bath has historically been popular among queens and wealthy women in many countries, and is making a comeback in recent years. As part of a beauty regimen, the idea is that the alpha-hydroxy acids in milk act to moisturize the skin and stimulate it to rejuvenate more quickly. In photography, we’re more interested in the soothing, romantic background created by a creamy white liquid. 

We kept Alia’s milk bath pretty shallow, as we wanted to show off her lacy maternity dress and beautiful belly. The white liquid blends almost seamlessly into the tub itself, making a smooth backdrop that highlights Alia perfectly. Milk baths are pretty in and of themselves, but we used flowers and greenery in this maternity photography session to add color and interest to the shots. I love the contrast between the white water and the flowers, particularly the deep red of the rose petals, which stand out elegantly against the white, and complement Alia’s lovely skin tone. I was very happy with how these pictures turned out!

I had a lovely time working with Alia and was grateful for her flexibility as I experimented with this new medium. It was so much fun to try something new! I am eager to see Alia again in a very short time when I help her to welcome her daughter into the world and capture those first days of new life. It is wonderful to work with women both before and after the birth of a child. The whole process is filled with so much joy and tenderness, and it is my pleasure and honor to be a part of it.