I meet Asia when I moved to Hamilton where we became acquaintances. Shortly after meeting her, I was scrolling through Instagram and Facebook and saw an ad for Toyota titled “the Hobbyist” which was in partnership with the Huffington Post. It was regarding how Asia was living her life as a Professional Speech and Language Pathologist as well as an Aerialist.
After watching this video, I contacted her immediately because I was intrigued. She told me she had been doing it for 6 years and was part of an aerial group called, The Hamilton Aerial Group (HAG), which met regularly at the Cotton Factory in Hamilton. I began attending aerial practices with her because my own curiosity and intrigue with Aerial Arts. While watching Asia I soon realized that she was a natural and truly in her element when on the silks, rope and trapeze. She made it look so easy which I can tell you, it is not.
During one of our practice sessions in September, she shared with me that she was pregnant and expecting in the Spring of 2020. Right away, our creative minds went to work and thought about the magic we could create while integrating her love for Aerial Arts, her journey through pregnancy and my love of photography. Asia continued to carefully practice silks and the trapeze under the guidance of her midwife and obstetrician.
We began the process at Halloween to announce her pregnancy in costume and in a location close to home. She nailed it (and so did her husband and dog).
Asia had hoped that we could do a maternity session near the end of her pregnancy but as she continued to practice and move into the third trimester she thought it would be best that we do a maternity session sooner than later because of her limited mobility while practicing. Due to this, we meet this past weekend to shoot her maternity session and it was just like every other practice, except my camera was in hand. She began the session with stretching, conditioning, a bit of acro then moving onto the trapeze and silks.
It was my favourite maternity sessions in my 8 years as a professional photographer and one of the most beautiful sessions I have ever photographed. I attribute this to the nature of the shoot. When the shoot is candid, in a location you are comfortable with all while doing something you love, you really do not need to try to get good photos. They just happen. The years of experience and love for this art form is so visible in the photos we took. Asia was so comfortable and happy the entire shoot.
She was in her element.
I encourage expecting moms to do the same, and I promise you the results will be the same; you end up with a series of photos which reflect who you are and that capture your journey though pregnancy.