Capturing My Body
A Creative Adventure
We walked into an outdoor sculpture at one of Australia’s premier galleries.
It was a freezing cold morning, and I could feel the rain sprinkling on my face. ‘Perfect’ I thought. It was the miserable day that we needed for this particular photo shoot. The dreary weather meant that it was less likely for us to be disturbed.
‘Is this allowed?’ I asked Liam through my trembling lips.
‘It doesn’t matter’. He swiftly replied. ‘The photos will be worth it.’
I could feel the chill pounding through my jacket right through to my body. Summer shooting was always preferable, but having a constant thirst to create together meant that we would do this photoshoot… no matter the temperatures.
My husband has been capturing me since we first met. Through every chapter of our relationship, he has documented it all. Intimate and private moments, my pregnancy, breastfeeding on the couch as my tender, beautifully full and swollen body held our baby. During all of these moments, Liam has been there, with the camera to catch it all. Celebrating every chapter of who I am as a woman, a mother, and his love.
It may be no surprise that I have been naked in public on many occasions for our photoshoots. In these past instances, I have nearly always had a good vantage to see if anyone might be approaching. But not yesterday. Not at the Gallery.
With my jacket still on, I practiced my poses. I could feel my breasts against my coat, no bra between my flesh and the inside of my jacket. Stretching my body. Closing my eyes. Angling, twisting, elongating my form. Letting go of the physical discomfort from the cold and choosing to be cocooned by my sensuality instead.
Before long, I was taking off my loose jeans and jacket, hurriedly wrapping myself in my long woollen shawl that accompanies me every time we do a cold weather photoshoot.
“I’ve got the settings. I’m going to check the entrance, and as soon as I say GO, you drop the robe and do your thing”.
“Ok.” I replied. My heart rate rising.
“Just do your thing for a minute and then we will stop and I’ll check the entrance again and then we will shoot for another minute.”
Liam rarely poses me. And when he does, it is usually with a single word or a nod. We have an understanding between us. I know what he wants me to do. And he knows how I like to be captured through his lens. Our process is often wordless. And when words are used, we speak to one another in ways that only long term partners do.
On very rare occasions I will pose for another photographer. But I always feel most comfortable with Liam. Perhaps I am monogamous in my modelling for him.
And in a moment’s time… I was completely naked.
