Unbelievable Baby Photoshoot Story!
By Cathy Benton, Photog. Cr., FP, AFP, SP and Tidewater District Member
Let me share with you the second craziest thing that has ever happened in my career as a photographer. Brace yourself for this one!
I had the honor of photographing an adorable 6 month old baby girl wearing a breathtaking, high-end, long raw silk christening gown. It was a special order made by her doting grandmother, and let me tell you, it was the prettiest gown I had ever seen!
During the session, as I carefully lifted the little girl to reposition her, the unimaginable occurred. Out of the blue, my hand and the dress were suddenly covered in - well, let's just say, a handful of literal, smelly, orange poop. Yes, you read that right! I was utterly shocked and my immediate thought was to get that dress off the baby as quickly as possible.
The poor mom was mortified and started crying. All I could do was reassure her and say, "Let's just get her out of the dress and try to rinse it off. She will be fine, but let's focus on getting this dress cleaned." In my tiny restroom, we sat the baby and the soiled dress in the sink and did our best to clean everything up. It was quite an adventure, to say the least!
While cleaning her up, I mustered the courage to ask what the little one had eaten the day before the session (we always advise parents not to introduce new foods before a photoshoot). Eventually, she admitted that she had given her baby carrots for the first time, which explained the orange color and the unique aroma of the surprise package!
Mom couldn't wait to leave the studio; she was understandably embarrassed. But a week later, I sent her a heartfelt card to touch base and let her know that almost every mother experiences embarrassing moments with their children. As a fellow mother, I empathized with her and assured her that everything was okay. I also mentioned how beautiful the images turned out. I left it up to her to decide when she felt comfortable coming in to view them.
Two months later, she finally called and scheduled a time to see the images. Long story short, she absolutely loved them! It turned out to be one of my largest sales at that time, and I received one of the most genuine hugs from her. She thanked me for the card and, most importantly, for capturing those precious moments of her baby girl.
This extraordinary experience taught me that sometimes the most unexpected and embarrassing moments can lead to genuine connections and beautiful memories. As a photographer, it's my privilege to capture the real, raw, and sometimes messy moments of life.
To all the amazing mothers out there, remember that imperfections and unexpected surprises make for some of the most cherished memories.