This portrait was taken in my studio using a Canon R6 with a 24-70mm lens and natural window light. The image is part of my breastfeeding awareness project, created to explore the emotional complexities many mothers face but rarely speak about. The mother in this image had to breastfeed from only one side, an experience that left her feeling deeply isolated. She told me, “If I had read a story about it, I wouldn’t have felt so alone.”
We created this visual metaphor to reflect her journey. In the main frame, she rests in what she called “struggle mode.” The mirror, carefully positioned, holds a memory of healing — a joyful, pain-free moment she once doubted she’d reach. The challenge of this shoot was to strike a balance between visual storytelling and emotional truth. In post production I combined the 2 photos I took