It's a Man's World...but nobody told Natasha Ince

They say never meet your heroes but they never said anything about your heroines. There are so many amazing inspirational individuals in professional photography, people who have carved out a niche for themselves, created a signature style and produced images that make us stop in our tracks. People who produce art that makes you exclaim aloud. People who make you feel.

Since my first forays into the world of professional photography, one woman has stood out in this regard, Natasha Ince. Natasha is an incredibly talented photographer specialising in maternity portraits, and creating images which truly convey the power and strength of the female body in growing new life. 

I was fortunate enough to spend a day with Natasha last month, training in the art of maternity photography, and it was beyond my wildest expectations. Not only is she an amazing photographer, creating magic with a camera, but she’s an amazing human too.

Breaking the mould

Traditionally, photography has been quite a male dominated world, seen as opaque and technical, and in many areas of the profession, it remains very patriarchal – you only have to look down a list of brand reps for major camera companies for a demonstration. Yet in the newborn and maternity niche where I operate, there are so many more women absolutely killing it. And none more so than the queen of maternity herself.

As modern women, we are told we can have it all – education, career, family, the works. Yet we’ve all experienced moments when consciously or unconsciously, we’ve been placed in boxes because of our gender. Even in the photography space, there’s just an assumption that men know more about the technical side of photography, and that women are not as knowledgeable and should stick to fluffier pieces such as maternity shoots and that simply isn't true.

What I admire most about Natasha is that she has identified something she is passionate about, something she has been repeatedly told isn’t of value and in spite of all the obstacles thrown her way, she has become successful. She looked at the pregnancy photography available – traditional portraits of women in mumsy dresses, cradling their bumps and wondered - where is the glamour? Where are the photos of women looking and feeling amazing, and shouting from the rooftops about the miracle their body is creating? She set out to create portraits that were an experience that lingered long in your memory. Not every pregnancy is easy, but they all deserve to be celebrated and remembered. 

A new direction

When I was pregnant with my first son, we had traditional outdoor pregnancy portraits taken and I’m grateful that we captured this fleeting period in our lives, and that long after that pregnancy concluded, I can look back at what an amazing thing my body did, and the fascinating way in which it adapted to allow us to welcome my son into the world.

They’re nice photographs of course, well taken by a dedicated professional but once I was introduced to Natasha’s work I was hooked. She celebrates us as the glamorous, incredible women we are, as well as the precious new life we are creating. For many women pregnancy is the most vulnerable time of our lives in terms of body confidence, and Natasha makes you look and feel absolutely incredible. 

To me, this is what maternity photography should be all about.

Courage, conviction, and credit

It has not been an easy journey, there have been plenty of obstacles.

As a mum of two, Natasha knows first-hand the challenges of juggling family life with running a business - balancing childcare with admin, replying to emails late at night and dashing off from a shoot to collect her boys – it’s certainly not easy. She’s also faced the usual gender assumptions too – she tells stories of how while shooting weddings in the past with a male assistant, guests assumed he was the appointed professional and she was his assistant. 

And when she first entered professional photography competitions, Natasha was told her images didn’t meet the grade because they didn’t solely focus on a connection between the mother and her bump - they completely missed the point. Natasha’s portraits celebrate the power and beauty of the mother herself – these are, after all, maternity portraits.

Now, she counts various prestigious Photographer of The Year and Image of The Year awards among her successes. People travel from far to train with her and she is finally getting the credit and kudos she deserves, as the world continues to catch up with her vision. In truth, she has turned the world of maternity photography upside down.

Women supporting women

I’ve always been passionate about celebrating women, our talents and our achievements - every time I vote, I remember the women who made it possible. Every time I come across a mumpreneur juggling motherhood and building a business to support their family, I shout about it to anyone who’ll listen. While we’re at school, female relationships can be more than a bit dog-eat-dog, so every time I see a woman lifting another woman up, it makes me smile.

Natasha Ince is cut from the same cloth. She speaks out all the time about women supporting women, about how celebrating the success of others doesn’t diminish your own work, and how we should be inspired rather than threatened by the amazing things women are doing. 

That was underlined for me during my day with Natasha last month,she was so generous with her time, her knowledge and experience. No question was off limits, no stone left unturned in her dedication to helping me become a better photographer and the step change in my own work as a result has been so empowering.

After a lifetime of people being protective of their knowledge and expertise as a competitive advantage, it was refreshing to meet someone keen to really help you become the best that you can be. 

A truly inspirational mindset - Natasha, you truly are a queen.

You can find out more about Natasha and her maternity portraits here: