Photographer Takes Stunning Photos of Moms Who Conceived Their Babies During the Same Hurricane
When Hurricane Matthew struck the coast of South Carolina in 2016, photographer Cassie Claysculte knew something big was about to happen. As the official newborn photographer for Coastal Carolina Hospital, she had noticed that after major events - like hurricanes - there would be a surge in newborn clients about nine months later. This time, she was inspired to start a special project.
"As the inquiries for that time period started coming in and as I saw the down trees in our area pile up, I had the idea for a project," Claysculte said via email. "I wanted to show everyone that the storm gave some Bluffton, Beaufort, and Hilton Head couples a special miracle."
Her idea: to find moms in the area who had conceived during this storm and photograph them at eight months pregnant. She wanted to show people that every storm has a silver lining.
She took to Facebook to search for "hurricane mamas." "I am planning a group maternity session," Clayshulte wrote in her post, "to show that BEAUTIFUL things always come from not so beautiful things."
Future moms Danielle Lewis, Lindsey Binkley, Taylor Pait, Lindsey Gullett, Brittany Day, Kayla Sumler, Savanna Dorsey, and Molly Spears answered Clayshulte's call and came together for two very special photoshoots during which they wore dresses inspired by the colors of the satellite images of the hurricane.
In the first, they posed beside in a Bluffton nature preserve near downed trees to acknowledge the hurricane's destruction.
In the second, they headed to Hilton Head Island, where Hurricane Matthew caused significant damage.
The images have since gone viral, and Clayshulte is happy she was able to expose a more positive side of natural disasters.
"Some of these couples had trouble conceiving, experienced difficult previous pregnancies, and even had to undergo several rounds of fertility treatments to become pregnant," Clayshulte said via email. "If it weren't for Matthew, these eight couples wouldn't be expecting these little miracles."
Not surprisingly, Clayshulte is already planning a follow-up shoot after the babies are born in June - and chances are, those photos will be just as stunning.
[h/t TODAY]
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