Cristiana Ceppas
I wanted to participate in Showing because it allowed me to capture something that was distinctive—every woman’s experience with pregnancy is different—yet also universal. I liked that the women were real people, and not models. It felt like I was capturing a unique phase in their lives—one that I had gone through myself.
I did not know Neyara until the day of the shoot. It was clear from our first moments together that she was a strong, determined woman. Yet, at the same time, she was also very sweet and soft-spoken. She was working until the very end of her pregnancy, just like I had done. Neyara did not work for a company. I don’t know much about her medical insurance situation, but having been a freelancer myself, I understood that she was not going to have paid maternity leave. She had to work for as long as possible, knowing that she would be without work for a length of time after the baby was born. Her job was not easy—she was constantly on her feet, moving furniture, and dealing with cleaning chemicals. But in spite of all those challenges, she still approached her work with grace and determination.
Cristiana is a Brazilian photographer based in San Francisco, CA.
Neyara, Housekeeper, from Showing: Pregnancy in the Workplace, 2012
I walked around the house until I found a spot that would tell the whole story—what she did for a living, how pregnant she was, how hard she had to work. Looking at Neyara, I could see the gulf between the way pregnancy is usually depicted and the way it really is. Most photographs of pregnancy show a romantic, picture-perfect time in your life. But the truth is often more complicated. Pregnancy can certainly be romantic. But it can be hard too, and having the opportunity to show that honestly made this a meaningful shoot.
Ultimately, all of my work is centered around honesty. I enjoy the challenge of trying to tell someone’s story through one photograph. Or, at least, to show an honest and unique slice of their life.
Jennifer, Dance Teacher, from Showing: Pregnancy in the Workplace, 2012
Lawrence, Part One, 2011
Lawrence, Part Two, 2011
Cyrus and Kristie, 2010
Myrna and Hal, 2011
Rex and Ray, 2011