Celebrating Strength and Motherhood: A Maternity Photography Collaboration with Strong Core Mama’s Anna Towne
Pregnancy is a season of transformation—of the body, the mind, and the heart. It is a time of anticipation, joy, and, for many, a newfound appreciation for what our bodies are capable of. Some women approach pregnancy with the mindset that it is a period of limitation, one that brings discomfort and change that must simply be endured. Others, like Anna Towne, owner of Strong Core Mama, embrace it as a time of strength, movement, and celebration.
Anna is a maternity fitness instructor, an advocate for healthy, strong pregnancies, and a firm believer in empowering women to feel their best during every stage of motherhood. When we had the opportunity to collaborate on a maternity photoshoot, it was more than just an artistic endeavor—it was a celebration of the resilience, beauty, and power that pregnancy brings.
Strong Core Mama’s Anna Towne showing what fitness and pregnancy is all about.
Meet Anna Towne: A Passion for Strength in Motherhood
Anna Towne is more than just a fitness professional. She is a trailblazer in the world of prenatal and postpartum wellness, helping women maintain their strength, confidence, and well-being throughout pregnancy and beyond. Through her business, Strong Core Mama, Anna has built a supportive community for expectant mothers who want to stay active and feel empowered in their bodies.
Her approach is simple but powerful: pregnancy is not a time to stop moving—it’s a time to embrace movement in a way that supports the body’s natural changes. Anna focuses on functional strength, core stability, and safe, effective exercise techniques that help moms-to-be feel strong and capable during pregnancy and recover optimally postpartum.
Anna’s philosophy perfectly aligned with the vision I have for maternity photography: capturing not just the beauty of pregnancy, but the inner strength of each mother.
A Maternity Session That Redefines Strength
When Anna and I began planning her maternity session, she shared her thoughts on what she wanted her photos to represent. She said:
“I loved working with Ethan! I truly believe our bodies are strong and capable during pregnancy, and he captured that perfectly in my photos. Pregnancy shouldn’t be a time defined by pain or discomfort—instead, it’s a season to celebrate the incredible things our bodies can do.”
Empowered pregnancy is a way to feel strong in your body and your motherhood.
This quote became the foundation of our session. Instead of the classic, soft, and ethereal maternity imagery often seen in traditional maternity photography, we opted for a bold, dynamic, and movement-focused approach that truly reflected Anna’s personality and beliefs.
She chose to showcase her strength through poses that highlighted her balance, power, and grace. Some of the shots featured her in active stances—stretching, squatting, and holding powerful yoga poses—all emphasizing the fact that pregnancy does not mean fragility. Other images embraced elegant stillness, where her strength radiated through her posture and expression, capturing the quiet resilience that comes with carrying life.
Why Maternity Photography and Fitness Go Hand-in-Hand
Maternity photography is about more than just capturing a moment in time—it’s about telling a story. And for many women, that story is one of self-discovery, empowerment, and appreciation for their bodies in a whole new way.
When fitness plays a role in pregnancy, the benefits go beyond physical well-being. Women who stay active often report feeling:
More connected to their changing bodies
Less discomfort and pain throughout pregnancy
Increased energy levels
More confidence in their ability to give birth
A smoother postpartum recovery
By incorporating fitness elements into her maternity photos, Anna showed that strength and motherhood are not separate—they are intertwined. Her session became a testament to the power of movement, proving that pregnancy is not about limitations but about possibilities.
The Power of Representation: Changing the Narrative Around Pregnancy
One of the most powerful aspects of this shoot was challenging outdated perspectives on pregnancy. Too often, the dominant narrative portrays pregnancy as a time of struggle—where women are expected to feel uncomfortable, inactive, or limited in their physical abilities.
Anna’s images tell a different story.
She shows that a pregnant body is not weak. It is not passive. It is strong, capable, and worthy of admiration.
Through our collaboration, we hoped to inspire other expecting mothers to embrace their strength, whether through fitness, movement, or simply the way they carry themselves with confidence during pregnancy. These images aren’t just for Anna—they’re for every mother who needs a reminder that her body is powerful.
Capturing Strength in Your Own Maternity Session
If Anna’s session resonated with you, here are a few ideas to bring movement and strength into your own maternity photoshoot:
Incorporate Motion: Whether it’s yoga, stretching, or simple dynamic poses, adding movement creates a sense of energy and empowerment in your images.
Highlight Functional Strength: If you’re active, showcase the ways you stay strong—whether it’s through strength training, Pilates, or even lifting your toddler with ease.
Wear Outfits That Reflect Your Confidence: Choose form-fitting activewear, flowing dresses that allow movement, or even minimalist attire that emphasizes your body’s natural curves.
Celebrate What Your Body Can Do: Whether through a soft pose or a powerful stance, embrace the beauty of your unique pregnancy journey.
Your maternity session should reflect who you are—whether that’s soft and serene, bold and dynamic, or anywhere in between.
Anna Towne showing her maternal strength.
Final Thoughts: A New Perspective on Pregnancy
Working with Anna Towne was more than just an opportunity to take beautiful photographs—it was a chance to showcase a different side of pregnancy. One that is filled with strength, resilience, and movement.
Her belief that pregnancy is a time to celebrate—not endure—comes through in every image, serving as a reminder that motherhood is not about sacrificing strength but embracing and enhancing it.
If you’re looking for inspiration to stay strong during your pregnancy journey, I highly recommend checking out Anna’s work at Strong Core Mama. Her expertise, passion, and dedication to empowering women are truly unmatched.
And if you’re interested in a maternity session that captures the essence of your own strength, let’s create something extraordinary together. Because your journey is worth celebrating—in every way.