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by Maria Sofou

Florida-based photographer Natalie McCain has embarked on a new, stunning project that highlights the beauty in mothers’ bodies of all shapes and sizes, Photoshop aside. The Honest Body Project is exactly what the title suggests: honest and raw, McCain’s ongoing series of photographs celebrates the female body, smashing beauty stereotypes imposed on women nowadays, creating a space for females to love themselves and their pregnancy-tranformed bodies by sharing their personal and unique stories.

“Join me on a journey to self love and put an end to shaming your body.  As women, we judge ourselves harder than anyone else ever will.  Our bodies are strong, capable, wonderful and amazing things… but we still aren’t happy when we look in the mirror.  Having children changes our body in ways we never expect.  This change is BEAUTIFUL.  Appreciate your stretch marks, they show you grew a child inside you.  Embrace the once tight and now loose skin, it shows you birthed this amazing child.  Love your postpartum breasts, they show your body created milk to nourish your child.  LOVE YOURSELF. I want to give a voice to women to share whatever is in their heart.  I will not edit their stories.  What you read comes directly from the woman in the portrait.  These women are strong, amazing, brave and inspirational. Thank you to everyone who gives me the honor of photographing them,” the photographer explains.

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