We recently had the chance to connect with Bonnie Brooks and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Bonnie, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
One thing I think that is misunderstood about my business is that documenting birth stories is all about the moment the baby is born. While that moment is a big factor, there are so many incredible moments before and after baby’s arrival that go unnoticed or forgotten. Pregnancy and birth are such a sensitive and emotional time in a woman’s (and family’s) life, and I emotionally invest myself into their story so that I can provide not only the best images of their story but also provide them with an experience that supports this particular season of their lives.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Bonnie Brooks, and I’ve dedicated 14 years to documenting birth stories for families. I originally picked up a camera when my own children were very small with the intention of making better photographs of them and their lives. My thought was (and still is), when I’m gone from this earth, I want them to be able to see and feel how much I love them and how much of an honor it is to be their mother.
My love and dedication to documenting birth stories came by complete accident. I really didn’t intend on going into business, but a close friend asked if I would photograph her cesarean that was scheduled just a few short months after my youngest was born. I wasn’t allowed in the operating room that day, so I photographed what I could from the waiting room and after she came out of recovery. That day woke something inside of me. Since then my client work has been focused on the prenatal, birth, and postpartum seasons.
I even went back to school and earned my undergraduate degree in psychology with as much of my studies being focused on those seasons. I have just under a year left of studies for my Master’s degree, and my goal is to some day provide comprehensive services starting with prenatal mental health through the first year of postpartum.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Gosh, this is such a tough question… honestly, I was lost. I wasn’t sure who I was, and didn’t really have a purpose. I dropped out of high school when I was 16, and worked jobs from book keeping for my grandfather’s business to serving in restaurants. I didn’t have really anything going for myself. I woke up one day when I was almost 20 and decided I wanted to join the Army, so I started studying for my GED. The day I was supposed to test for my GED was 9/11. I remember listening to the radio on the way to the testing site about how the twin towers had just been hit. On my 21st birthday I went to MEPS in Jacksonville, FL, and signed my enlistment papers. I left for Fort Leonardwood, MO exactly two weeks later. While I had no idea who I was then, the Army played a huge role and shaped me into the woman I am today.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
Defining wounds of my life… unfortunately they all revolve around death. I was 15 when my dad’s mother passed away. My MawMaw (and all of my grandparents) have always been a solid foundation in my life, and when she passed I had no idea how to cope. She was one of the sweetest, genuine, toughest women I have ever had the privilege of knowing. My sister, and two of my brother’s have also passed away– all three to car accidents. My sister passed in 2013, and the day before we had done her maternity session. One of my brothers passed about three years after her, two weeks before Christmas, and my second to youngest brother passed two years after him (two days after my birthday).
I wouldn’t say I’ve completely healed from their passings, and there are still some really tough days. The holidays are especially hard. One thing that does bring me some peace are the pictures I have of my siblings, and pictures of them with my children.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
That everything has to be perfect.
Life is often messy, and perfection isn’t something that is always attainable… no matter how hard we try. I’m still learning that where the imperfections are is often where there is the most growth, sometimes the most honesty, and where the learning can take place. We aren’t perfect, but we can definitely learn, be better than we were before, or do different to get a “better” outcome.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
The story I hope to be told when I’m gone is how much I loved. I hope that with the stories the people I love paired with the images of I’ve made of my own life, people I love, and my clients how much I love this life. It’s messy, but it’s beautiful for sure.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://bonniebrooksphotographer.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bonniebrooksphotographer/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bonniebrooksphotographer
- Youtube: http://youtube.com/BonnieBrooksPhotographer
