<a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/IMGP6647_bw.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-1430 aligncenter" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/IMGP6647_bw.jpg" alt="bare belly maternity photo" width="500" height="331" /></a>
<p style="text-align: center;">One of the perks of living with my brother is that he was once a photography student, and he is always at the ready when I get some cockamamie idea for a photo shoot.  Nearing the end of this (read: my last) pregnancy, I am eager to document every moment.  Someone once told me to be sure to take pictures of your bare belly so that you can remember just how enlarged you really were.  I took this to the extreme when I was pregnant with our first and did a nude maternity shoot with a professional who was looking to expand her portfolio and therefore offering a free session for willing nude models.  Boy, was that ever an experience.  This time, given that my brother was the photog and I don't really feel the need to relive that naked modeling experience, I chose something more simple but equally as striking.  A quick Pinterest search brought up photos of bare bellies on dark backgrounds shot in black &amp; white with only the color of the bow illuminated.  I found a black outfit, dug up a pink ribbon that was thankfully long enough to make it all the way around my enormous girth, and taped a large sheet of black paper to the wall.  Using only the natural light from our bay window, my brother was able to capture this moment perfectly.  He is a whiz with Photoshop and provided me with this image in only a few minutes.  It is, by far, my favorite belly shot.  And fitting as my little girl will be born just in time for my birthday.  She is the best gift I have ever and will ever receive.</p>