Stories

Framing Motherhood: Through a Photographer's Eye

1 January 1970

Ina Nederdal, a Swedish photographer, shares a heartfelt story about the significance of getting moms in front of the camera. Passionate about capturing these moments, Ina reflects on her childhood memories and her own experiences as a mother.

Written by Ina Nederdal & Antonia Stubbe-Pettersson

Ina Nederdal underscores the importance of preserving these intimate moments—not just for the mothers, but for their children too. Join us as she highlights why having mothers in pictures matters and how it drives her work as a photographer:

I have a photo album with pictures from my childhood that my mother gave me. Most of them are from when I was a baby and in my first two years, featuring me and my siblings. My mother herself isn't in a single picture. Like so many other mothers, she was the one behind the camera. But then I found this photograph in a desk drawer, a snapshot from the summer of 1992. Mom's hair is a little messy after a swim in the lake, and she is squinting at the camera.

This picture is so important to me because it's just me and my mom together, just the two of us, so close. When I look at it, I'm reminded of that closeness and that my mom was my first home.

"From my early days as a mother, there are mostly mobile photos in poor lighting and a few tired mirror selfies. "

From my early days as a mother, there are mostly mobile photos in poor lighting and a few tired mirror selfies. I had other plans, of course. I wanted so much to document my child's first days in the world and my new journey as a mother in a special and beautiful way, but I didn't have the energy. Now and then, I asked my son's father to take pictures of us with my various cameras. I wasn't happy to have to ask, but I was determined, especially as my son and I were ending our breastfeeding journey. It was therefore extra important to me to have nice pictures of me breastfeeding, so I set up a photo session and directed my partner.

I remember that fatigue made me feel anything but pretty, and I was reluctant to be in the picture. I preferred to wait until I felt like myself again. But every time I look at the photos I have where my son and I are together, I think they're beautiful and, above all, important—not just for me but for him as well, and I'm so grateful they exist.

ABOUT INA:

Ina is a freelance portrait and lifestyle photographer and visual artist based in Stockholm. Passionate about capturing her surroundings, she focuses on people, places, and living things, particularly flowers. In her spare time, Ina enjoys creating collages, both digital and by hand. Since becoming a mother in 2020, she has developed a newfound love for photographing other mothers with their children.

inanederdal.se