What's Next for Faces of Postpartum?
Above my desk, I have a plain white sheet with all the projects for the Fall, 2022, and even some for 2023.
Now that you know that I believe in magic — something like “put your wishes in the universe and it might respond” — let me tell you what I have in store for you.
Same Same…
Some things will never change at Faces of Postpartum.
Telling stories. Featuring raw and honest documentary photography of the postpartum period.
Talking to skilled and open-minded experts, activists, and professionals.
But Different?
Because I want to honor my family life and rest, the format and publication rhythm will change. Or more accurately, the deadlines will be openly flexible to welcome unexpected but fundamental stories.
Not that it will make a huge difference for you, but in an effort of transparency, last year’s publishing irregularity was something I suffered rather than deliberately chose.
Creating demands fluidity: sometimes, a story just does not work. Others, the short essay that was supposed to be done in a week becomes a 10-page article that necessitates a month.
Sure, But What Does It Mean?
Beginning in the Fall of 2021 and beyond…
The stories — both from individuals and professionals — will all be featured as a podcast and not a long-form text anymore. A literal transcript of the interview will be provided under the episode, but there won’t be any major editing and rewriting like I used to do for each and single one of them.
If you have already contacted me to participate, fear nothing: I have your name stored in a spreadsheet and I will contact you to ask if you’d like to participate under that format.
Podcasts will appear at least twice a month, every other Sunday. If there’s a pressing story or interview that I absolutely want to share with you, it’ll be added to the mix. But two is something I can manage. So two it is.
Photography will become a standalone feature. I want to explore what it means to represent, without text, the postpartum period.
That means that I will keep taking photographs of the postpartum period, with a much more deliberate approach — whether it is portraiture or hard-core documentary.
I also find it confusing to mix people’s personal archives and my own images, so I decided to separate them. I’ll do “call for models” in the DMV area and wherever I travel in 2022. If you have an idea of a shoot you’d like to see come to life, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Long-form articles. Ah. My fav. I’ve already begun to set these up for a couple of months now, mainly by doing in-depth interviews and photoshoots with organizations like Carried to Full Term and Motherhood Beyond Bars (yes, my road trip to UNC is also part of that vision.)
These babies take FOREVER to write and it ain’t something I’m going to rush. I like to think of them as ever-morphing photo essays (will they become a zine? an investigative reportage piece that I will submit to a national newspaper? a simple blog post? in French or in English? US or Canada focused?)
These articles are intimately tied to my activism and it’s fundamental that I take my time (within reason…) to produce them. There is too much at stake for the people I interviewed, and taking it slow and really diving into the story means showing them the respect they deserve.
They are also a way for me to get paid for my work, so I have to be flexible about the publication schedule of the various magazines and news outlets I reach out to.
New website. New store. New beginnings. Who knew rebuilding a website on another platform took so much time (and money!) I’m transferring FPP from Squarespace to WordPress and boy, it’s been tedious.
Luckily I have help and it’s beginning to take a nice form. Expect the launch of the new site in September 2021, and the store, right in time for Thanksgiving.
As for the store, it will be used as another way to fund the project, featuring affiliated links from local and individual-owned shops (in short, not Amazon!). I’ve already partnered with Orchid and Ash for all things that melt and smell good, as well as Darity for ethically made and sustainable postpartum clothing.
I want this store to be your go-to when you know someone who will have a baby or welcome a kid, but without all the kid-stuff one usually puts on their baby registry. I’m thinking postpartum doula agency gift certificate, perinea care, snack boxes, soft clothing, meal deliveries, and house cleaning services.
It will be highly curated and I’ll vouch for each and single one of the items on it. Business done right (and sustainably.)
Starting 2022
I loved to make films so I decided that I was going to keep doing them. That simple.
I don’t know if I’m jinxing it by putting it out there, but I’m currently working on a pilot for a six-part documentary series about the postpartum period.
I’m being mentored by producer, filmmaker, and director extraordinaire Erin Bagwell, and although the format is not set yet, I’m really (really) excited about it.
This will mean shooting, hiring a director of photography and an audio person, writing (and rewriting some more) the script, casting, and long weeks of letting things simmer to see if they feel right (thanks Erin for teaching me how to pace myself!)
If chefs were able to make working in a kitchen for 13 straight hours sexy, I sure as hell can make the postpartum period look like an epic and breathtaking adventure.
Dream On (2023 & CIE.)
I’m pretty sure I’ll be exhausted after the next year so I’m already dreaming of a slower-paced life.
I want to return to teaching.
I always said that I would go back to academia (under my own terms) and I’m dreaming of building a seminar in which I’d teach creative writing mingled with my passion for philosophy, literature, and all things related to the perinatal world.
I’m already building a library of classics (Fanny Britt, Rachel Cusk, Maggie Nelson, Sylvia Platt and counting).
So. There you have it. My plans. My goals. And my dreams.
I hope you will all be part of the adventure(s).