A mother of four, photographer, nature lover. Someone trying to make sense of it all, through photos and stories. 

I try to be free in all senses of the word, so I made the leap and now work with what I love doing; taking pictures, storing this life in moments, both for myself and for clients. My heart is in photographing birth and motherhood, but I take on just about any photography job. 
(See my birth photos at www.birth.no and the rest of my work portfolio at www.mariavatne.no.)

I live on a farm in Norway with my man Nik and my children Ronja, Freja, Falk and Ulv, plus a bunch of animals. We grow our own food as far as the seasons allow it, we don't go to kindergarten, the three youngest ones will be homeschooled.

We govern our own lives, we strive for independence, we want to be in this life wild and free and full of love.

Welcome Tussie!

Welcome Tussie!

Maria Vatne

It finally happened; last night our cow Buttercup gave birth to a beautiful female calf. It went well, but the journey to motherhood is not always an easy one, so Buttercup is confused and struggling to figure out who this little being is and whether she should love it or reject it. We are easing them into it, under supervision. Looks like it's going to work. We want them to be together; there is no need for us to take the calf from her mother like they do in the industry. There will be enough milk for all. 

The name has been under hefty debate, Freja is determined that she should be named Løvetann (Dandelion) - we have flower names on our cows (Daisy, Sorel, Buttercup) - but because she is born in spring and we found a coltsfoot (hestehov) today, she is Tussie! Because you knew that coltsfoot in Latin is tussilago farfara, right? So here she is; Tussie, our fifth calf born on the farm!

Beautiful boy.

Beautiful boy.
Reunited.

Reunited.