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.

The real life.

The real life.

Maria Vatne

These photos, taken yesterday, made me think of the line leading up to this family. Nik with his boys resembled his dad with his boys, a generation ago. Nik grew up on a farm, and his brother, two years younger than him, was his trusty sidekick in the wild farm life they lived. He jokes that they were not really ever tame, living the free life, roaming the fields and river around the farm in England.
Now is the time to give our children this opportunity, to keep the magic of childhood and power of the elements within reach, to not let them go or slip into the noise of our hyper-stimulating, addictive virtual world. To keep them here, with the earth and the wind and the animals and us. To teach them about the soil and the seasons, the cycle of life, the responsibilities and privileges of being human, about joy and compassion and the real life. 

I wouldn't change it for anything. 

Gifts of spring.

Gifts of spring.
S p r i n g !

S p r i n g !