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.

Something magical.

Yesterday, as I was driving to work, it was a grey and windy and chilly morning, just a normal, anonymous Wednesday morning. One of those days. I was feeling tired, sleepy, exhausted even though the day had just begun, negative thoughts speeding through my mind.
Suddenly I thought I wish something magical could happen right now, something that will wake me up, something that can give me spirit, I want to see a big elk, right now!
The thought of seeing a huge beautiful animal trotting along the road seemed to me the perfect image to transport me out of my self-pitying and grumbling mood,
to be reminded of the wild.
And then, a couple of minutes later, in the middle of the road, there stood a beautiful young deer buck. He just stood there, like he was posing, and as I came closer, he trotted elegantly out into the field.
I blew him a kiss, thanked him, drove to work, and my day had changed from grey to a little bit magical.
Wish for an elk and you get a deer - not a bad moral to the story, is it?
høst2

Yesterday's party.

Under the weather.