Russian documentary photographer Jana Romanova spent the night with several couples who are expectant parents and captured candid, overhead portraits of them sleeping for her series titled Waiting. Each young pregnant pair in the collection exhibits a sense of intimacy and vulnerability as they slumber beside each other just before they are met with another life to fill their lives with joyful challenges.
In an interview with Co.Design, Romanova recalls her inspiration for the series: “Once I was helping my friends, who were expecting parents, make some repairs in their house, and there was a ladder in the middle of the room right near the bed. In the morning I took some images of them sleeping just for my memory, and then decided that I can make a whole project like this.”
It’s interesting to see the varied positions that these women and men sleep in. It’s generally recommended for pregnant women to sleep on their side, as almost all of the women in the series of 40 couples (for 40 weeks) do, though it’s the men who often seem to follow suit even though they don’t have to. Additionally, it’s especially interesting to see that there are a number of photos of these fathers-to-be unknowingly placing their hands by the woman’s belly. Even in their sleep, they offer a protecting hand.
Waiting is currently on display at Mosteiro de Tibes.
