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From Mother to Mother with Vanessa Berthe
This Mother’s Day, we invited photographer and author Vanessa Berthe to share more about the inspiration, emotion, and intimate moments behind De mère en mère (From Mother to Mother). Through a special Q&A, Vanessa reflects on motherhood, storytelling, and the deeply personal experiences that shaped the book. Read on for a closer look at her work and the conversations behind the images.
Q. Over five years of encounters, women opened up to you spontaneously and sincerely about the vulnerability of becoming a mother, and about the importance of what they received or didn't receive from their own mothers. How do you create that kind of trust and openness? Is it something you consciously build, or does it happen naturally?
A. In fact, I need to feel that trust with them myself in order to dare to enter their world. We talk a lot about pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, family life, this new life that is beginning. And their story comes naturally. Because this stage of life, becoming a mother, this “passage,” brings with it so many questions. Talking about it helps us realize that we all go through the same inner journey.
Q. You are a self-taught photographer, initially inspired by your father and then driven by the desire to capture your own children's childhoods. At what moment did you realize this personal passion could become something larger, something you could share with other mothers?
A. Photography has always had a place in my life, and when I had my children, I wanted to create our own memories in turn. I taught myself how to use my first DSLR when my third child was born. I learned with my children. I learned to wait for the beautiful moments. The more photos I took, the more I wanted to take. My eyes turned into a lens, and everything I saw, I imagined as a photograph.
Q. Oeuf is built around the idea that childhood and early family life deserve beauty, care, and intention. How do you think about the role of objects, furniture, spaces, and heirlooms in the stories of motherhood you tell?
A. I am deeply sensitive to places and to their energy. The soul of a place, a home, a bedroom, should feel pleasant, peaceful, and alive, a place where you feel good. When you are pregnant, you prepare the “nest.” You try to create a cocoon full of love. It is part of the process of becoming a parent.
Q. What moved you most in these stories? And despite the uniqueness of each one, did you feel something universal in these testimonies?
A. I am extremely moved by their transparency, by their raw sincerity. It is a difficult subject, one that stirs something in us and touches all of us. Yes, they are clearly universal. We all experience more or less the same doubts and questions. In all of these texts, I saw the infinite resilience of all these mothers.
Q. What was your goal in turning this project into a book?
A. A tribute. My gratitude to all these women, across all generations. To thank them for trusting me completely. That touches me deeply.
De Mère en Mère (From Mother to Mother) is now available for preorder in its English translation. Discover Vanessa Berthe’s intimate exploration of motherhood through honest storytelling and beautifully personal photography.