the moody doula
A Year in Cycles: The Moody Doula and the Wheel of the Year
Some projects stay with you forever. My year-long collaboration with The Moody Doula was one of the most transformative creative journeys I’ve ever experienced. Together, we explored the menstrual cycle as an allegory for the pagan wheel of the year, capturing the shifting seasons and the deep meanings they hold.
The project spanned an entire year, with each holiday marked by a photoshoot that embodied the spirit of that time and its connection to the cycle. We began on local farms in the tender light of early spring, where new growth mirrored the fresh beginnings of the follicular phase. Summer brought us into fields bursting with flowers and alive with the hum of bees, echoing the vibrancy of ovulation. We swam in cool, late-summer waters, a moment of reflection and joy before the turning of the seasons.
As autumn arrived, the shoots became moody and introspective. Blustery cliff sides and moss-laden forests symbolized the luteal phase, a time of transformation and release. And finally, we ended in winter’s stark beauty, standing in a snowy graveyard. It was a powerful representation of menstruation—a time for rest, renewal, and honoring what has passed.
Not only did this project push us creatively, but it also deepened my relationship with one of the most inspiring and artistic individuals I’ve had the honor to work with. The Moody Doula brings a level of care and intention to her work that mirrors the beauty we sought to capture in every frame. Her practice as a doula in Seattle is grounded in the same cyclical wisdom that guided this project, and it was a privilege to document her artistry in this way.
This collaboration was more than a series of photoshoots—it was a celebration of the seasons of life, a reminder of the interconnectedness between nature and our bodies, and a chapter in my creative journey that I will forever hold close to my heart.
Explore The Moody Doula’s work: themoodydoula.com
