We’ve seen photographer Claire McCormack Hogan’s mouthwatering photos of food in the pages of Southern Living, American Way and Wine Enthusiast Magazine, but we wanted to get to know the woman behind the lens, so we sat down with Claire McCormack Hogan in her Dallas home to chat about life as a family with Charlotte, then a 6-month-old, and husband Ben, vice president of Boston-based tech company Catelas. The photog, who today is a mom of three, spilled on everything from embracing first-time motherhood to making marriage a priority in the daze of 3am diaper changes.
Note: This interview was originally published in March 2015.
DFWChild: You’ve had a lot of success in a short period of time. Tell me about your career.
CMH: Six months after graduating college, I walked away from my corporate job and started doing photography. Three years in, I decided to do all food. I’ve been doing it five years and it’s a really ideal job to have with a family.
C: Do you consider yourself a foodie?
CMH: Probably not, to be honest. I love it, but because I’m in restaurants all day, it’s nice to come home. We have a lot of dinner parties here. If we go out, I usually go to my clients’ restaurants.
C: How was your pregnancy?
CMH: Pregnancy was great. I love being pregnant. Being fit was a huge part of that. I ran until she was too big and did Pilates the whole time. I think because I felt so good that was a huge gift. I loved every bit of being pregnant.
C: Tell me about seeing Charlotte for the first time.
CMH: It was amazing. We didn’t find out what we were having, so it was different. Meeting her was just surreal. I felt like time totally stopped. Having them place her on my chest and say it was a girl was just incredible. I thought I was having a boy the whole time, so it was really surprising.
“My Instagram account has turned into a lot of Charlotte versus hamburgers.”
C: How does the reality of motherhood compare to any expectations you may have had?
CMH: I think it’s been really great. I didn’t know what to expect. I expected I would really enjoy it. There’s the reality of crying in the middle of the night and having throw up running down your back and baby poop everywhere. All those things are real, but it’s been surreal that you bring this person into the world and you love them as much as you do.
C: Anything that’s surprised you about life with a newborn?
CMH: I loved my sleep beforehand, so it amazes me how I can function on such little sleep these days. And I think it’s amazing to see my husband with her. It’s sweet to see how relaxed he is. I feel like when you have a baby you go underwater and see this whole other world.
C: How has your marriage evolved?
CMH: It’s been good. I think we’ve learned to patiently talk through things when there’s conflict or exhaustion. You really have to reevaluate how you handle your marriage. Luckily, we agree a lot on parenting and how we want to parent. It’s definitely easy to feel exhausted and be short. You just have to be mindful of those things.
C: Was there a moment when it really hit you that you’re a mom?
CMH: It was in the moments at 3am when it was just the three of us — those quiet moments when it just kind of stops you. We go-go-go a lot. And we love that. It’s in the stillness that we’re able to stop and reflect. It’s the smaller things that stand out to me.
C: As a photographer do you take more photos of her than the average parent?
CMH: Yes and no. I have the ability to pull out my big camera and use it, but I probably don’t as much as I should because it’s work in a sense to me. I take a lot on my iPhone. My Instagram account has turned into a lot of Charlotte versus hamburgers.
C: Has it been a struggle to figure work back in?
CMH: It has. I love what I do, but at the same time I love being a mom. I think my heart wants to be with her and my mind knows that I love what I do and when I’m there I really enjoy it. It’s a hard balance, but it’s a good one. It keeps me on my toes.
C: Any words of advice for expecting moms?
CMH: Just give yourself grace. A really big thing I can’t stress enough is to be healthy in your pregnancy. Exercise goes a long way. It’s a physical thing your body’s going through. To feel healthy is a great thing.
This interview was originally published in March 2015.
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