Creative Mothers is Dunja Opalko’s tender portrayal of balancing parenthood and work

“Finding the time and headspace to create while tending to the vast and varied needs of children is not for the fainthearted,” says Dunja Opalko. The London-based photographer built a successful career shooting for publications like Monocle, Wallpaper*, and ES Magazine, but when she became a mother in June 2020, everything shifted; her body and mind, her sense of time and priorities. As she went back to work, she realised the challenges of running a creative business alongside parenting full time. With the aim to connect with other mothers, she began to reach out to women in similar positions.

The result is Creative Mothers, a soft and reflective series that invites viewers into the homes of various London-based creatives, like artist Laxmi Hussain, journalist Charlotte Jansen, and perfumer Maya Njie. While the premise of the series came from feelings of uncertainty and stress, the images are opposite: tender, calm, and celebratory. “Something inside me drives me to capture moments of stillness in busy environments,” Dunja reflects. “I wanted this series to have a warm and editorial-like feel to it and to give it space to unfold naturally.”

Dunja always shoots by herself and with just one camera so as to immerse herself in each family’s environment. “Having my daughter taught me that you have got to go with the flow,” she says, “so I take it easy and let the kids be kids.” Her approach is intuitive, finding the best natural light and respecting the organic atmosphere of each home. Many images capture the subtle intersections of family and professional life, like a work-in-progress blurred in the back of a portrait, a desk cluttered with pens and notepads, or floor-to-ceiling collections of art books.

The series brings to light how these careers do not necessarily have to clash with the responsibilities of parenthood. In fact, they complement each other. In the accompanying interviews, participants reveal that while juggling both is challenging, both have a positive impact on one another.

“Having a baby gives you a major reality check,” says set designer Amy Friend. “What I thought was super important and stressful has shifted. I have a better sense of perspective, which allows me to just get on with my job and not feel the pressure in such an emotional way. It makes me calmer and a lot less anxious day to day.” Charlotte Jansen, a writer, curator and mother to three children, agrees: “Kids have made me more conscious of protecting my space, my time, and well-being,” she says.

It’s been three years since Dunja started the series, and she hopes her images will inspire other women who are navigating similar situations. Eventually, she’ll create an exhibition and book, with each creative’s story told in depth. “We often see these women portrayed through the work lens, I aim to add their motherly tenderness and strength to their portraits,” says Dunja. Most importantly, Creative Mothers opens up a space for reflection. It celebrates the resilience of women in all professions who balance dual roles, and the myriad of new perspectives that parenting can bring.