The paternity photo shoot you've got to see

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posted in Pregnancy

You’ve heard of a paternity suit, but this is a paternity shoot. A dad named Paco with an awesome sense of humor collaborated with his photographer friend in Spain, Martyn Wilkes, to create these tongue-in-cheek images that satirize the maternity photos we are so used to seeing.

“I had been shooting quite a few maternity sessions back to back and wanted to do something a bit crazy,” Wilkes explained to BabyCenter. “Paco is a family friend and everyone had always joked about his beer belly and that he could pass as being pregnant.”

So, the dad-of-two donned a flower crown, a flowing skirt, a bandeau top, and a painted belly, and had a ball while Wilkes snapped away. In fact, as the photographer told us, the dad-of-two was 100 percent game for a paternity shoot when Wilkes put the idea out to him.

“As long as I supplied beer during the prep and shoot,” he joked.

There’s an explanation behind the name Noelia painted on Paco’s tummy. It all began over two decades ago when his second daughter was born.

“Paco was sent to register the new baby’s name, but stopped off for a ‘few’ beers on the way, and ended up having one too many, and ended up scribbling what appeared to be Natalia on the form, not Noelia,” Wilkes relayed.

“So he chose the name Noelia to be painted on his stomach.”

This paternity photo shoot was also a sort of mea culpa to Paco’s wife. Wilkes told us she found it very funny, as did most people once the shoot went viral last year. But not everyone enjoyed the parody. “To my surprise, some people were actually offended by it!” the photographer told BabyCenter. “[They suggested] I was making fun of actual pregnant women!”

To those folks, I would say, lighten up! Laugh!

Paco’s contemplative look in these photos is what I love the most.

Hey listen, being pregnant and being a parent will bring you many moments of worry and pain. If you can have a bit of fun along the journey, what’s the harm in that?