The Placental Dress

A photo essay on the symbolism of the Tree of Life

Earlier this year, I decoded the symbolism of the Tree of Life, which you can read here. What most of you may not know, is that I am a portrait and fashion photographer by trade. It feels in many ways that I am coming full circle to my entry into photography over 14 years ago. I am completely self taught and at the time I wanted to tell stories through imagery, reimagining fairy tales and folkloric beliefs. One of my very first photo series was “the Elemental Goddesses”, in which I had found 4 models via Model Mayhem website and connected with two local body paint artists, as I wanted their skin to be one with the elements they represented. Over the years, I’ve evolved in my photography skills, but have forgotten about my original intention behind creating imagery, which was to bring to life a story.

It is exactly a year ago I signed up for Substack, as a place where I can consolidate my thoughts on my personal research into historical and esoteric topics. As as result of reading, researching, studying and writing about all these subjects that once interested me as a young teenager, they began to marinate inside of me as narrative imagery. In the last few months of 2024, I began formulating in my head the following visuals, sourcing and assembling all the materials I may need to construct a dress, which I describe as “the placental dress”. This past month, after months of procrastinating making anything, I literally made everything two days before the date of the photoshoot. Months before, as I contemplated who would model this shoot concept, I knew I didn’t want someone too young, as I wanted to draw on the Shamanic Crone vibes, someone older and wiser. Hair was also an important element, as I had written about its symbolism in my very first Substack. Last September I shot this incredible 50+ model for her portfolio, who only began growing her hair past her hips several years before. We had a heartfelt connection shooting together, that I instantly thought of her for this personal project.

The Making Of….

In constructing the dress, I wanted to knot together all the ropes I had dyed red. Once knotted, I then went over them with matching red merino wool to create this threadlike, veined texture over the knotted, serpentine framework of the dress. The knot is in reference to both braiding hair, weaving/ sowing and the knotting of the umbilical cord. After the baby is born, the placenta is delivered; spread out it mirrors the form of the tree from its branches to its roots. In my decode of the Tree of Life symbolism I referenced some ancient customs shared around the globe in regards to the placenta. Such as, the burying of the placenta inside the trunk of a tree, or under the roots of a tree or planting a young tree where the placenta was buried in the ground. This idea of a “family tree” would seem to have its roots in these primeval traditions.

December 2024, dying the rope red.

27th May 2025, I began finalising the headpiece and knot dress

Adding the merino wool to the knotted ropes

Making mess in the backyard, with the birds chirping and the sun blazing on a winter’s day, two days before the actual shoot.

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The colours I used were based on the alchemical colours - red, black and white. In wanting to allude to my protagonist’s rank as a shaman, I needed to create a headpiece. The headpiece for me was not derivative of any tribal headpiece I’ve come across, but was founded on the notion of bringing in yonic symbolism; to connect the mind with the sacral womb. For that reason, I chose the cowrie shell, with its egg shape and yonic slit down its centre. The cowrie shell has been found across the globe, dating back to Palaeolithic times, used in jewellery, ornaments and was used as “shell money”. Interspaced between the cowrie shells, I used some rough red beads (representative of the menstrual and lochial blood) and finished off the tips with red dyed feathers (connecting it back to the bird symbolism in Tree of Life). The word cowrie is derived from the Sanskrit, kaparda (कपर्द), which primarily means a small shell, specifically a cowrie shell, or braided or matted hair. I decided to use face tattoo on the chin, without directly referencing any particular culture, as I wanted to keep the styling of this dress and headpiece, very universal. For that reason, I decided to draw 3 chevrons (V shape) which we find universally in archaeology as indicative of the “pubic triangle”. Again the V is pointing downwards to the vulva, the vagina, as well as could be reiterating the V shape beak of the earliest “bird goddess” forms.

The Location

The deep blood red sap of the Pink Bloodwood, Advancetown, Australia:

Photo by Katriena Emmanuel

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As for the location, I knew in my heart where I wanted to shoot, but as always I like to scope out the location before I finalise it. On 27th May, on a whim, I drove to the Hinze Dam and it turned out to be one of the most transcendental experiences I’ve had, so hard to describe, other than to say the land spoke to me, from the wind, the birds, the trees, it was a chorus! and I received the message loud and clear. In fact, as I walked through the land, I found several trees bleeding ruby-jewel like sap. These are the Pink Bloodwood trees, one of the 3 types of bloodwood trees found on the Eastern Coast of Australia. It was the perfect sign for the placenta dress, to find a “bleeder” tree like a woman bleeds. It was actually after this day, that I finally had the fire in me to stop procrastinating on this concept, and that is when I sprung into action, locking in the model, setting the date to shoot and actually constructing the dress and headpiece. I can feel deep down inside (I always have) that the land near this lake is very special and I have no doubt it was too, for the traditional custodians of the land. I’ve tried my hardest to find out what this particular area was traditionally called by the Kombumerri people, but with no luck. In this respect, I would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of this land, the Kombumerri people, and pay my respects to Elders past and present and thank the land for allowing me to tell a story on it

Ruby red sap of the Pink Bloodwood, Advancetown;

Photo by Katriena Emmanuel

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On the day of the shoot, as Yan and I walked out to the lake and rested our gear on the ground, we were greeted by a very friendly and curious Magpie (I kick myself I did not take a photo or video of him, but he did sneak into one of the shots, as he stayed close to us for the duration of the shoot). Right away, upon being met by that Magpie, Yan and I both had a chuckle at the auspiciousness of it. We had the most glorious weather, brilliant sun on a cool winter’s day. It is here that I will stop rambling on about my process and decisions made in the design and construction of the styling elements of the shoot.

Yan is a practicing Taoist and trees are actually very special to her. It was beautiful to see her be with the tree before I started photographing, as she wanted to introduce herself to the tree and connect with it, before we began.

Yan began moving slowly through some Tai Chi poses, ever so gracefully. This one captured here reminded me of the hermetic principle “as above, so below”

Yan placed her hand on her womb without my prompting, as she understood the brief was about the connection between woman and tree, as givers of life.

Yan placing her hand on her heart, while remaining grounded, seated upon the exposed roots of the tree.

Sitting on the roots of a fallen tree, that is lying on its side.

Can you spot the little Magpie to the right, who was super friendly, upon greeting us on our arrival.

The connection to water, we swim in the amniotic fluids in the womb. The waters burst, preceding the baby’s delivery. We are born from a sea of blood. Hence, why many prehistorical burial sites, often find the skeletons dusted in red ochre, signifying from the tomb back to the womb for rebirth.

I centred Yan between the V shape valley of the mountains. Mountains too hold feminine symbolism, as they rise from the earth like pregnant bellies or bosoms.

Tree Pose

candid moment of Yan sitting with the tree.

Thank you so much Yan for bringing to life my vision through your grace, reverence and natural beauty.

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CREDITS:

Model is Yan of Tamblyn Models

Photography and styling by Katriena Emmanuel.

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Some behind the scenes that I remembered to capture on my iphone

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Thank you, if you’ve made it this far, in reading and viewing my story of the placental dress as it relates to the Tree of Life. Would love to hear your thoughts, ideas and contributions you may have around this topic. Feel free to share your own traditions or customs around the placenta or the Tree of Life.

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