What a great topic for today’s blog. You can go through the two previous posts as well that cover newborn and family photoshoots. I don’t like repeating ideas from blog to blog, so if you feel I missed something here, head on over to our website and read the other blogs (with a nice cup of coffee in a cozy spot!)! There are some great tips that can be used for your maternity photoshoot. Here, I will go through some ideas to help plan better. Firstly, I would like you to ask yourself why you are looking to have this session. What does it mean to you? Will you be using these for your pregnancy announcement? Will you be printing these for the baby’s nursery? Who will be present during the photoshoot? Asking yourself these questions will make communicating your expectations to the photographer easier. I’ll go through other things to consider before booking your maternity session.

Choosing a location.

When choosing the perfect location for your portraits, the first thing you will have to decide is, will it be inside or outside or even both. If you want to do both, I would recommend booking a 2 hour time frame to be able to change location and clothing if you desire. It doesn’t have to be on the same day either. You could book one hour 1 day at home with your family and another day outside with maybe only yourself or with your partner. Sometimes choosing is hard. If you already know you will be booking an at home newborn photoshoot, having a maternity session outside could be a great compromise. It depends also if the weather permits. For outdoor locations I can suggest different spots around your region or you can request a sentimental site that is special to your family. Other things to keep in mind are, certain locations are not accessible during high season and you might have to ask permission to access a private property. I know it’s a lot to think about, but I’m here to help!

What to wear.

I’ve covered this topic before, but I can definitely give you a quick resume here. Clothing will depend on where you choose to have your photoshoot and what season it will take place. A simple top with jeans, a flowy dress or fun accessories are all great options for Spring and Summer sessions. A sweater with cute boots and warm add-ons are best for Fall and Winter sessions. To create variety in your photos, simply bring a vest, a scarf, a hair elastic, etc. anything that can quickly be changed and will give us different textures and colors. If you would like to show off your beautiful belly, a stretchy shirt that can go up easily and pants without an elastic band will be your best bet. When I shoot at home sessions, I often get clients who ask for more intimate photos. For example, a bra and pants for the mother and pants only for your partner to show more skin. If you need any inspiration, have a look at popular apps and search for ideas for your maternity session.

Are you bringing props?

Props are so fun and totally welcome! Let me know before we start which props you would like incorporated. My favorites are, an u/s photo, a chalkboard frame, a newborn pajama, booties, a stuffed toy, blocks with the baby’s name, etc. We can also incorporate the same items if you decide to book a newborn session. If you would like to make your session into a gender reveal, then you could bring a blue and pink balloon, prepare cupcakes with the color of the gender inside, bring a smoke bomb, have yourself and partner paint your hands to reveal on your belly the color, bring confetti, etc. Whatever you have in mind, let’s chat!

Learning to pose.

Before your maternity photoshoot, I invite you to go through our portfolio and any other online source that will offer you ideas on how to pose. There are some pretty basic poses that we can rotate between and I can take shots in different angles or at a different distance. For example, hands on top of the belly, at the bottom, one hand on top and one at the bottom, hand on your back, etc. If your partner, children or pet are included in the session at least you will know what to do with your hands and I can direct everyone around you. If you are still flexible, we can take sitting down portraits as well. We will take our time to set up a pose and I will be there to help you move (a.k.a get back up!). The comfort of the mother is an important factor for me.

CL