Celebrate the beauty and power of motherhood with professional maternity photos! Whether it's your first pregnancy or the latest addition to your growing family, having a studio maternity session is a unique way to document your journey. If you're new to the experience, you might wonder what goes into preparing for a session. Here’s a helpful guide of everything you'll need to know to get the most out of your studio maternity photo shoot and create lasting memories.
Know What Week to Schedule Your Maternity Photo Session
The earlier you book your session, the better. You’ll want to schedule your maternity session somewhere between 12 and 16 weeks, around when you find out the sex of your baby. Especially if you have a specific photographer you want to work with, booking as early as possible is essential to ensure they will be available.
Book your studio session for your third trimester
Regarding studio maternity photos, scheduling them around the third trimester— between 28 and 32 weeks—is ideal. This is when your baby bump will be most prominent, and you'll still have ease in finding comfortable poses. Although you can book sessions later in the pregnancy, it's possible that posing and remaining standing for long periods may become more difficult as time goes on.
Talk to your photographer about your desires for what you want to do with your images.
Every photographer is different, and every mom-to-be is different as well. If there are specific images you want—or don’t want—be sure to let your photographer know. Talk to your photographer about what you want to do with your pictures. Would you like your maternity photos in an album or a story wall with your pregnancy as part of your family portraits? Thinking about how you want to live with your images makes it easier for future sessions. Planning with your photographer now takes the guesswork out of getting your portraits of your family later.
Choose what to wear
Now is the time for you to feel beautiful and highlight your baby. Your clothing should show off your baby bump and is comfortable enough for you to move around.
Some maternity photographers will have clothing options for you. Talk to your photographer beforehand, so you don't have to go and buy something new.
Some clothing options may be wraps instead of dresses and can be beautiful too!
Knowing what you want to do with your images also helps your clothing choices. You may wish for your maternity session to be more fantasy. In that case, elaborate dresses with ruffles or long trains will give your images a fairy-tale feel. Or you may want a more timeless and modern look to your pictures. Your clothing choices will be centered around you and the baby, not an elaborate dress.
Another critical piece of your clothing is undergarments. To ensure you have the proper undergarments, you’ll want to go with bras & underwear that are flesh-toned.
For example, if you’re wearing a white dress, you don’t want to wear dark panties that will show through the fabric. Choose bras that are supportive & seamless (no bra lines or panty lines).
You and your baby bump will be the primary focus of your images, so you don’t want to wear any bright colors or loud patterns that will distract from you. Instead, stick with neutral colors and jewel tones that look great with any background and skin tone. If you want more information about what colors to wear, check out my blog post on Creating the Perfect Look for Your Family’s Portrait Session.
Working with your photographer on the look and intention of your images will guarantee that you will get the right wardrobe for your maternity session.
Pamper yourself
Momma, you are making a person. How incredible! This maternity session is about you and this miraculous being inside you. You're building brains and lungs and all things amazing. So you are tired and should be, and that's to be expected. Consider treating yourself to getting your hair and makeup done. That way, you can sit back, be pampered, and feel even more beautiful during your session. If you don’t have a make-up artist or hair stylist, reach out to your photographer and find out if they have any recommendations. Sometimes they can build that into the cost of your session and maybe get it set up for you. It just depends on how your photographer works.
You’ll also want a manicure, as your image will feature your hands like that cute pose of you holding your belly. You don't want to have chipped polish or dirt underneath your fingernails.
Make sure that you have your hands look beautiful and moisturized so that they're nice and plump and not dry and flaky.
Your toes & feet should also look attractive because they may be in your images too. Plus, a pedicure always feels good when you are carrying another human.
Get plenty of rest the night before. I know it can be hard to get decent sleep during pregnancy, but if you can, go to bed early and get a full night’s sleep. That way, you’ll be refreshed and relaxed at your session the next day.
Do some light stretching beforehand because you will pose in ways that don't feel normal but look fabulous on camera.
Stay hydrated—and don’t skip breakfast. Drinking plenty of water before and during your session is critical. And even if you have a case of nerves, be sure to eat breakfast before your session. Hydrated skin will look fresh, and staying hydrated will keep your energy up throughout the day.
Pack a bag of extra snacks and any other items you may need throughout your maternity shoot. Choose snacks that won’t stain or get caught in your teeth.
A little TLC (tender loving care) for yourself is the perfect way to look lovely in your photos.
Decide who to bring with you
Your family members are welcome at your maternity session, especially if you want to include your spouse or other children. Knowing what you want to do with your images is the catalyst for helping you to coordinate and pre-plan your wardrobe with your family members. If you are doing a story wall, make sure you dress cohesively. This will ensure that your future home decor tells a story that is a stunning representation of your family.
For example, you can start with maternity photos and grow with a collection of images with a unified color pallet and style for your home decor, including newborn photos, toddler photos, and family.
Planning for an album gives you more flexibility in clothing choices and images. You can include a plan for an album series too! For example, you could invest in a three-book series of the baby as they grow. Albums could include your baby’s story, like the baby's first word, favorite toy, the nickname you gave them, etc. An album series can make your family story more personalized and funny; harmonized clothing isn’t as imperative. However, coordinating your album with a wall gallery is always lovely.
Contact me if you are ready to create a visual story of your family, starting with maternity images. Simply Pure Family Photos by Courtney Ranck-Copher Photography
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