How to prepare for your best maternity photography session
Congratulations! There’s a new little one on the way! I’m so glad that you are thinking about maternity photography to help you document this amazing transition for your family. I may be weird, but the months I was expecting my kids are some of my favorite of my entire life (even the ones when I was so, so sick) because it’s so exciting to think of that new little human who is coming. There are lots of ways a child can become part of a family, and I think they all can/should be documented, so please reach out even if your situation doesn’t include a growing belly or what you might traditionally think of when someone says “maternity” photos. I just know that your future child will love to see a glimpse of the time before they physically entered your family.
What’s your vision?
The first thing to do when preparing your maternity photography session is to decide what kind of session you want. What feels most like you? What have you been dreaming of? There are so many options out there. We’ll plan your maternity session for when you are 32 to 36ish weeks along — far enough into the pregnancy to have a good-sized belly to celebrate and not so far as you’re feeling DONE with the pregnancy thing. Sometimes the season you are in will help determine the look of your session.
When I was dreaming of my fourth baby, I pictured a maternity session bathed in golden light on a mountain in the summer. But when I actually got pregnant, my ideal window for photos was in the dead of winter. I pivoted to a foggy beach and we styled ourselves with warm hats and scarves and boots and layers and it was beautiful, even though it was different from what I’d initially envisioned.
I offer three kinds of locations and each one can have a different feel depending on the season, how we style it, who is involved, and what activities we focus on.
Outdoor maternity photography
This type of session has so many options! Really, we are limited only by our imaginations (and maybe a bit by the weather). I’ve done maternity sessions at the Center for Wooden Boats, using alleys in Seattle and Edmonds, on a river, at the beach, at a frozen lake, in a field of wildflowers; there are so many possibilities!
At-home maternity photography
Maternity sessions at home lend a very personal touch. You’re surrounded by your things, your history, and your future. Maybe you have a nursery you’ve prepared or just a strip of ultrasound photos on the fridge. There’s nowhere as comfortable and potentially intimate as your home. If you have older children, it can be really fun to incorporate activities to do together to show what life is like in this season for your family. Maybe you bake banana bread together, or work on an art project for baby, or just cuddle on the couch and read books.
If it’s just you, or the two of you so far, home is an equally beautiful choice. We can show a cozy Saturday morning in knee socks and a comfy off-the shoulder sweatshirt or something a little more bare if you’d like. Home is great for showing off the belly with lingerie and a light robe or cardigan. And really, we can do that whether you’re a family of two or a family of six.
Another option for the privacy of an at-home session but without having to worry about the light in your home would be to rent a hotel room and do your session there. The bonus is then you and your partner can have a fun little babymoon after I leave! There are some really gorgeous hotels in the Seattle area that would make a great setting for photos.
Studio maternity photography
A studio maternity photography session combines the privacy of an at-home session with the luxury of not having to clean and guaranteed great light. The studio can really be anything you want it to be, but I do love when we can embrace the private nature of the studio and do some more bare belly images. The studio can have a home-like look or we can lean into the studio vibe with backdrops and flowers and things like that.
Wardrobe: styles
It’s completely up to you and your comfort level to decide how much (if any) skin you’d like to show in your images. There are dresses out there specifically designed for maternity photos that allow you to bare the belly when you’d like and cover it up when you’d like, too. Here’s an example of one of those dresses in a studio session.
This dress would be absolutely beautiful outdoors in a field at golden hour or at a beach flying behind her in the wind.
Another cute option for the studio or at home is to do jeans (non-maternity but unbuttoned) and a cute bra/bralette or cropped top and maybe a cardigan.
For clients who are more comfortable with bare, my favorite option is pretty lingerie with a cardigan or silky, light-weight robe. This works great at home and in the studio and is a fabulous way to celebrate the pregnancy.
If you aren’t wanting bare belly photos, that’s great, too! One option is a LONG flowy dress, especially lovely in outdoor settings. We’ll use your hands to hold the fabric under your belly to show your shape and the rest of the skirt can add movement to your images.
Another choice would be a very fitted dress, long or short (though keep in mind our legs and ankles often get a little puffy in that last trimester, so if that is an issue for you go for a longer dress). I love getting to document your shape this way and it works for just about any location.
If dresses aren’t your thing or you just want to add some variety to your session, unbuttoned jeans or leggings with a form-fitting tank or shirt can be super cute. Really, the goal is for you to feel confident and like yourself (your pregnant self, at least) in whatever you wear. Remember that I’m always here to help advise and guide you if you are feeling overwhelmed or confused about what to wear.
Wardrobe: guiding principles
Whatever you choose, you’ll want to follow some guiding principles to make sure your images are cohesive and harmonious and work with your chosen setting. Most likely you’ll be including at least your partner in this session, and in lots of cases you may have children to style, too.
When choosing colors for your wardrobe, I recommend starting with what colors you feel amazing in, considering how those colors will look in your chosen session location, and then finding your outfit first. Then include 2 to 4 colors that work with your dominant color for other members of the family. You’re creating a palette and it’s important that you stick to that palette when choosing clothes for everyone else. If you are shooting in a forest, I’d recommend avoiding large amounts of green in your palette. If you’ll be in an urban setting, you may want to avoid large amounts of gray. We want you to harmonize or pop in your setting, but not blend in to the background completely.
Patterns are ok in moderation, but too much (or too TINY of a pattern) can be really distracting. I recommend a maximum of two patterns per every three people, but less is great, too. We don’t want pattern to be the first thing you see when looking at your images, so super busy patterns and super dominating patterns are probably best for another time.
A maternity session is best kept on the simple side. If you have a voluminous statement gown, that’s fun, but everyone else should be pretty simply dressed so they aren’t competing with you.
Wardrobe: the don’ts
Shirts with graphics (except in rare occasions, like if you’re at home wearing a cropped concert T) or logos should be avoided for everyone.
Don’t put everyone in matching polo shirts (this is my personal bias, but I don’t love polo shirts at all) and khaki pants. We want everyone to coordinate, not match exactly.
Don’t forget to pay attention to footwear. Avoid dirty shoes, running shoes, shoes that don’t work with your carefully chosen outfits. Going barefoot is often preferred to ugly shoes. And if we will have to walk a ways to your shooting location, consider bringing a comfy pair of shoes and then change into your cute ones when we get there.
Wardrobe: hair, makeup, and nails
A professional photo session is a great excuse to get your hair and makeup professionally done. This will take so much stress off your plate (especially if you have kids to get ready, too) and will give you a fabulous boost of confidence. I have referrals to give if you don’t have your own HMUA and they’ll come to your home to get you photo-ready.
If you’re doing your own makeup, maybe go a little heavier than you would for your day to day look. Match your makeup to your wardrobe. If you’re going formal, makeup should reflect that. If you are casual at home, a more natural look is called for (but don’t skip it completely — a little semi-sheer foundation and lip gloss can go a long way).
And pay attention to your hands and nails. I highly recommend a neutral-colored manicure. Your hands will definitely get some photo-love and you don’t want to look at your images and wish your hands looked a little more polished. At the very least, moisturize your hands well before the session.
Wardrobe: the partner
We want your partner’s wardrobe to be on a similar level of formality as yours. If you are at home in a bra and cardigan, your partner can wear something equally casual; maybe they could wear a tee and joggers. If you are in a flowing maternity gown in a field of wildflowers, a partner could do a short or long-sleeved button down (maybe with long sleeves rolled up to expose forearms) and pants. I’m thinking along the lines of a casual beach wedding. If you are wearing jeans and a bra in the studio, maybe a partner would wear a fitted tee and jeans as well. We just want to avoid mix-matched scenarios with one partner being dressed way more casually or more dressy than the other. The same would go for children in your session.
Other ways to prepare for maternity photography
After you’ve chosen you location, your style of session, and your wardrobe, what’s left? Not a lot! Mostly, just prepare your minds to go into the session ready to laugh, to snuggle, to be open to whatever turn the day may take. If you have kids who will join us, commit to being playful and loving and forget about any kind of discipline during the session. I’ve dealt with kids of all ages, and I can handle just about ANYTHING. Nothing kills a loving family vibe quicker than a child being reprimanded while we’re shooting. Just relax and smile through whatever happens.
My goal for your maternity session is for you to feel beautiful while we’re shooting and in your resulting images. There’s something so special about this season of life (speaking as someone who has done it four times) and I want you to have these images to look back on when you can’t remember what it felt like to have a baby growing in your belly. I know it’s hard to believe, but it really does fade away over the years. I’m so glad you’ve decided to preserve it in photos.
And of course after your maternity session comes the newborn session! Here’s a link to a blog I’ve written all about my lifestyle newborn sessions:
What is a lifestyle newborn session?
And if you are wondering how to prepare for your newborn session, here’s another blog post for you:
How to prepare for your lifestyle newborn session
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