Things to Consider when Booking your Maternity Session
- The best time to have your maternity session is somewhere after the beginning of your six month and before the beginning of your last month. In the third trimester your belly bump will be the most developed making for wonderfully evocative pictures. Booking before the beginning of your last month helps to make sure you won’t go into premature labor and miss out on some tokens of the wonderful memories you have developed while you were waiting on baby and leaves us a little time to reschedule if you aren’t feeling up to par on the day of shooting.
- What to wear? This is a big question for a lot of expectant mothers. First off don’t wear anything too tight that’s gonna leave marks on your skin, some elastic waistbands, or too tight bras for instant. Secondly Do wear something that is form fitting, (I know a delicate balancing act). You still have a beautiful figure centered around that belly, why not show it off. Just because your pregnant doesn’t mean you can’t be a little sexy too. So no big sweaters, no bulky tshirts, no moo moos ;) Color wise, its always a good idea to have something in black. Black is very flattering and unless your are a woman of color it makes for a fabulous contrast against the skin, really drawing the eye to your baby bump, which is the center of the whole maternity session. Solid colors are usually more photographically appealing, and depending on what style you are going for, subdued colors bespoke elegance and sacredness, move vivid colors invoke vitality and energy. Also make sure you have something that will really allow the belly bump to show, either a shirt that can rolled up and under, a tubetop, a pretty bra, a robe, your husband’s unbuttoned dress shirt, etc. The most important thing to remember when choosing your clothes for a maternity session is comfort. We aren’t going to get the most magical shot if you're squirming in uncomfortable clothes.
- Who and What to include in your shoot? The answer to this question is simple, anyone you want. Obviously a significant other is a wonderful choice to include, you’re bringing this new life into the world together aren’t you? They’re going to have some pretty big emotions going on too. Why not capture it? Any previous children are also a wonderful idea. They are usually curious and excited about the new baby and it really shows off the family dynamics. These are the usual subjects, but why not include the family pet? Your mother or father? Your siblings? Can you imagine the feeling you will get when you look at a picture that has the baby bump, you, your mother, and your grandmother. Amazing!
- The what to include is a little more difficult. A lot of women would like a picture of the nursery before baby gets there and ‘messy’s’ it up. What about the food you’ve been craving? Or the outfit you plan on taking the baby home with. Baby booties, baby gloves. The baby’s name spelled out in blocks. Your sonogram. But you don’t have to limit it to just baby stuff, what about a favorite hobby?
- The place: Again comfort is of the upmost importance. Usually a woman is most comfortable in her own home. This a wonderful place to have pictures, in a favorite chair, in the nursery, on the front porch, looking out the window, all wonderful images. Very evocative and emotive. And just because we shoot in your home doesn’t mean we have to sacrafice the studio style shoots. We’ll bring along a couple of backdrops and props, and make it one less trip you have to make.
- In contrast having some of your shots outdoors would be a wonderful idea. The colors of the season are all around you, making a permanent impression on exactly when you were pregnant, was it summer, fall, winter? Also a pregnant woman is a thing of natural beauty why not add the beauty of nature to your shoot.
- Again with the place we have to talk about being comfortable. Are you going to be comfortable baring your belly outside, even if its in your own backyard? People, lookie -loos, love a pregnant woman. I bet you’ve had strangers coming up to you at the grocery store for weeks or longer now. Unless the spot is secluded the addition of a photographer is surely going to attract some attention. Is that ok?
- The last big consideration is the type of poses you’re going to want. Some women only want fully clothed pictures, no belly bump skin showing at all. Some women are more than happy to show off the belly but nothing more. Some like the idea of semi-nudes, where strategic placement of garments hides your ‘naughty bits’, or they’re wearing nothing but pretty lingerie. And lastly some ladies like to go al natural for their shoot, using the placement of their legs, arms, hair, to hide what they don’t want showing. Make sure you talk to your photographer about what kind of poses you want to do. Some photographers are not going to be comfortable doing nudes, just like some women aren’t going to be comfortable stripping down for their photographer. Think about it, and never ever do anything you aren’t comfortable with. A suggestion is just a suggestion, you’re paying for this shoot, its your decision.
- The last thing I want to add is to think ahead of time what kind of pictures you want. Have samples of images you like on hand, either from an internet, book, another customer's photographs. Talk to your photographer let them know what you want out of the shoot. Our goal is to make you happy while taking the best possible picture. And we’ll be taking A LOT of pictures!
- And don't schedule anything right after your shoot, it may take longer than expected and rushing never takes good pictures. We want to be able to take our time, take breaks when you get tired, have a snack if you get hungry, etc.
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