In every maternity photo shoot, there are certain things to consider before anything else. To help with your planning, we put together our answers to some frequently-asked-questions from moms looking to have their maternity photos with us.
Remember these things to make your photo session run smoother and much more comfortable. Pro tip! Bookmark this article so you don’t forget them.
Pick the perfect timing
When should you schedule your maternity photo session? It might seem like the answer is obvious, but timing it can be tricky as pregnancy is different for every mom. Schedule your maternity shoot when your belly is big enough to give the full effect in photos, but not so big that it makes you uncomfortable.
For most, we recommend scheduling your photo session between 30 and 34 weeks of pregnancy, or right around the start of your eighth month. If you want to use your photos for your baby shower invitation, you can take them as early as 28 weeks, but you may want to wait until your belly looks full and round.
If you are having twins or triplets (or more), we recommend taking photos in your second trimester. Your belly will begin looking fuller earlier, and you will most likely start feeling uncomfortable sooner as well.
We want moms to enjoy this experience and not have a hard time getting around, so picking the perfect time for your photo shoot is important.
Book photo sessions ahead
Do you need to book photo sessions ahead? The answer is yes. Moms have a lot of preparing to do for the birth of their child itself. Booking the photo session in advance lets an expecting mother physically and mentally prepare for it. You will also have ample time to arrange everything you need prior to the photo shoot.
Select your maternity session concept
It is also best to have a maternity photo concept in mind before the shoot. Decide what kind of photos you would like to see and what kind of photo shoot you would like to experience. Do you want an intimate studio photo shoot or an epic outdoor photo session? Perhaps, a combination of both?
We offer photography sessions in our studio, on-location, or a mix of those two. We have several options for background settings in our studio, as well as outfits and photo props. If you are looking to have a natural backdrop, we love to recommend amazing locations for your maternity shoot so please reach out to discuss.
Watch out for our next blog where we will discuss more maternity photo session concepts!
Prepare for the style you want
You have picked the right schedule and has booked the session. You also have an idea what kind of photo shoot you want to do. Now, what do you wear to match this concept? Or better yet, how should you prepare for it?
When you book your maternity photo session with us, we do a consultation about hair, makeup, and clothes. We will recommend a hair stylist, makeup artist, and online dress shops either for rental or purchase. We also have a work station for hair and make-up, as well as a fitting room. You can see the working station in the video below.
Plan what kind of clothes you would like to wear. Prepare 2-3 outfits for the shoot. We may or may not have time for all of them, but it’s great to have options as we try different poses and backdrops. Layout your choices and see how they fit together. Make sure your outfits are pretty different so we have a lot of variety in your final photos.
Here’s another pro tip! Pinterest is a great platform to mix and match style ideas. Create a board and see your concepts take shape.
Ultimately, we want you to have fun while doing the photo shoot so be sure to prepare clothes that are comfortable for moving around.
Curate your maternity photos
This is more of a post-processing for your maternity photographs. So, how long does it take before you get the photos?
About 2 to 3 weeks after your session, we will invite you to our studio for a Selecting + Curating Session where you can select your favorite images and order prints. If you provide us an image of your home, we will create a design mock-up of our different wall art sizes and styles to best fit your space. Your products will be ready for pick-up within 2 to 6 weeks, depending on what you order.
Seeing the joy in every mom and dad as they gaze upon their final photos is such a heartwarming moment for us.
Remember these 5 things for an effortless photo shoot. A maternity session might seem like a daunting task but with enough planning, things will surely run smoothly.