How To Prepare For Your Maternity Photoshoot. Tips, Tricks, & Wardrobe.

Congratulations!

You are experiencing one of the most magical moments a human can experience. Life is literally forming inside of you. That’s incredible! This is definitely a bookmark moment in your life that should be celebrated and documented, but let’s take that one step further and capture this in the form of beautiful artwork that will be cherished by you and generations to come.

But wait a minute…

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Before the big day of your photoshoot, let’s go over a few frequently asked questions.

I’ll help you with how/when to book your shoot and prepare for it, as well as some concept/wardrobe ideas.

By the end of this blog post you should feel less overwhelmed, your mind should be put to ease a lot more, and you have more of an idea on what to do and what to expect.

Let’s jump right in…

+Booking Your Maternity Photo Session

Don’t wait until the last minute to book.

The earlier you get your date secured, the better. A lot of photographers’ calendars fill up quickly and further in advance than you would think. So you’ll want to reach out and get your ideal date booked, especially if you have a specific photographer that you’d like to work with.

The best time to schedule your session for would be between 25 and 30 weeks.

This way you have that adorable baby bump to show off but you aren’t necessarily to that point where you’re tired and uncomfortable and don’t feel like doing a whole lot.

+Choose your photographer wisely.

This is one of those times in your life when there are no do-overs. It’s imperative that you choose a photographer that best fits your quality, budget, and creative needs. Everyone's dream photoshoot is different so you'll want to go over all of your photo must have’s, as well as what you are or are not comfortable with. I.e. nude or implied nude photos.

You will also want to be sure and mention any physical restrictions or concerns that you have so that a photographer can let you know if they are able to accommodate them or not.

For example, I had one client that had a high-risk pregnancy. She was told by her doctor to stay at home and on bed rest as much as possible. To accommodate her, I packed up my mobile studio set-up and brought the studio to her!

I set up everything right in her basement and she still got the studio-look photos that she wanted even though it was too risky for her to actually leave and go to a studio. I also made it a mental note to have her rest for a few minutes a few times throughout the shoot so that she was not overworked.

Keep in mind a photographer’s signature style when booking with them.

If you see that most of their work is edited one way, but you want your photos edited a different way, it is best to just find another photographer that typically edits in the way that you are looking for. For instance, if you are looking for light & bright photos with vibrant colors I wouldn’t recommend trying to book with a photographer whose photos are typically dark & moody with slightly desaturated colors and dark shadows.

There are some photographers who straddle the fence and do a mix of both styles, depending on the mood of the shoot and the personality of the client. Hi, hello. My name is Bridgid and I am one of those types of photographers :)

If you aren’t totally sure about a photographer’s style ask them to show you an entire gallery of one of their previous maternity sessions. Looking at a gallery in its entirety, rather than 1 or 2 epic shots that are posted on social media, will give you more of an idea of what to expect from a specific photographer.

Your session is booked! Now what?

The real fun starts now. We get to plan a concept for your photoshoot that will fit your personality and mood the best. Do you want your photos to have a candid lifestyle feel? Do you want your photos to look more like fine art? Do you want a more editorial, Vogue-ish type of look? When considering all of this, you’ll also want to consider how you want to enjoy these photos. Do you just want photos to be able to post on social media or are you going to want to give them physical life and use them as wall art in your home or print them out in an album that you can show to guests?

If you’re thinking you’ll want some photos up on your wall in your home or the nursery you might want to consider the decor style of the space. Coordinating with the decor style of your space will ensure that your photos will fit right in as if they were always there. For instance, if your nursery will be pink with butterflies and fairies maybe you want to incorporate something like that into a few of your photos as well.

Pamper yourself. You deserve.

A few other quick tips:

Be sure to stay hydrated the whole week leading up to your shoot. I even recommend drinking a few bottle waters like Essentia or Body Armour 2 days before.
Wax or shave away any body hair that you don’t want to show in your photos.
Try to take it easy and get plenty of rest the day before so that you are refreshed and ready to go for your day. Maybe even treat yourself with a relaxing face mask.

Choosing what to wear.

Take time to have a little “try-on” session at home and see how a few different things feel on you. See how you like flowy vs form-fitting, and play with different looks. Your photographer may be able to help you out as well.

Included in my maternity sessions are wardrobe consulting and client closet & accessories. Our studio has gowns, dresses, jewelry & headpieces, as well as posing fabrics that you automatically have access to during your maternity session.

Undergarments to bring for dresses, gowns, and posing fabric would be skin-colored, white, and black bra and panties, and skin-colored pasties.

A few suggestions

For a unique look to your photos, try thinking outside the box of the typical. A few different ideas for wardrobe would be robes, gowns, two-piece outfits, bodysuits, stylized pasties, body jewelry, or even trousers and an open blazer.

Don’t limit yourself by only looking for clothes under the “maternity” section at a store. As long as it’s stretchy enough or has room for your bump, it’ll work!

Just keep in mind, when ordering online, allow plenty of time for shipping.

Follow this Pinterest board for unique outfit inspiration.

Maternity Photoshoot Outfit Ideas and Inspo

Some websites to check out:

On the day of,

Wear non-greasy lotion a few hours before and avoid clothes with elastic bands that will leave marks on your skin (this goes for hair ties on your wrists, too).

Be sure to pack plenty of snacks and water.

Maternity,

Tips