Huge congrats on your pregnancy! I’m sure you have a mile long to-do list as you prepare to bring your little one into the world. A maternity photo session may not seem like an important item on your to-do list but maternity photos are a perfect way to remind you of the power and beauty of your body as well as this special time for you and your husband as a couple. You deserve to have this time in your life captured to celebrate with your partner and family the absolute joy of bringing a new baby into your life.

If you’ve never had a maternity session before or have never worked with a full-service photographer before, you may not know what to expect. So I have put together this guide with everything you need to know to make the most of your session and get images you adore.

When to Schedule

The earlier you book your session the better. Especially when working with a luxury, full-service photographer. Not only to ensure the photographer you love has availability but because it takes your luxury photographer time to plan and style a maternity session.

• Book somewhere around 20 weeks
• The best time to schedule your photo session is in your third trimester, between 28 and 32 weeks.

At this point in your pregnancy your bump will be showing well and will look great in photos, and you will still be able to move around and pose comfortably. I avoid doing maternity sessions late in a pregnancy because not only is there a good chance you will be uncomfortable in a dress and standing for photos, but there’s also a chance you will have your baby early or be put on bedrest and miss your session completely!

Choose The Right Maternity Photographer For You

First important requirement you should have is that you choose a photographer that specializes in maternity photography. Styling and posing a pregnant body is very different than posing a bride. A photographer that specializes in maternity and/or motherhood sessions such as family and newborn is your best bet.

Other things to ask yourself when looking through possible photographers for your maternity session:

• Do you want a professional photographer or a luxury (full-service) professional photographer? The difference comes down to a few things. The images from a luxury photographer are prepared for high end printing and retouched perfectly. A full-service photographer typically offers more services such as a client closet, has studio offerings, works with a professional hair and makeup artist, offers print design, provides a line of exclusive professional print products. Is the higher price point worth the full service experience or are you ok with a paired down version with digital files? Neither is neccassarily better than the other. It’s just a preference.
• Choose a seasoned photographer that can produce a whole gallery of high quality photos and not just 3-5 good photos. You can look at blog posts where they share 15+ photos from the same session or request to see a sample gallery.
• A big must is if they specialize in the style of photography that you like. (One photographer can be great at one or more of these styles but make sure they have a quality portfolio of the style you prefer.) There are several different maternity photo styles to choose from. It used to be only 2 styles to choose from; either fancy studio or laidback lifestyle. But now there are a whole slew of different types of studio and and lifestyle types of sessions. Such as dramatic studio portraits with studio lighting, intimate partial nude portraits, family style maternity photos with husband and children, boho style, jeans and t-shirt, romantic flowing dresses, sensual partially nude photos in a nature setting, or farmhouse studio portraits with natural window light. And that’s just to name a few! When shopping around for a photography style I find Instagram is easier than a google search. Start out by searching the hashtag #columbusmaternityphotography. One photographer can be great at one or more of these styles but make sure they have a quality portfolio of the style you prefer.

Communicate Your Desires With Your Photographer

For a luxury, full-service photographer it will be our top priority to custom tailor a session for you. After talking with you I want to be able to know your photo session desires better than you do! Some of the things we will talk about are:

• Specific photo poses and compositions you love or don’t like
• The feeling you want to convey (ie. joyful, serene, sensual, intimate, artistic, etc.)
• Are you comfortable with partial nudes or not
• Best locations for the time of year and aesthetic you want
• Planning your outfit from my client closet
• Planning your husband’s and any other children’s wardrobe
• Do you have special heirlooms you want used in some of the photos?
• What color scheme are we using
• What other simple props like flowers, head wreath, jewelry, hair accessories, shoes, studio furniture and bedding, etc. do we want to incorporate
• Do you want to book my professional hair & makeup artist to come to your home and get you ready for your session

What To Wear

Additional Getting Ready Details

A Maternity Session is the type of session that I highly suggest using a professional hair and makeup artist. I have a hair and makeup artist that I work with who specifically knows how to do hair & makeup for a photoshoot. Basically we want to enhance and romanticize how you would normally wear your hair and makeup. We want movement, texture, and details in your hair such as flowy waves or curls, timeless updo’s with a hair accessory, or braids. Photoshoot makeup is bolder than normal with well defined brows, eyes, and lips. I also suggest false eyelashes or my absolute favorite, lash extensions. My favorite place for lash extensions is at The Lash Lounge. You can choose a natural lash if you’ve never got them before.

Mani & Pedi: Don’t forget to tend to your hands and feet with a clean and simple mani & pedi, even if you do it at home.

Undergarments: Make sure you have undergarments that will work with your dress. You’ll want nude seamless underwear and possibly a strapless bra depending on the cut of your dress.

Lastly, stay hydrated and don’t plan anything the night before or the afternoon before your session. Make getting ready for your session the main event for the day.

Don’t Stress and Enjoy The Experience!