Motherhood in Pictures

I am bouncing off the walls in excitement, it looks like I’ll finally be able to add a proper maternity shoot to my portfolio two weeks from now! Hopefully this baby won’t decide to get out into the world the same day the portraits were scheduled…

I am particularly excited to be shooting in-house inside their new nursery, what a lovely way to celebrate! Here’s a few tips on getting Pro Maternity Portraits taken.

WHEN
Six to ten weeks before the due date is the optimal time to get great maternity portraits. Women at this stage develop a lovely curvy shape (and may not yet feel TOO elephantine) and that characteristic glow is at full strength!
(For you ladies like me who despise math that counts anything but up, that means you’ll want photos at around 30-34 weeks.)

WHAT KIND OF IMAGES ARE BEST
Lighting and color are very important – soft colors and black and white images tend to be most flattering for Mom’s belly! My personal policy is never to include one over the other – if I turn an image black and white, I’ll include the color image as well. (If you’re browsing for a photographer, be aware in advance that for many photographers, that’s not the case! Some will only return images in their favourite edited style.)

ATTIRE
Pick something comfortable! The best kinds of outfits for a maternity portrait are very light or very dark solid colors, and princess-line blouses are perfect. If you find tasteful nude maternity portraits attractive, remember to prepare and book a photographer you’ll feel comfortable with, especially if you aren’t intending on having your lover in the portraits with you or nearby. Consider some props as well – flowers, baby toys or clothing – baby booties are a popular choice!

CONSIDER THE FAMILY
Think about whether you’d like portraits of yourself alone, you with the father-to-be, and if you have a family already, whether you’d like them around. Perhaps you’d even like the grandparents to come and be a part of the picture.

CONSIDER YOUR LOCATION
Don’t rule out outdoor photos, and don’t rule out photos in your house: I have artificial lights that can make the darkest room glow! Personally, I think that maternity shots in a studio can be really disappointing, and there’s a lot of other options! Make sure you think about all the places you can go! Playgrounds, nurseries, etc…

PLAN AHEAD
Some photographers, myself included, will offer tailor-made packages for your growing family, such as the Admire Studios Tri-Session – a package including maternity, baby, and 1-year-old portraits. These portraits are an investment and will probably become the stuff of legend (just think, you can show them to your son or daughter’s newest beaus when they come over for coffee) so consider carefully if pro packages like that are for you, particularly if there’s no shutterbug (avid amateur photographer) in the family, or if the family shutterbug is never in any photos themselves! If you do decide to have a pro, look up some photographs that you really like and offer them as ideas!

Afterwards, consider creative display options for your home and as gifts for relatives. Admire offers mini accordion albums and other small or large options at very reasonable prices! Be sure to factor that in to your total costs.

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