Maternity Session Guide

Look beautiful for your maternity photo shoot! Pregnancy is a special time of your life and for many women, (although you may not feel like it) you are at your most natural, feminine and beautiful self. During your pregnancy, your hair is rich and thicker, your breasts are fuller, your skin is glowing and your body has more curves. For many expecting mothers, there’s no better way to remember their pregnancy and chronicle their journey to motherhood than a professional maternity photo shoot. Here are a few tips to help you look and feel your best in your maternity photo shoot.

PHOTOGRAPHER

The most important element of looking beautiful in your photos is the photographer. Find a professional photographer with strong technical skills and experience in pregnancy photography and holds a specialization in it. A professional maternity photographer will know how to light, pose and photograph you in angles that flatter your face and body.

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR MATERNITY PHOTOGRAPHER

STYLE

Choose a photographer whose style most resonates with you. There are so many styles out there—do you like in-the-home lifestyle maternity? Studio maternity? Soft palette, light and airy? Modern fashionista with vibrant colors? Boho chic? Belly boudoir? By choosing your photographer by style, you can be assured that you will get images you want.

QUALITY

Explore their portfolio as well as their recent sessions. Are the mamas posed and photographed beautifully? Are there flattering poses or good angles in their work? Are there a variety of mamas with different body types and do they look great? Are the images sharp, properly exposed with good lighting and framed well?

Also look for consistency in their work. This is a way to differentiate an amateur from a professional. An amateur photographer’s portfolio may show nice images, but those images are a compilation of one or two accidentally good images from many sessions. The professional will show quality images consistently in both their portfolio AND recent work on their blog. If you hire an amateur to shoot your session, you accept the risk that there may only be one or two good images from your session vs. the 20-30 great images that a professional will provide in your gallery. When you hire with quality in mind, you buy the assurance and the peace of mind that your special moment is captured perfectly before it is lost in time.

EXPERIENCE

While years of experience may not necessarily equate to quality, very often the photographer with years of experience has had the time to hone their skills.

PRICE

While price is an important factor, it should not be the most important one. Like any quality products or services out there, good photography is expensive. Why? Because it is not easy to create quality images. Bad photography is even more expensive. If you don’t like your photos, you have wasted your time and money. If there is a chance to do the maternity shoot again, you end up spending more money for the re-shoot for a better photographer. It’s often less expensive to get it right the first time.

WHEN TO COME IN FOR THE SHOOT

For expecting mamas with singletons, a good time to do your maternity photos when you are 28 – 32 weeks along. Your belly is full but you are still comfortable to pose. For expecting mamas with twins (or more), come in earlier around 26 – 30 weeks as twins tend to arrive much earlier than singletons.

PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP AND HAIR

I highly recommend professional makeup and hair. Not only will this make your photographer’s work easier, you will feel beautiful and confident at your session. However if it’s not in the budget, your going-out-on-a-hot-date makeup and hair is fine too. Neutral looking fake lashes can really flatter your eyes.

This beautiful mama with her day-to-day makeup (top) vs. the same mama with professional hair and makeup done (bottom). What a difference!:

POSING

Trust your photographer to direct you in posing so you can look your best. What makes maternity photos different from other portraits is that the images focus on you, your personality, feelings and the bond you have with your much-awaited baby. Many maternity poses such as hands on the belly and eyes looking down express emotions and connection to your belly. Other maternity poses empathize the beautiful curves of your body.

WHAT TO WEAR

Wear whatever you feel comfortable and pretty in. Here’s a list I provide to my clients: the first one is mandatory, the rest of the list are suggestions.

Neutral strapless bra and seamless underwear
Black bra and panty set (for those black background belly shots)
White/ivory bra and panty set (for those white background belly shots)
Lingerie sets
Tube top or belly band
Regular jeans (not maternity ones) and camisole top
Buttoned shirt or blouse
Long, flowy or form-fitting dress (e.g. tube dress or a summer maxi dress)
Button ups sweater or cardigans
Men’s button ups top (for significant other/husband)
Coordinating outfits (for significant other/husband and/or children)
Any favorite scarves, accessories, jewelries, etc.
Any sentimental items (e.g. baby ultrasound image)

If your photographer specializes in maternity, they will likely have maternity dresses, wraps and accessories in their studio available to use. The benefit is you don’t have to go and buy maternity dresses that you only wear a few times. Please check with your photographer about their gown use policy. Depending on the gown’s quality and intricate detail work, there may be rental and/or dry-cleaning fees.

LOCATION

Consider the location of your shoot and the advantages/disadvantages of them.

INDOOR (e.g. in the home)

Advantage in the home is comfort and connection to familiar surroundings. You don’t have to worry about the weather outside. Disadvantage, you have to clean your house so it will look good in the photos. The lighting may not be optimal. Please check with your photographer on how they will address this. Seasoned photographers will use portable flash if necessary.

STUDIO

Advantage is convenience and control. You can shoot anytime regardless of weather.

OUTDOOR

The natural beauty of a pregnant woman in a beautiful outdoor backdrop is simply breathtaking! The parallel of a mother about to bring to life into the world and Mother Nature is a powerful one. Disadvantages are that the shoot is weather-dependent and shooting hours are limited to the golden hour of sunrise or sunset (when the quality of natural light is at its best). Reschedules can happen and may trigger the rescheduling of other related appointments (e.g. professional makeup and hair artist, florist, venues, etc.) Remember your sunscreen and bug spray! Be prepared to walk/hike to the location and change outfits outdoors.

A great maternity photography session will not just produce stunning and gorgeous images, but also make you feel confident and beautiful.

How to choose your maternity photographer

You are expecting, congratulations! You are living one of the most important times of your life, one that is worth documenting with a photography session. Here are a few tips to choose the best maternity photographer to document your pregnancy and your family’s history, by a HK maternity photographer.

Find a specialist

Would you hire a criminal lawyer to handle your tax questions? Probably not. The same applies to photography. Hiring a photographer with specific expertise in maternity and pregnancy photography will ensure you the best possible result. Maternity photographers know the best poses, lighting patterns, flattering angles for the pregnant female body. They can also advise on what to wear and understand that you might need to take a break (or several) during the session.

Style

There are as many styles as there are photographers. To find the best match,think about your own style and personality and how you want your images to look. Do you prefer classic, colorful, nude, artistic, moody, organic, romantic, or whimsical types of portraits? The best way to see a photographer’s style is to check their portfolio and visit their website.

Location

How do you envision your photos? Do you prefer the clean and elegant feel of a professional studio? Do you prefer documentary style in your home? Or outdoor portraits with a beach or a field as a background? Choosing a maternity photographer that works in your desired location is an essential selection criteria.

Availability

It is recommended to start looking for a photographer at the end of your first trimester. As a general rule of thumb, maternity portrait sessions are done between 28 and 36 weeks. Make sure that your photographer is available at that time to capture your baby bump, while it has its beautiful round shape and you are still comfortable posing.

Referral

When you are looking for a maternity photographer, ask your friends or Google for referrals and reviews. Were they happy with their experience and their final images? Referrals and reviews are an amazing way to know if the photographer has a good reputation and happy customers.

Pricing and artwork

Pricing depends on numerous factors: photographer’s experience, quality of the portfolio, services, location, customized or generic client experience, product offering, design services, to name a few.

Once you have found a photographer that you like, ask for their detailed pricing information. What packages do they offer? Do they have a session fee or all-inclusive packages? Do they sell digitals only or do they offer artwork?

Additional services

Additional services are another factor to consider when choosing your maternity photographer. Do they offer styling services, advice on what to wear, or have a selection of clothes available to their clients? Do they recommend or work with makeup artists? Is it included in their pricing? Do they have design services for wall art or albums?

Long-term relationship

If you are planning on doing a newborn photography session when baby is born, it might be a factor when choosing your maternity photographer. Do they also photograph newborns and babies? Do you like their style?

Our maternity studio specializes in pure and classic pregnancy images. from timeless portraits to elegant nude and silhouettes. We offer a fully customised experience unique to each client. Design services, museum-quality artwork, privacy and hair and makeup services are some of the additional services available to our clients. We recommend contacting us as soon as possible to ensure availability.

BOOK A MATERNITY SESSION

10 Things You Should Do During Pregnancy

It seems as if whenever a female gets pregnant, suddenly each and every single one of her friends and family members has a piece (or several pieces) of advice to dish out. This is usually given out without the asking of their input. Yes, they are just trying to help, however often they end up doing more harm than good. They set up false expectations and pass along old (and often inaccurate) tales.

When it comes to the actual experience of being pregnant, however, there are dozens of scientifically solid pieces of advice that are actually true and useful. Today we have compiled an essential list of must do things during pregnancy, for the physical and mental health of both you and your baby.

1.Drink Water

First off, even when you are not pregnant, you should be drinking a large amount of water each day. During pregnancy, this is true even more so. Not only is water great for fetal development, it will also go farther than any lotion will to combat stretch marks.

The skin is comprised of several layers. Stretch marks are the result of the lower levels actually tearing and scarring. This is why stretch marks will fade, but will always have a texture that you can see and feel. By drinking enough water, you enable the skin to become more pliable, ripping less, thus preventing permanent markings. While genetics do play a role in the appearance of stretch marks, drinking at least one gallon per day will go a long way towards preventing them.

2.Prenatal Vitamins

Babies require a large amount of resources to develop and grow in the womb. This includes a variety of vitamins and minerals, some of which are lacking in the standard diet of many pregnant. To ensure proper development, it is vital to take a daily prenatal vitamin. These can be found in supermarkets and pharmacies, or your doctor may prescribe one to you. In some cases, your doctor will have samples on hand that he/she can send you home with for free!

3. Exercise

If you don’t already exercise regularly, now is a great time to start. Research into exercise has shown that not only does exercise work out your body, but it works out your mind as well. Levels of happiness go up as the pounds stay off. Next to water, exercise is the next best way to also combat stretch marks. In addition, as the months go by, it will be more difficult to remain as fully mobile as you were before the pregnancy. Exercise will also help to combat this lack of mobility.

4. Cut The Caffeine

You love it. I love it. It is basically the world's primary source of fuel. I’m talking about caffeine. While it may be safe to consume 1 to 2 cups per day, this is misleading. The coffee that your local coffee shop serves is likely much more caffeinated than your home brew, as well as likely being a larger size. The best idea is to avoid caffeine entirely to avoid accidentally consuming too much caffeine. As they say: better safe than sorry.

5. Prep The Baby Room

After 4 days at the hospital, the last thing you want to do is come back to your home and have to put together a baby room. Do yourself a favour (while also avoiding strain on your relationship) and do it months ahead of time. In fact, make it a project. Consider it something fun to do together as part of number 10 on our list ahead.

6. Prep A Hospital Bag

We have experienced it first hand. The day arrived to go to the hospital, except you have not prepped a “go bag” to bring to the hospital! Don’t let this happen to you also! Get everything you need including comfortable clothes and (possibly most importantly) a tooth brush.

7. Set Aside Savings For First Year Items

After you get home with your baby, you will quickly realise there are many things you need more of, or to buy for the first time. Rather than blowing your entire baby budget before they are born, make sure to set aside a sizeable savings for the inevitable needs that will arrive.

8. Pick A Name!

One of the best parts about pregnancy is getting to pick out a name. You will quickly find out the names of your partner's old lovers or enemies by the names they refuse to choose. It’s a fun experience that you don’t come across often!

9. Stay In Touch With Friends

It is easy to get caught up in your pregnancy and to forget about friends. When you have a baby, it is a saving grace to go out with friends and have nights out with actual adult conversations occasionally. Make sure you keep in touch with friends throughout the pregnancy so you don’t find yourself without friends by the time the baby comes also.

10. Spend Extra Time With Your Partner

The reality of having a baby is wonderful, but also extremely draining on time, sleep, and overall energy levels. Oftentimes couples will find themselves sleeping rather than going out together. Most non-parents do not realise the amount of time that a baby consumes. One thing that couples report is this lack of time being spent together. Because of this, it is a good idea during your pregnancy to spend as much time as you can with your significant other. A good option would be to do a pregnancy photo shoot together.

Maternity Photos by Dadi Precious Photography

Conclusion

That was our list of 10 things you should do during maternity. Each of these ideas will go a long way towards ensuring a happy and healthy family in the present and future. While you may have heard wild claims about doing this or doing that from friends or family members (often advice that is factually incorrect), this is a list you can count on. In fact, print this list out and tape it to the wall in an obvious place to ensure you do these things regularly. Happy pregnancy!

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