Back in the day, expecting mothers were not fully into the idea of photographing their journey to motherhood. The stretch marks and all the major changes in their body were not something they’re really proud to show off in their portraits.
But times have changed. We’ve embraced body positivity. We realized that every moment in our lives should count, and pregnancy is something you wouldn’t want to miss counting.
Today, mothers have fully accepted both the beauty and the struggles of carrying a tiny life inside their womb for nine months. Now, they wanted to let the whole world know of this marvelous chapter in every women’s life.
Thus the birth of maternity photography.
If we could describe maternity photography in a simple phrase, perhaps it would be this: celebration of women and their journey through motherhood.
Usually, maternity shoots are done when you’re reaching 30 weeks into pregnancy. A mother’s belly at this stage will have that round nice shape that would look perfect in their portraits.
Like newborn photography, the main purpose of maternity photography is to help you document the beautiful and ugly sides of pregnancy. In hopes that someday, you can share the joy and anticipation of carrying your child for nine months to friends and family. It aims to capture that radiant pregnancy glow. To emancipate the shine in a mother’s eyes born from the excitement of finally cradling the life inside her.
And like all forms of photography, it is the perfect opportunity to show your unique personality. From poses to location choice to the outfits you wear, everything captured by the lens helps define your idea of becoming a mother. Like the romantics of creativity and the daydreamers like to say, imagination’s your limit.
Just take a look at these mothers-to-be and you’ll know what we’re talking about:
[insert maternity photos here]
Maternity shoot sounds and looks fun, isn’t it? If you’re planning to book one, here are some tips to make your photoshoot a radiant success and achieve those timeless photos you crave:
1. Discuss with your photographer
Once you’ve hired a photographer to take the photos for you, talk to them. Let them know what exactly you want to achieve. Do you want it simple or grandiose? Do you want to include other family members?
You and the photographer can discuss ideal locations, poses, and other important deets for the scheduled shoot.
2. Ready your outfits (and props)
Time to choose clothing items and props to match your preferred theme! Now, remember, you want to highlight your baby bump in the photos, so choose dresses or outfit combinations that bare or hug your round belly. Always go for whatever makes you feel comfortable, so better skip the heels this time.
No idea what to wear? Flip to the next page for our maternity photoshoot stylebook!
3. Prepare yourself
Take this photoshoot as the chance to pamper yourself. Make yourself feel beautiful. Get your nails done. Visit the salon. You deserve to look and feel your ultimate best while documenting one of the best chapters of your life!
If this is your first time doing a photoshoot, you can try browsing other maternity photos for inspiration and motivation.