Preparing for your maternity session will help you be more relaxed on the day and enjoy the experience more. As a mum to be the thought of getting ready for a maternity session may be a lot or you may not like being in front of the camera. My aim is to make the experience as relaxing and stress free as possible. I have dresses available for you to use and we will just go with the flow and have lots of fun!
The best time to book in your maternity session is around the 30-34 week mark. At this point your belly should be showing nicely and have the perfect bump for a maternity photoshoot. If you leave it later than this you may be feeling more tired as your find you will probably have less energy and your feet and ankles may be sore from walking around. Everyone is different in how they will feel at each stage of pregnancy but in general getting your photoshoot booked in earlier rather than later is better.
I provide maternity sessions in my studio, in your own home or a location such as a park. I love all these types of sessions and the different styles they provide. You might want a more styled photoshoot in the studio or if you are someone that doesn't like being in front of the camera you may feel more relaxed in your own home or at a park. The Autumn and summer months are great for locations shoots and we will always have my studio as back up incase the weather is not great on that day.
This comes down to personal preference and taste. I have some beautiful maternity dresses that you can use and you can of course bring your own outfits as well. Every session is different, some women may want to wear dresses while others the more relaxed jeans and shirt look, which i also love! We can discuss outfit options and i will always make sure you are relaxed and comfortable. Have a browse through my maternity gallery and you can see different options available and how i usually shoot a maternity session.
How would you like to have your hair and make up? You might want to think about what you are wearing and try and match it to your outfit. I don't provide hair and make up so you do need to turn up with this already done. This may depend on you as a person and how much make up you like to wear as this always varies during my photoshoots. I would say that for studio sessions you do sometimes need to wear a bit more make up for it stand out more but saying that the natural look also looks beautiful. I can always guide you on this if you are not sure. Once we have discussed locations and outfits you may have more of a sense how you would like your hair and make up to look.
Depending on what outfits you have chosen for your maternity session, i do suggest that you bring a strapless bra in nude, black or white and also nude underwear is always good if you are going to wear something that is a little see-through. Bring along your own outfits as well and we can go through all the options that you would prefer. Any jewellery you are thinking of wearing may go best with certain outfits, so bring them along and we can see whats best on the day. Last of all you may want to bring your scan with you or any little keepsakes such as baby boots or memorable items that you would like included. Other than that, just bring yourself and be ready for a fun photoshoot 😊
I hope this blog gave you an insight into how to prepare for a maternity session. When booking in your maternity photoshoot i will also email you over a client prep guide which will help you prepare for the day. Would you like to book in but want to see more of my work? Check out my Maternity galleries below.
My photography studio is based in Sidcup
