Pregnancy Portraits - Getting Professional Maternity Photography

                                                                                         

Professional pregnancy portraits have become very popular in the last ten years. Women want to capture the pregnancy as a specific time in their life, and often include other family members in the photos as well to celebrate and document their family's evolution. There are some key elements to consider when going about getting professional maternity photography, such as when to do the session and what to wear.

The timing of the maternity session is very important. You do not want to do the session too early and not have an impressive belly, but you do not want to wait so late so that the woman is swollen in the feet and ankles and miserable. Given these parameters, 32 to 36 weeks is a good, happy medium that usually works well. Of course if the woman is having multiples, then adjust the time accordingly.

Another consideration for the maternity session is who will be in the photos? The pregnant woman will be there of course, but should there be photos done with the partner? Are there already other children eagerly awaiting the birth of their sibling to be included in the session? This is a great time to do some family portraits before the family dynamics change with the new addition. Some shots should also be done of the woman by herself as a more private study of the female form and the beauty of the new life growing inside of her.

The location of the pregnancy portraits is a big consideration. There is likely to be a good amount of skin showing (at least the belly), so given that where would the woman be the most comfortable to have the session? Some women are OK with being outdoors and showing skin, while others may prefer the privacy of an indoor location like a photography studio or their home.

The style of the shot will make a big difference for the overall feeling of the photos. To get ideas of the desired style, look on the internet for other pregnancy portraits and maternity photographs. Styles can range from moody and shadowy to light and airy to modern and funky.

What to wear or not wear for the maternity session is a significant topic. By looking into the style and the location first, the woman should already have a sense of whether she wants photos with clothes, with some amount of clothing, all nude, or nude with fabrics. Many maternity photography sessions will include some of each of these styles, or mostly nudes and fabrics.

After having decided to do the session, another thing to think about is where to put the resulting prints from the session. If they are family portraits that are clothed, they may be able to hang anywhere in the house. If they are more black&white nude pregnancy portraits it may be better to hang these in the bedroom. Another great choice is to consider a fine art maternity album for the images.

After having done the professional maternity session, adding an artistic newborn photography session would be an excellent idea. Framed body parts from the maternity session including close ups of hands and bellies can be combined into a modern wall collage with close-ups of baby feet, hands and face. Creating an album from the pregnancy portraits and newborn portraits is another wonderful way to celebrate the new life in your family.

About the author:
Anna Myers is a contemporary, soulful San Francisco Maternity Photographer who specializes in artistic maternity photography.

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