MATERNITY SESSION

What to expect?
Pregnancy is an amazing time with the joy of bringing a new life into the world. Some mothers feel amazing while for others they be feeling less than beautiful due to the usual symptoms of pregnancy.

I will only ever shoot certain shots (bare belly etc) if my mum-to-be to be feels comfortable with my ideas. I want my clients to feel at ease in front of the camera, after all – this is YOUR session – not mine.

However; on the other hand, I am happy to get as creative as you want me to be (I love a bare belly and if you are game enough, a mum-to-be who is happy to bear it all), so please let me know if you like this too as I would love to hear your ideas.

If you have any other ideas you would love to incorporate into your session, please do not hesitate to mention them and I can give you honest feedback on my thoughts.

My style
If you have not already looked through my portfolio,  my style is very natural. I prefer to use natural light and love using nature as the setting for my backdrop. I adore sun flare and soft light and where possible and try to incorporate this into my sessions if I can (which usually means first light in the morning or last light of the day).

I am a big lover of props; however, maternity sessions are the one session I try to keep simple. I try to keep my props and styling to a minimum for these sessions.

Siblings or furry children are always welcome at my sessions!

How long will it take?
You session time is between 1 to 1.5 hours (this does not apply to mini-sessions).

What should we wear?
First and foremost we want to show off that beautiful belly. Empire dresses (or similar) are beautiful and show of mum’s gorgeous belly. Usually dresses that fall from just under your bust, make for the best photos (rather than straight down from the shoulders). Don’t go for dresses that are too big or flowy as your belly could get lost in it.

If you would love a statement piece there are gorgeous designer dresses for hire at Judy Copley Couture which are based on our very own Sunshine Coast in Caloundra or if prefer a door to door service Mama Rentals will deliver gorgeous dresses right to your doorstep!

A long skirt paired with a singlet top is always lovely (especially in white or cream tones). This can also be altered for those bare belly shots.

It is probably a good idea to bring a few sets of clothes that we choose from together if you are unsure of your wardrobe choice. This will also allow for variety.

If you feel a little cheeky, a white button up blouse/oversized mens’ button down shirt always looks gorgeous undone at the belly with plain underwear beneath.

If we are shooting at the beach, a kimono paired with bikinis will make for nice belly shots.

A good bra/support is important to ensure we get ‘the girls’ looking as best as we can.

If you are more comfortable in pants, no worries. Leggings or tight jeans are great teamed with a lovely top (again, a top that shows off your belly). It is important with pants, that we don’t create a slope from belly to crotch. We need to aim to have some definition where your belly ends.

Things I recommend avoiding… watches! These never look nice in maternity photos. Try to keep jewellery to a minimum unless we are styling the shoot to feature this. The colour black can sometimes make the belly appear a lot smaller than it is. Try to stick to plain colours if possible.

If your partner is coming along for the shoot too, I recommend just a plain t-shirt matched with pants/shorts.

If you are really stuck for ideas, Pinterest is a great tool for getting ideas. Just type in ‘Maternity Photography’ and you will be filled with inspiration for your shoot.

Please feel free to email me with any questions or ideas you have for your session.