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Make Your Maternity Shoot Memorable

Do you want to immortalize your pregnancy with a Maternity Photoshoot? You’re growing a tiny human and doing it all on your own, why not do something to remember it forever?

It’s a wonderful way to celebrate this amazing experience and do something special for yourself to commemorate.

This can be a bit of an involved process. It can feel a bit daunting, especially if you don’t know where to start.

I would highly recommend that you plan for this event and I’m here to help you make sure this is a memorable milestone that you can enjoy and look back on for years to come.

So, let’s dive in!

My Maternity Pics

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Find A Photographer

Your first step will be to find a photographer that does Maternity shoots. Maybe you have a friend or a friend of a friend that’s a photographer.

If you are a little self-conscious when it comes to having your photo taken, it might help if it’s done by someone you know or are at least an acquaintance with.

Or you could ask your friends who’ve gotten maternity pictures done in the past for recommendations.

You can also search for local photographers that offer Maternity shoots as part of their services. Be sure to check out their portfolios, Instagram, etc.

You want to make sure that you like their style of photography.

The typical price range for these shoots will depend on your location, the photographers skill level, and the packages they offer. The average range is between $300 – $600.

Photographers will most often offer different packages. Usually, they’ll have around 3 options of packages to choose from, which will vary in things like:

  • The amount of time for the shoot
  • The number of images
  • The number of locations 
  • The amount of edited images

They might also offer products you can purchase, like photo books.

Once you find a photographer that you want to work with, try to book them well in advance. Depending on their skill level and client load, they may be booked out months in advance.

Scout The Location/Venue

When thinking about the location(s) for your photo shoot, be sure to consider the time of year when you’ll be 8-9 months pregnant.

This will help to dictate your attire and the aesthetic of the scene you’re going for. You don’t want to be planning for beautiful fall leaves in the background and the shoot will end up being in the middle of summer.

With an outdoor shoot, you need to consider the:

  • Season
  • Weather
  • Available places to change outfits
  • Touching up hair and makeup
  • Bathroom (You’ll be very pregnant and have to pee a lot!)

Think about what your local landscapes have to offer if you’re thinking about an outdoor shoot. Are you picturing water, a field, trees, or mountains in your background?

Picture what you have that’s fairly local to you or if you have a specific place in mind that might be a little bit of a trek, see if your photographer is open to the extra travel.

If you’re picturing an indoor shoot or the time of year isn’t leaving you with a lot of other options, think about what is available for free and work up from there.

Some photographers will have a studio space that they own or can rent. Keep in mind that your price tag will typically increase with this option.

You should also consider what your comfortability level is so far as your aesthetic, your pregnancy, and your versatility in outfits.

When I was originally planning my shoot, I thought I wanted a beautiful outdoor landscape with a beautiful maternity gown. If I ever try to get pregnant again, maybe I’ll go that route.

I ended up deciding to have my shoot at home. I loved the idea of the outdoor shoot, but I wanted the images to reflect me being comfortable at home.

I have a beautiful fenced-in backyard that is like a little oasis, so I was able to do some indoor and outdoor shots. And since I was home, I could comfortably do my wardrobe changes, fix my hair/makeup, etc.

I utilized what I had around my home for posing and they turned out really great.

Plan Your Outfits 

You want to consider the season you will be in when you are around 8-9 months pregnant. Think about the outfits you want to wear, especially if you are going with an outdoor shoot.

With an indoor shoot, you have a little more flexibility with being able to have more control over the climate. This obviously offers more versatility in your outfit options.

You’ll also want to know how many outfits your photographer allows. Some don’t limit, others are very strict about this. 

This will potentially help you to narrow down the choices if you are teetering on certain options.

Consider the aesthetic you’re going for with your shoot. Do you want to be more of a relaxed nesting mama or a defined glowing goddess? 

Here are some options for beautiful maternity dresses/gowns for the fancier aesthetic:

Are you wanting a more comfortable look with looser fitting clothes where you can make your bump more pronounced when you choose? Maybe a men’s button-down shirt with rolled-up sleeves and an exposed baby bump.

Here are some options for a more casual outfit for your maternity shoot:

Do you want a fancier feel to your style? Maybe you are wanting beautiful maternity gowns and tight-fitting clothes to accentuate your curves.

Maybe you want a mixture of the two, or something completely different. Maybe you want to go the tasteful nudes route or in the tub, which require limited to no attire at all.

There’s no wrong answer. You get to decide what you want for this shoot. 

Just discuss what you’re thinking with your photographer so you are both on the same page and can plan accordingly from both sides.

Maternity Photoshoot Pictures

Remember Your Nails

Go bare, get them done, or do them yourself. Again, no answer is the correct one, except the one you choose.

Just keep this on your radar so you can plan ahead if you want to get a manicure before your shoot or maybe remove the chipped name polish you’ve been rocking for the last couple of weeks.

I think this is an easy one to forget, so here’s your reminder.

Decide on Your Makeup

Think about the style of your shoot. What are your surroundings going to be like? What outfits have you chosen? 

What’s the overall aesthetic you’re going for? Having these things figured out will help you decide on the style of your makeup.

Maybe you want to go very light on the makeup or none at all. The point is to do whatever helps you to feel more confident.

Makeup can act like a warrior mask of sorts, giving you confidence in yourself and your appearance. It also helps to add contrast to your photos.

Put on some lipstick, try out those fake lashes, have fun with it. And if you need some inspo ideas, hit up Pinterest.

Fix Your Hair 

Figure out your hairstyle(s). This will again depend on the season, outdoor vs indoor, what outfits you’ve chosen, and the aesthetic of the shoot.

You might also want to have multiple hairstyles. In this case, I would choose hairstyles that are easy to change up and stay limited on the stabilizing agents.

You’ll also want to think about your face shape and what’s more flattering. I have a round face, so I feel like my hair has to have some volume to it to best accommodate this feature.

Check out Pinterest for hairstyle ideas.

Maybe you want to splurge and get a blowout or have your hair professionally done. You do you boo!

If you’re planning on doing your hair yourself and looking for some good hair products, these are the ones I’ve tried and would suggest:

Pick Your Poses

When thinking about your pregnancy poses, think about how you want to remember your pregnancy. What are the things you want to immortalize about your pregnant body?

Your body is doing an amazing thing, it’s growing a human being. Be sure to glorify that.

What will help you to do this is by finding flattering poses that accentuate your pregnant state. You can find ideas on Pinterest.

Don’t worry, your photographer will help to make sure you are angled properly, suggest good poses, and help to put your ideas into practice.

Add Your Own Flair

Don’t forget to add things that are unique to you and/or your pregnancy. Perhaps there’s a venue or props that are special to you that you want to include. 

There are several ways to add your own flair. Here are some ideas:

  • Include a fur child
  • Funny poses/ideas
  • Venues/props that are unique to you
  • Things that are unique to your pregnancy
  • A special/sentimental object or outfit
  • Things for your baby

Don’t Forget to Have Fun!

This is something special that you’re going to get to look back on and remember. Make sure you enjoy yourself and have fun with it.

You may be getting more uncomfortable the bigger your baby gets and maybe you’re not feeling at your best, but trust me, you are beautiful and so is your growing body! Now get out there girl and flaunt it.

Showcase It!

Whether you’re doing this just for you or to share, here are some ideas on how to showcase your amazing maternity photos:

  • Coffee Table Book
  • Blanket
  • Frame Your Favorites

Some photographers offer to create things like these for you. I did them on my own. 

Shutterfly is my typical go-to for these photography things. I did my photo book and a frame through them. They usually have some good discounts/coupons as well.

I also love these blankets from a company I found on Amazon. Super soft, excellent photo quality, and very reasonably priced.

Alright, now get to planning and don’t forget to have fun with it!

Cheers, Warriors!

I hope you enjoyed reading this post and found it entertaining, educational, inspiring—hopefully, all three. Please be sure to leave any comments or questions you have in the Comments section below. 

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