Pregnancy Portraits - Getting Professional Maternity Photography

By Anna Myers

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.

So when is the best time to do the maternity session? The ideal time is when the belly is nice and round, and the hands and feet are not swollen. You also do not want to wait so late that you miss the opportunity if the baby chooses to come early, which they sometimes do. Given these considerations, 32 to 36 weeks along in the pregnancy is usually good timing for the session.

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 desired style of the resulting images should also be carefully considered. Should they be more moody and shadowy, or light and airy, more traditional, or sexy, or fun and funky? Figuring out the style or styles of the pregnancy portraits can be done by looking on the internet for examples of other maternity photography that you like.

So what should you wear for the maternity session? After having looked into the styles and locations, what to wear should be a little easier to decide. The basic choices are maternity photography with street clothes (usually with belly showing), semi-nudes with clothing, semi-nudes with fabrics, or just plain nude.

Now that you are doing the maternity session and you will have these great pregnancy portraits, where will you put them in the house? If the prints are of the family clothed, they may be able to hang anywhere in the house. For prints that are with less or no clothing, it may be a better choice to hang those prints in a more private location like the master bedroom. Creating a fine art maternity album from the prints is another great choice that can then be a more private collection.

Complementing the maternity portrait session with a newborn photography session after the baby is born is an excellent idea. Once you have professional photographs of the pregnancy, putting professional newborn portraits into the same room or album can really finish up the project and create a family keepsake that will be treasured for generations.

About the Author:

Anna Myers is a contemporary, soulful Bay Area Maternity Photographer who specializes in artistic maternity photography.