I am SO EXCITED for you. You’ve made the ‘official’ Facebook announcement, your mum has already bought an array of super cute clothes, and you’re keeping an eye out for names that you love. And now, you are ready for your maternity photoshoot. I have to confess, maternity / bump photoshoots are one of my favourites. Not only are they an occasion to photograph your growing bump, but these are also a time to take some time out and really enjoy your partner’s company, before your family grows by one (or two) more.

Here’s a few things to keep in mind before your maternity photoshoot, so you can feel totally prepared:

Timing

I would recommend that we plan to shoot your maternity shoot between 32 and 36 weeks. We want to make sure your bump is prominent enough (preferably past the breast line), but before your energy flags, and you don’t want to move too far from home. Please do let me know if you would like to photograph the images any earlier (perhaps if you are having twins, or if you are short like little ol’ me) and we can bring this forward by a week or two.

Clothing

Each maternity session usually allows time for two different clothing choices per person. Think about your clothing choices in terms of colour palettes, rather than matching exactly. Keep in mind that tailored clothing works really well on camera for women, no matter what your body shape. If we are planning to have your session outdoors I would suggest avoiding green and brown clothing, as I don’t want you to blend into the background. I would recommend avoiding large logos or very narrow stripes as these can distract when on camera

I have created some Pinterest boards which should help for some clothing inspiration – check them out here.

Posing

With regards to posing, you don’t need to know what do at any point during the shoot, leave any posing advice up to me, that’s my department. Your job is to listen to my instructions, be yourselves and enjoy the session!

Think about the little details

Remember the little details. Moisture your skin from top to toe. Arrive with clean & dry hair, neat nails, perhaps schedule your colour appointment with your hairdresser a few days before the shoot. You will be surprised at how many times I have painted clients’ nails during a portrait session!

Rest and water

Get a good nights sleep and hydrate yourself well the day before your session. This makes for sparkly eyes and great skin on camera.

And finally…

Some things we WON’T be doing during your shoot: I won’t ever force you to smile for the camera (no cheese allowed on my watch). You will not be posed in all white studio background – it just isn’t my style.

– Some thing we WILL do on your shoot: Hang out, play games, have fun! I may even tell some very bad jokes, brace yourself!