Should You Take Maternity Pictures?
Becoming a mother is one of life’s most special experiences. As an expectant mother, you may be considering the idea of a maternity photoshoot. We’re here to help!
Although nine months may seem like a long time, life has a funny way of speeding things up, doesn’t it? Before you know it, your bundle of joy will have arrived, and you may find yourself missing your baby bump and wishing that you had preserved the memory of being pregnant with your little one.
A maternity photoshoot (also known as a pregnancy photoshoot) is a wonderful way to commemorate this special time of your life. Whether you’re in your first trimester or well into your third, the professional photos from your maternity session will last a lifetime.
Photo: Jenny in Los Angeles for Flytographer. Andee and their partner celebrate their maternity with a photo shoot in Los Angeles.
1. Best Time for a Pregnancy Photoshoot
You may be thinking that you need to have a visible baby bump in order to do maternity photos, but the fact of the matter is that it’s entirely up to you to choose when during your pregnancy you’d like to have your photos taken and at whatever time you are most comfortable.
There are many ways to showcase your pregnancy aside from your own baby bump. For the photoshoot, you can bring along photos of your sonogram, as well as any other fun props you might like to include in the photographs, such as a pair of baby shoes or some newborn clothing. The props will make for some very cute maternity photos, especially in the close-up shots.
Photo: Marie in Maui for Flytographer. Magdalena and their partner celebrate their babymoon in Maui with a maternity photoshoot.
Pregnancy announcement photos
If you’re planning to use the photos for a pregnancy announcement, you can have your maternity photos taken whenever you feel you want to announce the news. Typically, announcements tend to happen after the first trimester of pregnancy, but every mom-to-be is different, so it is entirely up to you.
Whether you decide to send announcements through a card in the mail or on social media, maternity photography will help make the announcement a special moment for you and your loved ones! With professional maternity photos, you know that you will have a handful of high-quality maternity pictures to choose from, so you don’t need to worry about your arm in those selfies or an out-of-focus photo.
Photo: Matteo in Venice for Flytographer. Chauntae and their partner celebrate their pregnancy with a maternity photo shoot in Venice.
Photos for the baby shower
Baby showers usually tend to happen within the last trimester of the pregnancy, so if you’d like to have professional photos on display for your baby shower, we would recommend having a maternity photo session in your third trimester, about three months before your due date.
No matter when you decide to take your pregnancy photos, the photoshoot will be a fun memory in itself and will make for memorable family portraits.
Photo: Meghan in Cape Cod for Flytographer. Jacqueline and their partner celebrate their babymoon in Cape Cod with a maternity photoshoot.
2. Best Location for a Maternity Session
The best place for a maternity session is a location that you love!
When thinking about locations for your maternity photos, think of a place that has significance to you and your growing family. Is there a beach or a park that you enjoy frequenting? Is there a travel destination where you had your proposal? Or maybe you just purchased your home and would like to do a photography session there. No matter what location you choose, the right maternity photographer will make it work for you and will give you advice and photography tips to make sure you get wonderful maternity portraits.
A babymoon is a great opportunity to have your maternity pictures taken in a scenic location. Here are a few of our favourite babymoon destinations.
Honolulu, HI
For a babymoon, it doesn’t get much better than a location that is both beautiful and relaxing. From Waikiki Beach to Hanauma Bay, Honolulu is full of locations that would be perfect for your maternity photoshoot. If being waterside isn’t exactly your thing, Honolulu has some fantastic hiking trails that would make for spectacular maternity photoshoot opportunities, or you could even consider doing some maternity pictures while doing your own sightseeing activities, such as the pineapple plantation or even a luau!
Photo: Trevor in Honolulu for Flytographer. Jasmine and their partner celebrate their pregnancy with a maternity photo shoot in Honolulu.
New York City, NY
For the couples who enjoy sightseeing and visiting landmarks, look no further than “The Big Apple” for your babymoon. For your maternity portraits, we recommend a scenic, natural location, such as a local park, so that the photos can focus on your growing family. Central Park, for example, would be a fantastic location for the photoshoot (as opposed to Times Square, where, while the billboards are fun to look at, they may distract from the most important subject of the photo: you and your growing family).
Photo: Amanda in NYC for Flytographer. Debby and their partner celebrate their pregnancy with a maternity photo shoot in New York City.
Paris, France
What could be more romantic than having a babymoon in Paris, the city of love? There are plenty of locations in Paris that can inspire fun maternity photo ideas. The Eiffel Tower is visible from many different parts of the city, making for a beautiful backdrop to your family photos. In addition to the famous tower, Paris is full of other well-known landmarks that would make for great maternity portrait opportunities, such as the Louvre Museum (would you like the Mona Lisa to join your maternity photoshoot?) and the Rodin Sculpture Garden (even more opportunity for a work of art to sneak into your photos!).
Photo: Olga in Paris for Flytographer. Sarah and their partner celebrate their pregnancy with a maternity photo shoot in Paris.
Tokyo, Japan
One more suggestion for the mom-to-be that loves to go out and about: Tokyo! It’s a vibrant city full of things as well as natural landmarks, such as the Kiyosumi Garden, a perfect place for a babymoon and for your maternity pictures (and don’t worry, there’s plenty more to eat in Japan besides sushi!).
Photo: Daniel in Tokyo for Flytographer. Linh and their family celebrate their pregnancy with a maternity photo shoot in Tokyo.
3. Having Your Maternity Photoshoot at Home
For pregnant women, travelling can often be tiring, or even not recommended by your doctor. If travelling for a babymoon is not an option for you, why not have a maternity photoshoot in your hometown or at home?
Having a maternity photoshoot at home is a wonderful way to save on the cost of travelling for a babymoon, and it gives you a great opportunity to work with a local photographer. By keeping the photoshoot local, your photographer can take your maternity portraits both within your home as well as in special locations throughout the city where you live. Feel free to ask your maternity photographer for recommendations on the best locations for your maternity pictures as well.
If you have family living in or near your hometown, you can even include them in your photoshoot! While most maternity photos typically include the mom-to-be and their significant other, why not extend the fun experience of a photoshoot to other family members (including your beloved pets) as well? Your family will cherish the memory of participating in this special moment with you.
Photo: Larissa in Scottsdale for Flytographer. Eleni and their family celebrate their pregnancy with a maternity photo shoot in Scottsdale.
4. What to Wear for a Maternity Photoshoot
Once you’ve decided to have a maternity photoshoot, the next part is deciding what to wear for your maternity session!
Maternity Photoshoot Outfits
One of the most important aspects of maternity clothing is comfort. First and foremost, make sure you’re wearing something you are comfortable in, as a photo session can often take at least an hour.
Many pregnant women will opt for a maternity dress or a maternity gown, and oftentimes, these dresses are ankle-length or floor-length. These dresses, also known as maxi dresses, tend to be looser-fitting and flowy, which allows for better movement both for photo opportunities and for the comfort of mom-to-be. The material of the dress can often help with comfort as well; for example, a lace dress or a chiffon dress tends to be a popular choice due to their formal appearance while also being made of a breathable fabric.
If boho-style maxi dresses are not your style, some pregnant women will opt for a bodycon dress instead, which is a more form-fitting style that will truly accentuate your baby bump.
Photo: Kimon in Santorini for Flytographer. Ria and their partner celebrate their pregnancy with a maternity photo shoot in Santorini.
In terms of color, we recommend sticking with solid colors vs. clothing that has a lot of patterns, as patterns can often interfere with the beautiful backdrop of your maternity photos or take away from the main focus of the photo (you and your growing family!).
Feel free to bring multiple outfits in addition to your maternity photoshoot dress (if you decide to wear one), as weather can often change quite drastically during the duration of your maternity pictures. We suggest including an outfit with long sleeves, short sleeves and maybe even a sleeveless option, just to be prepared for all types of weather.
Photo: Kazumi in Kauai for Flytographer. Avneet and their partner celebrate their babymoon in Kauai with a maternity photoshoot.
Professional Maternity Photographers
We hope we were able to help you think of some fun maternity photoshoot ideas. Whether you’re travelling for your babymoon or having your maternity pictures taken at home, Flytographer has curated, professional local photographers all over the world, making it easy to book your maternity photoshoot (one less thing to worry about on your list of things to do before baby arrives!). Our local photographers can’t wait to capture your growing family’s precious moments.
“Anna was really amazing! She took us to the most beautiful locations in Central Park and helped us pose in such a kind manner. She made it a very easy and smooth process for this very unphotogenic couple!”
Marissa
“Tati was incredible and the sweetest soul. She had us take photos at a wonderful and very secluded location where we were able to get photos with both greenery and the ocean. Would recommend over and over again. She provided us photos less than 48 hours later and even more than I was expecting.”
Lucy
“Kait was an absolute dream to work with! This was our first professional photoshoot experience and she made us feel so comfortable and natural. She chose such interesting spots for us and we love how the photos turned out despite the weather being a little gloomy. Highly recommend Kait!”
Shayla
