How to Prepare For, and What to Expect from, a Maternity Session

Maternity photoshoots are more than just a trendy social media concept– they’re an empowering way to showcase the love you have for a child you’ve yet to meet! They’re also a great way to show the bond between you and your partner, and/or older kids, and to help younger kids feel connected to their future family.

What’s also special about maternity sessions is they’re incredibly customizable to your tastes. They can be as low-key as a movie night, they can be as dramatic as a high fashion shoot. The choice is totally up to you on what represents you, this pregnancy, and how you wish to express yourself.

Here are some tips and ideas to consider as you book and plan your maternity session!

This couple picked a bouquet of summer flowers for their baby-to-be!

COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER

If you’re on the baby journey (congratulations!), you probably have ideas in your head for how you want the photoshoot to look– even if they’re just basic details like looking fabulous, or shooting at your favorite park.

Therefore, it’s key to find a photographer whose personal style you like, and start talking to them about what you want your photoshoot to be. If you’ve found the right match, they’ll be happy to collaborate with you on crafting an idea that’s beautiful, emotional, and most importantly, a lot like you. At Ginkgo Lens, we believe in putting our clients first, so that you don’t walk away from your session with photos that don’t feel reflective of you.

This client wanted a fairy tale session, mixed with fashion vibes!

If you’re having some trouble visualizing what your specific session might look like, we suggest starting with something like creating a Pinterest board. This is a great way to narrow down different looks and aesthetics until you find what resonates with you.

Tip: you don’t have to just look up “maternity photos” on Pinterest! Look up couples and family shoots too if you’re planning on involving other people, or even something like “solo photoshoot in park”. For cinematic and high fashion looks, search for influencers and brand catalogues you like, or screenshot your favorite movies. It’s okay if the subject in the photo doesn’t have a bump, we’ll take care of showcasing yours!

This actually leads into our next point:

It’s not just about the wide shots, but also the macro, close-up details!

SIZE DOESN’T MATTER

Some people may think to themselves, “I’ll wait until I’m 9 months pregnant to find a photographer, because then I’ll be showing the most!”

But actually, that’s what we suggest NOT to do!

Scheduling a maternity photoshoot so close to delivery can risk you feeling uncomfortable, agitated and exhausted. You might have a bit more of a bump than you did before, but it’s honestly not worth the rest of the pain during the session.

The real sweet spot for maternity photoshoots is 30-36 weeks into the pregnancy (about 7-8 months in). The baby bump will be well-developed for photos, and you also won’t find yourself as easily fatigued. For a multiple birth situation such as twins, bump that number up by 5 weeks so it’s 25-30 weeks. That way, there’s less risk of an early delivery changing your photoshoot schedule.

If you’re still concerned about your baby bump not showing enough, or maybe that it’s showing TOO much, please put that worry aside. We’ve worked with pregnant people of all stages, shapes and sizes. A great photographer utilizes visual artistry, posing, and camera magic to make their subjects look flattering, and an excellent photographer will communicate with you beforehand to find out what you want to be shown and obscured in your pictures.

So, really, book that photoshoot before you reach 8 months! You won’t regret the extra time to come up with ideas, or to let your photographer brainstorm their own. This will also give you more time for…

These clients opted for matching white!

CHOOSING YOUR OUTFIT(S)

Here’s where it gets really fun. In a maternity photoshoot, you aren’t just showing off your glowing aura– you’re showing off your personal style in any way you want to! 

This might sound obvious, but clothing is very important in maternity sessions. You’ll want to emphasize your bump in a flattering way, while keeping to the theme/vibe of the photos that’s been set, AND you’ll want to be comfortable. You’re already carrying a whole second person around, so you don’t need overly tight or itchy clothing on top of that. You’ll definitely want to try some outfits on beforehand to see how it fits and make sure you can move around in it.

Also important: if you’re involving other people in the maternity session, make sure their clothing goes well with yours! Keeping to similar color/pattern families is great, but you’ll also want to make sure the styles/formalities match. One of you shouldn’t be in a flowing dress if the other is in ripped jeans. If you’re dressing up, make sure you BOTH dress up. And again, even though your partner, kids, or parents aren’t the focus of this shoot - they need to try on their outfits beforehand too!

This is the client’s second child, so she went for Mommy and me matching outfits!

Here are some things to keep in mind:

DO:

-Pick an outfit or a theme first, and then pick the other. That way you can pair the two together one at a time.

-Let your photographer know if you have multiple outfits planned or in mind (as early as possible)

-Consider extravagant options, like a flowing gown made of tule or silk

-Consider laid-back options, like a bodycon dress, overalls or even sweats!

-Pick colors and fabrics that makes you personally happy

-If you have other people involved in the photoshoot, match them to your outfits!

DON’T

-Don’t wear fabrics with micro patterns (like really tiny ginghams or dogtooth)

-Don’t pick an outfit at the last minute without trying it on! If the clothes don’t fit and you feel uncomfortable, then it’s going to show on your face in the pictures.

-Don’t wear a fancy outfit on the ride to the shoot! When possible, bring extravagant outfits or pressed pants in a garment bag to change into. (For outside sessions, we have a portable changing tent that we can bring with us)

For more information about clothing, check out our other post: How to Choose Clothing for Your Photoshoot!

One More Thing: For Mini sessions and certain packages like our Sprout tier packages, wardrobe changes aren’t built into the session time. When the clock starts on the photoshoot, we can’t stop it for a 15-minute outfit change!

Our higher-tier packages like Oak and Forest, as well as our special Maternity package, include time for changing outfits and locations. Something to consider as you plan your photoshoot!

We love props like: ultrasounds, booties, teeny hats, baby clothes, teddy bears, and more!

CONSIDER: MATERNITY AND NEWBORN PROPS

Some clients are more than happy with their photos being prop-free. That’s awesome, but what about YOU reading this? Do you have a flair for the dramatic? Do you have a baby outfit you bought already that you can’t wait to show off?

Whatever you’re planning, props are an important element to communicate with your photographer BEFORE we lock in a location. If you want a beach session and dramatic smoke, that could be challenging with elements such as wind and sun. If you have a large prop such as a crib, it might be a hassle to plan a session at the top of a mountain trail!

We say “might” because while special effect props (smoke, confetti, bubbles, etc) work best in controlled spaces like a studio backdrop, we can find a way to make it happen if the discussion starts early. If you had a vision of yourself in a field with a circle of nursery furniture, we’ll want to bring that to life. So again, share any and all ideas you have as soon as you book your photographer!

This couple celebrated their firstborn at the mother’s favorite beach, and built a sandcastle neighborhood for their ultrasound reveal!

FINALLY - BOOK IN ADVANCE!

Just like a pregnancy, there’s a general timeline you want to try and adhere to with a photoshoot– giving both yourself and the photographer time to plan, execute, and edit the session.

Unpredictable things can happen, such as an early delivery or dangerous thunderstorm, but planning ahead lets us all put care into the big day before it even happens and plan contingency options. So please, if you’re thinking of doing a maternity session, book your photographer before you’re 9 months pregnant!

(Also, if you have a location in mind that requires a permit or special planning, that’s all the more reason to prepare early!)

To summarize:

• Communicate! How can we express your personality through your session? Do you want the photos to be outside, in-home or styled on a backdrop?

• Plan your session to be 30-36 weeks into the pregnancy (sooner for multiple births)

• Pay attention to your clothing, and let your photographer know about any outfit changes you have planned

• Pick props to fit your vibe, location, and personality

• Book in advance, before your bump is even showing!

If you’re planning a shoot with us and have any questions at all, please reach out!

Serving Monmouth County NJ, Middlesex County NJ, Bergen County NJ, Ocean County NJ, Mercer County NJ, Hudson County NJ, and NYC. Willing to travel.

photoshoot clothing - preparing for photoshoot - family photoshoot - pregnancy photos - maternity photoshoot - maternity photos - baby bump photos- baby-to-be photos - having a baby photoshoot