As a mom of 3, I know a thing or two about pregnancy. It's the time in the life of any woman that deserves the biggest celebration. Our bodies go through this incredible transformation and I believe that this special moment should to be preserved in the most exquisite and editorial way. Here I have put together some pieces of advice for all the mamas to be planning to do a photoshoot.
1. The best time to do the shoot is 32-37 weeks along. It's during this time in the third trimester that the belly is large enough to be visible in any clothing and you have the most energy before slowing down and resting before delivery. That said, of course you can do it earlier and I'm showing examples in this post where my couples came to me even several times while expecting to create different images through all the stages.
2. Pregnancy photoshoots work well as a couple or solo session. Consider having your partner join for your session half way through. You and your body deserve to be treated to a photoshoot celebrating you. This is the time to get those fashion ideas and editorial vibes going. I would really recommend that you have that time alone with your photographer and can connect to this moment with your baby. It's emotional and psychological experience and for that the less people around the better. We'll talk, share and create from the place of trust and beauty. Your partner is of course welcome to join in later or have a different date all together for the couple portrait session. The way I will interact with you as a couple will be a bit different because it's all about your connection and love for each other. The individual session is more about your connection to you and your baby.
3. Consider having at least 2 outfits. My recommendation is to do one form fitting outfit and one flowing loose that you can easily move in. There is no right and wrong color for your clothes. I love solid colors - red, green, blue, black, white - all of them work well and we can create very editorial images. Avoid small prints and short dresses - they tend to be distracting from the composition where the shape is the most significant element. For all my pregnancies I, of course, have done photoshoots for myself captured by my husband and I went with either black tight form fitting dress or just did naked photos at our home, which is also a cool option - remember, those few months are so fleeting and it's worth it to capture your body in all its glory! I can recommend you a few options to shop for that would suit your body type, so please ask and I will include individual fashion styling into your session.
4. Location ideas. My absolute favorites are parks and nature. We play with shape, with color, with light and shadow. It's about you and not about Paris in the background :)
Second suggestion is your home or your hotel room, especially if you'd like to show more skin and have more intimate photos. A point to keep in mind is that you need good natural light for pregnancy photos indoors unless you are doing them in studio. Third option is doin g your pregnancy photoshoot in one of the Parisian museums, for example Petit Palais or Musee Rodin both allow photos inside and the juxtaposition of art and your body creates beautiful imagery. And of course there is the option of treating the pregnancy session as a love story that happens to have the cutest prop in the shape of a belly and you two will stroll your favorite spots in Paris or do something fun together. Perfect for those of you who are just visiting Paris on a baby moon and would like to have touristic photos and also celebrate this special time in your family life.
5. Props and things to do during your photoshoot. There are a few ways I love to make pregnancy photoshoots special. My absolute favorite is writing a letter to your baby during your shoot. We'd start the session with it and it will put you in a deeper connection to the moment, relax you and help you have something to do in front of the camera right away. Another idea is getting a pregnancy photoshoot dress with a long train - throwing it and creating beautiful shapes will make for very fashion editorial images. And of course having the first baby shoes or clothes or toys can be a nice prop to use in the shoot. Or better yet why don't we go and shop for them in Paris during your shoot and you'll have a true experience of visiting Paris and getting baby's first gifts there all captured.
6. Older siblings and pregnancy photoshoot. The one point I didn't discuss yet or showed examples of is having your other kids join in for the session. I absolutely love it as long as we plan it in a way that mommy gets her alone time and then daddy and the other kids join in for the second half. I can't stress it enough how important this moment for solo photos is. I've 3 kids and having even just regular family photos done with them is so tough with everyone running and playing - it's a mess :) Now add a belly to it and it can become a bit overwhelming and stressful. So of course we will do some photos with your entire growing family in the end of the shoot, but let's keep that to the very end and give you a nice and relaxing time with your baby before they join.
Are you ready to start planning your pregnancy photoshoot?
