Welcoming a new life into the world is one of the most magical experiences, and capturing these moments through photography can create timeless memories.
If you’re a mum-to-be and new to the world of maternity and newborn photography, you’re in the right place.
This guide will help you decide when to book your sessions and give you a little bit of insight into how it all works with dresses and outfits for baby.
When to Book Your Maternity Photography Session
The ideal time to schedule your maternity photoshoot is for when you are around 30 weeks pregnant.
During this period, your baby bump will be nicely rounded, and you’ll still have enough energy to enjoy the session and move around comfortably. Plus, this timing also gives us a bit of flexibility in case baby decides to arrive early or we have to reschedule because of the weather (if it’s an outdoor session).
When to Book Your Newborn Photography Session
Newborn photography is best done within the first two weeks after birth, ideally between 8 – 14 days old.
During this period, babies are usually still quite sleepy (although be warned, your baby might have other ideas about this) and we can get those adorable little sleepy shots. Getting your session booked in for this timeframe also means we can capture the fleeting newborn details, like tiny fingers and toes, that change so quickly.
I only take a small number of newborns each month, so I have flexibility to move your session around depending on when baby arrives. I usually book you in for a spot around 10 days after your due date. I get you to text me when baby arrives and we confirm the date and time at that stage. I usually do newborn sessions in my studio at 10am and I provide you with a full Session Prep Guide so you know what to expect on the day.
I suggest that around 12 – 20 weeks pregnant is a good time to start looking at photographer’s websites to see what kind of style you like and get your sessions booked in.
What to Wear: Maternity Session
Choosing the right outfits can really take your maternity photos can really take your maternity photos to the next level.
I have a small client wardrobe of beautiful dresses that you will be able to borrow for your session. We’ll also have a Zoom planning call before-hand where we can go over what you and everyone else in the family will wear.
Most of my clients will opt for very organic and natural colour palettes (think whites, tans, mocha, sage, rust, dusky pinks) and my dresses work with beautifully with this scheme.
If you have chosen an indoor session, then we usually do two outfits for these. One set of images is in your own outfit and I recommend something a little closer fitting so we can create beautiful silhouettes. Then the second look is usually in one of the beautiful dresses I have in my client wardrobe.
What to Wear: Newborn Session
I completely understand that after you have had baby, the first week or two can be tough with all those sleepless nights. A lot of the photos I do for newborns will feature baby in your arms and I am an expert at guiding you through the session to you feel relaxed and confident. We’ll be focusing on connection and capturing the love you have for your baby as opposed to full body, everyone staring awkwardly at the camera type photos.
For newborn sessions, many of my Mums choose to wear the same dress they chose for their maternity session, so we can create collage frames or an album that includes images from both sessions. These look stunning and the dress choice creates a lovely sense of cohesion between the two sessions.
If you prefer to wear something a little more casual, then I always recommend lighter tones and more neutral browns, creams, tans, whites for your newborn session. This way we avoid strong colour casts onto baby’s face. Again though, we’ll go over planning for outfits in your Zoom planning call to make sure we have everyone looking great.
Final thoughts
Booking your maternity and newborn photography sessions at the right time and choosing the right outfits can make a world of difference to your final images.
I’ll guide you through the whole process though and my goal is to make it a stress-free experience you enjoy and capture some beautiful memories for you of this special time in your lives.
Would you like a copy of my Pricing & Packages Info?
Fill in the enquiry form on my Contact Page and I can send you information on pricing and packages. I also have special Maternity & Newborn Collection discounts if you would like to book in both sessions.
