How to Create Memorable and Personal In-Home Maternity Photos
You've made a great choice by picking Becks Photography for your maternity photographer! You have taken a great first step in capturing this stage but we still have some things to consider, and I'm about to give you some great tips on what your next steps are!
UNWAVERING FACTORS THAT MAKE YOUR PHOTOS GREAT
If you want amazing photos please read this entire article, it will make all of the difference BUT if you only take a small amount of advice from me take this. I don't think I've ever taken a bad photo for someone who had a great attitude their entire session and who followed my style guide. Your attitude and your clothes make a HUGE difference in the outcome of your photos. Trust me, I've been doing this for years!
What to expect
A maternity session with me is laid back and relaxed. Please feel free to turn on music and enjoy this time together. I come prepared with many poses for your session and walk you though them by telling and showing you how to do them. If you have children, I will help guide you into posing with them but I encourage you not to push your children and to let them gently lead while you play and love on them. To put you at ease, you should know that your sessions aren't riding on time. If you've book a "full" session I schedule 45 minutes, if you've booked an "extended" session I schedule 60 minutes. These times are generous and I can typically be flexible, especially if you have children. Sometimes kids need a little bit of time to warm up and that's ok, I have time. Be ready to love on each other and play!
WHAT ROOMS TO USE
To help you decide what rooms to use you need to consider two things. First and foremost, what room(s) in your home have the most natural light? Though I will bring a flash or two, I love natural light for in-home photos. Next, consider what rooms you have ready and love the most. The most popular rooms to use are the nursery, living room, and master bedroom. If you still don't know what room(s) to use, I'll help you make the decision... what room in your house do you find the most joy in? What room have you decorated perfectly to fit your style, and you're happy with being in photos? What room has great windows?
WHAT TO WEAR
We need to talk about what to wear to your maternity photos, because it is SO important! Believe it or not, the outfits that you choose for your session have a huge impact on the mood and outcome of your photos. HUGE Choosing which outfits look best isn't easy but it's so important. If your dream is to create memorable and personal maternity photos, follow these tips.
- Beiges and creams and timeless and photograph best
- Muted colors that are complimentary to your home are also great
- Bold, bright, and neon colors do not photograph well, I highly suggest avoiding them
- Compliment but do not match the color of the walls
- Black is slimming which isn't the best when showing off your bump
- Avoid patterns but incorporate textures
- Remove apple watches, along with everything in your pockets
When it's time to pick out an outfit, please take the time to read my full style guide(<--click the link). I now offer customized style inspiration to help you choose outfits that flatter you, photograph well, and complement who you are! Let’s elevate your look to create photos that reflect who you are while also creating a stunning visual story. If you are interested in this fill out the form that I sent in your welcome email.
If you have any questions at all, please reach out to me and I'd be more than happy to help you choose the most magical outfit!
GETTING YOUR HOUSE READY
A few hours before I arrive you will need to tidy up your house. Please know that I am not here to judge the state of your home, it's where you live! Do keep in mind though, if your 2009 bowling trophy is in the living room, it'll also be in your photos. Your house is unique and expressive of your personality and that's perfect! Just keep in mind that what is out and visible will be documented. Now you don't have to go cleaning every room of the house, tidying up the room or two that you are planning on using will do. Once you have tidied up, please open all of your curtains/blinds and let in that natural light.
MINDSET
I am a lifestyle photographer who loves to capture authentic moments and emotions. Arguably the most important tip I can give you is to be patient, have fun, and have a great attitude. We are here to celebrate your pregnancy! I want you to cuddle up together: kiss, smile, hug, whisper your favorite things to each and share this special time together. Forget that you're "posing for the camera," and just take this time to enjoy each others company! When you are looking back at your photos that we took together, do you want negative memories of being rushed or stressed or do you want joyful memories of playing, laughing, and cuddling up close with the one you love most?
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
- tidy up a few hours or even the day before I arrive to keep your stress levels down
- go out on a date or share some time together at home before I arrive to really connect (check out this list of local, weekly date night deals)
- remember that your session is all about having fun and connecting with each other
- have an open mind when it come to poses and prompts that I use
- eat before your photoshoot, we all know that patience runs thin when hungry
HAVE CHILDREN?
- talk to your children about meeting me
- prep them to listen well to my instructions
- be patient with your children. Let them lead by having fun and playing with them
- try to avoid bribery and instead explain to them that photos are a fun experience (because they will be!)
PROPS
Let's talk about props! In my experience, keeping props to a minimum will make your maternity photos more classy and timeless. However, there are a few props that I recommend if you'd like to add them. The best prop in my opinion is an ultrasound strip. You can use a whole strip or just one photo but please leave it out of a frame, if we decide to use it for your session, you will be holding it in the photo so we won't need a frame. Another cute prop idea is baby shoes, again, completely optional, but if you decide to use baby shoes to your maternity photos. If you do decide to use a prop, we will only take 1 or 2 photos with them because the focus should be on you.
PETS
Do you have a dog or cat that you want to include their dog(s) in photos, the more the merrier! If that is something you'd like to do, please let me know ahead of time so I can properly prepare myself.
QUESTIONNAIRE
Now it's time for you to fill out your questionnaire! This is where I learn about you two! I prep myself for every couples session that I have, and each time I prepare differently depending on your answers. It's so important that you are descriptive when answering the questions.
I CANNOT WAIT FOR OUR SESSION TOGETHER!
If you follow this guide, I can assure you that we are going to create truly memorable and meaningful photos!
