Tips to Look Your Best in Your Maternity Portraits

Hey, mamas! Pregnancy is such a special season in your life. While there were many things that I did not love about being pregnant with Grayson, I do remember always enjoying the giddy anticipation that comes with waiting for your first baby to arrive. That’s one of the reasons I love working with mamas to capture portraits for them during this season of anticipation!

Every mama wants to look glowy and gorgeous in her maternity portraits, right? But at the same time, your body is changing every day and sometimes you don’t quite recognize yourself when you look in the mirror — I get it, I’ve been there! ;o) However, let’s look at all the positives hidden in these changes: your hair has never been longer & thicker; your skin has never glowed quite so much; and your body has more beautiful & soft curves than ever before. YOU ARE GORGEOUS, MAMA!

You want to feel beautiful, confident, and feminine in your portraits, but this is your first time doing a maternity portrait session and you’re not quite sure how to achieve that. Here I’m sharing some simple tips to help you look beautiful in your maternity portraits, and I hope you find them helpful!

1. Choose a photographer who has plenty of experience working with new mamas. You want to hire someone who knows the best angles, the best lighting, and the most flattering colors and fabrics for your body. Browse their website, check out their social media, and get a feel for their style and their experience. The more experienced the photographer, the more comfortable they will be able to make you feel when you are in front of the camera.
   

2. Plan your session for between weeks 28-32. Sometimes I work with mamas closer to week 36, so it just depends on how you feel. If you’re expecting multiples, go a little earlier between weeks 26-30. You want to ensure you have the session early enough when you are still comfortable moving around, and also in case you happen to deliver early this will ensure enough time for your gallery reveal before the baby arrives!
   

3. Drink lots of water the week before your session. LOTS. This will help your skin be clear and give you even more of a motherly glow.
   

4. Speaking of skin, pay extra attention to moisturizing and exfoliating your skin in the week or two before the session. Healthy skin is happy skin, and happy skin looks amazing on camera. Pay extra attention to your elbows, baby bump, décolletage, and of course your face. If you’ll be wearing a shorter dress or just panties on the bottom, don’t forget your knees and ankles, which tend to show dry skin more than other areas of your body.
   

5. If you can, invest in professional hair & makeup for your session. Or, if you’re going to do your hair and makeup yourself, here are a few tips! Wear your hair down and give it a good blowout that day for extra volume and shape. Don’t underestimate the power of a little extra mascara, eyeliner, and blush. And for your lips, a lip gloss or lipstick will have a huge impact! Keep your lip product handy during the session to reapply for a fresh look.
   

6. Choose the right fabric for your outfits. You don’t have to wear a dress if it’s really not your style, but I do believe that long flowy dresses are incredibly flattering on pregnant women and they really accentuate your baby bump in the most beautiful way. A few other great options are an oversized sweater, a bathrobe or cardigan with a lace bra & panties, an oversized men’s shirt, or leggings and a flowy tunic top. When choosing fabrics, opt for thin and flowy over thick and bulky. Try it on ahead of time and make sure if flatters across your chest and baby bump.
   Did you know that we have a closet filled with dresses at the studio? We call it our Mama Wardrobe and clients are more than welcome to wear as many as they would like during their portrait session!
   

7. Don’t forget the undergarments! A nude bra is key. If you have a strapless bra that fits, bring that, otherwise we can just tuck your straps into the dress and make it work that way. I recommend seamless panties to avoid any lines showing through the think fabric of the dresses, too, preferably nude or light-colored instead of black or patterned.

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