What Happens During a Maternity Photo Session? | Los Angeles Maternity Photography
Simple styling can keep the focus on Mom and the shape of her growing belly. Flowing fabrics, soft colors, and guided posing create a clean, timeless maternity portrait while allowing the pregnancy itself to remain the center of the image.
If you have never had professional maternity photos taken before, you may wonder what actually happens during a maternity photo session. Do you need to know how to pose? Should you bring your own maternity gown? Can your partner or children participate? What happens if you feel awkward in front of the camera?
A professional maternity session should not require you to arrive knowing how to be a model. From choosing what to wear to positioning your hands and body, your photographer should guide you throughout the session.
At my Los Angeles maternity photography studio, sessions are planned to create a variety of portraits while keeping the focus on you, your pregnancy, and this particular stage of motherhood.
Quick Answer: What Happens During a Maternity Photo Session?
During a studio maternity photo session, you will be guided through wardrobe choices, lighting, posing, and different portrait combinations. We typically begin with portraits of Mom alone, create several different looks, and then include a partner or children if desired. You do not need modeling experience or need to know how to pose before you arrive.
Before Your Maternity Photo Session
Planning begins before you step in front of the camera.
We'll discuss the type of maternity portraits you would like to create, including your preferred style, wardrobe, and whether you want your partner or children included.
Some mothers want elegant and dramatic pregnancy portraits. Others prefer something softer and more understated. Your maternity session doesn't need to look exactly like someone else's.
This is also a good time to think about when to schedule your maternity portraits. Most maternity sessions are photographed when the belly is beautifully defined but before the final weeks of pregnancy become uncomfortable.
Choosing What to Wear for Maternity Photos
Wardrobe has a significant effect on the final look of maternity portraits.
Depending on the style we're creating, maternity photography can include gowns, fitted dresses, flowing fabrics, or simpler looks that emphasize the shape of the belly.
The important thing is choosing clothing that photographs well and makes sense for the type of portraits you want to create.
You also don't need every photograph to have the same look. Wardrobe changes allow us to create variety within a single session.
For more ideas about gowns, fabrics and coordinating your family's clothing, see my guide to what to wear for maternity photos.
You Don't Need to Know How to Pose
This is one of the biggest concerns I hear from people who aren't accustomed to being photographed.
You don't need to arrive knowing what to do with your hands, where to look, how to stand, or which angle is most flattering.
That's my job.
During your maternity session, I will guide you through your positioning and make small adjustments to your hands, shoulders, face, legs, and body angle. Maternity posing is particularly intentional because small changes in position can make a significant difference in how the belly and body are photographed.
You aren't expected to memorize poses or recreate photographs you've seen online.
We Create a Variety of Maternity Portraits
A maternity gallery doesn't need to consist of the same standing pose repeated with different backgrounds.
During the session, we can create a combination of:
full-length maternity portraits
closer portraits emphasizing Mom and her belly
standing and seated poses
different maternity gowns or fabrics
softer and more dramatic lighting
portraits looking toward the camera
quieter, more reflective images
photographs with a partner or children
The exact combinations depend on the session and the portraits we are creating.
The goal is variety while maintaining a consistent overall style.
Mom Gets Photographed by Herself
Even when a partner and children will be participating, I believe it is important to create maternity portraits of Mom by herself.
This is your maternity session.
Family photographs are valuable, but pregnancy is also a significant chapter in your own story. Individual portraits allow us to concentrate entirely on you without simultaneously managing a toddler, positioning a partner, or trying to get everyone to look toward the camera.
For sessions involving young children, I often photograph Mom's individual portraits first and have the rest of the family join us later.
That gives us uninterrupted time to create the maternity photographs before transitioning into family portraits.
Can My Partner Be in My Maternity Photos?
Yes. Partners can absolutely be included.
We can create photographs of you together in addition to Mom's individual portraits. These images document not only the pregnancy but also the relationship and anticipation surrounding the arrival of your baby.
If you are bringing a partner, coordinating clothing usually works better than dressing identically. Simple, classic clothing that complements Mom's wardrobe tends to keep the attention on the people rather than the outfits.
Can My Children Be Included?
Yes. Older children can also participate in maternity photographs.
With toddlers, however, I recommend approaching the session with different expectations.
Toddlers have short attention spans and aren't always interested in posing simply because the adults would like them to. When possible, I photograph Mom first and have Dad and the toddler arrive later in the session.
I also recommend bringing another trusted adult who is not being photographed. That person can help with the child when Mom and Dad are both in front of the camera or take the toddler for a break after their photographs are finished. Read Maternity Photos With a Toddler: What Parents Should Know
What If I Feel Awkward in Front of the Camera?
You are not alone.
Most of the people I photograph are not professional models and don't spend their lives posing in front of cameras.
Good maternity photography doesn't depend on a client's ability to pose herself. It depends heavily on direction, lighting, camera angle, wardrobe, and the photographer's understanding of how to photograph the pregnant body.
I will guide you throughout the session rather than placing you in front of a backdrop and expecting you to figure out what to do.
How Long Does a Maternity Photo Session Take?
The length of a maternity session depends on the number of looks we're creating, wardrobe changes, and whether a partner or children are participating.
Changing gowns, adjusting lighting, and transitioning between individual and family portraits all take time.
Rather than trying to rush through as many poses as possible, I prefer to work deliberately so we can make adjustments and create a varied gallery.
If children are participating, we also build some flexibility into the family portion because young children don't work according to a photography schedule.
When Should I Schedule My Maternity Session?
Maternity photography is generally scheduled before the very end of pregnancy, when the belly is clearly visible but Mom is still reasonably comfortable moving and posing.
The ideal timing can vary depending on your pregnancy and whether you're expecting multiples.
What Happens After the Maternity Session?
After your maternity session, your photographs are professionally edited to create the finished portraits.
Editing is the final part of the photographic process, but the foundation of the image is created in camera through posing, lighting, wardrobe, composition, and expression.
Your finished maternity photographs become a record of a stage of motherhood that lasts for only a short period of time.
And for many families, maternity photography becomes the beginning of a larger photographic story that continues when their baby arrives.
Frequently Asked Questions About Maternity Photo Sessions
Do I need to know how to pose for maternity photos?
No. You will be guided throughout the session. Your photographer should direct your body position, hands, expression, and angles rather than expecting you to know how to pose yourself.
Do I need to bring my own maternity gown?
This depends on the photographer and the type of session you are booking. Before your session, we will discuss wardrobe and the looks you would like to create so you know what you need to bring. At my studio in Los Angeles, I have many gowns you can use.
Can my husband or partner participate?
Yes. Your partner can be included in some of your maternity portraits while still leaving plenty of time for photographs focused entirely on you.
Can I bring my toddler to my maternity session?
Yes. Toddlers can participate, but it helps to plan their portion of the session around their age and attention span. I generally recommend having them arrive later rather than expecting them to wait through Mom's individual portraits.
Can I bring another adult to help with my children?
Yes, and I strongly recommend it when young children are participating. A trusted adult who isn't being photographed can care for your child while the parents are being photographed and take them for a break when their portion is finished.
How many outfits can I wear?
The number of wardrobe changes depends on the session and the amount of time available. We can plan your wardrobe before the session so that the different looks work together and we use our photography time efficiently. My maternity sessions usually include 3 outfits.
When should maternity photos be taken?
Maternity portraits are typically scheduled when the belly is prominently visible but before the final weeks when posing and movement may become less comfortable. The ideal timing can vary by pregnancy. But as general rule, sometime between weeks 28 and 34 are optimal.
Los Angeles Studio Maternity Photography
My maternity sessions take place in my private Tujunga photography studio, serving expecting mothers and families throughout Los Angeles, Glendale, Pasadena, Burbank, La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta, and surrounding communities.
A maternity session doesn't require knowing how to pose or knowing exactly what photographs you want before you arrive. The session is guided from beginning to end, with time to create individual portraits of Mom as well as photographs with a partner or children when desired.
The purpose is simple: to create photographs centered on this pregnancy, this stage of motherhood, and the family that is about to change.
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