Remembering Before Birth.
The session is meant to be relaxing and fun and we are creating beautiful portraits that I hope will become heirlooms for you and your family. Many mums like to have their hair and makeup done before the session. I can suggest a few makeup artists if you would like a referral.
When should I book?
I recommend scheduling around your seventh or eighth month. Partners and children (if there are any) are always welcome! If there aren’t any children then the time of the session on the day is not crucial. If there are children, especially if they are young then you will need to consider their routine (naps, feeding etc) and I usually suggest a morning session as this tends to work best.
What do I need to do?
There are a few things you should consider about the style of the shoot and how much skin you want to show. Do you want to show belly only? Topless, Nude? If your partner is coming will they go shirtless?
Consider where you would like to display your photographs. I will take a variety of image some will be suitable for displaying in a family room others will be more intimate and private. The style you decide upon is up to you and it is important that you feel comfortable and get the beautiful portraits you want. Looking through my website galleries will give you some ideas on posing and clothing.
What do I need to bring?
Dark tops and trousers are a good place to start (for both you and your partner), jeans, and a white shirt work well too. Short vest style tops or boob tubes that can be folded up to expose your bump also look good as do sarongs in sheer fabrics. I have a number of sarongs at the studio to use in the session. If there are children in the session then it is best if their clothes match yours (eg, mixture of dark and light not too heavily patterned or with logos that will ‘date’ the image).
You may have some clothes that are not specifically maternity but they may also work, you may have a favourite pair of jeans which although they won’t button up can make for a great fun shot, oversized shirts etc – I suggest trying things on before the day to ensure that they look and fit the way you want them to. You may also wish to bring accessories (jewellery and scarves) and some sentimental items like first scan pictures or a toy you have bought for the baby.
Other things to consider
Straps and waistbands can dig into your skin and leave marks so it is best to slip straps down or wear a strapless bra, push waistbands down to your hips. Remember to bring a nude thong to tuck fabrics and sarongs into (big knickers don’t work so well).
Oh and lastly, hands will be in the pictures so nice nails are important (Partners too)!