It's hard enough to decide what to wear on a day to day basis while pregnant, but choosing what to wear for your maternity photos can be overwhelming and stressful;. You obviously want your photos to be beautiful, so it’s only natural that you’ll be stressed out by this decision. Maternity photos can be some of the most beautiful and intimate photos that you’ll ever take and having the perfect outfit is key to making your photos look amazing. If you’re searching for the perfect outfit to wear for your upcoming maternity photo shoot, here are some ideas that will help you and your beautiful belly look stunning.
1. Go Timeless
Since you’ll have these maternity photos for forever you don’t want to look back on them in 20 years and regret anything you wore. Don’t date your photos with trendy colour combos or fashion styles. Trends come and go, you won’t want to pick out something that could possibly go out of style. You want your shots to be timeless and definitely won’t want to look at these photos down the road and wonder what you were thinking when you picked out your outfit. Great options include classic colours like white, navy or nudes and timeless fabrics like lace.
2. Maxi Dress
There are a number of reasons why the maxi dress is a popular choice for maternity shoots. This style of dress looks amazing on any pregnant body because it’s incredibly flattering. It covers up anything you don’t want shown, but can also be pulled against the belly to show off your adorable baby bump. A maxi dress is also a very dramatic piece of clothing to wear for a photo shoot. The flowing fabric looks amazing in the wind and creates a lot of movement in a still photo.
3. Tight Clothing
As I said in my last blog, there are upsides to being pregnant and one of them being, you don't have to hold in your stomach. Be proud of these once in a lifetime beautiful curves and wear something that showcases your bump and curves to perfection. A body con dress will ensure your bump is the main feature of the photo and will be easier to photograph. If you are not comfortable in tight clothing, ensure the dress you choose is form fitting around the bust (empire waist) and easily held down to show your belly,
4. Block colour
While I love a floral print and there are so many great options out there right now, the main focus of the photos should be your bump. Using a pattern or print will take the focus away from your belly and/or the stunning scenery you have used as your backdrop., Solid colours are a safer option or better yet, take along two choices and do some photos with your colour block choice and the other with your print.
Now that you have some idea of what to wear, you need to make the other important decisions to capture the photos you will treasure forever:
- The photographer - A professional maternity photographer will know how to light, pose and photograph you in angles that flatter your face and body. You need to choose one whose style resonates with you, so spend time looking at their recent portfolio and look for consistency. Reach out to other customers for a review.
- Including family - I am such a fan of photos that include the whole family (partner, siblings, fur babies) but that will make the photo session a little more stressful and complicated. Talk to your photographer about the pros and cons of both and decide together what is best for you and your sanity.
- Location - The natural beauty of a pregnant woman in a beautiful outdoor backdrop is simply breathtaking! The parallel of a mother about to bring to life into the world and Mother Nature is a powerful one. Disadvantages are that the shoot is weather-dependent and shooting hours are limited to the golden hour of sunrise or sunset (when the quality of natural light is at its best).
Capturing those moments before your baby arrives is something you will treasure forever and you can share with your child when they are older to show the love you had for them before they even arrived. Pregnancy is beautiful and whatever you wear will be right for you, but I hope these tips will help you decide. I have included some of my favourite maternity photos from some of the accounts I follow on Instagram.
