Congratulations! You’re pregnant and you’re looking to get gorgeous maternity portraits taken to capture your gorgeous curves but where should you hold your portrait session?
The perfect location for your pregnancy portrait session will depend on a number of factors, some of which I will cover here. The important thing to note is, no matter the location chosen, you’ll have gorgeous portraits at the end of your pregnancy portrait session.
Studio
Studio portraits are beautiful as there is a mastery and control of the light that cannot be recreated easily outdoors. Your pregnancy portrait can be held anytime, day or night, and the result will be the same as we are not dependant on the natural light. It is difficult to recreate the beauty of the great outdoors in a studio. Here are the advantages and constraints associated with studio portraits.
- Your portrait session can take place when you want. As we are not dependant on the external lighting conditions, your maternity portrait session can take place at a time that’s more convenient for you. This is especially important when you’re pregnant as you may feel better at certain times of the day.
- The studio is climate-controlled so you know that you not need to reschedule or change what you plan to wear because of inclement weather. No need to reschedule in case of rain. This is important as you have a limited window to photograph your baby bump.
- The lighting is expertly applied which flatters your body and your skin. Your eyes come alive with that twinkle, your skin becomes beautiful and creamy and skilful lighting, as well as posing, highlights your assets. Your baby bump is the star of the show and is skilfully highlighted with my studio lights.
- It is private. There are no crowds at the studio and you will be the only ones present so you’ll be able to relax. Privacy is also important if you would like more revealing shots, showcasing your lovely round belly.
- Towards the end of your pregnancy, you’re going to be less mobile and you will tire more quickly (which is completely natural you’re carrying and nurturing a precious new life). A studio maternity portrait is ideal as we can take as many breaks as you need and at, the end of the session, you don’t have far to walk back to the car, unlike a portrait session in the forest where you may have to hike to get back.
- You can have multiple outfits as it’s quick and easy to change in the studio.
- The photos may appear to be less natural. This depends on the style and look of your session. It’s true, if you’re looking for a natural, outdoor shoot, the studio is not for you as you won’t feel as free. However, while it is natural to initially feel a little intimidated by the studio lights etc, a good photographer will help you relax in front of the camera to get natural looking photos.
Outdoors
Outdoor portraits are gorgeous, bright and colourful. They are, however, more complicated as you are at the mercy of the weather and the season as they greatly impact our ability to photograph outdoors. Here are some of the advantages and constraints associated with outdoor portraits for maternity portraits.
-
Your portrait session can take place in a location that is important to you. This could be where you met your partner, a place where you love to go together etc. It is important to note however that an authorisation is required to photograph in some locations.
-
Nothing beats a gorgeous natural backdrop – especially if you love the great outdoors. Depending on the season when you hold your portrait session you may have the gorgeous autumn colours, the snow in winter, beautiful spring flowers or the green leafy summer colours as a backdrop to your photos.
- If you would like to have your furry friend participate in the shoot, an outdoor shoot is likely to be better for everyone as you can take your dog for a walk, play with them etc. Dogs are welcome in the studio too but if they are exuberant, playful dogs, it’ll be less stressful for everyone (including your dog) if the portrait session is held outdoors.
-
You can include other pets outdoors such as your horse – it’s much harder to include your horse in a portrait session!
-
You have no control over the weather conditions. This is by far the biggest drawback associated with outdoor photography. Your pregnancy portrait is booked a fair bit in advance and needs to take place between the 28th and 34th week and it’s impossible to know what the weather will be like on the day. Your session may have to be postponed due to inclement weather, eg. rain or high winds, or significant changes in temperature can completely change what you plan to wear.
-
You can’t hold your maternity portrait session when you want. Outdoor portrait sessions generally happen either first thing in the morning or just before sunset as this is when the light is lovely and soft - the sun in the middle of the day is much too harsh and is not flattering. This means that in summer your portrait session will start before 6am or around 8pm.
- Photographing in a public area can be challenging as we have to work around other people Depending on the outdoor location chosen, you may not be alone in the park or other location and may feel less free to express yourselves.
Thanks for reading this article. I hope you have a better understanding of the different location options for your pregnancy portrait session.
Reserve your maternity portrait session
While many people place more emphasis on newborn photos, capturing that magical time leading up to the birth of your little one will create memories you’ll cherish forever. If you’d like to get in touch to book your session or have any questions, please feel free to contact me via the contact form or by phone on 06 67 71 65 28.
Want to find out more about maternity portraits?
Thanks for reading today’s blog. If you would like to find out more about maternity portrait sessions, please visit my pregnancy portrait page.
To see examples of pregnancy portrait sessions, visit my blog to see a gorgeous mum-to-be and her outdoors maternity portrait session and to discover a studio pregnancy portrait session.
No comments yet.