That Maternity Glow!

Who knew there were so many decisions to be made when you were pregnant. From baby names to nursery themes, there are so many things to decide on! Mark what kind of Maternity Photos you want to do off the list! I'm here to explain the differences in studio maternity and outdoor maternity photos and help you determine which would be best for you, so you don't have to!

OUTDOOR

I am a sucker for a beautiful location at sunset.

One of my favorite things when chatting with clients is to find out what they are looking for scenery wise and coming up with the perfect spot. When scouting locations I'm looking for versatility, many places within a place to shoot so I can give the most variety in my galleries.

There is nothing quite like having the freedom to move around a location to find places that look the best at the time you're there. I have shot an many places multiple times, but I don't think I've ever seen a location the same way twice. For example, one of my favorites is on the lake. I love it in the summer for the deep greenery and where the sun sets over the water. The way the summer sun shines through the leaves... In the winter, I love it for completely different reasons. I love the monochrome look of the sand and the tall, dead grass. The dichotomy of it "looking" cold but at a place that you associate with being warm.

Outdoor sessions are great for families who have other children because they aren't confined in a small studio space and we can move around a lot to keep them entertained. We can use motion to create interest (walking together, throwing one of the kids up in the air, spinning around, etc).

Outdoor sessions are also better during certain times of the year. For example- you probably won't want your kids outside when it's 22 degrees and windy, and you- yourself- probably won't want to be outside 4385489 weeks pregnant when it's 102 degrees. I don't even want to be outside then, haha!

Pros:

great for kids and families, lots of variety, freedom to move around, more candid

Cons:

weather dependent, bugs, sometimes require lots of walking, often late in the day which can be tricky for littles

IN STUDIO

Studio maternity sessions are a slower pace.

Often, hair and makeup will be done in studio while you munch on snacks, drink sparkling cider and just generally get pampered. Want to try on 6 dresses? No problem! Want to shoot at 8am? 10pm? Midday? No problem! Thinking of showing some skin but worried about other people seeing? No problem, I got you, it'll only be us and I'm your number one fan girl!

In studio, there are no surprises. I know what the light is going to look like every single time. We won't get rained out, we won't run into 15 other photographers and their clients which sometimes happens at popular locations, we won't be at the mercy of the temperature. If you want both casual and glam looks, I think the studio setting really shines here, studio lighting is just more dramatic, which really gives that elegant feel. Then we can change the lighting set up and the backdrop for something more casual. It's a different kind of versatility.

I especially love studio sessions for couples or mom alone. Since I'm primarily a newborn photographer, kids are certainly welcome and I have an area dedicated to siblings, but I find young children get antsy in studio and the same tricks that work outside often don't work inside. Most kids just prefer being outside and being able to run around and be kids which is great for candid photos, but in studio there is a very specific "place" to be. For older kids, this is a non issue.

Being at my studio is also nice if you've booked a newborn session with me because you'll get to see all of the props, clothing and accesories ahead of time. Some moms will pick specific pieces out during their maternity session to use during both sessions for a fun before/after type photo.

Pros:

any time of day, not weather/season dependent, perfect posing and lighting.

Cons:

posed photos in a confined space can be harder with young kids.

Go wild, do BOTH. Personally, the cost is the same for my clients as long as the sessions are on the same day, so you don't HAVE to decide either/or.

The bottom line is as long as you schedule a maternity session, you can't go wrong! You'll only regret the photos you didn't take.

Let me know below if you have any questions and if you'd like to chat about either session type more, let's chat!