One of my favorite things about being a maternity photographer is getting to hear my clients’ backstories. From their journeys to pregnancy to their stories about their other children, stories give me great context to help me tell the client’s story. When Beth and Derris came into my Cedar Park maternity studio, they came with their love written on their arms. They have known each other since they went to high school, and now they are expecting their first child together. I was so excited to get to capture this big moment in their lives.

Without further ado, meet Beth & Derris!

Beth and Derris In The Cedar Park Maternity Studio

Beth and Derris came in to the Cedar Park maternity studio to work with me for couples and solo maternity photos. They had sparkling personalities and worked well with one another. We didn’t need a lot of frills or props for this session. A simple background was good enough to capture their charisma, connection, and beauty.

Derris was a very helpful partner to have in the studio. You’ll notice a few shots later on in the set where the train of Beth’s dress trails behind her: that was the work of Derris! He, like many of the “cast of supporting characters” in my maternity client stories took directions well, as you can see above and below. We were able to capture a few good shots that are not in my normal repertoire, such as the one above!

Delicate Spring Colors

I loved taking photos of this couple. However, the solo photos of Beth were something special. She, herself, is stunning — I cannot get over that beautiful dark brown hair! But what really made her solo maternity photos so special was how well she posed for them.

As well as giving off spring vibes, Beth’s maternity photos had an ethereal, fairy princess feel to them. Beth’s facial expressions, including her coy smile (like the Mona Lisa!) made her photos feel calm and serene, like she were walking out of an enchanted forest into my photo studio.

Dramatic lighting and poses also helped with the feel of the session. We did a lot of top-down lighting, creating dramatic shadows and emphasizing her facial features, like her striking cheekbones and long eyelashes.

That lighting also brought out the textures in the dresses Beth picked for her session. Tulle and other sheer fabric are great additions to maternity wardrobes, because photographers and clients can capture movement with those fabrics, which makes the photo’s composition even more compelling.

I had a lot of dresses with these fabrics in my wardrobe, but this blue dress below came to the studio with Beth. I loved it — it’s so elegant while also being a stand-out piece! Beth was kind enough to donate it to my client wardrobe. So, if you book your maternity session with me, you could get to wear this stunner of a maternity gown!  I adore how it looks almost like a raincloud, with the little pearls like raindrops. It’s unique to my closet and I can’t wait to see other clients in it!

This gown was also wonderful for taking photos. It’s light coloration with those bright white pearls photographed well in color and in black and white.

Black and White Maternity Photos With Beth

Speaking of black and white… though I loved the full-color photos I took during Beth’s session, some of my favorites from this one were these close-up black and white maternity portraits. The ruffled tulle and shadow work in these make them really interesting to look at.

Black and white, when done right, can be just as interesting as full-color photos. Notice how in these photos your eyes are drawn to every dark and light portion of the photo, every crease, every crevice, and every texture. In the close-up portrait above, your eye is first drawn to the hand on Beth’s belly because of the lighting, then to the other elements of the photo.

Whether black and white or color, Beth’s maternity session was gorgeous. It was lovely to meet this couple, and I am wishing them the best on this next journey in their relationship — parenthood!

Interested in wearing one of the dresses featured in Beth’s maternity photoshoot? Click here to check out my maternity client wardrobe. Then, let’s meet to discuss your maternity session at Hello Photography!