Maternity photography isn’t just for first-time mothers. Anyone who has been pregnant more than once will tell you that each pregnancy is different and has special elements distinct from any other pregnancy.
Professional photographers love to translate each pregnancy into a lasting moment — and for us, we never stop seeing endless, incomparable ideas for each client we work with.
Here are some of the ways we mix up our maternity sessions to make your second or third maternity session stand out.
Different Tummy Poses
When we think about maternity photography, so often, we think solely about emphasizing the baby bump.
That’s an integral part of the equation, for sure. But more important? The mothers!
Sometimes it feels as though maternity photography can focus too much on the belly and not the mother. Outstanding maternity photography should be about making mothers feel important. It’s good for photographers to reimagine their go-to baby bump poses to achieve this critical goal. When I work with my maternity clients, I pick angles, lighting, and poses that best match their personality. This means that each shoot will look distinct, even if it isn’t your first time doing a maternity session with me.
Work With The Seasons
Seasonal themes and settings are among the easier ways to make a maternity photoshoot stand out from previous shoots. It works out particularly well if your children are born during different seasons, but even photoshoots done during big holidays like Christmas and Valentine’s Day can be exceptional.
If you’ve done a maternity shoot during a previous pregnancy and like the photographer, you used before, working with them again can help when it comes time to plan. Together you can talk about the differences between this pregnancy and your last one, as well as ideas you have for the shoot. Your photographer can then carefully work seasonal props and sets into your photoshoot to curate the perfect session.
Bring Your Partner (Or Your Kids) Into The Picture
I love a fiercely independent mama who wants her maternity session to be all about her. I get it — pregnancy is a lot of hard work that deserves its own photo session!
However, for mothers-to-be with partners and older children, including them in the photo is a great way to document your pregnancy and make it memorable. I even know families who bring pets into the picture each time they do a photoshoot!
Include A Specific Prop
As a mom, you know that each pregnancy is as unique as the children that you raise! Moms often have a particular prop, place, or theme associated with each of their pregnancies. They might choose to include a set of heirloom baby shoes in one of their belly shots, or maybe a bird’s nest, plant, or other nature-based prop if they’re an outdoorsy family.
Maternity photographers can also turn maternity dresses and other clothing into props, as I did with one of my #hellomamas in her photoshoot from last year. She wanted me to make her maternity dress look like a butterfly because she loved butterflies. It was no small feat, but getting a butterfly-wing shot made her happy and made this shoot special for her.
Switch Up Your Photo Session Wardrobe
Flower crowns are popular (for both moms and babies), but I have other ways of making the moms I photograph feel beautiful. Between accessories, a diverse wardrobe full of maternity dresses, makeup options, and ample photoshoot setup choices, each new session can be unique and breathtaking.
I get to know my pregnancy clients a little bit before we do the photoshoot. This helps me get a feel for what you like. Often, clients have ideas for maternity photo shoots, but you shouldn’t feel pressured to meet with a professional photographer with maternity photo session ideas. Part of our job is making sure our photos capture your essence completely, and we know how to find out what you’re looking for from your maternity photoshoot.
The best maternity photographers will help you experience the same hope, power, and excitement you felt during your first maternity session every time you are pregnant. You can schedule your next maternity session here.
(P.S. — Don’t forget to book your newborn photography session before your little one is born! Those days of precious little feet, hands, and toes don’t last forever. Here’s an inside look at a newborn session I did back in 2020.)
