Many of my clients come to me for maternity portraits because they are hoping to capture their pregnancy in a way that helps them remember it fondly. Studies have shown that while a person is pregnant, their self-esteem tends to worsen as their pregnancy progresses even though outside observers describe soon-to-be-mothers as “glowing,” “radiant,” and “flawless.” Self-esteem, personal, and family issues can cloud the way mothers remember their pregnancies.
Quite a few factors influence this dip in self-esteem that many encounter during pregnancy (societal standards, hormones, and body changes, to name a few). But without getting too deep down that rabbit hole, there are ways to improve self-esteem during pregnancy.
One of those ways? Maternity portraits.
Maternity portraits aren’t a cure-all for the problems faced during those nine months. However, there are quite a few perks to capturing pregnancy with the help of a professional photographer.
Maternity Portraits Enrich Self-Esteem
All of us — professional photographers included — have had photos of ourselves taken that we don’t care for. Bodies change during pregnancy, and when pregnant people have their photos taken, it can take them off guard and even make them feel bad about themselves.
Maternity sessions are designed to make the client feel like they are in charge of the way they look. Clients let the photographer know what they are looking for, and the photographer uses their experience to pick out poses and shots that reflect the way the client feels about themselves. Sometimes, they even draw out sides of the client they didn’t even know that they had!
Photos Of Pregnancy Normalize It
We’re far from the times of Lucille Ball — who had to fight to have her pregnancy shown on television. However, pregnancy talk isn’t completely normalized despite it being a natural part of everyone’s existence! It’s mostly left out of discussions with children, men, co-workers, and even other parents because it somehow still feels private.
Maternity sessions help break the taboo surrounding pregnancy discussions. When my clients get their photos, they’re excited to show them off to family and friends.
Maternity Portraits Re-frame The Way We See Pregnancy
Pregnancy is personal, but the way pregnancy is portrayed by the media usually is not unique. Too often, it’s hyper-feminized and baby-centric in a way that can take away the specialness of pregnancy.
If there’s anyone who deserves to be celebrated during the nine months before a baby is born, it certainly is the person carrying the baby!
Mothers put a lot of hard work into keeping their babies healthy during their pregnancy, and their work deserves a reward. Maternity sessions can be endlessly personalized to capture the pregnancy’s uniqueness, show pregnancy as powerful, and still capture the moment’s beauty.
Maternity Photography Captures A Pivotal Moment In Your Life
Of course, maternity sessions also serve documentary purposes. Almost everyone in a pregnancy client’s life wants to document the belly bump, but not every picture of the belly bump makes it into the pregnant person’s scrapbooks.
Professional photography sessions capture maternity in a profoundly personal way and in a professional manner that can be easily passed from generation to generation.
Maternity Portraits Are Often A Way To Pamper Yourself!
During maternity portraits, the client gets to pick out the clothing in which they want to capture their photos. Sometimes, this means wearing a piece of comfortable clothing as a statement piece. Often, it means purchasing a gorgeous maternity dress that can be manipulated in different ways by the photographer to make the client feel sexy, powerful, or beautiful. I have a client closet with a selection of gowns for moms to choose from, which hopefully takes the stress out of having to decide on your wardrobe. It also gives you a chance to dress up, even if only for a few minutes.
Or, it might mean getting nude — which, in all honesty, can feel like a relief from wearing uncomfortable clothes during pregnancy. Nude or in a maternity dress, I highly encourage women to pamper themselves and book a spa day, hair and makeup session, or find some other way to de-stress and glam themselves up for their session. If you’re stuck on where to get your hair done, choose an add-on option and I’ll make the referrals for you!
Regardless of what the client chooses to wear during their maternity session, it will be all about them. They get to kick up their feet and relax while their photographer captures them in all their beauty and power.
Maternity portraits are rising in popularity, and for a good reason. Hello Photography is open for maternity photography sessions, newborn sessions, and more. Click here to learn more about our rates and what is included.
