Client Maternity Guide

Congratulations!

You're having a baby! This is such an incredibly important time in your life and I am truly honoured to be capturing these fleeting moments for you. Throughout this guide, I will be giving you tips and tricks for a successful maternity session. If I have not answered all the questions that might be in your mind, please do not hesitate to contact me to ask. I don't want you to feel nervous or unsure throughout this process.

When to Book

Maternity sessions should take place somewhere between 32-36 weeks. At the beginning of your third trimester is the ideal time. This way we have time to reschedule due to weather or sickness if you're having a rough pregnancy. Your belly will also be showing beautifully and you haven't quite hit the uncomfortable stage yet, or hopefully haven't! If you are having multiples or have any complications throughout your pregnancy then adjustments to this time frame should be made. We can talk about your ideal time frame and go from there, this is just a general guideline.

I am a natural light photographer. Sunsets give me life and overcast days make the richest warm tones. I love nature in the background of images and love to capture movement. That being said, all my maternity sessions are done outdoors. I have favourite locations based on season and weather. If you have a favourite or meaningful location that you'd like to use, let me know! I am completely open to trying new places. All I ask is images of where the sun is during a sunny sunset day so I know if I can place you in a beautiful spot with the sun behind you.

The absolute best time to do a session is golden hour, this is an hour and a half before sunset. Golden hour offers diffused and even lighting which enhances colours. That being said, if we book a session and it ends up being completely cloudy and overcast with no chance of sun, then anytime is a good time to shoot. We won't be fighting the bright sun and harsh shadows. I don't ever shoot midday, my schedule doesn't typically allow for it and it also doesn't fit my style of photography. If you have looked through my portfolio, you'll have noticed all my sessions are done during golden hour or during a sunset. I do realize that this may not be ideal during some seasons when the sun sets later and there will be younger kids joining us for the sessions. I try and encourage a later nap that day, especially if you love the sunset feel to images.

Together we will choose a beautiful location that meets the vision you have and also has beautiful light.

Styling and What to Wear

Ah, the age-old question always associated with photoshoots. Styling is one thing I love to help with. Most importantly is try to dress yourself and your family in something they would wear again but is a bit more dressed up then you would usually wear. You want to look back on these images and look like yourself. Think layers. Probably the biggest difference between sessions that look great and sessions that look amazing. Little boys in a t-shirt, with a button-up over it, or suspenders over top of a t-shirt and some cords! All little boys look so cute in a Fedora for a cute little extra touch. Little girls: same thing, leggings, a fun skirt, tank with a sweater and a tasteful (not too big and overwhelming) headband or hair clips.

*Side note: Stay away from neon or bright colours, ball caps, clothing with logos or anything with wording. They look dated and tend to take away from everyone's gorgeous features.

Coordinate. As you think about your colour palette, imagine your family being one complete piece of artwork. Each person/outfit will bring together a feeling of formality and coordination. Instead of everyone wearing the same shade of blue - think about what accent colours might look nice with said blue. Perhaps blue plaid shorts for your son with a t-shirt, suspenders and a hat. Pull some of the colours of his plaid shorts to find a great skirt or dress for your little girl. Dad can wear some jeans and a shirt that coordinates with the plaid shorts and skirt on your daughter, and finish it off with an awesome jacket. Mom will round the entire family out with some great boots, leggings and dress that (again) coordinates with the family colour story. Neutrals or earth tones are a personal favourite, they are timeless and classic, they will never date an image. 

Head to toe. Remember to dress down to you and your family's feet! No scuffed runners for boys, but fun and dressier shoes. Runners are great if they are a solid colour but anything that has vibrant or neon colours will likely stand out quite a bit in your images. Same for girls, try to stay away from Frozen crocs or runners or shoes, but more traditional Mary Janes or boots work best! Shoes stand out in photos.

What NOT to wear. Remember the look of everyone in khakis + white button-down shirts? That isn’t the kind of matching I’d like you to do. Again, think to coordinate without matching perfectly. Dads, instead of defaulting to a plain ole polo, get a shirt to compliment your wife’s outfit with textures, they photograph amazingly. Get creative! Only one person should be in a pattern (usually mom) and everyone else should have a complementing colour that pulls from her outfit. Too many patterns can get distracting and take away from the beauty of your family. Also, let's talk hats (by hats I mean the ball cap style)! I know men can be more comfortable in them but they will always hide your face or cover someone else's face in certain poses. If dad must wear a hat, try and convince them to wear a solid coloured one rather then one with sports logos. I understand how men can be very sensitive to hairlines (my husband is) but we can do so many more close cuddling poses without them!

Helpful tip! Head into Old Navy (or the like) and mention you’re styling for family photos. They are happy to direct you - and free of charge! No need to pay a stylist when you have knowledgeable fashion advice right there in the store. Old Navy is a great resource as their entire brand is to be able to dress an entire family. One of my favourite kids' online clothing stores would be Zara Kids. Feel free to send me a message if you need any more ideas! A great site for expecting moms is Pink Blush.

Kids

Preparing your kids for our session as much as possible often takes the timidness out of the evening. Let them know what we will be doing the moment we book our session if they are unfamiliar with having their pictures taken during a professional family session. Let them know we are going to have fun, play games, tell jokes. Talk to them about me as if I am a friend so that they see you are comfortable with me, this usually helps them feel comfortable as well. Don't worry about telling them to smile during our session, some kids who have been coached to smile for the photographer get so nervous that they are fighting to laugh, relaxing and being their true selves. But I promise you that letting me get them to smile genuinely will make you the happiest when you see your final result. If I need your help to let them loosen up, I’ll let you know! Try getting them to practice kissing your tummy, hugging your tummy or just touching it. I will ask them to do this a lot during our session so if they are familiar with it and think its super fun, it will capture those incredible shots you see of loving siblings.

I’m a huge fan of bribery - (ice cream after!) is always a great idea for the ones who need a little extra encouragement. Treats during the session are totally ok! Just please make sure they won't leave their face messy. Skittles and gummy candy are always great but try and stay away from anything that has crumbs or chocolate.


Dads

Moms, I’m speaking to you. Is your husband feeling less than thrilled about our upcoming photoshoot? Don’t worry, this is totally normal. They likely already know how important this is to you and that is why they are a part of the session but remind them it's going to be painless. I have a pretty relaxed vibe so it never feels overwhelming or stiff. Remind them they do not need to stand in front of me and smile the entire time, the adults have just as much fun as the kids.

More often then not I get messages from mom's after the session telling me how their husband said the entire experience was less painful then they thought it would be. I have also had moms tell me their husband mentioned they should do another session a year or so later for updated family pictures. If the dads are giving the mom's the reminder to rebook, that in itself is the biggest success for me!

Moms

You also deserve a huge pat on the back. Getting in the frame is just as important for you as it is for your kids and your husband or partner. It is so often that moms are the ones taking the pictures because it is always, always on our mind. When your kids sit down with you as they grow older you never want to have to answer the question "Where were you, mom?". Because you were there too and it will be so nice to have proof of that. You. need to document your beautiful bump and the bond you've already formed with your baby.

On the day of our session, I am sure you will be nervous and that's so natural! All I ask for you is to come as yourself, live in the moment and love on your bump. If anything is out of place then I will let you know. Just be present in the moment.

Weather

A quick but important note: if the weather turns out warmer/cooler than you anticipated when putting together outfits, please adjust what everyone is wearing. Doing a session when it's sweltering and kids are overdressed is never fun. Likewise, if a cold front comes through unexpectedly. I will most likely cut sessions short if I think the kids are too cold/overheated or not having it because of them being uncomfortable. The best tip I have is regardless of the weather, always have a sweater to coordinate with outfits, for everyone, so if we get a chilly wind come through, everyone can stay warm. It is always best to have too many clothes than not enough.

I will be watching the weather all day, likely up to days before. If it doesn't rain but is overcast, we can still do the shoot, in fact, some of the best light is overcast light. If it looks like a 60% or greater chance of rain, we will make the call together to reschedule based on both our schedules.

Illness and Late

Just as important as the weather, are you and your family's health. There isn’t anything worse than an unhappy and sick feeling child, it's hard on you and it's hard on them - they especially do not want to be in front of a camera. At the first sign that you or your kids aren’t well, please give me a call and we will reschedule for the soonest available date.

Being late, it happens! Life happens! I get that, I have two kids of my own. I try to only do one session per evening but during the busy season I can have up to two. I will wait up to 15 minutes before having to leave to meet my next session so I am not late for them. My contact information is on almost every email you will get from me so just give me a call if you know you're running behind so I can plan accordingly.

Additional Thoughts and Tips

Moisturize your belly before the session to avoid any dry looking skin. Especially if you're looking to get a few bare belly shots.

I have a client wardrobe full of maternity dresses. Some of which are pictured throughout this guide. Please, please let me know if you would like to come over before our session to try any of them on. It can be nice to have outfit changes throughout your session for a wide variety of images.

Nude panties and bra are best if you choose any of the maternity gowns in my collection. If you've picked anything with black lace then black bra and panties are great! You'll have a better idea of what will be needed once you try things on.

Try to avoid wearing tight panties and bra. A looser fit will ensure that no lines will form through tighter fitting gowns.

If you're interested in any images of you in just your panties and bra then sets are perfect for this. Nudes, blacks, whites or any coloured set you prefer. Soft colours and lace photograph best. This is also a great option to have just a blanket or cozy cardigan wrapped around you with your belly popping out.

Pay attention to your nails! A lot of images will be focused around your hands and having them on your tummy and cradling your bump. I will be taking lots of images of you holding your partner's hands, your children's hands and all those little details. Hands are a huge part of any session.

If we will be heading into the water for any of your images then I suggest bringing a pair of flip flops that can get wet. This way you can walk easily into the water without slipping if there are rocks. We can take them off once you are in place. The dollar store usually has cheap flip flops during summer months, same as Old Navy. If it is possible to get clear or nude, we won't have to take them off.

Moms! If you are thinking about doing hair and makeup professionally for our session, I highly recommend Fallyn from Posh Beauty. Find her on Instagram under @poshbeautyco and facebook under Posh Beauty Co. For hair, Amy from Boho Beauty Styling is my absolute favourite. her styles are timeless and she is incredibly talented. You can also find her on Facebook under Boho Beauty Styling and Instagram under @bohobeautystyling.

I am so excited for you and your family to have these images to look back on. Whether this is your first child or second or third, it is your legacy. Pregnancy is a chapter of a new beginning in any stage in your life and documenting it is something you will never regret doing. Maternity sessions are one of my favourite sessions to photograph because there is a natural excitement and love in everyone's faces which shines through in every image. You get to see the love first hand of you and the bond you have created with your baby because sometimes you just can't see that yourself. I can't wait to give you the gift you can't give yourself. I so look forward to our session.