What to expect from a maternity photoshoot

Welcome to the first in my series about what to expect if you have a portrait photography session with Moments by Katie Mitchell Photography. This time it’s all about those mums-to-be coming in for their maternity photoshoots.

Before you book

I want you to feel excited about coming in for your maternity photoshoot but I understand that not everyone feels entirely comfortable with the idea of being in front of the camera. So I always like to speak to clients on the phone, over Zoom or even meet in-person before my photoshoots, particularly where clients may feel nervous about what’s to come. I find it helps to put them at ease and lets us both to get to know each other a little bit beforehand. I’ll ask what it is you’re looking for from your session, whether there’s certain colours you like or if there’s an absolute must photograph that you want; perhaps you want to bring someone along with you. I do encourage this actually, as they not only help to make you feel more relaxed but they can also help with some of the behind the scenes dress swooshing as seen below! And of course, if you want to involve your partner or older children in your photoshoot, then you are more than welcome to do so (unless you’ve booked a mini session – sorry!).
Pregnancy Maternity Photoshoot

On the day

If you choose to have your hair and make-up done, then we’ll arrange for you to come to my Gloucester studio about an hour and a half before your photo session. You’ll sit and relax with a cuppa or some non-alcoholic bubbly while my fabulous hair and make-up artist Nadezhda Hardiman gives you the look that you’re after. She is amazing at natural looking hair and make-up.
 
If you come all made-up and ready to go (kudos to you if so!), then we’ll get straight into the studio and get started. If you’ve booked the full experience, you’ll be able to choose from the colourful range of maternity dresses and outfits to wear; if you’ve booked a mini session then you’ll be wearing your own clothes.
 
It’s really common for women to feel fairly nervous at this point, but we’ll keep the conversation flowing and you’ll soon be chuckling at my demonstrations of what to do and what not to do! I’ll guide you through all the poses, each one designed to make you look at your best and if there’s something not quite right, like your hair’s out of place or your outfit isn’t fitting as flattering as it could be, then I’ll fix it there and then.
Pregnancy Maternity Photoshoot

We’ll go through a range of different poses to make you look amazing, as well as outfit changes to give you lots of variety in your final gallery. Then, if you’re booked onto my full studio experience, and you’re up for it, we’ll do some of the nude poses. Lots of women come into the studio specifically wanting one of my signature nude silhouettes, however some arrive with zero intention of getting naked and that’s OK! I do have a knack of getting ladies comfortable enough to at least give it a go by the end of the session.

At the end of the session, I’ll let you get changed and we’ll talk about next steps, whether that’s coming back to the studio for your Photo Reveal appointment, or sending your mini session photos over in your online gallery. For those who can’t wait to get a glimpse of their photos, I offer the opportunity for a sneak peek on Facebook that very evening!

The editing process

I do not heavily edit my maternity sessions, aiming instead to get everything looking great before I even take the photograph. It’s amazing what outfit choices, careful lighting and quality posing can do! Typical edits that I’ll do will be to gently smooth skin, highlight your eyes and get rid of stray hairs or lumps and bumps from your underwear. I love to keep things like stretch marks visible in the photos as it’s a part of your pregnancy journey, but if that’s something you’d prefer wasn’t shown, then let me know and I’ll do my best to create photos that you’ll adore.

At your Photo Reveal and Order session (full sessions only)

When you come back to see your photos, I’ll welcome you back into the studio where you’ll sit comfortably on the sofa with a drink and enjoy a beautiful slideshow dedicated entirely to you! Any residual fears and worries over what your photos might look like will soon disappear and you’ll see for yourself just how amazing you look.

The next step is typically to choose the package you want to buy, however the maternity session is slightly different in that you’ll already have chosen the package you want to buy before you book. So, as long as you’re in love with your photographs, all you need to decide is which style of wall art you want to use your £100 credit towards! And then, if you haven’t done so already, you can go on to book your newborn photoshoot! Eeeek!

To find out more about booking a maternity photoshoot with Moments by Katie Mitchell Photography, click here.

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Fantastic experience! I took my family for a shoot with Katie & she was amazing from start to finish. My toddler was a terror and my daughter a diva but some how she worked her magic and we have beautiful digital photos, prints and a lovely big frame for the wall. We had a lovely viewing where we were able to select the photos we wanted, we couldn’t possibly chose from them so we bought them all! 🙂 She made us all feel very welcome and my children and even my husband enjoyed the experience. Highly recommend! I will be back for more photos as my family grow. Thank you Katie

Natalie

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