I get a lot of inquiries about maternity photography. Typically, the client is interested in maternity, newborn etc. So I send them over all that information. Most fall in love with my films and want a family film after baby has arrived. Some also want their birth captured. That’s a lot!
Because of this, we talk about maternity photos. If budget is an issue I often times recommend taking cell phone photos. I know – crazy, right? But let’s dive into why I say this! (Now, if you have the budget to do it all, its totally worth it!)
What is going to matter the most in 20 years? It won’t be professional maternity photos. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE capturing maternity photos! But as a mother of two boys – who had maternity photos done, newborn photos, birth videography and family photos and video…. Maternity photos come last on my list of importance. Save your money for when the baby comes! Those moments are going to be FAR More meaningful than maternity.
Speaking of maternity photos… let’s chat about the trends we see going on. You already know what you see when you think of maternity photos. She’s wearing a dress standing in a field of some sort… I get it, I offered this work for many years until I kind of awakened to the REAL purpose behind photography.
Here is my own personal opinion about maternity photos. What story will they tell to your child when they are grown? What will it say about what it was like for their mother to carry them? I tell you this, standing in a field in a dress won’t tell much of a story.
I prioritize having time stamps in photos. Let me explain what those are. If you were to look at a photo of you as a child, you would see objects in the photo that might speak to that decade etc. Maybe there is a velvet green sofa and when you see the photo, you and your siblings say “remember that green sofa?!” and then maybe that elicits a lot of stories from that time period.
Maternity is not really about the baby much at all, its about the couple and wanting to capture “the bump” – and I get it, I would never tell you they are BAD in some way, I just want to shed some thoughts that help you make your own decision for yourself. If you want a dress in a field, girl go get it! But if you read this and it enlightened you and now you want to tell more of a story, then you’re saying “oh my gosh, you are SO right” and you are so glad I decided to write this blog!
Here is a great story telling maternity session. Feel free to connect with me to book yours!
