Congrats Mama! You are growing another human! Time to celebrate you and your bump!
Pregnancy is such a special time of your life and for many women, (although you may not feel like it) you are at your most natural, feminine and beautiful self. During your pregnancy, your hair is rich and thicker, your skin is glowing and your body has more beautiful curves.
What better way to remember this special period of your life, than to photograph the transformation of your body to help you celebrate, document and remember the life that you are growing inside of you!
Maternity photos can be some of the most beautiful and intimate photos that you’ll ever take. Knowing exactly what style you like and which outfit is the right one for YOU, will ensure that you and your beautiful bump will look stunning in your maternity shoot. To help you along, here are some ideas that will help you make planing your maternity shoot effortless:
A maternity session can take place anywhere you want it to – it can be in a studio or your home or at an outdoor location of your choice, like your favourite beach, a field or garden.
Indoor maternity photos make for very intimate and cozy photographs. It is very common for couples to take photos in the comfort of their own home, but if the two of you like to spend time outdoors then there are many great locations here in Cayman to choose from.
For those of you on “Babymoon” in Grand Cayman, you have chosen the right place as we have so many beautiful and unique outdoor locations and specifically breathtaking beaches. Just ask me and I would be happy to make a recommendation on my favourite location based on where you are staying on the island.
To help you make the final decision, imagine you were going to hang these pictures up in your home… What style and colours would suits the rest of your interior? Also think about what else would you like to use these photographs for other than wall art, e.g. baby shower invitations, baby announcement or Christmas cards (if it is that time of the year) as that may help determine your ideal location.
While the shoot is all about the new mom-to-be, it’s also a great time to take a few couple photos or family photos. There is nothing quite as special as a photo of big brother or sister-to-be snuggling your baby belly. For first time moms, I often have the grandparents-to-be part join the shoot and I love capturing the connection between mom and daughter during this special journey to motherhood! And if you have “fur-babies”… please include them too!
The most frequently asked question of them all 🙂
Here are 10 outfit ideas and tips to allow your baby bump to be the star of your maternity shoot and make your preparations as easy as pie!
- Fitted Or Flowy? Wearing a tight, fitted maternity dress that shows off all your beautiful curves looks absolutely stunning. However, I also love a flowy, maxi dress as it is incredibly flattering for any shape or size and can hide some of those troublesome areas 🙂 Also, the flowing fabric looks amazing in the wind and can create a lot of movement in a photo. Both options make stunning photos. The choice is entirely yours!
- Maternity Dress – Yay Or Nay? To be honest you can wear anything that works for you. It doesn’t have to be a maternity dress, it can just be any dress or outfit you like and feel comfortable in. A client recently bought a dress from here, just a size up. However if you really want to show off that belly while having the rest of you covered, Pink Blush Maternity has some nice maternity wear that is not “too cheesy”. You can also find some very reasonably priced dresses on amazon. If you are based in the USA you can even rent a beautiful dress from Mamabump who have an incredible selection of dresses with no purchase commitment. Lastly, I have a small collection of maternity dresses that past clients have given to me, so don’t feel shy to ask me to try them.
- Choose Soft, Natural And Solid Colours. When choosing your outfit colours, draw your inspiration from the beautiful surroundings here in Grand Cayman as that will ensure that the colours blend effortlessly with the natural elements rather than competing with them. Soft, solid colours are always great as they shift the focus on your belly and make it stand out more than other patterns. White/ivory, blush/pink, light blue/turquoise are some of the most popular colours for beach maternity shoots.
- Don’t be Matchy-Matchy. Try to coordinate your colours from an overall colour scheme to compliment each family member rather than match each other – have a look at some colour palettes I recommended in my recent blog post “What to wear for your beach photoshoot” which includes some suggested colour palettes that work really well for our natural beauty here in Cayman.
- Belt It. Especially if you are wearing a loosely fitted dress, try to find a cute and simple skinny belt to accentuate that baby bump. This will help define your waistline and enhance any shirt or dress, flowy or fitted.
- Don’t Feel Limited To A Dress. Start off with a beautiful dress and then jump into your favourite swimwear and a Kaftan for another part of our shoot. Maybe even take a dip in the beautiful Caribbean ocean to finish off your photoshoot… which makes for beautiful images! Keep a neutral and natural look but feel free to switch it up for something different – whatever is your style!
- Prepare Two Outfits. Two different outfits for your maternity shoot can add some nice variety to your photos. You can prepare one casual and one more dressy outfit, or two dresses with different styles or colours. Just let me know beforehand, that you may like an outfit change during your shoot, so we can plan accordingly.
- Comfort Is Queen! The most important thing is to be comfortable and dressing in something you really like yourself in. Especially during pregnancy, which is naturally uncomfortgabke (Trust me… I know! I delivered a 10 pound baby at 42 weeks), having a practical outfit selections will allow you to be comfortable during your shoot, will not only make the shoot more enjoyable but it will certainly show in the pictures.
- The Extra Touch. If you have the time and extra budget available, invest into having your nails, hair and make up done. Especially for maternity shoots, it’s worth having pretty hair and make up for those beautiful close-up shots of you and your partner. I love working with my friend Sally, who does exceptional hair and make-up to enhance your natural beauty and make you glow even more. She travels to your hotel or condo and charges very reasonable rates. Take a look here.
- Go Boudoir. At-home maternity sessions are cozy, intimate and capture the essence of your personality, style and relationship. When you are in your home environment, you are your most relaxed and true self. Your choice of clothing can also be quite relaxed and comfortable, opt for soft coloured casual wear, or sexy lingerie (if you prefer a more intimate boudoir shoot), just make sure that complements your partner or other children’s style as well.
