Congratulations mama-to-be! I’ve heard so many mamas reflect on the images from their maternity session(s) and realize how special pregnancy truly was. Several moms have said they didn’t necessarily want to do the photos at the time (um hello cankles), but in the end they were all happy they did. Wherever you are in the process-from “still considering” to “already booked”-I think you will find this info helpful. I want to guide you through what to expect throughout the process so you feel prepared for your maternity photos in the Iowa City/Coralville area.

Before your session

This may sound obvious, but we will first schedule your session. I recommend scheduling your maternity session at 30-36 weeks. You can help decide timing based on your pregnancy and preferences (i.e. how much you show during pregnancy, how you are feeling, etc). I will send you a questionnaire so I can start to get to know you a bit before our session.

Next, we will work together to plan wardrobe and location for your session. A lot of people underestimate how important the location is for the general “feel” of the session and wardrobe color choices. Bad news: generally you will want to wear something other than yoga pants. I usually recommend 1-2 outfits, however most expecting mamas I have worked with have opted to minimize having to change!

Check out my maternity styling Pinterest board for lots of gorgeous ideas. Clothing choices that allow for movement, comfort, and focus on your belly are best. If you are not a dress gal-no worries!-we will chat and plan out other options that work for you. There are lots of cute alternatives. Here is my blog on what to wear for maternity photos.

You will also want to decide if your partner and/or family are joining. I definitely recommend this-it makes it more interactive and adds variety + more emotion to your gallery. If they are, we can create a wardrobe vision board to coordinate the whole crew. Before your session, you will also want to prep your family. The more they know, the better. This includes explaining that sessions will involve a lot of interaction and less posed “cheesing” at the camera. If little babe has siblings coming along, I recommend turning your session into an “outing” (which may include going out to dinner, ice cream, etc) so it turns into something extra special and a great memory. You can also think outside of the box for your maternity photos. For example, if we are scheduling during summer we could do a fun backyard sprinkler.

During the Session

I am here to help make suggestions, but also allow some natural movements and interactions. I will guide you into different positions, especially those that are flattering to your baby bump. My goal during the session is to make you feel like the glowing goddess you are! Please let me know if you have any specific restrictions or preferences based on your pregnancy. For example, during some winter sessions we have done the whole session standing and its no problem. I find that the more we can treat the session like “hanging out”, the more natural and beautiful images we can create together! We usually try to walk a little bit as long as you are comfortable to get a little variety in backgrounds and help ease you and your family. My sessions can be as quick as 30 minutes (especially if you are solo), and up to 60 minutes. We have plenty of time for both individual photos and incorporating siblings, partners, and even pets!

After the Session

The entire gallery will be delivered to your inbox within 2 weeks via a custom online gallery. You will receive all of your edited images. You will also receive a custom slideshow (which is an amazing keepsake). My galleries are linked directly to an online store. One of the awesome features that I love is that you can view your images directly on the products that are offered. I also offer custom album design to give your albums that super polished professional look (saves you time + stress). Web-size photos are smaller compressed images and work best for storing on your phone. High res images are the higher quality (but larger size) images and are best for any printing. I recommend saving your pictures in at least 2 places.

Hopefully this has helped you figure out what to expect with maternity photos. If you still have questions about booking your maternity photos in Iowa City, feel free to contact me!