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Maternity sessions are one of my favorite types of session. There is so much happiness surrounding a pregnant mother it’s almost palpable. She glows. When I aim my soft lighting at her it’s almost ethereal. There is nothing more miraculous than the miracle of new life growing inside another being. I am always honored to have the privilege of creating these portraits for expectant parents.

During our pre session consultation the subject of preparations and recommended clothing is always discussed. My approach is very simple. To accentuate the beautiful belly I recommend bringing a few pre-maternity outfits such as jeans (it doesn’t matter if they stay unzipped), blouses, tank tops and other form fitting tops in solid colors. White, black and one or two other colors give the best results. Then there are fun items to bring – scarves, pieces of fabric, props such as baby hats, booties, blankets. Flowers are great too, especially fresh ones. For a more traditional portrait always bring a cute maternity outfit such as a dress. If your partner plans to participate please color coordinate his outfit as well. Jeans or black pants, a black shirt or a tee, white shirt and another color to match yours are perfect.

If you can please treat yourself to a manicure and even a pedicure. Your hands will be in most of the photos and a polished hand finishes the beauty of your portrait. Take a long bath the night before and moisturize with good body lotion. Wear your hair and make up the way you usually do. If you’d like to do a fancier make up you can start with a nice matte base and  a little powder to minimize skin shine. Eye make up can be heavier than usual. Lip gloss is better than a bright lipstick but feel free to bring a few options with you. Jewelry is always great, just bring a few options with you.

My studio is equipped with fabric wraps and different backgrounds to create the portrait you will love. We start our session with the more traditional outfits and poses. If you are comfortable showing more skin I will offer to wrap you in one of my fabric wraps (or feel free to bring your own). Artistic nudes of a pregnant female form are very beautiful but not everyone is comfortable with those. I will offer to do them but it’s all up to your comfort level.

Last year I had the pleasure of working with a fellow photographer Aubrey of Aubrey Greene Photography http://www.aubreybgreene.com/. Aubrey was freshly pregnant when she contacted me and she was up for a whole year of documenting her first pregnancy. She drove an hour to North Andover every three months by the end of each trimester and we photographed her progression. It was amazing to see her belly grow and blossom! A photographer herself Aubrey was the ideal subject to photograph. Patient, up for anything and willing to step out of her comfort zone. We had so much fun creating her portraits and when baby Max arrived we had the last session, the most joyful of all. He was an amazing model and oh so cute I wanted to keep himHis pictures are up next.