What is Your Maternity Story? Tell it in Photos
Maternity photography to reflect your pregnancy story
Every maternity story is unique, and you deserve a photo session that reflects your journey. Your maternity photo session is an opportunity to savour the moments of your pregnancy while preserving memories for yourself and your child in the future.
Meet Evangeline and Abraham who are expecting their first child this year! They wanted to capture photos of this special time in their lives so they could have picture memories to cherish forever. What a privilege it was to help them capture this incredible chapter in their love story.
Every Pregnancy Story is Unique:
In over 15 years of being a Niagara family, maternity and newborn photographer, I have had the great privilege of capturing over 100 maternity sessions.
After witnessing and documenting this many stories of pregnancy, I have learned this: no one couple’s maternity story is the same.
Some mamas love being pregnant, and some mamas experience a lot of anxiety or depression around pregnancy. Some moms feel great, and some feel sick, sore and emotional during their pregnancies. Some of us feel supported by our workplaces and communities, and sadly, many of us do not. Some pregnancies are textbook, and some are complicated or higher-risk. Some are our long, grief-stricken roads to our precious rainbow babies. Some pregnancies happen quickly, some require years of fertility support. But all are true miracles.
Oh these stories – so beautiful and hard, and glorious and heartbreaking. They’re deep and meaningful, and can also be filled with hard decisions and unanswered questions. These stories require great courage and perseverance, while also demanding us to let go of the way we thought things would be. These stories can be about the most excited, frustrated, terrified and overjoyed we’ve ever felt as women.
A woman’s experience in pregnancy can be any combination of these feelings because as women, and mothers, we are capable of holding an immense amount - all at once. I’ve lived it and seen it. But there is one thing I know for certain – these stories are never easy. Creating life is never easy. It will always demand a certain kind of strength and courage we can’t access right at the surface; it’s deep within us.
It is an honour to have photographed first pregnancies, rainbow babies, pregnancies that came about through IUI or IVF, surrogacy and more.
My promise to you as your maternity photographer:
I will share your joy. I will respect your pain. I will honour your unique journey.
I hope more of us can do this for each other, in friendships, in the media, in our workplaces and communities. Much needs to be done, and I want to start right here in my studio by:
Helping you feel comfortable and beautiful in your pregnant body, in front of the camera
Helping you connect with your partner during your photo session
Helping you remember that no matter what your story is, it is always worthy of being told (and I can help you do that in photos)
One of the most common questions I get about maternity sessions is, “When should I book my maternity session?” I always recommend reaching out to book as early as possible. As soon as you know you’re expecting, reach out to book your photo session. We will typically book it when you are between 30 - 34 weeks along because your baby bump will show in photos, without making it difficult for you to move and change your wardrobe.
Top 4 Reasons Why My Clients Book a Maternity Photo Session:
Some women have been looking forward to maternity photos long before they were pregnant. They know what flowy dress they want to wear and what shots they want to get with their partner. They’ve been imagining sitting with their child one day, pointing to these photos saying, “That is you in my tummy, Baby!”
Overall, the four main reasons why my clients book pregnancy photo sessions are:
To document their family just as they are, at that moment – those weeks before your baby arrives, whether it’s your first or not, is a sacred time of transition that marks your passage from one stage of life into the next.
To spend time together before Baby arrives – think of this as part of your Baby Moon (especially if your travel plans were canceled by the pandemic) where you can spend some intentional time together, in a beautiful space, feeling relaxed.
To announce a gender reveal – yes! Since you’ll have gotten the chance to learn the sex of your baby by the time of your maternity shoot, this is a great way to document the gender reveal if you were planning on sharing it publicly before birth.
To show your child someday – whether your baby was born in your body or your heart, your maternity story will be beautiful to share with your child someday. Tell them about the ways you held them physically, and the ways you already held their soul in your mind, and heart.
It’s the intention behind the things we do that make them special, which is why I’ve crafted a maternity photo session that will help you relive all these beautiful moments for years to come.
Should I Get Maternity Photos?
And for other women, they’re still wondering, should I have a pregnancy photo session?
There are a few reasons why some of my clients were originally hesitant about getting maternity photos:
Maybe they haven’t felt quite at peace with the way their body has changed during their pregnancy
Maybe their pregnancy has been marked by nausea, backaches, and exhaustion – they’re not sure if they can authentically put a smile on their face and pretend it’s been an idyllic, happy experience
Maybe it’s not their first child so they feel like they’ve already had the “maternity photo” experience
I have heard from so many mothers what a special experience it was to get a maternity session done with their older children present. It’s a chance to incorporate them into your maternity story, hear about how it’s been to watch your tummy grow, to feel their baby sibling kick, and what they’re most excited about to have a sibling. It’s a chance for couples to make memories at this very moment of your family’s story, just on the edge of something new.
I believe that every pregnancy is beautiful, whether it’s because you have that “pregnant glow” or you have found a strength inside of you throughout this process that you didn’t know was there. I see it as my job to not only capture that beauty in any form, but to help you see it as well because you deserve to be so proud of your maternal story, your pregnancy, and utterly in love with your growing baby.
I want to help you focus on that pride and love, even just for an hour - you deserve it, Mama!
It’s Not About Your Pregnant Body, It’s About Your Pregnant Self, in This Moment:
A quick note on the pregnant body and the way it’s been portrayed to us in most of our media.
The minute we get pregnant, it can feel like all the Google and Instagram algorithms start conspiring to weigh us down with shallow, body-image expectations: exercises to maintain a “certain kind” of pregnancy body, or how to lose the weight two weeks after you give birth, or how Princess Kate looked when she left the hospital after having a baby.
When you walk into my studio, it’s not about you having to fit into any kind of “ideal” you may have seen on your phone. You don’t have to look or feel any certain way. Your maternity photo session is about connecting with your body and telling the story of what it’s been like to be pregnant in your body. Show me the unique maternal instincts in your heart at this moment. The way your husband wants to kiss your belly. Or the way you don’t want to take your hand off your belly. The way you want to sing to your baby all day long so they know your voice.
It’s my desire to create a studio space where you feel safe to embrace yourself, just you are, in these special moments.
How I Honour Your Pregnancy Story:
When you walk into my studio, I want you to feel immediately at peace. With a whirlwind of things waiting for you outside my doors, you deserve to have a reprieve when you are in your photo session. Your only job is to be present, soaking up this moment with your partner.
With fewer people in the studio, maternity shoots tend to be a little quieter. Stories tend to come out. I feel it is my privilege to listen to these stories and help transform them into meaningful photos.
When you first get in touch with me, I would love to hear your story:
What have you loved about your pregnancy?
What has been really difficult during your pregnancy?
Is there anything that has surprised you during your pregnancy?
How has your pregnancy changed the way you see the world? (Almost everyone I talk to has had an aha moment of some kind during pregnancy)
What did it feel like the first time your baby kicked?
I like to keep your story in mind as I help you choose outfits, poses, and take the photos so you can feel happy, beautiful and also authentic.
Let’s also talk about personalizing your session to your needs such as:
Anything I can do to help you feel the most physically comfortable during your session
What style of clothing you would feel most beautiful and most comfortable in
Any meaningful items you’d like to incorporate into your photoshoot that represent your pregnancy journey and the dreams you have for your baby
How I Help You Feel Amazing During Your Maternity Photo Session
In a way, I want to offer you the chance to be mothered during your time in my studio. I want you to feel seen and cared for in every aspect of the experience. For some moms this means coming alone, so they can experience some time just for themselves. And other moms want to capture their family in this stage of their story so they love bringing Dad and children with them.
On photo session day, there are a few ways I make you feel special:
Wardrobe: I am continually curating a fully-stocked wardrobe of elegant, timeless dresses for you to choose from. I offer a variety of styles, sizes and a beautiful neutral colour palette so we can craft the perfect ensemble that will be flattering on you. You can also have 2-3 wardrobe changes throughout your session to embrace some variations. (I also have tops for Dad so your outfits can complement each other).
Hair and Makeup: You know when someone makes you dinner and it just tastes better because you didn’t have to cook it? … I feel the same way about hair and makeup. It just feels extra special when you don’t have to do it yourself! I work closely with a handful of talented local hair and makeup artists who will accentuate your natural beauty to look gorgeous on and off camera (so definitely use it as an excuse to go somewhere nice for lunch or dinner afterward). I like to take the stress of preparation away so you can just have a relaxing morning and enjoy time with your family when you arrive.
Intention: When you’re with me, I make posing for photos feel natural and meaningful. I don’t want you to feel self-conscious and out of your body (ie. wondering what to do with your hands, or whether your left eye is doing that thing). I want you to feel very much in your body, feeling its incredible strength. I like to have you place your hands on your belly and move them while thinking about your baby’s name, or imagining different characteristics they might inherit. I’ll ask you to tell me when your baby kicks in response to what we’re doing and capture your expression.
How to Add a Special Touch to Your Maternity Session:
When our photo session is finished, I am so excited for you to pick out the album and prints you are going to bring home to your growing photo collection. Here’s an idea to add an extra special touch to your maternity photos. The evening before, or the evening of your photoshoot spend a little time writing notes to your baby.
Here are some writing prompts:
What have you already learned about motherhood so far?
What do you want them to know about your time together in pregnancy?
What do you already know about your baby?
What is it like to love someone so intensely, without even meeting them yet?
What blessings do you want to speak over your baby’s life?
What wisdom do you want your baby to know in their life ahead of them?
Leave these notes, thoughts and letters in your album for your grown-up baby to read one day. It will make a memorable day extra special, for you and your future child as they grow up.
Conclusion:
When you decide to have a maternity photo session with Reflections of Life Photography, I can assure you that you will feel pampered, supported and honoured during your time here. I know that for many couples, the road to pregnancy has been long, and being pregnant has not always felt joyful.
My experience as a family photographer has shown me time and again the healing power of storytelling. Even when I work with couples who have a straightforward pregnancy journey, a photoshoot can help you process some of the complex emotions that have risen over the past few months.
I want to take care of you for a little while, and help share your heavy load so you can experience the miraculous beauty of your maternal story. Your maternity photoshoot may even introduce you to the person you have bloomed into during the experience. Get in touch today to book your maternity photoshoot and share your story.
About This Beautiful Family
It was such an honour to join Evangeline and Abraham Selvaraj in the joyful anticipation of their first child. We had a beautiful session that will be captured in photos for their family to enjoy in the years to come.
View Their Wall Design
You can also tell your family’s story with a wall gallery like this. We can design it with a combination of maternity, newborn, six-month, and one-year portraits. If you want to create something beautiful like this for your home and family, message me. I'd love to give you more information on booking a portrait session here at Reflections of Life.
Client Testimonial
“Karen is a fantastic photographer to work with. My husband and I worked with Karen on our maternity photoshoot and we are so happy with the photo session! Karen's enthusiasm, patience, creativity, and professionalism shone through the entire shoot. We were absolutely delighted. The entire experience was very relaxed and resulted in great natural shots – exactly what we wanted. She’s a true professional and I recommend her without hesitation and can't wait for future photoshoots!" - Evangeline Selvaraj
If you’re expecting a new baby, connect with me. I highly recommend that you book your portrait session in advance to save your spot. 😊
Want to shop the studio wardrobe?
Hi there, I'm Karen! I am obsessed with newborn baby yawns, giggling kids, and jumpsuits. I'm a mama of four who understands the busyness of everyday life. I've learned to love and enjoy it through lifestyle photography. I know what it’s like to look back on my children’s first years and feel like they flew by so quickly. I don’t want any other mamas to forget what their baby’s little fingers and toes looked like all curled up. My hope is that I can help you create albums and prints to serve as physical reminders of these sweet times throughout your baby’s early years. Contact me for info.
