As your tummy grows, you become more and more excited about the arrival of your baby and there is no better way to remember this important moment in your life than with a good selection of professional photographs. Maternity photographs are designed to capture your beautiful bump and the love and excitement that accompany your final stages of pregnancy. You will always be able to look back at these pictures and remember fondly the days of carrying your baby inside your womb, creating a new life and a whole new world for your family.

If you have already decided that you would like a pregnancy photoshoot, here is a guide to when, where, how and everything else you need to know about your photoshoot.

1.        Booking your shoot

You should ideally book your photoshoot for when you are 7-8 months pregnant. At this stage of pregnancy you should be through the sickness and discomfort of the earlier stages but not yet too big that you cannot move around freely. Some women can also suffer water retention and swelling in the last month, so it´s always best to aim for the 7th or 8th month.

Scheduling your maternity shoot is very simple. Please contact me either by email to [email protected], by Facebook via my Facebook page Jenna Brown Photography or by phone on 0034 638 051 885. Please try to book as far in advance as possible as availability is very limited from March to September.

2.       What to wear

Some photographers advise their clients to wear specific maternity gowns. I love these, but above a maternity gown I would recommend wearing something that you feel like “you” in. If you aren’t a dress person, I´d strongly advise wearing your favourite maternity clothes or anything that you feel comfortable in. If you do decide to wear a maternity gown, I would recommend visiting pages such as Etsy.com where you will find a beautiful selection of handmade dresses at varied prices. If ordering from Etsy please take a look at the postage estimations as most come from abroad and can take weeks to arrive.

Please feel free to bring several outfits. You won´t have access to a changing room but a large sheet to change behind can do the trick! If you are comfortable bearing your tummy you can consider combining a lace bandeau style top on its own or under an unbuttoned shirt with your favourite trousers or leggings.

3.      What to take to your shoot

As a photographer I offer certain props that my clients are welcome to use, but by bringing your own to the photoshoot you pictures will be more personal. Some great ideas are baby booties, soft toys and teddies, objects based on your babies bedroom theme, stuffed animals from your own childhood, anything with the babies name on it, scans, pictures of yourself and your partner when you were babies or kids, and anything else that means a lot to you and your growing family.

4. Who to bring

Please feel free to incorporate your partner, pets, older siblings and anybody else who is important to you and your baby’s lives. If you do plan on having anyone else in the shoot with you, plan your outfits together. We are looking for well-coordinated outfits in similar colours and styles. White is always a classic! Avoid loud and bold prints that could go out of fashion and don’t forget about the shoes. Make sure the shoes match what you are wearing – coordination is key.

5. Other advice:

- Please ensure you have rested well before your shoot, have eaten well and are hydrated. Your energy will show in y our images.

- Professional hair and makeup makes a big difference but if you prefer to DIY, please take your time and make sure you are happy with how you look.

- Your hands will be in almost all of the photographs. Please make sure that they are the way you would like to see them, avoiding chipped or badly applied nail varnish.

- Bring water. There are often no shops near some of the more remote locations and photoshoots can be tiring for clients.

- Make sure you have told your photographer beforehand where you would like your shoot to take place, and share any ideas you have for your photos before the shoot. This will allow us to manage your expectations and come prepared with any extra equipment required to achieve the look you would like.