Six things to consider when planning your maternity shoot

Nowadays, pregnancy is a milestone soon-to-be mothers like to commemorate with photos they can keep forever. It is such a beautiful way to remember your pregnancy journey. 

Planning for a maternity shoot can be very stressful because you will need to get a good photographer who won’t end up ruining the pictures and you also have to be able to pick out the location, theme, outfit, hairdo and make up. 

Now imagine being pregnant and having to do all this on your own. This can turn out to be quite hectic and it is not one of those things you just wake up in the morning and decide to do without a proper plan. 

It is also quite exciting because with the advancement of photography your photographer can edit your pictures with awesome graphics and what a great way to show your journey.

Here are some things you need to consider for that special day. 

Location

Where would you like your shoot to be done? Do you want an outdoor or indoor setting? Will you need to book a place in advance or will you just use a studio?

These are very important details to keep in mind. You can always do some research on the internet and look for some inspiration so you can have ideas on the photo shoot set ups you would like.

Photographer 

It’s important to find a professional photographer who is able to capture the moment with clear images and has great editing skills. 

This however might cost a little more than regular photographers but you can look for one who is within your budget or look out for good photo studios that are offering the services at discounted prices. 

You want to make sure that the photographer will do a good job because you don’t want to end up paying for the same thing twice or forever miss out on the chance to do so.

Outfit and makeup

This is very important. By now I know you have taken random pictures with the baby bump but that’s not how this goes. 

Depending on your theme, your outfit will speak volumes on the kind of message or vibe you want to give across during the shoot. Pick something you are comfortable with. 

You can get ideas on Instagram or Pinterest about creative looks for a maternity shoot.

Theme

What do you want the theme for your shoot to be? Do you want a summer theme, nature, spooky or an all-white theme? Well this depends on what inspires you and what you like. 

I have seen people do underwater maternity shoots and others do it in a garden and all these ideas are beautiful. Having a theme will also guide the photographer on what to capture, your outfit and location for the shoot.

Who will be part of it?

Well mostly our significant other is the only one included in the shoot but sometimes we would like to include those people who walked with us during this journey. 

You need to think about this because you cannot just start inviting people to your shoot as this will be expensive and can get really hectic for you. 

Also, we have those people in our lives who always want to be in the say of how things are done and I’m sure you don’t want them there during your shoot.

Budget

It’s important to keep in mind your budget for the shoot. Don’t start spending money without a plan or you might end up spending more than you can recover. Make sure to keep your location, outfit, make up and photographer within your budget rate. 

If you can find a location that is free of charge or inclusive to use during the shoot that will be better for you. You don’t necessarily have to use a celebrity photographer because there are many talented photographers who will offer quality and manageable costs for the shoot.