It is time to schedule your Maternity session but you are trying to decide between an outdoor maternity session, a natural Boho lifestyle session or a studio Fine Art session? All these types of sessions have a completely different look and style to them. Read more below to help you decide which maternity photoshoot location you prefer and what style is a better fit.

Outdoor Maternity Locations

These are perfect for those wanting a more natural look with seasonal foliage in the background. The 1st location is a beautiful year round park in Marietta. It offers several backdrops for different looks and is very private so you don’t have to worry about too many park walkers getting in the way of your photos. The 2nd session was taken at a wedding venue in Cedartown that offers a great waterfall view. They require an appt and rental fee but it is worth it to have the option of a creek, ruins, bridge and giant waterfall in your background plus seasonal foliage/ flowers. The 3rd session below was taken at Piedmont Park in Atlanta on a perfect Spring day when the dogwood trees just bloomed. However, Piedmont park requires a lot of walking but there are some pretty scenic spots like the open grassy fields, wooded fields, stone steps, small dock on the water, Atlanta Skyline view, walking trail and more. There are several outdoor location options depending on the look you prefer- farm lands, open park, urban area, waterfalls, woods and more. I personally offer 25+ outdoor location options to choose from so there is something to fit everyone’s style. Some locations are free of charge while others might incur a travel fee or venue rental fee that usually ranges from $50-$175.

Outdoor Pros:

• Large open area to move around and capture different looks
• Seasonal foliage to accent the images
• Natural environment if you are incorporating a younger sibling who wants to run around and be on the move
• More of a candid, natural feel to the images
• More space for posing, walking, interacting
• Can fit larger groups if you have lots of siblings to incorporate
• Lots of location options to choose from

Outdoor Cons:

• Weather can be hit or miss, and you will not know until the last minute, so your session might have to be rescheduled. This can be stressful if you are getting close to your due date or have a make-up and hair artist scheduled as well for the day. Usually final weather calls are made 2-3 hrs before your session when the radar is a little more accurate.
• Most likely outdoor sessions end up being too chilly or too hot- it is rare to have a perfect day. This can affect your makeup/hair if it is hot/humid out or if the weather is very cold, it might affect your natural expressions since you are uncomfortable.
• Depending on the season, mosquitoes or gnats can be bothersome during the session.
• Sunny days can cause squinty eyes
• Can be lots of walking or hiking to get to the different photo spots
• Parking can be an issue on nice days when everyone is at the park
• Delayed shooting due to having to wait for park traffic to move out of the way or waiting for another photographer to finish shooting their clients in the space the photographer wants to use.
• Bathrooms or changing rooms most likely not available
• Due to the angle of the sun, sessions can only be scheduled with in 1-2 hrs of sunset or sunrise for the best natural/ flattering lighting. If you have a young sibling, then the timing may not be ideal for their happy time.

Studio Maternity Session / Lifestyle Session

Studio sessions are perfect for those who are looking for more of an artistic, intimate, high-end fine art professional look plus a natural lifestyle look as well. For instance, you can be more intimate and feel more comfortable showing skin and focusing on your bump. In addition, Fine Art studio sessions make great canvases for your walls. These sessions are also more convenient when it comes to having less stress of worrying about the weather, photographing in a comfortable temperature, needing a restroom or changing room close by and being in a private setting. Below are examples of a Studio Maternity session and Lifestyle setting to give you an idea of the stylized look.

Studio Pros:

• You never have to worry about the weather or rescheduling
• Private setting so you don’t have to worry about people starring at you or waiting for another photographer to finish so you can use that spot.
• Perfect temperature so you are not too chilly or too hot for your session
• Convenient bathroom and changing rooms available
• Ability to do some creative lighting for a different look (Side lighting, high key lighting and silhouettes)
• More of an artistic / fine art stylized look plus intimate posing and lifestyle posing
• Controlled lighting for flawless and consistent images
• Less busy backdrops so the solid colors might coordinate in your home easier
• More variety with different outfit changes, changing up the look.
• No parking issues or worrying about people walking around and ruining your shot
• No large amounts of walking required
• Sessions can be scheduled at any point of the day since you are not working with the sun.
• Client closet provided for pre-pregnancy sizes 2-16 (60+ options for gowns, robes, bodysuits. maxi dresses and draping fabrics available)
• Creamy Boho bed lifestyle option or Boho chair sitting area as well for a few lifestyle images. This way you get that natural lifestyle look plus the fine art studio look.

Studio Cons:

• None that I can think of.

Ready to book your Maternity Photoshoot?

Click below and complete the contact me page with more details so we can schedule your Maternity session. I am usually booked out 1-2 months (2-3 months for weekend dates) so you definitely want to plan in advance and not wait until the last minute where you risk not being able to get photographed in time.

Need help on finding a nice Maternity Dress? Use my client closet or read my other blog on some reputable places that offer good, quality maternity dresses at different price points. My sessions include the use of a client closet where I have invested several thousands on high quality gowns, fabrics, bodysuits and more so you don’t have the added cost of finding something to wear. Save the stress and schedule a client closet consult to see which options you would like to use for your session.