What to Wear for Maternity Photos

To so many moms, maternity portraits are one of the most exciting and beloved milestones of preparing for their new baby, and they should be! They celebrate the incredible work that you and your body are doing and highlight this truly epic chapter of your life. But once you have your photo shoot on the schedule, another question comes to mind - what do you wear?

First Things First: Do You Need Your Own Maternity Photoshoot Outfits?

Before you start scouring the web for the perfect maternity gowns, talk to your photographer because you might not need to! This isn’t the case for all photographers, but as a specialized motherhood photographer in the Seattle area, I’ve built a large and varied client closet with so many different sizes and styles of maternity gowns that there’s something for everyone! As my client, you’ll have full use of this selection for your session, and many of my clients choose to use these gowns exclusively for their sessions.

With that said, there’s nothing wrong with bringing some options of your own too! If you do want to bring your own maternity photo shoot outfits, here are some tips.

Try a Classic Fit and Flow

You may not have noticed, but in a lot of maternity photo shoots, there’s a certain shape or type of dress you’ll see: gowns that are fitted around the bodice and then become big and flowy from your belly down. There’s a reason for this! That style looks fabulous on any mom-to-be’s body type, and the flowy fabric also looks spectacular and feminine in portraits, especially outdoor maternity photos with a breeze and some natural sunlight.

Wear Colors That Show Off Your Bump

Every woman knows that when we’re trying to de-emphasize our belly or some other curvature, we wear black. In a maternity photo shoot, you want the exact opposite: we want to highlight that stunning baby bump of yours! So when you’re choosing a maternity gown for your portraits, avoid black and other very dark colors that could make your bump less visible.

That still leaves a ton of color options, and as your photographer, I can help you decide what types of colors to go for. It will depend on the tone and feel you want for your photo shoot as well as the location and the season.

Consider a More Revealing Option

Everyone’s comfort levels are different, so this isn’t mandatory by any means, but some moms want some of their portraits to show their belly naked in all its natural beauty, so this is an option to consider for your session. One of my favorites, for example, is an elegant bathing suit paired with a long, flowy cover-up that can drape around you and catch the light.

Of course, the season when you’re having your maternity photos will factor into this too. These portraits could be fantastic for a summer photo shoot on the beach, but if we’re shooting in the woods in the winter, not so much.

Your maternity portraits can be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and you deserve to spend them in outfits that make you feel incredible! The right photographer can take all the guesswork out of wardrobe planning, so contact Jaimié Birtel Photography and let’s chat!