Maternity and newborn photography is such a powerful way to tell your family’s story. The goal of every photo session should be to create beautiful memories you’ll treasure forever. That means the experience with your photographer should be unforgettable and the photos should bring a smile to your face for years to come.
There are so many big decisions to make: wardrobe, hair, makeup, location, props, etc. All of these major decisions play a huge part in the story that your photos tell.
It’s easy to overlook the details, but they are just as critical to your story as the major parts.
You can’t tell a complete story without focusing on the little things, so I’d like to help you think through how to include details in your photo sessions.
01. Make sure to include the things you’ll forget
If you’re planning a maternity session, why not bring a copy of your baby shower invitation to your photo session? If you’re a sentimental mama like me, you might hang on to one in your baby book, but it’s easy for things like this to get lost over time. Other details to photograph: a favorite baby/pregnancy book, ultrasound photos, your first “Mother’s Day” card (if you get one while pregnant) and anything special you made or purchased to tell your spouse/others that you’re expecting.
02. Document items baby will outgrow
For Fresh 48 and newborn photo sessions, get photos of baby’s tiny pink-and-blue striped hat from the hospital, along with the hospital-issued onesie and socks + baby blanket. Include baby’s coming home outfit and any special swaddle blankets or monogrammed items.
03. Group similar items together that you might not hang on to
There are a couple things from the births of my daughters that I will always have: their tiny ID bracelets from the hospital, along with the card noting their names, weights, lengths and dates of birth that attached to the hospital bassinet. You could also include the hospital-issued birth certificate and anything with baby’s tiny hand- and footprints. If you’re not a sucker for sentimental things, save stuff like this for your newborn photo session, have photos taken of everything, and toss what you don’t want.
04. Include special things from other family members
This is especially important for some mamas during a rainbow baby maternity session, or for a newborn session for a rainbow baby. If you’d like to include something dear to your heart that represents a family member who has passed on, take time to preserve that memory. You can also make lasting memories for your parents or other family members by integrating part of them in a photo session. For instance, my dad and I went to Texas A&M. I have a photo of my oldest daughter as a newborn, wearing a tiny maroon headband, with her hands wrapped around our Aggie rings. It was the sweetest surprise for him – and hopefully it’s a sign that my daughter will follow in her mama’s footsteps someday!
There are so many similarities between planning a wedding and preparing for a baby, and the importance of documenting the details is just another example of that. Your wedding photographer probably snapped photos of the minor things – how your tables were decorated at the reception, what your wedding program and invitation looked like, the cake topper… I could go on forever. It’s so easy to assume when you’re in the middle of wedding planning that you’ll remember all of those things – but how many of them have you already forgotten? It’s the same with being pregnant and having a baby!
I like to catch playful detail shots during maternity sessions, like the color of mom’s nail polish and the way she stands with her hand on her bump when she doesn’t think I’m taking pictures. During newborn sessions, I always get a shot of the whole family cuddled on the couch so you’ll remember exactly what your living room was like when baby came home. Details like these seem so minor when they are part of your every day – but these memories will tell your family’s complete story in 20, 50, 70 years when everyone is older and everything has changed.
I’m a photographer based in The Woodlands, TX specializing in maternity, Fresh 48, newborn and family photos. If you’re looking for a luxury photo experience to celebrate the beauty of motherhood, I would love to meet you. Click the Book Now button below to get started!
