Babies & Beaches
Good Ol’ Facebook took me down memory lane and reminded me of my pregnancy with my first son- which is almost two years ago! I love taking photos, and when Helen of HFB Photography asked if I’d do a maternity session at Black Sands Beach (located just north of San Francisco), I jumped at the opportunity. I remember all of the excitement and trepidation of documenting my pregnancy at 31 weeks. With Kai, my husband and I wanted to keep the gender as a surprise (we were both hoping for a little boy). Looking back at these photos reminds me of being anxious and a bit scared of what was yet to come.
Some tips for your maternity photoshoot:
Start looking on pinterest and hashtags on instagram to gather ideas. There are so many different styles of maternity photography that you’ll soon find yourself gravitating towards a certain type and look.
Choose a photographer that shoots in the style that you’d like. I find that it is best to match the photographer to the look that you’ll ultimately want to achieve. For this session at Black Sands Beach, Helen of HFB Photography was already experienced in natural light and shooting candid shots (which is what I wanted). Also very important- make sure you are comfortable with the photographer. Never go into a photoshoot blindly, you should communicate with that person to agree on the look and feel of the photos. Because maternity photography is so special and intimate, you’ll definitely want to feel comfortable and relaxed with that person.
Wardrobe. I would say to shop 2 weeks out from your session. You can never know how big your baby bump will be and how you’ll feel. Choose outfits and accessories that will suit the style of the photoshoot. PRO-TIP: cut off all of the tags and hanger strings beforehand. You want to avoid any wardrobe mishaps and prevent fussing with tucking things in during the shoot.
Makeup & Hair - be yourself. You don’t want to try out any drastic hair style and makeup looks that will make you unrecognizable. Again, choose makeup and hair that will suit the style of the photoshoot. For this session, I went for a soft, casual look.
Water & snacks. Be sure to pack water and snacks to fuel up and take breaks when you need them.
Have fun. This is your time to enjoy your baby and enjoy the pregnancy glow!
