This fall maternity session was one of my all-time favorites to photograph. I had the joy of photographing this lovely Italian family in Toulouse, in the beautiful south of France, during a golden hour outdoor session at nearly 0 celsius.
The session was particularly special as it took place only a few days before the baby girl’s arrival.
The session was conducted with a mix of Italian, French, and English! But despite the multi-language challenge and the low temperature, this maternity session was fun and relaxed. And it was filled with many in-between moments of palpable love and connection that they shared for one another. The relationship between the mom and her little girl was especially captivating and artistically inspiring.
If you are searching for a maternity photographer and want to know the practical information about a maternity session, this blog post is for you.
Benefits of Maternity photos outdoors
Another thing I loved about this recent maternity photoshoot was its location.
Maternity photos outdoors are a great option to consider if you’re searching for a maternity photographer. To help you decide on the location of your maternity photoshoot (studio, in your home, or outdoor), here is a list of benefits of doing your Maternity photos outdoors.
- Natural light: Outdoor photo shoots offer beautiful, natural lighting that can enhance the overall look and feel of your photos
- Ideal if you already have children: if you have children who love running and playing outside, an outdoor session will give your children plenty of space to explore, have fun, and engage them in a natural way.
- Comfortable setting: Some people may feel more comfortable posing for photos in a natural setting rather than in a studio.
- More space: Outdoor locations often provide more space for you to move around and try different poses, which can add variety to your photos.
- Unique atmosphere: An outdoor maternity photo shoot can add a unique atmosphere and ambiance to your photos that you can’t get in a studio setting.
- Beautiful background: an outdoor location offers beautiful backdrops. While in-home sessions can sometimes include images with a “busy background” as it typically includes distracting environmental elements, such as furniture, decor pieces, and clutter, an outdoor session provides you with a beautiful, clean background. The beautiful backgrounds at an outdoor location will also give you more background variety than if you photograph in a studio.
Tips to keep you warm in the cold fall weather: What to wear for your Maternity photos outdoors
A common objection against maternity photos outdoors during the cold months is the low temperatures. However, if you plan ahead of time and dress appropriately, it is totally possible to have a comfortable session.
Here are a few tips to keep you warm:
- Opt to dress in warm layers, including a thermal base layer, sweaters, tights, and onesies for the little ones. But try wearing layers without looking bulky
- Wear accessories, including scarves, gloves, hats, and a baby blanket. You might also consider wearing a body warmer patch
- Try to avoid wearing a puffy jacket and vest as these options are unflattering for a photo session
- For that feminine, delicate look in your images, I recommend expecting moms to wear a dress or skirt, even in the winter. You can complement your outfit with an open cardigan. Or, you can wear your bra on the outside of your dress, and then tuck your cardigan into the bottom of the bra
- Consider wearing boots or other closed-toe shoes to protect your feet from the cold and wet
Non traditional maternity photos outdoors
When choosing the right photographer to do your maternity photos outdoors, why not consider a more non traditional maternity photos approach?
The main difference between traditional and non traditional maternity photos is the way the photographer will direct (pose) you throughout the session. Traditional photos tend to be stiffer, prioritize everyone looking perfect, and will include a great number (if not all) of images of everyone looking straight into the camera.
Non traditional maternity photos instead tend to value connection over perfection.
These images tend to be about capturing emotions and authentic moments. The photographer’s main goal is to direct you in a way that prompts natural interactions between your family while capturing in-between moments of laughter, looks, tenderness, and love. Most of your images will be of you looking away from the camera: eyes closed, and looking at each other.
There is no right or wrong. It is really about your personal preference!
Do you prefer stiff or relaxed, natural photos? Do you prefer perfect-looking or raw and emotive?
You also need to consider the actual photoshoot experience. Do you prefer being posed and told what to do the entire time, which can be a little bit more stressful, especially for dads and children? Or, do you prefer a mix of being directed and natural, unscripted moments in a way that feels more relaxing and stress-free?
I personally prefer non traditional maternity photos as I love images filled with soul, emotion, and connection. If that resonates with you and you’re searching for a maternity photographer, don’t hesitate to send me a hello in the contact page.
What to do next
If you feel ready to reserve your session or would like to meet me to discuss your vision, please visit the contact page to learn the different ways to reach out.
If you’d like to see more of my work, I invite you to browse around my website to learn more about my style and get the feel of my images.