Feeling empowered in your maternity session

First of all, congratulations if you’re an expecting mum. Secondly, it’s okay if you’re not feeling that so called ‘pregnancy glow’. I was told that I glowed and looked beautiful, but personally felt so far from any of that. I struggled with my changing body, although I loved my bump, my arms, legs, breasts and hormones were all changing. As someone who at times has struggled with the way I looked on the outside, the idea of stepping in front of a camera whilst pregnant was just out of the question.

I didn’t have a maternity session with my first child because of my self-consciousness, a regret I still feel unfortunately. I didn’t even have newborn photos with her either, because I was worried I would look tired, didn’t’ have makeup on and wasn’t my perfect self. Looking back on this time I realise that, well yes you do look tired, you don’t have to wear makeup and what even is your perfect self? I just had a baby and its certainly an adjustment and here I was giving myself a hard time. Then I realised these photos aren’t for me, they are for my daughter and her children and their children. They will not look at these photos of me pregnant and say ‘’oh dear’’, ‘’what no mascara’’ or ‘’you looked tired’’. They will say, ‘’that’s my mum pregnant with me’’, ‘’I’m so glad I have this photo’’ and ‘’she’s beautiful’’.

I know I’m not alone in this feeling, so many of my friends and clients have expressed similar thoughts to me. So when you feel this way, how do you put yourself in front of a camera?

I believe the first step is a trusting relationship in your photographer and finding a photographer you personally feel comfortable with. Reach out to the photographer and start a conversation about what you want, how your feeling, how you want to look and what they can do for you. Read the language they use, do you feel this photographer aligns with you and you can build a trusting relationship with them?

Look at their style I’m all for trying new things and getting out of our comfort zone but don’t pick a nude pregnancy photographer if you don’t want any nude photos. You need to find a style you can connect with and you can see yourself actually being captured that way.

So now you’ve found someone you trust in a style you love, how do you step in front of that lens?

I say do what is going to make you feel like a pregnancy goddess. If you want to pamper yourself and get your hair and make-up professionally done, then absolutely do it or maybe you want a special outfit to rock that baby bump in, you can request a one from your photographer. Do you like a quiet calming space or want to pump out some music to get in the zone? For some client’s I have pregnancy safe essential oils diffusing in the room. Maybe you have children already and a partner you want to share the experience with so you feel special and like the focus isn’t solely on you, so let’s get them involved. What makes you feel safe, comfortable, excited and feeling beautiful normally? lets incorporate that into your session.

This is your maternity session and experience, It’s my job as the photographer job to listen carefully to your needs and style your session based on your vision. Then use clever lighting techniques to photograph you in a certain way and show you how amazing you are for bringing a life into the world.

If you’ve found the right photographer, then you should walk out of that maternity session feeling empowered and excited. Celebrating how wonderful you are and what your about to do, which is bring a human into this world. You should have images that celebrate what an incredible journey you have been on and beautiful, elegant images to remind you 5, 10, 20 years down the track.

If you want to talk or have a consultation on how I can tailor make a maternity session for you, then please contact me. I am always happy to have a chat and we can see if I’m that right photographer for you and your family.

Love Felicity x

Please refer to my homepage to start looking through my work and services and for further information on maternity sessions, see session info for all you need to know.