Month: June 2022

10 Maternity Shoot Ideas

Every Post, Photog Blog

Maternity shoots are one of my favorite things to photograph. It captures the beauty of pregnancy and a parent with their child before it’s born. Since it can be hard to pick a theme, I’ve made a list of 10 maternity shoot ideas for you to choose from. 

A Walk In The Park- This can be a gorgeous option for a maternity shoot. There are so many different options you do depend on the type of park that you choose. For example, if your park has a sunflower field you can take pictures walking through it. If your park has a bridge you can walk across it while showing off your bump. And if your park has trees that are in bloom it can be fun to take pictures near blooming flowers or near trees. 

Mommy and Me-This is an option for a mother who already has at least one kid. For this idea, you would take pictures with your son or daughter doing different poses. Some common poses include your son or daughter kissing your belly or holding up signs that say something witty like ‘bun in the oven’ or ‘big brother’. Some mothers like to have their kids match them in their clothing for this type of shoot. 

The Happy Couple-The perfect option for a couple that wants some pictures together. In this idea, the couple will be doing poses together instead of just the pregnant person alone. The couple might want to go to the park together for the pictures, they might want to be in a studio together, there are many different options. Typically these poses consist of one person kissing the pregnant person’s belly, the couple holding hands and walking, or holding up a sonogram picture.

The Milk Bath-Many mothers love this next idea. It’s become pretty trendy over the last couple of years. In this idea, the mother will get into a bathtub in a studio. The bathtub is filled with milk and flowers. The mother may want to be nude, wearing only undergarments, or wearing a dress that they are okay with getting wet. They will then pose while the photographer snaps the images. 

A Day At The Beach- For the lucky couple that lives near a beach, this next idea is for you. The beach can offer you some beautiful photos. The couple can walk down the beach, pose in the shallow end of the water, or even set up a pallet on the sand with an umbrella for a more staged photoshoot. 

Classic Glamorous Studio- The next idea requires a studio or to be inside a fancy room. The couple or just the pregnant person would dress in their fanciest attire. The couple can pose together standing, dancing, or sitting together on a couch. If the pregnant person is alone at the shoot then it’ll be their time to shine. They’ll be able to pose in many different ways and have the camera all to themselves. 

The Big Happy Family- This is for the family that would like some portraits together in addition to a maternity shoot. This type of shoot could be executed in a couple of different ways. You could have a family picnic at a park together while your photographer clicks away. Or you could walk on a beach or in a park together. The main focus is on your family and the new addition to the family. 

Two is Better Than One- If you and your sibling or you and your best friend both happen to be pregnant at the same time, this is the perfect shoot for you. The two of you could pretend to be hanging your future kid’s clothes on hanging pins together or you could both just wear matching outfits in your pictures. There are many different options you can do. 

Boudoir Beauty- Some new mothers like to do boudoir maternity shoots. In these types of shoots, the mother might only wear a special fabric as their clothing or undergarments. They’ll usually pose either on a couch, bed or on a seamless backdrop in a photographer’s studio. Sometimes with these sessions, the mothers like to have silhouettes of themselves taken as well. 

The Nursery- This type of session is unique because it is done at the couple’s home in the nursery. This photoshoot lets you show off your new nursery and all of the baby nicknacks that you have. 

I hope this list has been helpful and that you have a successful maternity shoot!

Fun Cosplay Photography

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For my birthday this year I held a mini costume party and decided to do a mini photoshoot of some of my friend’s outfits well. So here are some fun cosplay photography for you all to enjoy!

First up we have Atom Eve played by my friend Jazz. Atom is a character from the show Invincible currently airing on Amazon Prime.

Second we have Static Shock played by my friend and fellow photographer Q. Static Shock is a superhero from an older TV series of the same name.

Third up we have #5 played by my friend Nay. #5 is from another older show Codename: Kids Next Door.

Fourth there’s Strawberry Shortcake played by my friend Des. Strawberry shortcake is a character from the TV series of the same name. (Multiple TV series actually!)

Last but not least is Noelle played by yours truly. Noelle is a character from the series Black Clover which can be found on Hulu or Funimation.

If you want to get some cute pictures like we took for a costume or themed party you can take some seamless color paper, hang it to your wall and set up some lights near the paper. This will allow you to have a backdrop that’s fully lit and can allow you to take some great pictures!

4 Steps to Planning a Baby Photoshoot

Every Post, Photog Blog

Planning a baby photoshoot is just as important as actually taking the pictures. It can also be just as tricky. You want a photo shoot that showcases the baby’s personality while also capturing their adorableness. In this blog, I’ll show you exactly how I do it.

Step 1: Conversing With Parents. Most of the time that a photographer takes pictures of a baby, they don’t know the baby. This is why it’s always good to talk to the parents to get an idea of what the baby likes and what the parents would like to see the baby doing in the photos. For example, the baby might really like a TV show or movie. By talking to the parents you can learn this and plan a theme around that television show or movie. The parents might also say the baby has trouble sitting up on its own, this will help you prepare to prop the baby up so it can look s though it’s sitting up on its own.

Step 2: Finding The Dress Code. A lot of times parents will have an outfit or two in mind that they want the photographer to take pictures of their babies in. The photographer should ask the following questions in regards to what the baby is going to wear on the day of the shoot: What color will the outfit be? Is it a dress? Skirt? Pants? Jumper? Or nothing at all. (Sometimes parents might want babies to be naked but swaddled in a blanket for a picture or they might want the baby to look like they’re taking a bath in a picture. This could require the baby to not be clothed.) Will there be any accessories such as bows, headbands, ties, etc? By finding out this information you can start to plan how the scene behind the baby will look in the photos. For example, in the photo above you’ll notice the baby matches the green decor. That’s because I asked the mother what color the baby would be wearing and she described a green and white dress. So I decided I wanted green and white to be the theme in the background. I also learned that the baby could sit up on her own so I didn’t have to bring a special baby pillow to make her sit up in the fake bathtub.

Step 3: Finding The Right Props. Now that you have talked to the parents to learn bout what the baby will wear and a little about the baby’s personality, it’s time to find the right props for the photoshoot. If the theme revolves around Christmas you might want to pick out green and red props to give it that Christmasy feel. If the theme is around the 4th of July you’ll probably want colors like red, white, and blue to give it that holiday feel. If the theme is around a TV show or movie, you might want to order a backdrop, plush props, or balloons that show off that movie or TV show. You’ll also probably want to make sure any additional props match the color of those TV or movie props. For example, I did a photo shoot for a baby that loved Cocomelon. I ordered some Cocomelon plush toys and some colorful balloons that matched the color of the plush toys to make the scene come together. For the picture above, Since I knew we were doing a green and white theme, I ordered some green and white flowers and vines to add so that the colors of the baby’s outfits would pop.

Step 4: Set Up The Scene. This is our final step before taking the actual pictures. You’ll want to set up the scene early so you can make any adjustments you need before the baby arrives at your studio. For example, if you set it up and it doesn’t look up to your standards, you’ll be able to run to your local store or find other props in your studio to fix the scene to your liking. I usually try to set up 30 minutes to an hour beforehand.

That is all my advice on planning a baby photoshoot. I hope this was helpful and be sure to check out my other baby photoshoot tips!

How I Prepare for Newborn Photoshoots

Photog Blog

Last week I shared how you–a parent–should prepare for newborn photoshoots. This week I’m sharing how I prepare for newborn photoshoots to keep your baby safe and comfortable while also delivering satisfying images.

  1. Keeping the Baby Warm. I make sure the temperature in my studio is at a warm setting so the baby is comfortable and sleepy. Especially since some parents like the baby to wear little to no clothing for the photoshoot.

2. Safely Posing the Baby. When posing the baby in certain difficult poses, I have someone holding them in said poses at all time. That way the baby does not fall, lean, or get hurt. I then edit the images so that you do not see the other person holding he baby in the position. This is done usually by combining two different images in photoshop.

3. Lots of Safe Props. I use a multitude of safe props when doing newborn photoshoots. Some of these may include soft stuffed animals, baskets made specifically for newborn baby photoshoots, baby pillows to prop the little ones up and more.

4. Swaddling The Baby. Usually i’ll have one of the parents swaddle the baby since the baby is more acquainted with you. Some parents don’t know how to swaddle though, so I’m more than comfortable swaddling the baby and teaching the parents if they would like to learn. Swaddling the baby is not just a cute look for the photos. It can help the baby feel like someone is holding or cuddling them when they’re swaddled in a blanket.