When it comes to maternity sessions, versatility in outfits is always really fun for me to get to photograph. Anna, fellow friend and Bluffton photographer, brought three outfits to her photo shoot:

A black lace bathing suit cover up to show off a little skin while also setting a dramatic tone
A muted body suit for a minimal and modern look
A long, beaded formal dress with different layers

Black lace bathing suit cover up

I loved her idea of using something beautiful from her closet for this look! The awesome news about so many beach cover-ups is that they usually have a little stretch in them, too. So partnering the flexibility with the sheer look of the cover-up was a really creative way to show off the beauty of her baby bump while also adding a little intrigue and moody vibes.

We used two backdrops for this look. To create mood, we chose the dark grey lime wash canvas. To refocus the emphasis back on her as the main subject, we used the cream/white lime washed canvas so she would be highlighted.

A muted body suit

The body suit is one trend in maternity photos that I LOVE! I think that her choice of using a muted color plays into a minimalistic style allowing the emotion in these images to be the sole focus. The long sleeves are also a nice touch to elongate her arms.

A long beaded, formal, and flowing dress

Adding a dress with flow and a little more of a luxury look added a feminine dimension to the outfits for her session. Combining the lime wash ivory canvas with her hair and skin tone, we were able to play with different lighting to create a light and airy, soft look. Manipulating the lighting a little more to create some deep shadows also added a little drama in a couple of poses!

Behind the Scenes

Here’s a little behind-the-scenes look at what it was like photographing this dress with a number of different poses and lighting setups.

What love about maternity sessions is that they are all unique and inspire my work in different ways. At the end of it all, my main goal is to capture a mother’s beauty during that is specific to her and her own journey of motherhood while also giving space for her to pause and breathe in these moments of pregnancy.

Interested in reading and seeing more of my maternity sessions?

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