Maternity Photos - will I regret skipping them?

StefandTodd · April 2011

I was always sure I would get maternity photos taken...mostly b/c my uncle is a photographer. But right now we're estranged, so I inquired with a photog I love and she is open to do maternity and/or newborn for us. But now I'm doubting whether I need or want the maternity photos.

The compelling reasons for me wanting them include that I never felt like T and I got good couple's shots for our engagement or anything. We have no natural-setting, nice, casual (i.e. non wedding) photos of the two of us that we love. Our e-photos ended up being in a studio (w/ my uncle) and not at all what we envisioned or wanted (but b/c they were free for us, we struggled to communicate that). So, I feel like it's our chance to have pictures taken of the two of us, as a family of the two of us, before (but not totally before ) baby.

However, I don't exactly feel as glamorous and beautiful with this belly as I mayb envisioned I would, either...and I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the pictures besides just have them. I can't envision what I'd want printed, if anything...or what I'd do with a print. I feel like I'd rather spend all the money we'd pay for printing and/or copying rights (not to mention the maternity session) on our newborn photos.

Will I regret not doing some maternity photos?

If you had them, what did you do with them and why do you love them? Or could you have done without them? If you didn't do them, have you ever regretted it?

TIA!

legaleagles · April 2011

I'm in the same boat. I feel bad admitting it, but I do not love how I look. My bump is not cute and round like expected it to be, but lumpy and puffy and I feel like my face is getting fat and my a$$ well it's not even more ginormous than it was.

I still haven't decided (though we are having Kelly M do birth photography, but that is different and just for us, really...and well of course you'll all see it what to do. My dad is a professional photographer and I could have him do it, but we're not close, and I don't know how comfortable I'd be.

Alex hates having photos taken and is worried about the money/expense involved.

So long story short, I don't know, but am interested in the answers you get.

p2p91507 · April 2011

I also said we would do maternity and newborn pictures when I first got pregnant. J totally was not on board with either one of them. I didn't like the way I looked pg, was bigger to begin with and just looked bigger IMO. So I decided to drop the maternity pictures and go w/ just newborn pictures. J still wasn't on board, I picked Susanne w/o any input from him. Z was born and J was sooo happy that I decided that this was a must. So the short of the story...is that I didn't do maternity pictures and I don't regret it. I am with you, I don't know where I would hang them. However I have a friend who did maternity pictures and her maternity pictures are hanging in the nursery. But I also say if you weren't happy with your e-pics and you want pictures of just you and T done in a natural setting, then do the maternity pictures, but maybe don't focus so much on the bump?

hersheykiss · April 2011

Honestly, I would wait until the baby is born and do newborn shots and a few family shots. You could even have just a few done of you and your DH at the time. I didn't have mat. photos done and while I kind of wish I had, I in no way regret not doing them either. We also did some cute family shots of us when E was 3, 6, and 10 months.

StefandTodd · April 2011

p2p91507:

We're hiring Susanne for newborn for sure, I'm so excited! I bet she would do a great job with maternity/couple shots too, and she'll do a reduced session price if I book both...another reason I'm torn...

tri-reader · April 2011

My FIL took my maternity photos both times. He's by no means a photographer but takes a good photo. We used my DSLR, headed out to the beach and captured my bump. My DH hates professional photography, I've been working on him for many reasons to get into it, and it's a slow work in progress. Having my FIL do it was our compromise at the time. Little does he know that this time around I'm having them done. I'm not saying I don't like the photos my FIL took, it's just that I feel this is my last baby and I want it to be special and different this time around. I'll probably have FIL take some photos as well as pay for a photographer.

Did I regret not getting a professional photographer for maternity photos with my other 2 pg's? Nope.
I didn't get newborn photos with my first two and if I had a choice I would have splurged for those photos over maternity ones.

Celyn · April 2011

I love mine. I can't imagine not having them. My take on belly photography is this - it's not like you can change your mind and get them done next year, so take them. However, you don't have to hire someone to take a photo either. Just take yourself to a nice setting, like the beach, and walk around while your DH takes a few unposed shots (unless you're DH is like mine and can't frame a decent photo to save his life, even with photoshop I often can't rescue his camera ineptitude. He can however replicate fairly well -- so if I find a photo I really like, I can give it to him and tell him to frame it that way. The lighting might not be awesome, but at least I have something to work with).

futrkingsley · April 2011

Hubby and I did not do professional maternity (nor birth or newborn) photos. We have a DSLR, and both love photography, so we did what we could/wanted, ourselves. They are obviously not pro quality (duh), but for us, there was an intimacy of setting up a tripod and using the timer and just being us. And DH shot a bunch of me alone and I love them deeply.

I would encourage every person, whether she feels like a hotty McHotty pregnant or not, to take photos of her body while pregnant. You won't ever look that way again. It's part of your own personal history, the personal history of your child and family, and it's worthy of documenting. Your kid is not going to look at them and say you are fat. Well, okay, maybe he will if he's my kid. But you child will look at the photos and see himself/herself. And dude, that is amazing.

Even if you print nothing and show no one, take some while you can.

Here is my favorite. Taken by my hubby when I was 37 weeks pg.

StefandTodd · April 2011

futrkingsley:

Beautiful photo!! Thank you for sharing

everydayeve · April 2011

I didn't get a pro shoot done any of the times I was pregnant and don't regret it at all. I have pictures that we took at home and those are good enough for me. Like you said in your OP, I just don't know what I would've done with pro pics of me pregnant. I preferred spending that money on things for the baby or pictures of the baby.

AnyaBella · April 2011

I actually wish we had done them. A super professional shoot wasn't in the cards but I do wish we had at least gone to Picture People or something, from what I've seen they can do a decent job.

fjaril · April 2011

I usually include a maternity mini with my newborn sessions. I think you might be surprised how adorable you look.

We are always so hard on ourselves! I'm sad I didn't get any when i was prego with little dude. we did some ourselves and they are ok, but some of what i've captured for others jsut makes me envious and sad I never did it.

I'm not usually one for being sentimental either, but it's one thing I do wish I did.

legaleagles · April 2011

futrkingsley:

Hubby and I did not do professional maternity (nor birth or newborn) photos. We have a DSLR, and both love photography, so we did what we could/wanted, ourselves. They are obviously not pro quality (duh), but for us, there was an intimacy of setting up a tripod and using the timer and just being us. And DH shot a bunch of me alone and I love them deeply.

I would encourage every person, whether she feels like a hotty McHotty pregnant or not, to take photos of her body while pregnant. You won't ever look that way again. It's part of your own personal history, the personal history of your child and family, and it's worthy of documenting. Your kid is not going to look at them and say you are fat. Well, okay, maybe he will if he's my kid. But you child will look at the photos and see himself/herself. And dude, that is amazing.

Even if you print nothing and show no one, take some while you can.

Here is my favorite. Taken by my hubby when I was 37 weeks pg.

Thanks for sharing. You look so gorgeous and happy in that photo - I love it!

I haven't let DH take any photos of me and it makes me sad. All I have are some on my camera phone in my work bathroom. That's going to change now that I definitely have a bump - and he has a new DSLR (though I'm not sure what was wrong with the other one we have :-) . I just really need to embrace my body and what it's doing - growing a baby. Thanks!

DoxieGal · April 2011

I didn't take any photos with our own camera while pregnant and thought that I would never want professional maternity photos done (I wondered what I would ever do with them). I didn't feel pretty being the largest that I have ever been. Towards the end I decided to do it...got my hair and make-up done to feel extra pretty and had the photos done. I absolutely love them. It ended up raining on us during the photo shoot and the photos were amazing! I actually added some to our DS's photo book to show where it all began. I can never get that time back, so I am happy that we documented it.

LV2006 · April 2011

I truly, deeply, regret not having photos of myself while I was pregnant. I didn't feel great about how I looked, and avoided the camera every time it pointed my way but now I wish I had that memory in photographic form. I also think that some great photos of myself would have made me feel better about how I looked (if that makes sense). If it isn't in the budget, just go out with T and do a photo session. Or better yet, find a friend who is good with the camera to take some shots for you - you could trade and do the same for your friend.

SJBride05 · April 2011

I love and cherish my maternity photos. Bottom line (for me) is...I don't know if I'll ever get to do it again, so I wanted something beautiful to remember it by.

m&m818 · April 2011

Looking back now, yes I regret not having at least one photo semi-professional photo of me pregnant or with DH... we have lots of pictures but nothing that I would put up on the wall. And my husband is a terrible photographer, so every picture he took of me looks sort of awkward.

We are making up for it with lots of family pictures thought.

ashleyhuney · April 2011

I didn't get them and I don't regret it, I wanted to spend the money on other things. However, on our babymoon we went to some beautiful spots on the beach and in the flowers in OR and DH took lots of pictures. Was perfect for us.

mommy2jay · April 2011

I didnt get them and i actually really regret it and wish I did. Im sure if i am blessed enought to be pregnant again i will definitley do them, but just wish i did it with my first pregnancy.

Angiesmommy · April 2011

I didnt have them professionally taken, but I went up to Golden Gate Park with some friends and they took them for me. This was on a whim. Looking back on them now, I am SO GLAD I took them. It's the most fun when I'm looking at them with my DD. She likes to point and say, "that's me? I'm in your tummy!?"

KellyMRocks · April 2011

I didn't with G and regretted it. I got pro photos done while PG with Winnie and love them. I also was better at having DH or Carlos take some belly pics with DSLR, I love these too.

You should definitely get some shots taken with a GOOD camera, even if they are just by a friend.

danandkelly · April 2011

I don't know. I didn't do maternity shots with either pregnancy, and I don't regret it. But that's not to say I won't regret it years from now.

spicy-mustard · April 2011

I never had them taken, I don't regret it at all.

I do however, wish I had taken more just regular pictures while I was pregnant with #1.

TheMutleys · April 2011

I also thought that I would get maternity photos done. However, it just didn't work out that way due to multiple reasons. I don't regret it. Maybe I will in the future. I have a bunch of other pictures of me while I was pregnant, so I feel like the experience was captured.

We did have pics taken of us as a family when he was 3 months old, and I am supremely thankful for that.

amyfelice · April 2011

My BF is a pro photog and she did a short session for free, so I ordered prints so she would get some money back. To be honest, I don't know what I will ever do wtih them but I do like having them. I put a bunch in my baby's first year photo album and I tell her that she is in my belly, it's pretty cute, she tries to process that information.

Anyway, not sure again like PP's that i would have paid for it, but I do like having them. I waited a little too long, I think it would have been better before I "dropped", the baby was just hanging so low, but its still cool.

LoLoPanda · April 2011

I grappled with the same issue, but I am sooo glad I got the pictures taken. We had KellyM take them and I am over the moon happy with the results. I LOVE the pictures and can't wait to get some printed and give them as Mother's Day gifts to my mom and MIL this year.

fricksgirl · April 2011

Same as Ash, I have the ones we snapped at home and I cherish them and love them, esp ones where I'm haggard and happy, looking very "pregnant". I have a few shots with Alex with a sorry-a$$ pony tail, it was the week before I had him, I had just found out I needed a C/S because of my narrow pelvis, and I'm standing in front of the fridge where Chris Frick had put the letter fridge magnets to read "Narrow pelvis, WTF?" and I'm laughing and laughing, belly out, it's SO inappropriate and I'd never show it to anyone, but I look at it often because it's so ME. You can like, hear me laughing when you look at it. That's worth more to me than some fancy shoot.

Honestly this may be offensive to some, but I think the bare-belly pro maternity photos are creepy and I really have no interest in seeing them, for myself or anyone else. JMO.

We didn't do a newborn shoot with Alex, and Simon's was disasterous (they were running late and he was freezing and hungry). The pics are awful and again, creepy. Doesn't even look like him, looks like some weird, sad (!), chicken baby.

So no regrets here, FWIW.

alibee09 · April 2011

Like fjaril said, I know that some photogs -- like Ava -- do packages of maternity AND newborn pics.

I have to tell ya... I am glad I did maternity pics with K, and I wish I had done better maternity pics with M (we did family photos and they're not as sharp as I'd like). I also did weekly bump pics for myself, which are fun to look at every now and then.

One thing I was surprised I changed my mind on: with K I was adamant I would NOT NOT NOT have photos of the birth. With M, I did, and they were great, and I love looking at them when the mood strikes.

alibee09 · April 2011

Our first photo:

Our second:

Smuches4u · April 2011

I do not regret not having maternity photos. The very few photos of me pregnant I didn't like. I swelled up a lot and there wasn't an angle that was flattering or comfortable.

What I do regret is not having a birth photographer. I missed so much. DH missed so much. Camera was not at the ready when the time came and once we remembered, the batteries were dead!

It's become a requirement of our next birth that at the very least KellyM be in attendance. but that's just me.

I do regret not taking a monthly bump photo. I think it's awesome to see that progression when others have done it, and I should have been better at that.

SFAug07 · April 2011

I had them done by a good friend who is a photographer who also did newborn pictures of Sarah and made a nice photobook. Link to the pics in my signature. I really liked how they came out. I don't think we'll do them for this baby though, just newborn pictures. I look the same as I did with Sarah so there doesn't seem to be that much of a point of doing them again.

StefandTodd · April 2011

Thanks everyone!

I'm going to talk to T about it tonight We have our newborn photographer picked for sure...and now it's just deciding if we do it in a maternity/newborn package or just as newborn pics. If we don't do the professional maternity shots, I will for sure get some that we take on our own.

I really appreciate everyone's input.

And, yeah I would looooooove to have done birth photos...but Kelly is booked for our EDD already, and I don't have the energy to find someone I like as much or similarly for birth photography AND try to convince T to go for it. Maybe if there's a next time though that'll be our photography splurge

alibee09 · April 2011

I have no idea if Ava does them normally but she did my birth photos... maybe ask her if she's avail?

My.ABC.Life · April 2011

I treasure mine.

alyssa7 · April 2011

I did not take maternity pictures and I do not regret it. I did however make sure to get pictures done at the 3 month, 6, 9 and 12 month marks.

GirlStylist · April 2011

I did your typical in studio and outside maternity photos the first time around. I absolutely love them, although I would never at this point display them anywhere in my house.

2nd time around I had Rox take some pictures ( covered belly ) . They were more family pictures and I love them also.

I figure take them and if you hate them and never look at them, at least you will never regret it. That is my motto Wink

N.M.M · April 2011

dh and i wanted to do prego pics the whole pregnancy he took some of me w/belly that was ok with me until oct 3rd (we were due 10/10/10) we took pro pics dd was born 10/21/10 and when i look at those pics before her it brings back all the memorys of before she was here like wondering what she would look and be like. i love my prego pics and wouldent trade them for anything. we gave out our prego pics with dd's birth anouncements like a before and after lol

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