Maternity Photos

Kacie209 · July 2016

Has anyone started looking into these?

FTM here, and we do have a session booked with my wedding photog the first weekend in August. I know that's SUPER early, but I won a credit from her around Thanksgiving and it needed to be used up by August this year. I plan on using some props (baby shoes, a onesie, etc) to indicate what we're having and that being how we tell a lot of people that it's a boy! It's a quick 45-minute session.

I still do plan on doing a session come Fall when I am bigger. I am going with another photographer, and she is more local (the wedding one lives 3.5 hours away and comes up once a month) and her prices and for what you get are great. I'll also use her for newborn (she does a more lifestyle approach, which I love), and she does a bundle package for other milestones (3, 6, 9, 12 pics). She offers a mini session for anything and say it's great for maternity, which is only 25 minutes and you get about 20-30 edited images, or she has a 1-hour session and get about 50-60 edited images.

DH is not big on having pics done so I was thinking of just doing the mini for the time. I don't know how many photos you really need, and 20-30 seems like a lot.

For those how have done them in the past, how many photos did you get? And with that number, do you feel it was too little? Too many?

For those scheduling, how long is your session and do you know how many photos that may be?

dmontgo · July 2016

I booked my maternity and newborn photos already considering our babies are holiday babies. My maternity session is October 29th. I've been brainstorming outfits since we'll be outside. Otherwise, I don't know much about how many pictures. I am wanting an album and a wall picture, so I am getting a full session for each.

cgss11 · July 2016

I started to research a little finally. I think a mini session for maternity would be enough for me. I may have to skip that though as I was a bit shocked at the cost of a newborn session - $400+ in my area.

With buying a house, moving, getting ready for baby/maternity leave/hospital bill/holidays, I'm not sure I can part with that money. I'm going to keep looking for someone though, and work the budget best I can. They're only a newborn squish once!!!

jenlynne0624 · July 2016

Talked to my photographer and well be doing photos the first or second week of October. Im so excited. She did our holiday pictures and ds newborn pictures and I love them. We're getting a package that includes maternity and newborn pics. Looking into a birth photographer too.

PensiveCrayon · July 2016

I've already been in contact with my photographer, because I stumbled on her randomly and freaking love her style. My thinking is, it's never too early to reserve!

Since my MIL says she's flying out a friend to do the actual newborn shoot, I'm bundling maternity photos with a more casual first-day shoot with this photographer.

For the bundle, it's $900. The maternity shoot is an hour long and comes with 30 digital images, while the first-day session is 2.5 hours "or until you're done with me being there, haha" and comes with 50 images.

So, it's a bit pricy, but so were our wedding photos, and I don't even think about the cost anymore. I'm just so freaking glad I spent the money for such gorgeous memories of the day. The only thing I'm mildly concerned about here is that the shoots only come with 80 photos total.

penelope4612 · July 2016

I definitely want newborn pictures. I might do a mini session for maternity photos but I definitely don't need 20-30 maternity photos. We're also potentially interested in a "fresh 48" session, which are pics taken in the hospital right after the baby is born. But photographers around here are super expensive (for example, newborn sessions are often $900+) so we'll probably have to limit what we end up getting, unless we can get a good package deal.

Kacie209 · July 2016

Love to see all the price ranges!

Her mini is $175, a full hour is $325. Newborn is $375, and is 2-3.5 hours in length. And then she offers those mini's for the milestones, or that bundle package I mentioned for a discount as long as it's 3+ milestone sessions. You also get the rights to every pic and get them on a disc. Much cheaper than what most of yours seem to be, but there are others out there that are more (most newborns seemed to be around $200-600, and then have to pay extra for more prints/rights to print.

@penelope4612 - There is one photog I looked at that offers that Fresh 48, which is $325 and can be bundled with maternity and newborn.

I just don't know how many pictures we'd need. We lack wall space so I have SOME wedding ones up, so I'd have to get creative... or ask that DH take down some of the "outdoor" pictures he's had for years (I moved into his place) to finally make room.

dmontgo · July 2016

I'll put up the price for mine:

Newborn+Maternity+Canvas Wall Art+Leather Album+Little Acordion Picture Books for Grandparents: $1,200

sourlemon · July 2016

I didn't do them last time and won't this time. I did my own with a tripod and timer. Not easy but it worked. I didn't like how I looked at any stage after 20 weeks and didn't want to spend the money.

I also did our own newborn pics. I got a few good ones but by the time we did them (12 days old) she wasn't squishy enough to stay in positions. But that was the earliest we could do it as she was hooked up to medical equipment for a while. I would pay for good newborn photos if I wasn't so cheap.

But we also only have 1 wedding picture hung up and 1 newborn picture so we aren't huge on hanging pictures like that. I like "real life" photos better. I have 2 pictures of DD playing in the tub that are hung in the bathroom, a picture of DH and DD playing on a slide hanging outside her bedroom, and none of me except the wedding one cuz I'm always taking them!

The prices in this thread are terrifying!

penelope4612 · July 2016

Also is anyone else finding that all the maternity photographers seem to dress people in these flowing gowns with flower crowns and exposed bellies? The photos are gorgeous but that is NOT me at ALL. I would feel ridiculous. I just want some nice photos of me with a belly, with DH, fully clothed. No crown.

slartybartfast · July 2016

maternity photos - I'm proud of any woman that want's to document this time in their life and feel they are far more mature than I. Because I want to forget that I've ever had to go through this as soon as possible. I have a couple from mountain climbs and rock climbs and a couple nordic skiing ones from last time that prove I was actually pregnant. That's enough for me.
Newborn photos - our birthing center has a photographer that comes in like the next day and takes photos and sells you them on a CD for $100. They were so amazing with DS so that's what we'll do again. DH took a ton of delivery room photos - some gratuitous - that we treasure too.
Once I'm feeling back to me, I want to have family photos done for sure.

thedaint87 · July 2016

Just contacted a photographer and crossing my fingers that she has availability! With a due date of 12/21 I know we're bumping right up with the holidays and that will make it harder to find someone.

Price would be $525 for maternity/newborn, 30-40 images on disc for each session and a small print credit. That is a pretty great deal around here and with all the other baby expenses I'm trying not to break the bank with this one. A lot of photographers have a reasonable (to me) session fee but then tack on an expectation of purchasing a certain $$ amount of prints/canvas/etc. Looks a lot less reasonable after that!

ashleaf2018 · July 2016

I am incredibly finicky about pictures and hospitals, so for our newborn pictures we will have them done in our home and our families will be doing them. My mom will be staying with us and will take several while she's there, and then FI's dad and cousin are both handy with a camera. As for maternity pictures, we will probably get my mom or his dad to do them sometime in October. I just don't want any hospital pictures; hospitals make me extremely uncomfortable and since we are having a scheduled C, I'm going to be an absolute wreck. If circumstances were different we'd be doing a home birth, but you can't win them all.

tinattt23 · July 2016

Holy crap, I had no idea these things were so expensive! Boy am I am glad my step dad is an armature photographer. His photos look good, it just takes him a long time to set up and adjust everything. But I will gladly spend a day taking photos before I dish out a grand of pictures.

dmontgo · July 2016

For DH and I, the photos are definitely a luxury. Do we *need* them? No...but because we had a courthouse wedding suddenly (no regrets!) we didn't have a lot of photos from that day. We have our newlywed photo and such, but it would mean a lot to us to have these pictures documenting this time. So for us, we saved and it's worth the expense. I don't *need* a doula either, but I know I won't regret having one.

But it's not like I'm ecstatic about the price lol.

Mamax2 · July 2016

I'll be having maternity ones done, as I'm trading services with another photographer local to me. She'll do my maternity photos, and I'll shoot a family session and a mini of her choice for her. I'll probably end up doing my own newborn pics of this LO.

Kacie209 · July 2016

DH and I didn't really do any engagement photos, just had a cousin of his BIL do them as she does some photos on the side. I know they're not mandatory, but are a norm in my circle of friends. They were OK, and we got what we needed for our guest book but I kind of wish we would have done an actual session - only a couple were VERY good out of the 20-some we got. We don't have many pics together, as I said, he's not a big picture taker, and I LOVE pictures. I feel this kind of makes up for them, ha. And the prices aren't horrible, or as much as could spend. Something make a photo album of, and look back on.

penelope4612 · July 2016

Yeah I'm also not ecstatic about the price but I love photos. We have tons of photo albums and I enjoy looking through them. We are also lucky in that we are getting a number of hand me downs from siblings for this baby so I don't think we'll need to spend as much on getting baby gear.

sammyl1221 · July 2016

for maternity photos my brother is doing them- he does photography on the side so I am not worried.

For newborn I found a great photographer who's prices are reasonable. $400 for session plus 15-20 digital images. Everyone else around here starts off with a $200 sitting fee and then photo packages with min. of $400 to buy. One person I contacted had a min. of $1000.....ummmmm nope!

phoenix870509 · July 2016

My best friend who shot my wedding is doing our maternity photos. My SIL also asked if she could take some to build her portfolio because she doesn't have a lot of maternity shoots. Have to set up times with them, but probably not until October.

PensiveCrayon · July 2016

@penelope4612 Flowing gowns and flower crowns seem to be in style these days, haha. My photog is letting me choose the location, and since I live so close to downtown Las Vegas, I think we're going to do them there. (I'm split between that and the desert, which is also gorgeous.) I just love the run-down neon feel of downtown. But if I go that route, there will definitely be no flower crowns for me.

jenlynne0624 · July 2016

I'll add my price too, the package for newborn and maternity will be 350. Hat includes print release and all of the edited photos available for download onto my own computer. Newborn is at my house since I don't want to take baby out in winter and will last as long as we need it too. More of a lifestyle shoot. Maternity I'm hoping for a pumpkin patch or the nature reserve we used for Christmas picturrs last year.

Pgh_Kel · July 2016

I've already booked a newborn photographer because I was also worried about business around the holidays, especially with an EDD of 12/22. We get a 2 hour session for $325 which includes 10 edited images of the baby (we can also be in some of the pics if we want).

I doubt I'll do any maternity photos other than the weekly progress photos my BF is taking, it's not something I feel strongly about to spend the money on.

Lisa3379 · July 2016

I think we'll splurge on professional photos once the little guy is here, but I haven't looked into it at all yet. No maternity photos for me. I can't imagine spending the money on that, and we're not big photo people anyway. I'll make sure to get some photos on our upcoming vacation and during the baby shower - that should be enough for me.

slartybartfast · July 2016

dmontgo said:

For DH and I, the photos are definitely a luxury. Do we *need* them? No...but because we had a courthouse wedding suddenly (no regrets!) we didn't have a lot of photos from that day. We have our newlywed photo and such, but it would mean a lot to us to have these pictures documenting this time. So for us, we saved and it's worth the expense. I don't *need* a doula either, but I know I won't regret having one.

But it's not like I'm ecstatic about the price lol.

That's a completely normal price for a good photographer. I'm totally confident you will not regret your decision for a second!

dmontgo · July 2016

@slartybartfast I think considering the bundle + the extras, $1,200 isn't bad either (although it's not chump change, either). But we love her work, she's a great person, and we are always happy to pay for things that commemorate our love.

erica0901 · July 2016

I feel super lucky. I just contacted a photographer and she charges $79 for a 30 minute session with a guarantee of 10-15 prints plus a CD of everything taken. We are thinking of doing an October session, possibly in an orchard!

squiddy224 · July 2016

@erica0901, DH's friend from high school is going to take maternity pictures for us and she mentioned an orchard as well. I'm excited because I think we'll get some really cool shots. Haven't settled on a date yet, but we're thinking sometime in October as well. We want to take advantage of the fall leaves and I will be far enough along that I will actually look pregnant and not just bloated!

erica0901 · July 2016

@squiddy224 Exactly! I am hoping to get a nice sunset as well!

aframe77 · July 2016

I'm a cinematographer but I shoot newborn and maternity stills for friends and family. I did a promo video trade with a photographer friend of mine for my first pregnancy. They ARE crazy expensive, but it's worth it to me because although I spend my life documenting other people behind the camera I actually have very few pictures of myself to mark life events. And it's nice to have some that are flattering as my husband has a talent for capturing me with double chins and food in my mouth:)

I like shooting maternity photos for my friends because often we feel so uncomfortable and unattractive when we're pregnant that sometimes we can't see what a beautiful process our body is going through until we see it through someone else's lens.

As for style I'm more into the candid photo jounalistic style (no crowns) It feels more real and less posey. I've had friends who said, I don't really feel photogenic right now, or those are so cheesy, or I don't think I really NEED maternity photos," but after they saw their images they were greatful to have captured that moment in their life. Plus they felt extra pretty which never hurts:)

It's really about finding the right photographer, I don't know if I'll do them again this time, but I'm glad I have them from my first. That said I totally agree the prices can be brutal!

R0824H · July 2016

@dmontgo thank you for pointing out the fact we're having holiday babies, I seriously didn't connect that to be an issue LOL!! guess I should actually start contacting the photographers I've been eyeing up!

I'll update my price when I know!

Kacie209 · July 2016

I love being able to have a Fall shoot! The gal I contacted was like, "Oh, we'll get out there as soon as the leaves start changing!". We got married in October and probably one of the last weekends where the leaves were still on the trees and it was SO pretty.

I also needed to think for newborns right around the holidays, since I probably would have gone with my wedding photog but not knowing her scheduled around that time yet and her being 3.5 hours away. I'm sure she'd come back for Christmas (she's from the area), but this other gal is only an hour away so not as bad. As I've said, she does more lifestyle newborns, but I can't wait to get a few poses in there with a hat and booties I bought... and the tree!

Austenista · July 2016

This thread has lit a fire. I've just been basking in the novelty that I'm pregnant trying not to think about the pamphlets the doctor sent home with me to "monogram my maternity," baby showers, pictures, or what the heck we're going to do about the holidays. I guess I need to climb out of the cloud dream that all this is just sooo far away and that I'll deal with it later. Not a good idea.

Want a personalized experience?

Maternity Photos

Re: Maternity Photos

Choose Another Board

Search Boards