Intimate Studio Maternity Photos

Studio maternity photos are one of my favorite ways to document the journey to parenthood. They give parents a quiet space to be present with each other and their little one. In this gold-soaked session, I captured loving moments between Ethan and Nicole with digital and film photography as well as Super8. They took full advantage of the opportunity to pause and soak in this fleeting moment in their family’s life. These images and the Super8 video are full of nostalgic warmth.

Nicole’s Studio Maternity Photos

When Nicole approached me about studio maternity photos, I was flattered. Like me, Nicole is a Milwaukee photographer, so it meant a lot to me that she reached out. Her husband Ethan works as a graphic designer and is creative as well. They scheduled this session just a few weeks before their daughter’s birth. The timing was perfect for maternity photos.

Both Nicole and Ethan were excited for the clean yet creative aesthetic we landed on for this session. Taking Nicole’s maternity photos at the studio let me create a space that was bright, minimalist, and classic. There’s nothing to distract from the emotion of the moment or the way Ethan and Nicole smile at one another. The baby’s breath flowers were just the right compliment to the taupe fabrics of the backdrops and neutrals of Nicole’s clothes.

Studio maternity photos are magical because they allow for more intimacy than photos taken in a public setting. Ethan and Nicole took time to read each other letters that they wrote. It was a beautiful reminder that their relationship is the foundation for everything even when it’s easy to get swept away by baby prep. I captured this part of the session on film and Super8.

A studio is a great setting for maternity photos for logistical reasons too. Nicole easily could change into various outfits. Nothing compares to the lighting in a studio session either. The bright, clean light embodied the joy Nicole and Ethan felt. It also allowed me to get creative with shadows and composition. The flowers cast beautiful shadows against Nicole’s baby bump. It brought a touch of nature and made their experience feel connected to something bigger.

Mixing Digital and Film Photography

For Nicole’s studio maternity photos, I used a mix of photography mediums, including digital, film, and Super8. Mixing mediums can convey a more well-rounded story and each has its strengths for portraying different emotions. Digital photography is clean and beautiful in a more polished way. Because the images are crisper, they capture a lot of detail. Digital images are also more controllable in the sense that I can take a photo, look at it immediately, then take it again with adjustments. 

Film photography, on the other hand, gives studio maternity photos a cozier feeling. It was perfect for documenting Ethan and Nicole’s letter exchange. The warmth and texture of the film reminds us that we’re seeing Ethan and Nicole as they truly are, not edited to fit an ideal. Film also requires me to be more intentional because I can’t take unlimited photos and edit them later. That slower pace suits a session like this one because it’s about holding space to honor where you are in your life.

In addition to maternity photos, Nicole and Ethan opted for a Super8 film. Super8 is more and more popular in wedding photography and videography, and it’s a great addition to a maternity session. The film has a sense of spontaneity and authenticity. You can see the way Ethan and Nicole move together when they dance and read their letters. That was all part of the experience of the day. Super8 gives you an even fuller picture than still photos alone could. 

I loved photographing Nicole and Ethan in these studio maternity photos. You can feel the love and anticipation in their images and video. Working in the studio with mixed mediums allowed us to move between artistic compositions and more candid moments to tell a fuller story of this moment. It’s easy to imagine Nicole and Ethan lingering over these photos in the years to come.

Would you like me to take your studio maternity photos? I would love to help you document this special time. Reach out to me!