Pregnancy Photography at Home and in the Studio

One of the best things about being a Milwaukee photographer is that my relationships with my clients don’t end when they exit their wedding receptions. I get to document many of their milestones beyond their wedding day. I really appreciate being invited into these families’ journeys. Nora and Steve are a perfect example. I photographed their wedding at Dandy Milwaukee, and they asked me to do their pregnancy photography. We met up at their Bay View home and then headed to my studio for deeply personal photos in a variety of styles. 

Lifestyle Maternity Photos

Often clients either want to do lifestyle pregnancy photography at home or studio portraits. Nora and Steve decided to do a mix of both. We started with photos in their Bay View home for a very special reason (in addition to Nora’s pregnancy). This house was their first home together, and they were getting ready to move to a new one. Our photo session gave them the chance to document the home they loved before entering the next phase of their life together. 

Lifestyle maternity photos are a great way to document relationships in the place you feel most at ease. With pregnancy photography – and parenthood in general, it’s easy to get caught up in trends and worrying about what you “should” do. Your life, as it is, is worth documenting. Why not have photos with your partner in the home you built together?

Nora and Steve look so comfortable and content in these photos. They laughed, smiled, and took the time to share their excitement about the big changes coming. The photos of them snuggled up are so natural.

Doing sessions at home lets me get creative with perspectives. I photographed Nora and Steve through doorways, and it gives the sense that we’re getting an authentic look into their lives. The image of them standing in the doorway with their foreheads together feels so honest and loving.

Pregnancy Photography in the Studio

After we documented Nora and Steve’s life at home, we headed to my studio for a very different but equally sweet set of images. These studio maternity photos are classic and simple. Even though they’re different from the lifestyle photos at Steve and Nora’s house, they have the same minimalist focus on their relationship as opposed to complicated setups and outfits. The simplicity of studio pregnancy photography also makes it feel really fresh and modern. 

Studio photography has a lot of perks, too. As a photographer, I have complete control over the environment from the colors of the backdrop to the light and temperature. A maternity session like Nora and Steve’s really could take place at any time of year without weather ruining our plans. 

With studio maternity photography, I also experiment with different poses than I’d necessarily use in a lifestyle session at home. In these images, I prompted Steve and Nora to move around to create different compositions. Some of these photos are a little more abstract and artistic without losing the focus on Nora’s pregnancy. 

I’ve been loving incorporating florals into pregnancy photography. Nora posed with bundles of creamy flowers. They brought a touch of nature that complimented the organic emotions and interactions at the heart of this session. 

A Moment Worth Remembering

Pregnancy can be a complicated time, and it’s full of tasks – books to read, furniture to assemble, things to do to get ready for your little one’s arrival. The time somehow drags and rushes past at the same time. Pregnancy photography is so special because it creates space for expecting parents to pause and take it all in. You really get to celebrate what you’re going through. It’s a moment worth remembering.

As a maternity photographer, I love documenting the interactions between partners. It’s so sweet to see them rub a baby bump with soft smiles. This is a moment to romanticize a bit and bask in this amazing thing you’re doing together.

Where you are is worth celebrating. Even if you have trouble seeing it in the moment, you’ll be so glad to have photos of this time. As soon as your baby is born, those pictures will make you nostalgic. So embrace it! 

Would you like to see more pregnancy photography? Check out this intimate studio maternity session and these Lake Michigan maternity photos.