Modern Maternity sessions (as shown in this blog post) are offered through Illume Maternity! Please visit www.illumematernity.com if you are interested in exploring this type of session for your maternity portraits.
Kali came in to the studio for a Modern Maternity session at the beginning of her third trimester. She added on makeup services, which we strongly encourage for the ultimate luxury experience and for the best photos!
Makeup for this type of session is best applied by a skilled professional who has an understanding of studio light and editorial work. Please don’t go to a retail makeup counter or ask a friend who is “pretty good at make up”, or try to recreate a look with a YouTube video lesson.
If there was ever a time to invest in having your hair and/or makeup done, this is it. Our HMUA team is incredible and made up of amazing women with vast experience working on production/commercial sets, and they are skilled with all skin tones - including women of color.
THE BOOKING PROCESS
Our fine art modern maternity sessions are photographed in our intown Atlanta studio with studio lighting. Natural light is not used, and sessions are scheduled over a 90 minute-2 hour block. In contrast, our natural light (non newborn) portrait sessions are scheduled for a one hour block.
The additional time for modern maternity is to allow ample time for adjusting the lighting set up and for our mamas to change between looks. Since we are not reliant on natural light, our fine art session start time is much more flexible than our natural light studio sessions. We can schedule for evening hours after you’re off of work if that works better for you!
It’s important to only schedule a late session as long as you won’t be tired in the evening from your day!
Currently, we only shoot ONE session per day in the studio to allow for our COVID sanitation protocols. Please don’t put scheduling off until the last minute as we may not have availability for you. The majority of our clients reach out to us when they’re right at the end of their first trimester/abeginning of their second trimester to schedule their session to take place between 26-32 weeks of pregnancy. We want you to have a round belly but still be able to move well before you become physically limited by it - especially because you’ll be moving a LOT during this type of session!
Once you have selected a session date from our availability, everything is handled online in a secure and streamlined process. We’ll send over a short list of what you should bring along with you to your session and directions to our studio location. We’re located right on the Beltline next to two.urban.licks. We’re just down from Ponce City Market, and our studio is SUPER easy to get to! There is a free lot parking available as well as street parking if the lot is full.
WHAT’S NEXT: THE PRE-SESSION CONSULTATION
Why do we schedule a pre-session meeting? Because over the past 8 years we have found that clients who have spent some time with me (face to face or virtually!) before stepping in front of my camera are much more comfortable right out of the gate on their session day because I’m not a total stranger they’ve just met for the first time! This is definitely the case for fine art maternity where you may be wearing next to nothing for part or most of it.
We will schedule a time to meet in advance of your session - either in person here at the studio or virtually via Zoom or FaceTime. I will be fully protected with the Pfizer vaccine effective April 12th, and I wear an N95 mask for all client appointments and sessions regardless of client vaccination status. (ie: it doesn't matter if a client and I are both fully vaccinated, I am still wearing a mask regardless)
Many of our clients that drive to us from quite the distance (90+ minutes) and sometimes from the neighboring states of Florida, the Carolinas, Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee, so an in person meeting isn’t always possible! Many clients bring along a bag full of their own things to wear, and our studio has a limited wardrobe of bodycon dresses and crop tops, bodysuits that can accommodate a pregnant belly, bandeau bras, and tulle gowns. We also have some beautiful Italian silk chiffon fabrics for draping and tossing (in mostly neutral colors) should you choose to incorporate that, as well as some stunning Victoria’s Secret inspired blush pink feather angel wings.
Usage of the studio wardrobe is complimentary to our booked clients! If you choose to schedule an in person meeting with me, you’ll be able to see and try on our pieces. If you’re planning on wearing anything of your own, you’ll bring that along with you as well, and we’ll design your session flow together based on the chosen looks.
During our meeting, we will discuss your vision for your maternity session. My clients vary in their preferences and desires when it comes to the images they want. I have some that are drawn to fine art nudes/implied nudes mixed in with strategic hand placement covering the breasts, and others want to be clothed the entire time with just their belly showing. Some clients really love the look of fabric draping and want to incorporate a few of those, and others don’t. The choice is ultimately yours!
I’ll also ask your preference for the studio temperature during your session since that also varies between clients as well. My top priority is that you are comfortable and well taken care of in every aspect while you are here!
CAN MY HUSBAND/CHILDREN PARTICIPATE?
While the majority of our clients choose to be the only participant for their fine art maternity sessions, your partner is more than welcome. Children can be included in a couple of images but should only be present in the studio for the time they are in photos. Because of all the specialized equipment that is set up and the length of the session, it’s not possible for them to be here in the studio for the entire session. Most families who want a family focused maternity session find our natural light sessions to be a better fit.
YOUR FINE ART MATERNITY SESSION: WHAT TO EXPECT
I’ve been photographing pregnant women for over 8 years now and truly LOVE it. When you arrive to the studio for your session, you’ll change into a robe that you’ve brought with you and you’ll be prepped by one of our amazing HMUA’s if you’ve chosen to add on services like Kali did. Everything in the studio will already be set up and ready to go, so we’ll get started as soon as you’re finished by getting changed into your first outfit. All your outfits will be lined up and ready to go with the roadmap that we created during your pre session consult so there’s no wondering what to put on or wasted time.
If you’re feeling a bit nervous, please don’t stress! I will walk you through everything during your session - from how and where to stand, to how much to tilt your head, and I’ll also coach you on your facial expressions! Our modern maternity/fine art sessions lean towards what I like to call “power” posing. You will look confident, strong, graceful, and beautiful. Mothers are a force to be reckoned with, and these images are going to combine that strength with the beauty and femininity of your pregnancy. If you’re having difficulty being verbally coached with facial expressions, I’ll whip out one of my clear masks so you can see my entire face for demonstration purposes! I promise that you will never be left to awkwardly figure out what to do next.
In total transparency: if you’ve never had a session with studio lighting, it will most likely feel intimidating at first. My lighting is on wheeled stands with large modifiers on boom arms. Once you’ve gotten used to it all, it won’t take you long to start having fun and you’ll start feeling like a model! After the first lighting set, you’ll find that you’ll get into your groove and you’ll have learned what to do from my prompts or adjustments.
We will take breaks throughout for you to get some water, a snack, bathroom break, or just to rest for a minute. If you need anything, all you have to do is let me know. We’ll pick right back up whenever you’re ready to resume!
Kali looked absolutely STUNNING with her hair and makeup, and was excited to get started. We created some absolutely gorgeous images with a mix of her pieces and studio wardrobe pieces. She brought her own non-maternity jeans and white crop top, along with some non maternity dresses and lingerie sets, and she was ALL about wearing the wings for a few images!
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOUR SESSION
Once your proof gallery is ready, we’ll review the images and you’ll make decisions! One of the images will be fully edited for you as a sample so you can know what to expect. We’ll discuss your specific retouching requests (our most common requests are for stretch mark removal and for very slight body slimming in certain areas).
It is my personal opinion that the modern maternity / fine art editorial photography style is most powerful in black and white imagery. However, your selected final images will come in both color and black and white versions for you!
The majority of our clients end up ordering their favorite image for a piece of wall art (metal and acrylic prints are a favorite for this type of photography) or put them all into a beautiful heirloom album.
If you’re considering a maternity session for yourself, YAY! Firstly, a HUGE congratulations to you!!! This is such an unbelievably special and sacred time in your life, and it’s such an honor to photograph mamas expecting their first, second, third, or seventh child.
I would absolutely love for you to contact us to chat about your vision and what we can offer you. We can chat about whether a fine art modern maternity session with studio lighting is the right fit for you vs. our natural light sessions, and answer any questions you have!
Enjoy a few of my favorite images from Kali’s modern maternity session below! Isn’t she absolutely gorgeous?!
If you're expecting a baby or already a parent and looking for a newborn, maternity, or family photographer, I would love to work with you to create images that you will love for a lifetime. Watch this video to hear about my philosophy and see how I work in the studio so you can determine if I'm the right fit for you. I can't wait to meet you!
Lily Sophia Photography specializes in newborn, baby, maternity, and family photography in Atlanta, Georgia and surrounding areas.
