Bump to Baby Photoshoots Explained

When was the last time you had your picture taken professionally? Maybe it was your wedding or graduation, or some other big event. Pregnancy is one of those big life moments, and you deserve to feel beautiful and have that feeling captured forever.

Pregnancy truly is a beautiful thing – even if you don’t always feel radiant between morning sickness, swollen ankles and restless nights leaving dark circles under your eyes. There’ll be a time when you look back on these months and marvel how your body was able to perform such a feat – grow a whole other person inside it.

So while you may feel a little self-conscious about the way your body looks like deep into your pregnancy, I promise you that your body is beautiful, there’s a glow about you and that this’ll be a time you one day look back on and feel nostalgic for the time your little one was so close to you.

Pregnancy photos are also something your little one will one day look at in awe as they learn they were inside your tummy when they were taken.

Whether these photos are to be displayed in your home, used as part of your baby book or just be something for yourself, they are a powerful way to remind yourself of a tender time your body did something incredible.

I would suggest that if you want some pregnancy photography done, you book your session for when you’re about 30-36 weeks along. At this point, you’ve already got a beautiful bump, but it’s not so big it’s difficult to pose, and you’re hopefully still pretty mobile and comfortable.

What you wear is completely up to you – whether you want a flowy dress or robe or just t-shirt and jeans, the most important thing is that you feel comfortable and confident.

Something that opens at the front is ideal so we can get some pictures of your bare bump if you’d like. Many people also want to have at least a few shots in the nude and artfully posed, but there’s of course no need to do this if you don’t feel comfortable.

As you’ll have gathered from the above, the key word here is comfortable – your maternity photographer’s most important job is make sure you feel exactly that.

Many people are a bit nervy about stepping in front of the camera – even more so at such a vulnerable time in your life. But a professional photographer worth their salt should be able to make you feel at ease.

Here at Blue Sky, we’re mums ourselves and can help you feel your best, posing you in ways you can feel confident in and making sure to take breaks if you need a breather.

Becoming a parent is a brand new experience for everyone and capturing those first tender days of your life together as a family is something you only get one chance to get right.

So while you can definitely go the DIY route for this (and we have some articles on how you can do this), your safest bet is to go with a professional newborn photographer whose style you love. This gives you a chance to relax and sit back in those early days of your baby’s life when all you want is a little time to yourself.

A newborn shoot is your first chance to get some professional family photography done. And if you also do a maternity photoshoot, this gives you a chance to create some beautiful continuity between the photos: you could wear the same clothes, but swap holding your belly to holding your new baby – now there’s a pair of photos to amaze guests to your home as well as your little one once they’re a wee bit older.

I would say it’s best to book your newborn session when you’re about 30 weeks along – this way, you’ve got plenty of time to ensure the photographer you have your eye on will be available.

And when it comes to how old your baby should be at the time of the shoot, ideally we’d get photos taken when they’re 1-2 weeks old. At this point, you’ll hopefully have started settling in at home and your baby is still young enough that they’re very sleepy and can be easily photographed.

Plus, you’ll be shocked at just how quickly they grow – they genuinely only stay that tiny for a few short weeks.

Bump to Baby Photography in Edinburgh

Looking for a maternity or newborn photographer in Edinburgh? You’ve come to the right place.

Here at Blue Sky Photography, we believe that timeless always trumps trendy and we want to create beautiful photography that you’ll be proud to display in your home for years to come and one day pass onto your kids.

Our Edinburgh photography studio is a warm and welcoming place that we’ve designed to feel like a home away from home – your comfort is so important to us.

Like what you hear? Check out some of our work doing newborn and family photography and browse our photography packages here.

We can’t wait to hear from you.

#BigBlueSkyLove

Alie x