Outdoor Maternity Photos in Every Season

Getting Beautiful Maternity Portraits Year Round in Any Weather!

One of the best things about pregnancy is that it can happen at any time of the year.  Isn’t that remarkable?  There is life all around us!  I truly think that each pregnancy is a miracle, and I just love maternity photography and getting to work with expecting mothers.  I offer maternity portraits year round in my studio or outdoors.  While they are both wonderful options, most of my clients love the variety of outdoor maternity photos.

There is just no limit to the outstanding scenery that we can use to customize your outdoor portrait session.  Not to mention, the seasons of the year lend a different landscape, and each one is beautiful in its own right!  Whether you are pregnant during the spring, summer, fall, or winter, your maternity photos and the backdrop of each season will help tell the story of your pregnancy.  I have photographed outdoors in every season, and I have plenty of examples and tips to share.

Baby in Bloom!  Springtime Maternity Photos

Spring is such a beautiful time to take maternity photos!  There is something so poetic about nature blooming and a baby growing inside a mother’s belly at the same time.  When the world comes to life after a long cold winter, the air smells sweet and everything looks magnificent.  It’s truly a sight to see!

Springtime offers us the opportunity to take outdoor maternity photos at a park or garden setting.  With trees and flowers in bloom as the backdrop, your photos will look colorful and fresh.  Your session can take on a whimsical or even romantic feel.  There is something just so charming about the spring!

The weather in New Jersey can be slightly different and a bit unpredictable from year to year.  Sometimes winter seems to drag on for too long.  Other times, we start seeing the welcome signs of spring much earlier in the year.  My best advice is to book your maternity portraits as early in the year as possible.  This will allow us enough time to plan out the details of your session and have the flexibility to choose the perfect date once everything is in bloom.

Maternity Sessions in the Summer

Ahh, the carefree days of summer.  There is something about summertime that makes everyone feel happy and relaxed.  Gone are the days when it’s dark and cold at 4pm.  During the summer, the days are longer and definitely warmer; you can’t help but be in a good mood!  The longer days also allow us to schedule your session around the coveted “golden hour.”

Photographers refer to the hour before sunset as the golden hour.  I can’t tell you how much I love sunsets and the golden light they produce.  There is something so magical about the soft, warm light that is cast by the setting sun.  Everything seems to glow underneath it.  This type of lighting is most flattering for taking outdoor portraits.  And summertime is perfect for capturing the golden light!

If you’d like to plan a sunset maternity session, contact me right away.  I usually have enough availability during the summer months to accommodate sessions as they arise; nonetheless, it’s always best to book with plenty of time for the planning process.  This allows us to discuss options for locations and what to wear, as well as any other ideas on how to get the best outdoor maternity photos that you will love!

Beautiful Fall Maternity Portraits

The fall season is my favorite for taking outdoor portraits.  Nothing beats the changing colors and beautiful scenery of autumn.  Not to mention the cooler temperatures, which feel like a nice relief after the hot summer.  It’s no wonder that fall is the most popular time of year for family photography.  Having your outdoor maternity photos taken during this season is like getting the best of both worlds!  

The question I get asked most frequently when inquiring about fall portraits is, “when should we schedule our session?”.  Just like the spring, the fall can be unpredictable in exactly when the foliage will turn colors, and how long it will last.  Some years we get several weeks of glorious autumn landscapes; other years, it’s over in a flash and winter sets in earlier than expected.

Since most people prefer fall sessions, you definitely need to book your session well in advance.  I often have a waiting list of my previous baby and family clients coming back for updated portraits.  One reason why fall sessions are so popular is that the holidays are right around the corner.  This means that you can order holiday cards and gifts for everyone on your list with the images from your session.  I offer a variety of beautiful artwork products, and they make wonderful gifts for the holiday season, or any time of the year!

Magical Winter Maternity Portraits

I must admit, I don’t get too many requests for outdoor portraits during the winter months.  Most families wait until the spring or fall, or opt for studio maternity portraits during the winter instead. But its definitely still possible to get amazing outdoor maternity photos in the winter if you are willing to step out into the cold!

Getting beautiful winter portraits takes a little more creativity than in the other seasons of the year.  The landscape is, for the most part, dead and brown.  But the beauty of winter is when it snows!  This is when everything twinkles and sparkles and the landscape is transformed into something entirely different.  Doing a portrait session in the snow can be a fun and unique way to celebrate your winter pregnancy.  Another winter idea is to take photos at a holiday tree farm.  Those evergreen trees look beautiful year-round, so they make an excellent backdrop and don’t necessarily need to be reserved for holiday sessions.

Planning a winter session takes some time.  It could take a bit of work to find the perfect location.  And if you are waiting for snow then it’s a matter of constantly checking the weather forecast and being ready to go at a moment’s notice.  Its best to book your winter session well in advance so that we have time to do the proper planning.  This helps ensure that you will get the most beautiful portraits the season has to offer.

Dressing for Outdoor Maternity Photos

When planning a maternity photo session, one of the first decisions is what to wear for the photo shoot.  There are so many fun options for styling your baby bump!  You can go with a glam dress, a casual dress, or even a comfortable outfit that isn’t a dress at all!  Your choice of outfit should reflect your style and personality.   

Tips for What to Wear

If you are planning an outdoor maternity session, the first consideration should be the season and location.  You will want to choose something that will be comfortable for walking around outside.  If we are doing a session during the winter or chillier parts of spring or fall, you will want to bring a jacket to cover up between shots.  Don’t forget good sturdy shoes.  You can also switch out layers and accessories for different shots throughout the session.  This can help change up your look quickly and easily for a variety of portraits.    

Including your spouse and children for a family maternity session is a great opportunity to get updated portraits of everyone before the baby arrives.  A maternity session that instantly becomes a family session is one of my favorite reasons for taking maternity photos!  If you have young children or toddlers, you will likely be picking them up and chasing after them while we are outside, so keep this in mind when choosing your outfit. 

Dressing the whole family in coordinated outfits can add a fun and unique flair to your family session!  It’s best to have everyone dress in colors that all go nicely together, but don’t necessarily match.  And of course, mom should be the star of the show.  Once mom has her outfit picked out, then everyone else can dress to complement her.  You might also want to dress to match the season, with softer colors in the spring and bolder colors in the winter.  The options for bringing out your personal style are endless!