Are you getting professional maternity pictures taken?

[Deleted]

I always thought I would do them but I have been really insecure with my pregnancy body and know I would just criticize all of them.. Oh well...

I am doing professional newborn photos though and am SO excited for them. The studio is right by our house and we can even bring our pup to be in our family photos. She also does discounted sessions for the following year which will be perfect for Christmas and 1 year pictures.

[wifedeangel]

No maternity photo shoots here. It seems like a big vanity project. We will be getting newborn pics though, and some family portraits done.

[mathistm]

We are getting them done around 8 months. I am also popping in for my sister's in April to get a couple of our bumps together. We have always been really close and like I've mentioned before only 6 weeks apart with both our first pregnancies. My mom has a few from when she was pregnant with each of us (not professionally done) and I cherish them so much. They are very "The Family Stone"ish (it's a movie) and adorable. We aren't doing a bunch of hooplah for them, just an hour or so with the woman who did our wedding photos.

[laurenlou83]

I really contemplated doing them, but ultimately decided not to. I figure it was a lot of money to shell out for pictures that I would probably just keep in an album for DH and I. I couldn't see myself framing a big 8x10 picture of them. We plan on getting some good pictures of us taken by his cousin (who has a super nice camera and dabbles in photography), the weekend of our shower in April. I think that will suffice for us!

We are getting newborn photos done, and those I am SUPER excited about!

[mathistm]

This is the one from that movie.

[kemdupuis]

We are very good friends with a professional photographer, so we are definitely getting maternity photos and newborn photos done. We've talked about taking them sometime in late May or early June- everything will be in bloom and I'll be pretty big at that point, but hopefully not so huge that I am super uncomfortable. Our EDD is June 20- so hopefully the timing will work out ok.

I've also been thinking a lot about having a photographer come to the hospital shortly after delivery to get some shots of LO, but also DH and I with him. We aren't having anyone come see us in the hospital (families in both sides live across the country), so I am thinking this might be a nice way to share some of those first moments with them. Haven't looked into it a ton yet, so I'm not sure how the logistics work, but the more I see these kind of pictures, the more I want to get them done.

[Bluedaisy]

My plan was to have both maternity and newborn pics done but my preferred photographer is still on hiatus and I'm really struggling to find someone else. I just can't seem to book anyone else.

[neongreen]

I'm getting them done (with DH at/in the session, too). With the surprise of twins, this could very well be the first and last time I'm pregnant, as I really think we might be done at two kids, so I kind of wanted to commemorate the occasion. I looked at a couple different photographers in the area and found one whose style we both liked* and was very reasonably priced. The shoot is scheduled for the first week of April, as I still wanted to be comfortable. I'll be 29 weeks then, which with twins should make me look plenty pregnant!

The photographer we chose offers a discount on a newborn shoot if you do a maternity shoot, so we'll be doing that as well.

*While it may be some people's cup of tea, I'm really not the type to wrap everything except my bump in white sheets and stand in front of a fan caressing myself. In fact, I doubt I could get through that without laughing. Pictures in a lovely nearby park with DH and maybe some minimal props sounds perfectly fine.

[Deleted]

I don't want to shell out the money for professional maternity pictures, so we're going to have my dad shoot the pictures for us. He has a professional camera and there are a lot of great places to shoot here, so I think we can get some great shots. We'll probably do them some time next month, before it gets too hot and rainy.

I would like to do professional newborn pics, but everyone has quoted me the most ridiculous prices. There are a lot of Groupons for them, so that's another option. I've always liked photography, I have my own DSLR and can also borrow my dad's camera, so I'm going to try shoot some myself while I'm home on maternity leave. I found a ton of websites with great tips for DIY newborn pictures.

[mrsmonogrammed]

I work with a photographer in my free time and she will be taking maternity photos for us as well as newborn ones. She's the one who helped make out announcement pictures too:) I think we'll probably do maternity around 34 weeks or so? We haven't nailed down a date yet...

[mrskblack11]

I want to get them done. My dad has a nice camera but no one in my family is a skilled photographer. I need to do some research. I know there are a lot of photographers in my area. Not sure when, but definitely after 30 weeks but closer to my due date. I want to look as pregnant as possible without feeling like a beached whale.

I also want to get newborn pictures done.

[holliberry28]

Mar 1, 2015 21:02:52 GMT -5 mathistm said:

This is the one from that movie.

Love that movie.

I'm not doing maternity shoots because I'm too critical, but my sister does newborn and child photography professionally, so I'm sure I'll get some newborn pictures

[baileybaileybne]

I'm not huge on having photos of myself: I even limited my wedding photos to half an hour so I could just enjoy the day. I absolutely definitely won't be doing nude ones because I just find them unappealing. I have no issues with my body, but I'm not about to get nude photos of me not pregnant, so don't need them when I am.

Also, I am trying not to do anything as a FTM that I wouldn't do for each child. I'd definitely consider getting newborn portraits done for each child which some would include us as parents. No plans yet though, just if it comes up and someone is available.

[leenziepops]

Mar 1, 2015 20:48:27 GMT -5 @demanda88 said:

1) If so, when are you getting them taken (i.e. how far along)?

2) If not, why not?

3) Are you doing professional newborn pics as well?

No, I'm just going to get my sister to use her good DSLR camera to take some photos around 33 weeks which I read is a good bump size time to do them. professional ones are much to expensive when you add up the session and getting the prints. They make money with selling the prints so watch out! I will have some ideas ready to show my sister and hopefully we can get a handful of really great ones. I've also started researching locations for a great autumn theme. 

Same method for newborn pics and for same $ reasons.  My sister will assist and I will prepare backdrops before LO arrives. Pinterest has some great tutorials. I already ordered some cute costumes. If they aren't great then I will look at some professional shots a few months down the track when we do a family photo shoot with IL's. 

[leenziepops]

Mar 1, 2015 21:28:51 GMT -5 @pcrunk said:

My maternity session is scheduled for late May. I'll be about 35-36 weeks. Our newborn session will be 7-10 after baby is born.

We are also having our photographer do a birth session. She will be "on call" for when I go into labor and will be present to capture a bit of labor, all of delivery, and all the important first moments of our sons life as well as our first moments as a family. This was such an important thing to us that we wanted captured in a beautiful way, not just on unfocused quick iphone snaps.

Sounds like an amazing idea to capture the moment! My little sister wants to be waiting outside the delivery room at any given hour, so I'm asking her to bring her camera for some photos. 

[mcp6286]

Haha mrskblack11 when looking for ideas for my maternity shoot, there were def some beached whale shots (particularly b/c I'm having them done at the beach)!!!

My FIL bought me a package with a photographer who is my SIL's best friend. We use her for all our family photos. The package was $800 for the baby shower, maternity shoot and family pics when the baby is 10-12 weeks old. We'll just get one or two newborn photos from the hospital; ours does really nice ones for $100. I'm beyond excited about having all these photo ops...pictures are my favorite thing! DH will be in about half the maternity shots. Can't wait to see everyone else's, too!

[maddib]

I am only doing them because my dad is a photographer. And I want some pics with my DH to remember this time. Don't know when or where yet though.

[tiffbot]

I don't plan on doing professional maternity photos. There's a part of me that wants to moreso this time having DS because he is so intrigued with my belly but I told H just to make sure he takes a couple of us soon. We definitely are doing newborn/family photos as we plan to with each of our children.

[carolyngrace]

I planned on it, and paid for a session package that included it, but ultimately decided we can't afford to pay for the rights to the photos. So even though the session is technically paid for it's not going to happen.

Newborn photos are more important! But i'll probably have my sister take some cute ones of me really pregnant. I figured they're more for my memories, anyway.

[tinavonsparkle]

I really want a newborn shoot. I asked a family friend (who is bankrupt and too kind) if she could do one for us a couple of days after birth. Obviously we would pay her full price but instead she is insisting that we just get her kids minded (by one of my sisters) while she does it, we just pay a flat rediculously cheap rate and she will give us the full disc of pics - or for a tiny bit more money she will do a maternity shoot as well. It's very generous of her but I feel really bad now considering her financial situation and I don't think she will let me "tip" her either. I'm going to plug her business all over social media and share the pics at all my baby classes to promote her, it's the least I can do.

[leenziepops]

tinavonsparkle What a truly sweet and generous friend. I would return the gesture by buying her kids things that you think they will need. Like new sneakers and school bags. Somethinh useful that would relieve some of her expenses but a gift she can't really refuse because its for her kids!

[Widget123]

I didn't have a maternity shoot when I was pregnant with DD. If I do this time it is only because I usually get photos of DD done 3 times a year so I'll likely be in the studio again soon anyway (spring, summer birthday, winter). Plus I think I look better / healthier with my pregnancy this time.

ETA newborn photos are more important to me.  This LO will definately get those a few days after birth.

[erbear]

I'm not sure yet. Likely not, just because of the cost. I'd rather spend $$ on a newborn shoot with the lady who did our engagement/wedding pics. My best friend has a DSLR and is a decent photographer, so I might have her bring her camera to our joint shower and have her take some pics. I'll be 35 weeks then.

[lalamomma]

1) Yes sort of. I'm doing a maternity session but want a few family shots with the DH and DD. Only a couple of just myself. I did it with DD and want to with this baby as well. If I want DH in them I will need to wait until May. I'm asking for this as a Mother's Day gift because I want to use someone who is a bit more expensive because I love her style and normally wouldn't be able to use her because we aren't normally in our hometown for photos.

3) Yes! I did DD's because I do photography and it was so hard physically. So I've already made that decision. I just can't decide between two photographers. I keep going back and forth.

[nettje]

Probably not. I didn't when I was pregnant with DD as I wasn't very comfortable with how big I got.

We will most likely do new born shots. We have a friend who is professional and she did an awesome job when DD was only a couple weeks old. We'll probably ask her again and have some family shots done too.

[turtletyme]

We are not big photo people either (didn't do engagement pics, got the cheapest wedding pic package) and I already feel fat, so no maternity pics here. I hadn't even thought ahead to baby pics yet, but I remember with my friends' kids they all were clamoring for appointments with the well known photographers in the area. I don't know if the baby is going to turn us into "portrait people" or not. I may just get some shots done at jc penney or something. Do they still do photos? Lol...

[wink568]

I'm not doing maternity pics. There'll be enough candid shots of me and DH throughout the pregnancy and we're doing weekly bump pics ourselves (after one of my coworkers convinced me to do it, even if just for us and LO).

We'll do a newborn shoot. There's a reasonably priced photographer in the hospital we're delivering at, and a friend of ours just gave birth at the same hospital and their newborn photos came out great. I'm just so lazy about researching and hiring those types of services, so it's great that the newborn opportunity fell into my lap.

[mrskblack11]

I really just want a photo like this:




Bonus points if they can make me look like Blake Lively.

[sugarkissed]

DH and I are photographers, so we'll take our own maternity and newborn photos. If we didn't have the ability to do it ourselves, I'd get professional newborn photos taken but probably not maternity.

[lalamomma]

Mar 2, 2015 9:49:12 GMT -5 turtletyme said:

We are not big photo people either (didn't do engagement pics, got the cheapest wedding pic package) and I already feel fat, so no maternity pics here. I hadn't even thought ahead to baby pics yet, but I remember with my friends' kids they all were clamoring for appointments with the well known photographers in the area. I don't know if the baby is going to turn us into "portrait people" or not. I may just get some shots done at jc penney or something. Do they still do photos? Lol...

While I am not a fan of jcpenny newborn work, if you want something easy and that type of a place I do find portrait innovations to be a bit more creative and better for newborn photos. Just a suggestion for another place