When to book a maternity shoot

As a Maternity Photographer, one of the most frequently asked questions I get by pregnant moms is when to book a maternity shoot! You want to be sure you’re showing enough but are still in the safe window before baby arrives. It’s also important to think ahead, so that we have plenty of time to plan each important detail- from hair and makeup to wardrobe, to the perfect location.

When to book a maternity shoot: How far in advance should I book a maternity shoot?

The first thing to consider before you book a maternity shoot is finding the perfect photographer. Many maternity and newborn photographers book several months in advance. As a rule of thumb, we recommend starting your search as soon as you know you’re pregnant, or at the start of the second trimester. Follow a few of your favourite photographers on Instagram. Go through their website, read their recent blog posts and check out their portfolios. Once you’ve narrowed things down to your top 2 favourite photographers, book a call so that you can get to know them, their style and approach to maternity portraits, and see if you’re a good fit.

When to book my maternity shoot?

Every pregnancy is different, and each mother’s experience is unique. Generally speaking, I recommend capturing your pregnancy between 28 and 35 weeks of pregnancy. This window is ideal because you’ll have a nice, round belly, but you’ll still have a bit of energy before the final weeks of pregnancy. Not to mention, most babies don’t arrive before 35 weeks.

If you’re high risk, or this is not your first pregnancy, I typically recommend closer to the 28 week mark.

Alternatively, if this is your first baby and all is going according to plan, then we can typically push things closer to 32-35 weeks.

On average, most clients are 31-32 weeks pregnant when we capture their maternity portraits.

How long does a maternity shoot take?

While newborn sessions can take some time, maternity sessions are typically 45 minutes to an hour. Of course, this depends on whether there are older siblings present. With toddlers, we may take a bit of extra time to allow them to set the pace, as little ones don’t like to be forced to smile and sit!

When to book a maternity shoot: Why are maternity images important?

Capturing this special time in your life as your family grows is an investment that we believe you’ll never regret. At the end of the day, the season of growing and raising little ones is a small moment in time. We believe that these images will be a special keepsake for many generations to come.

Expecting in 2023? Our KKP First Year Collection captures every important milestone in baby’s magical first year of life. From their first days at home to their first wobbly steps, and every big moment in between, our First Year Collection is the most popular among sentimental mothers. We have a few remaining spots for 2023. Let’s plan your Edmonton maternity photography session! Learn more about the KKP Experience here, and come say hello! I can’t wait to preserve your most special moments with the ones you love.

All film scanned by The Canadian Film Lab
All images by Edmonton Maternity Photographer, Kahla Kristen Photography