Whether it’s your first or your fifth, a new baby is always exciting.
Maternity photo sessions are a great way to capture that excitement and anticipation.

What’s in the Photo Session package??

• It’s a simple 1 hour photo session that is similar to a couple or family photo session, but with an emphasis on “The Bump”
• We can shoot the session in an outdoor location of your choice (within the Lower Mainland), or if you’re having a hard time picking, we can help!
• We can also take photos in your home and your new nursery (if time allows)
• After the photo session FCI goes through all the shots taken, selects the goodies, and then edits them to make even better!
• In 2-3 weeks we deliver a USB flash drive to your door (well, the mail carrier will).
• On the USB will be all beautifully edited high resolution JPEG images, along with a set of Web/Facebook optimized ones to share to on your all your social media profiles to your hearts content!

And we don’t watermark any of them!!

Tips and Tricks

Optimum mat photo session time; totally depends from mom-to-mom (and if you’re having twins or not), but the best time is beginning to middle of your third trimester.

Pick a location that is familiar to you;  If you wouldn’t normally set up a picnic in a field or go trekking through a far-off neighborhood, don’t do it for your maternity photos. Pick a place that is special to you, or your favourite spot… something that will having meaning.

Best lighting; Dawn and Dusk in the summer are primo times for gorgeous natural lighting. In the gloomy dead of winter closer to noon is going to have the best light.

If it’s raining on the day of your photo session; your photographer will make the call on the day. If it’s a little drizzle, we might still decide to shoot… maybe we’ll move indoors. Worse case scenario, we just rebook.

If this is not your first child, and you have other children (including the furry children); we want them in the photos too!! We’ll take a few photos with and without them.

If the other children are still young, and prone to act up (or bark); have grandma or grandpa on standby, or bring a friend just to watch them for the few minutes that you’ll be pre-occupied. It’ll show in the photos if you’re stressed at all, so plan ahead so you can be relaxed.

What to Wear

#1 Be Yourself! You want to look and feel like yourselves! Wear an outfit that you’re comfortable in and only accentuates your style and personality. That being said, your photo session is a great time to get dolled up a little and make yourself look beautiful. We don’t expect you to look like a pregnant beauty pageant contestant, but a little foundation and mascara can go a long way!

#2 – Complement Each Other! Unless you dress like each other every other day of the week, I suggest you don’t go matchy-matchy for your photos. Pick complementing colours so you don’t clash, but leave the matching white tshirts and jeans for the lame 90s family studio portraits !

 #3 – Show your true colors! Black is slimming, but can show every speck of dust or piece of cat hair on a camera, so have a dust roller, or just pick outfits that are vibrant. A pop of colour can go the extra mile.

#4 Comfort is key! Think about where the photo session will be taking place, and pick outfits that go with that location. Going to the beach? Maybe leave those super cute stilettos at home, and opt for some flip flops? The better you feel in your clothes, the better you’ll look in the camera!

Another part of being comfortable is not having to worry about dragging a purse around or constantly shifting keys and your phone out of your pockets. Leave those items behind or in your car and you’ll feel a lot less restricted without them.

 #5 Dress on the same scale. On the day of your photo shoot, you should both look like you’re headed to the same place. Wear clothes that are on the same level of dressiness or casualness

#6 Play off the location. Think about the surroundings when picking out colors for your outfit. If your photos are in a park, a green dress might camouflage you with the grass and trees. A complimentary color, like a red dress, would pop against the green. For a more subdued look, try a cool color like a blue, to differentiate from your surroundings. If you’ll be in more of an urban setting — let’s say in New West Antique Alley — try bold hues to contrast with the gritty background.

#7 – Consider the season. This may seem simple enough, but be sure to check the weather the morning of your shoot. Shorts and flip flops probably aren’t the best on a cold day, and wearing Uggs in the summer might not be the most comfortable option. If you’re fair-skinned and your photos are being done in early Spring, you probably haven’t gotten a lot of sun. Or if you’re a vampire, your legs blind people at the gym no matter what season. My point is, bright colors can wash pale skin out, so it may be best to go with pastel or neutral tones if you’re naturally porcelain-toned.

 #8 – Don’t fear prints. So many couples avoid prints because they don’t want to overdo it, but I welcome a good print. To balance the print, I recommend having your partner wear a solid color to even things out a bit. Color-blocking breaks things up, and by adding textures or prints, it will only add interest to the outfit. As much as I love patterns and prints, I don’t recommend wearing logos or fabrics that will distract from your lovely faces. The photos should showcase you, but not your favorite clothing brand or sports team.

#9 – Layer it up. Clothes often photograph better when they are layered, so consider adding a cardigan, blazer, or jacket to finish your look. Layers are also great because they hide areas you might not feel comfortable flaunting. For the guys, depending on the weather, it’s often simple enough to have another shirt under a sweater or jacket to change things up halfway through the shoot. Layers can also include accessories like a vest or belt, which always add another element to the photos.

 Here’s a great infograph that give you even more ideas!

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