Maternity photography is a beautiful way to document your journey into motherhood, capturing the love and anticipation of this special time. One of the key factors in creating stunning maternity images is choosing a location for maternity photos. The setting you select will influence the mood, comfort, and overall feel of your photos. Here’s a guide to help you choose the perfect location for your maternity photo session.
Exploring Different Locations for Your Maternity Photos
There are essentially four types of locations when you’re considering where to have a photo session take place: Outdoors, at home, in a studio, or in an urban setting. Each location option offers its own unique benefits and aesthetic.
To help you choose a location that fits your vision for your maternity photos, consider the mood you’d like to convey in your photos. Do you want colorful, playful photos? Maybe you’re looking for a clean, editorial look. Or perhaps a cozy, intimate look is more your style. Below are examples of the mood each location can bring to your photos.
- Nature (Parks, Beaches, Forests, Fields) – Outdoor locations provide breathtaking natural beauty, warm lighting, and a serene atmosphere. They create a dreamy and organic feel, perfect for mothers who love the outdoors and the feel of the sun on their skin. There’s something powerful about embracing mother nature while you’re becoming a mother.
- Home – At home sessions bring an intimate and cozy vibe, ideal for capturing relaxed, everyday moments. It’s a great choice if you want to include personal touches and feel completely comfortable. There’s an added sense of nostalgia when you choose your home for your maternity photos. You can choose take photos in the room that will soon be your baby’s nursery. Rooms where you’ll be playing with them, holding them, and nursing them.
- Studio – A controlled environment with blank walls allows for a timeless and polished look. Studios offer privacy and eliminate weather concerns, making them a great option for those who want a clean and artistic aesthetic. The focus is on you rather than your environment. It’s also a blank slate so you can make the space unique to you. If you’re looking for that editorial look, a studio is a perfect location choice.
- Urban Settings – City streets, alleyways, and architectural elements can add a stylish and modern touch to your maternity photos. This setting can include businesses like coffee shops, record stores, or arcades, too. If you love bold colors, textures, and the vibrancy of the city, an urban setting might be the perfect fit.
Key Considerations for Outdoor Locations for Maternity Photos
Outdoor maternity sessions are stunning, but they come with a few logistical factors to keep in mind when you’re pregnant:
- Walking Distance & Accessibility – Some locations may require a bit of walking, which can be tiring during pregnancy. Some parks may have rocky trails or no trails at all. During the summer months, walking far distances may be too difficult, especially if trails lack shade. Choose a location with easy access if you’re not up for a hike. Locations with benches or seating can also help make the experience easier.
- Restroom Availability – Comfort is key, so make sure the location has nearby restrooms, especially if you’re further along in your pregnancy.
- Staying Cool – If you’re planning a summer session, look for areas with shade, bodies of water, or plan for early morning or sunset to avoid the heat.
- Seasonal Considerations – Different seasons bring unique aesthetics and challenges. Fall provides stunning foliage, spring offers blooming flowers, summer gives warm golden light, and winter can create a magical snow-covered backdrop (if you live in a state lucky enough to get snow).
- Backup Plan for Weather – Weather can be unpredictable, so it’s always good to have an alternative location in mind, whether it’s a covered outdoor area, an indoor setting, or the flexibility to reschedule.
Matching Your Outfit to Your Maternity Photo Session Location
Your wardrobe should complement the environment to create a cohesive and visually appealing look:
- Natural, Outdoor Settings – Flowing dresses in soft pastels or earth tones enhance the dreamy, organic feel of outdoor locations. Casual wardrobes work well in outdoor settings, too.
- Urban Settings – Bold colors, structured outfits, or fun patterns work well against the city’s textures and lines. If you wanted to dress up, this is the best location for a more polished wardrobe.
- Home Sessions – Comfortable, cozy outfits like knit dresses or relaxed silhouettes create a warm, intimate feel. Pajamas that allow you to show your growing belly are the perfect pairing for an at-home session. Wearing less in the privacy of your own home is an option, too.
- Studio Sessions – You can wear just about anything in a studio because you are working with a blank slate. Elegant, minimalistic outfits in neutral tones can highlight your form beautifully with clean backgrounds and soft lighting. With the added benefit of privacy, its easy to shed clothing, too. Consider the colors of the walls at the studio of your choice when picking your outfit.
Additional Location Considerations
First Pregnancy vs. Including Other Kids
Your location choice may also depend on whether you’re celebrating your first pregnancy or including other children in the session. When it’s your first pregnancy you have more flexibility to choose a location that fits your vision, whether it’s adventurous or relaxed. It’s a lot easier to explore downtown and stop into a coffee shop during your photos when its just you and your partner. When you are Including Kids consider a kid-friendly location where they can move around safely, like a park or backyard.
Adding Personal Touches
Consider bringing small props that add sentimental value to your session. Ultrasound Photos are a meaningful way to showcase the beginning of your motherhood jounrey and your growing baby. I don’t typically recommend bringing props or clothing to a lifstyle photo session, but when you have sentimental items or an heirloom, I think its a great way to add that personal touch. For instance, knitted booties or baby blankets made by a relative, items you owned as a baby, or the first item you purcahsed for your baby, are all unique items that add that personal touch.
Best Time of Day for Certain Locations for Your Maternity Photos
Lighting plays a crucial role in photography, and choosing the right time of day can make a significant difference. You can choose a location based on what time of day you’d prefer OR you can pick a location and set your session time based on when that location has the best light.
- Golden Hour (Sunrise or Sunset) – Offers soft, warm lighting that creates a romantic and flattering glow. Whether your park choice is best for an evening or morning session will depend on the location of where the sun rises and sets.
- Picture a park with a big field and line of trees on the western edge. In the morning there will be no available shade or natural elements blocking the sun. To avoid harsh lighting on your faces, you’ll need to start your session at sunrise. However, if you choose an evening session the sun will set behind the tree-line. This means while the sun is still high, you can use the shaded area by the trees and move into the open field as the sun sets, giving you much more variety and options for backdrops.
- Mid-Day Sessions – Can work well in shaded areas but may have harsher shadows. This time of day is best for urban settings where tall buildings offer shade for a soft-light look.
- Indoor Sessions – Best when planned around natural light entering through windows. At home this is often around 10 am and 2 pm. For studios, best time of day for natural light will vary for each studio as it depends on which direction the windows face. East facing windows mean the studio will receive light in the mornings. West facing means there will be more light in the afternoon/evening.
Choosing the right location for your maternity photos is about finding a place that reflects your personality and ensures your comfort. Whether you envision a natural, cozy, or modern setting, thinking ahead about accessibility, weather, and styling will help you create images you’ll cherish forever.
A few of my recommended parks for maternity sessions in the San Antonio area include Cibolo Nature Center, Joshua Springs, the Botanical Gardens, and Confluence Park because they have restrooms, easy pathways, areas to escape the heat, and don’t require a lot of walking to find beautiful backdrops.
Ready to book your session? Let’s find the perfect spot to document this beautiful chapter in your life! When you book a session with me, you also get a detailed guide listing approx. 30 locations in San Antonio that make for beautiful, unique photo backdrops so you can find the perfect one for you and your growing family.
