Maternity shoots are a personal thing. Something I thought I would never entertain the thought of until a few months back when I was nearing the end of my first pregnancy. The glorious 'third trimester' fat ankles and third chin were just starting to set in, so I knew it was then or never.
Ironically I have been involved in coordinating a bunch of maternity Travelshoots, the majority were for clients enjoying a babymoon somewhere fabulous in the world. Turns out the beaches of Hawaii or the backstreets of Paris seem to be hot favourites lately! (sigh) However like many mothers to be, the babymoon opportunity quickly escaped my husband and I so we were left to choose a location in Melbourne where we were living at the time.
Studio maternity shoots seem to be popular, but for me personally, I wanted something more genuine and real. I wanted my maternity memories to reflect what me and my bump did on weekends in and around Melbourne. And being honest, that involved lots of eating, and getting out and about exploring the marvellous laneways and markets the city has to offer.
Claire our lead photographer on the Melbourne team was humoured at my 'anti maternity shoot' brief. Even moreso at my insistence on highheels and no 'in your face' bump shots. She did however smash the brief; an urban and iconically Melbourne maternity shoot.
These shots are some of my favourites, particularly in black and white. Turns out if you can make the effort to do an early session (we did this around 7am) you can almost have all the iconic treasures of Melbourne to yourself, even Federation Square and Hosier Lane.
So the verdict on maternity shoots is do it if it feels right for you. Don't worry about whether the grandparents might not appreciate (or hate in my instance :) your new-age take on maternity photos. Wear flower crowns in a studio if that's your vibe, do the bikini thing on a beach in Maui, or rock your favourite leather jacket in the graffiti lanes of Melbourne. It's about being authentic and having special memories that reflect you and your partner.
If Travelshoot can help with capturing your own take on maternity memories, check out our destinations. And even better - our standard packages apply to maternity sessions too!
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