Answers To The Top Questions I Get About A Maternity Photoshoot – FAQs

FAQs About Scheduling and Logistics about Your Maternity Photoshoot:

When is the best time to schedule a maternity shoot?

The timing of a maternity photoshoot is to catch a time when you can really show off your belly, but you still feel good. Generally, this is between 32 and 36 weeks. Too late, and you’ll be uncomfortable, not feeling your best, and we risk missing the window for the shoot if baby comes a little early. Too early, and we miss the best timing to show off your belly and the emotions as you get closer and closer to meeting your baby. In some circumstances, you may need to do your shoot earlier if, for example, you have a higher risk of early delivery or other complications that may develop later in pregnancy. We can discuss the timeline for your specific situation to make sure we get the perfect timing for you.

Where do you typically shoot?

You can have your maternity photos done anywhere! We typically have requests for a studio, outdoor, or underwater session either at a local Spring, or in our studio pool. If you feel more comfortable at home, we can do your shoot there. Regardless of what you want, we can make sure your maternity shoot is done where you want.

Do you offer travel for outdoor locations?

We can absolutely travel to an outdoor location for your shoot. There are a lot of great outdoor locations right here in North Florida (Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, Cedar Lakes Wood and Gardens, Downtown Gainesville, the Florida Springs, St. Augustine, etc). If you’re interested in a location out of town, or you want me to travel to you, we can do that as well. Some additional travel costs may apply, but it may be totally worth it! One of my clients wanted some epic cenote photos in Mexico, so away we went. The sky’s the limit as long as you’re healthy and safe to travel.

How long does a typical session last?

The time we set aside for your maternity photoshoot will vary based on the location, and how you feel. The goal is to capture beautiful portraits of you and sometimes that will take a little bit longer than we plan for. That’s not a problem, my goal is to provide a gallery full of stunning maternity images. We’ll know when we think we’ve got that. We can move as fast or as slow as you need to be comfortable and enjoy your maternity photoshoot experience.

What should I bring to the shoot? (Outfits, props, etc.)

This is a great question, and the answer depends on what we’ve planned for your shoot. If you want your session at our studio near Gainesville, Florida, and against a clean backdrop, you may only need to bring yourself. If we’re meeting at an outdoor location, or one of our amazing local Florida Springs, I will provide you with a packing list of the essentials for your maternity photoshoot.

Do you offer hair and makeup services?

I want you to look and feel your best for your maternity photoshoot. While I don’t employ a hair and makeup artist, I do have a few I can bring in or refer you to. The artist can come to our Gainesville photography studio, or meet you at your location. Whatever is most convenient for you. The cost for hair and makeup can be added on to your photography session fee, or you can pay them directly.

FAQs About the Cost and Maternity Photoshoot Packages:

What packages and pricing is available?

All photography sessions start with a session fee that includes your consultation, planning and design session, photoshoot, use of my gown closet and props, and your image selection session. Many of the session fees include credit towards the purchase of images or artwork. All images and artwork are a la carte so you can pick and choose exactly what you want. There are several options for you to choose from including digital images, masterpiece wall art, and heirloom albums.

How Do I Get My Maternity Images?

After you’ve made your final selections, and we’ve discussed what artwork you want, I will take your selections and spend several days perfecting them and turning them into masterpieces. From there, you will receive digital copies to review to make sure you are happy with them before designing your album or artwork. Once designed, you’ll have another opportunity to review the mockups so you know exactly what everything will look like once you receive it. I’ll send your digital images to you in an online gallery you can download, and after I’ve ordered and received your maternity albums and artwork, I will meticulously inspect them before delivering them to your home, or shipping them to you if you are one of our out-of-town clients.

Do you offer any discounts or promotions?

Each month, you can find some specials offered on artwork pieces and featured photography sessions. To find out what promotions we have, I encourage you to sign up for our monthly newsletter. It’s the first place I’ll announce them!

What is your payment policy?

My Gainesville photography studio accepts cash, check, or card payments (both on-line and in-person). Your session fee is due at the time of booking to secure your day/time. If you’re experiencing an underwater maternity session, you’ll need to submit a minimum deposit when booking, with the remaining balance due before the session date. All balances for images and artwork are due before performing your final edits and creating your artwork. If you’re interested, my studio does offer payment plans as well, and we can discuss those at your image selection session.

FAQs About the Style and Experience of Doing Maternity Photos:

Can I see your portfolio of maternity work?

Absolutely! You can find many of our most recent maternity photography images here across the Water Bear Photography website, or by visiting our Facebook or Instagram pages.

What is your editing style?

When I edit your images, I want you to look like you. Beyond basic color correction, editing includes eyes, skin, and teeth to ensure colors are correct. Hair is edited to remove strays and fix areas that moved. The editing process will also include modifications to gowns and clothing to make everything fit properly and fix or fill in any problematic areas. I do offer composite editing and will replace limbs, bodies, etc. from other images of yours where I feel something doesn’t look quite right. The goal in editing is to make sure you are still you and that everything compliments your unique personality and style.

Do you have experience working with pregnant persons?

Beyond having many years of experience photographing pregnant people, I am also trained as a Registered Nurse, Lifeguard, and CPR/First Aid. Additionally, I have developed full safety instructional programs to teach other photographers how to keep clients safe during underwater maternity photography sessions.

Are you comfortable handling children if they will be in the photos?

I love it when you include your family in your photos. Many of my Gainesville studio’s clients have been with us for many years as their family grows. As always, I do ask that children be supervised and behave during your session, not only for their safety but for your comfort. If you have young children and are doing an underwater maternity session, I do require an additional adult or sitter to be present to monitor children since you will be unable to while in the water.

What kind of props do you use? (If applicable)

What is included in your maternity photoshoot is entirely up to your unique tastes and preferences. We can shoot against a simple color backdrop in our Gainesville studio, or we can build you a full custom studio or underwater set. I love designing sets. If you tell me your inspiration, I will do my best to make it happen!

Are you open to incorporating my ideas into the shoot?

Your maternity shoot should be unique to you. I want your input. That’s why we have a design and planning session. At your design and planning session, we’ll talk about your vision for your photoshoot and work up the detail of how we’ll make your vision a reality.

Additional Questions and Concerns You May Have:

What is your cancellation policy?

My studio understand, things come up. If you need to cancel your maternity photography session, no worries. We can go through the cancellation process.

What happens if the weather is bad on the day of the shoot?

It’s Florida, it feels like it rains randomly everyday right! If we’re planning your photoshoot at our Gainesville studio, weather isn’t a problem. If it looks like weather may impact your outdoor or underwater maternity shoot, we’ll keep a close eye on the weather, and adjust or shift as necessary.

How long will it take to receive my photos?

The process for final image editing and artwork creation does take time. Typically, if you’re getting digital images, I can have them ready for you within a few days to a week. If you’re getting an album or artwork of your maternity session, it will take a few weeks to get them ordered, created, and received.

Do you offer any copyright releases for the images?

As the artist, I retain all copyrights to all images. While you are given usage rights in your maternity photography services agreement, it is important that I maintain the copyrights to ensure the images are not manipulated, misrepresented, or monetized. Once you have your images, you can display them as you wish. If you plan to use them for commercial purposes, my studio does have special commercial use pricing and policies.

What are your safety precautions for COVID-19? (Or Any Other Illness)

As we are all aware, COVID is still around and likely always will be. As with any and all potential illnesses, we want you to be healthy. If I come down with something before your shoot, I will let you know before hand and we can reschedule. Additionally, I expect the same from you. I work with a wide variety of clients and ask all of them to respect our health as much as I respect yours.

Bonus FAQs About Having Maternity Photos Taken:

What makes you different from other maternity photographers?

I love creating unique photography experiences and capturing imaging unlike anything anyone has seen. I’m not a photographer, I’m a guide for your journey on your maternity photography experience. Whether it’s at our studio in Gainesville, or at one of local Florida Springs, I’m here to make sure your experience is like no other and something you’ll remember for the rest of your life.

What do you enjoy most about capturing maternity moments?

I enjoy creating stunning images that capture your vision and help people feel empowered and beautiful. Your maternity photoshoot is an experience and I enjoy guiding you on that journey and collaborating to create stunning works of art.