How to plan your Maternity photo-shoot?

Maternity photo-shoot is a beautiful way to celebrate this blissful phase of your life. It captures your memories in a lovely way forever. It is currently quite popular. I too wanted to get a small shoot done once I got pregnant. I started planning my maternity photo-shoot when I was 7 months into my pregnancy. It depends on how much planning is required for you and how much time you can spare for the planning. The only time I had for it was over the weekends as I was still going to office and managing other things at home alone.The ideal time to get a maternity photo-shoot done is by the end of 8th month, when the baby bump is properly grown and you are not uncomfortable enough(happens to lot of people during the last month) to go through the shoot.
I will in detail take you through how I planned my photo-shoot and in turn help you plan yours.

Step 1- Look for a good and affordable professional photographers. I checked with my friends who had got it done in past, sought reviews from them. I even checked up online on platforms like Urbanclap which provide the references of photographers based on your requirement. We got the quotes from a lot of them. I checked their previous work and the package they that are providing. I even met a few of them.

Step 2- Finalizing the photographer- to finalize the photographer, it is very important that you are comfortable with him/her, that is why lot of people prefer to get it done with their photographer friends. He/she understand should his/her work and is experienced enough for such shoots.We.finalized the photographer, who had already done it for a friend.
Also taking into account the factors such as the fees, offering etc. Offering would generally comprise of-
a. How many dress changes?
b. How many locations you will be shooting on?
c. How many total pictures and how many final post processing pictures?
d. If they are offering any hard copies or framed copy?

Step 3- Decide the time and location- As per you convenience and the photographers availability, you can decide on the Date-Time and locations. Many photographers have some fixed locations where they shoot, you can check when you are finalizing the photographer. Make sure the locations have proper changing rooms. You can even suggest some locations from your side or even get an indoor shoot done if you are not comfortable stepping out and staying out for long, provided the photographer is open to this.
Also lot of these locations have some additional entry fee for photo-shoots, do check about those.
From the time perspective, prefer early morning as it will be quite and cool hence easier for you to get through the shoot.
We chose to get it done on a Saturday morning at the end of my 8th month.

Step 4- Type of pictures and dress: Choose a theme that you wish to see in your photographs. Lot of people choose a theme which they can continue as a story to incorporate post delivery pics as well.
You can discuss the dresses and props that you can use for these with the photographer. Choose the dresses where your bump is properly visible. Choose colors that stand out from your backdrop(depending on the location). It is always better to go with color coordinated dresses for both of you. Lot of times, the photographers also have some dresses and props, you can check about those. They generally charge some additional amount for those dresses. Lot of photographers also offer additional services like make-up and hair, if interested you can check about that too.
For poses there are ample ideas available online, silly props, belly profile, kissing/hugging poses, silhouettes, showing off sonogram, reveal pics, sibling as co-star etc.

Step 5- The D-Day- On the day of the shoot, I tried to get dressed from home in my first dress for the rest, I carried it with me. Things to carry with you- dresses to change, wet tissues, makeup/touch-up products, some eatables(to snack in between the shoot) and drinking water.
Try to relax and enjoy the shoot as much as possible, it always shows in your pics. Remember! you are the heroine of this shoot, so don't shy away from showing that off:) You can have pre-planned poses and also have some random clicks. It is also a good idea to keep clicking some in-between-the-shoot pics just to keep a memory of the experience.

Step 6- End Product- This is the best part where you get to see the end product. The photographers share a number of pics and you have to choose and shortlist the ones which you want to be processed.

Lastly have fun! I know it is about the pics as everybody sees those, but for you it will be a lot more about the experience.