Maternity Session Prep Guide

Everything you need to feel prepared, comfortable, and beautiful for your session.

Your maternity session is designed to be an experience you can relax into and enjoy.

You don't need to know how to pose, what to do with your hands, or how to position your body. I'll guide you throughout your session.

A little preparation beforehand, however, can help everything flow smoothly and allow us to spend more of your reserved time creating beautiful portraits.

Here's everything you need to know before your maternity session.

What to Wear Underneath

The right undergarments give us flexibility when working with maternity gowns, fabrics, Fine Art styling, and different lighting setups.

I recommend bringing:

Nude or skin-tone seamless underwear

Black seamless underwear

Nude strapless bra, if you have one

Black strapless bra, if appropriate for your planned looks

Simple, seamless styles photograph best.

Avoid bright colors, bold patterns, lace, logos, or decorative details unless they are intentionally part of your planned look.

For Fine Art maternity sessions, please bring both nude/skin-tone and black underwear options even if you aren't sure you'll need them. Having both available gives us flexibility with different styling and coverage options.

The Day of Your Session

Whenever possible, arrive wearing loose, comfortable clothing.

Tight bras, underwear, leggings, socks, shapewear, and waistbands can leave temporary pressure marks and indentations on the skin.

This is especially important if your session includes:

Fine Art fabric styling

Exposed belly portraits

Wet Look Styling

Implied nude or nude portraiture

Fine Art Swing Portraits

Loose clothing before your session helps minimize visible pressure marks on the skin.

Hair

Please arrive with your hair styled and ready to photograph unless we have planned something different.

If your session includes Wet Look Styling, we will generally photograph your dry-hair looks first and save the Wet Look for later in the session.

Once the hair becomes wet, we may not be able to return it to the original hairstyle, so the order of your looks will be planned accordingly.

Makeup

Professional makeup is not required.

Whether you choose professional makeup or do your own, I recommend a polished look that still feels like you.

Foundation and complexion products should coordinate with your natural skin tone and be blended carefully through the jawline and neck.

Avoid experimenting with new skincare or beauty products immediately before your session in case of irritation or an unexpected reaction.

Skin & Professional Studio Lighting

Moisturized skin photographs beautifully, especially for maternity portraits where the shoulders, arms, belly, or legs may be visible.

Consider moisturizing before your session, but avoid excessive oils, glitter, shimmer, or heavily tinted body products unless we have specifically planned them as part of your look.

Professional studio lighting is brighter and more controlled than the lighting we typically see ourselves in every day. Because of this, skin may sometimes photograph brighter or more illuminated depending on the lighting style, exposure, wardrobe, backdrop, and individual skin tone.

My goal is always to maintain natural, true-to-life skin tones while creating beautifully illuminated portraits.

I do not intentionally lighten or darken a client's natural skin tone during editing.

Professional retouching is used to polish the finished image while preserving the natural color, texture, and characteristics of your skin.

Hands, Nails & Feet

Your hands will appear frequently in maternity portraits, particularly around your belly.

Professional manicures and pedicures are not required. Clean, neatly groomed nails are perfectly fine.

If you choose polish, neutral shades or colors that coordinate with your planned wardrobe tend to photograph beautifully.

Your feet may also be visible depending on your gown, styling, and poses, so don't forget about those toes!

Jewelry & Accessories

Simple jewelry generally photographs beautifully and keeps the focus on you.

You're welcome to bring meaningful jewelry or accessories you would like incorporated into your portraits.

If you're unsure whether something will work, bring it with you and we can decide together.

Using the Studio Maternity Wardrobe

The studio maternity wardrobe is available with the Signature and Fine Art Maternity Experiences.

Your gown and wardrobe selections should be finalized before your session so your chosen pieces can be prepared and ready when you arrive.

If you would like to try on gowns before making your selections, a separate wardrobe appointment must be scheduled in advance.

Gown try-ons are not available during your scheduled maternity session.

The Simple Maternity Portrait Session does not include access to the studio maternity wardrobe and requires one client-provided outfit.

Bringing Your Own Wardrobe

If you are bringing your own clothing, please make sure each piece is:

Clean

Free of visible wrinkles

Ready to photograph

Appropriate for the styling we have discussed

If you are unsure about an outfit, feel free to bring an additional option.

Preparing for Fine Art Maternity

Fine Art maternity portraiture may include fabric draping, silhouettes, sculptural posing, implied nude or nude portraiture, artistic lighting, or other individually planned concepts.

Your level of coverage is always your choice.

Selecting a Fine Art Maternity Experience never requires you to pose nude or implied nude.

Please bring both nude/skin-tone and black seamless underwear so we have appropriate options available for your selected styling.

Preparing for Wet Look Styling

If you have added Wet Look Styling, please arrive with your hair dry and styled for your other maternity looks unless we have discussed something different.

Wet Look Styling will generally be photographed toward the end of your session.

Depending on your planned look, water may be incorporated into the hair, fabric, skin, or overall styling.

Consider bringing:

A towel

Comfortable clothing to change into afterward

Any personal hair products you may want after your session

Your level of coverage is always your choice.

Preparing for the Fine Art Swing Portrait

The Fine Art Swing Portrait is created as an artistic nude maternity portrait, with the option to wear underwear based entirely on your comfort level.

If you prefer underwear, simple seamless nude/skin-tone or black options photograph best.

Avoid lace, patterns, logos, or decorative details unless we have specifically planned them as part of the portrait.

The Swing Portrait involves specialty posing, sculpted lighting, and advanced digital compositing. Your pose will be based on what can be safely and comfortably achieved for you.

If you have a specific Swing Portrait pose, composition, or finished style in mind, please send your inspiration before your session so we can discuss and plan for it.

Example Swing Portraits represent the overall artistic style. Your finished portrait will be individually created and may vary.

Preparing Your Partner

If your partner will be joining you for select portraits, coordinate clothing with your maternity wardrobe rather than trying to match exactly.

Colors that generally photograph beautifully include:

Black • White • Cream • Beige • Tan • Brown • Soft Neutrals

Avoid large logos, distracting graphics, athletic wear, or very busy patterns unless they are intentionally part of your planned look.

Partners should arrive fully dressed and camera-ready.

Bringing Children

If we have planned to include your child or children in select maternity portraits, please have them arrive dressed and ready to photograph.

For younger children, consider bringing a small drink, simple snack, or favorite comfort item.

Maternity sessions remain centered around the expecting mother, so children's portraits will typically be photographed during a planned portion of the session.

Your Maternity Session Checklist

Before leaving home, make sure you have:

Nude/skin-tone seamless underwear

Black seamless underwear

Strapless bra options, if needed

Any client-provided wardrobe

Jewelry or personal accessories

Comfortable clothing for arriving and leaving

Partner's clothing, if participating

Children's clothing and necessities, if participating

Any inspiration images you haven't already sent

Anything we have specifically discussed for your session

When You Arrive

Please arrive on time and ready to begin.

Your reserved studio time includes changing, styling, posing, and photography. Arriving prepared allows us to make the most of the experience we've planned for you.

There is no need to arrive significantly early unless we have arranged an earlier arrival time.

If you have any questions about your wardrobe, undergarments, styling, or planned portraits, please reach out before your session day.

And remember—you don't need to know how to pose.

I'll guide you every step of the way.

I can't wait to create something beautiful with you.

Candy Bagwell Photography LLC

Where photography meets art.