No tags yet.
Maternity Boudoir with Jen CYK Photography
Some of you guys may know but I am a full time photographer. I have been taking photos of people in all aspects of life for the past six years and I love every part of it. One of the best parts of my jobs is meeting other artists and collaborating with them, whether that means a photoshoot or a creative project it always fuels my soul.
One of those talented artists is Jennifer Garcia of Jen CYK Photography. Jen and I are both based out of Huntington Beach and decided becoming friends was way better than trying to compete. Ladies, build each other up, it's the best way for everyone to succeed! Anyways, Jen has been wanting to do an awesome studio shoot in LA for a while and I was more than happy to model for her since I knew I always wanted a boudoir maternity shoot. Personally, boudoir is my heart. It was where my photography career began and capturing women's bodies in an empowering way is my absolute favorite. When I found out I was pregnant, there was two shoots I knew I wanted, one with Chris (my amazing baby daddy) and one with just baby and me. This was the perfect opportunity for the second shoot!
As a photographer who has now been on both sides of the maternity boudoir scene I thought I would share my experience and give some tips for anyone planning on doing a solo shoot with their sweet baby to be. Most of them are pretty common sense but I shoot boudoir all the time so they are second nature to me! My boudoir company Down to Your Skivvies has seen our far share of baby bumps over the years and it was so fun to be on the other side of the camera! At the end of the day, these photos are so important, they capture a sweet time with just you and your little one during one of the more beautiful and empowering times of life. A time when you body is fulfilling it's destiny in the most amazing way, its worth capturing.
Huge huge shout out to Jen, her vision came to life and I am so thankful, not only to have her as a friend but to have her capture this special time is such a gorgeous way!
OK so here are my tips:
1. Plan your outfits ahead of time.
The hardest and most intimidating thing for most of my clients is picking out what to wear. Usually pregnancy is a difficult time in terms of fashion, it's hard enough to find something to wear everyday let alone trying to find an outfit that helps bring out your inner goddess while highlighting your growing bump! My suggestion is to start on Pinterest, find some outfits that you love. This doesn't mean they have to be maternity clothes, I think that narrows your options way too much! None of my outfits were maternity clothes, the bodysuit was Free People (I just bought a bigger size), my second outfit was also Free People, I found that their clothes tend to be loose fitting which makes them perfect for baby bumps. Kimonos are your best friends and make for great props! Basically you should dress in what you feel comfortable in, you want to accentuate your bump while covering any areas that you might feel less than comfortable with. Trust me, all women have them whether they are pregnant or not. Insider tip, always buy bigger, especially when it comes to underwear. I tell all my boudoir clients this. It's much more flattering to have undies that don't pinch your skin! Also, remember to think about your color scheme, for this shoot Jen wanted me in all white which I was totally fine with! In general I tend to like whites, blacks, and neutrals for boudoir. They tend to be more flattering and make for a cohesive collection if you decide to make an album!
2. Practice poses and know your angles.
I know it might sound silly but practice makes perfect! Just like Tyra always says you have to practice and know your angles, remember "smeyes."The same goes for maternity photos. I was 30 weeks at this shoot and my bump was there but not totally popping quite yet. So for me it was important to find angles that showed off my bump more instead of ones that kind of down played it. Since it was the star of the show after all. Plus for me, pregnancy finally gave me the boobs I have always dreamed of, that alone deserved some photos! Make sure to communicate these things to your photographer. For example if you are worried about a certain angle or area let them know so they can adjust your pose to something more figure flattering for you. Pinterest can come in handy for this too! Looking at boudoir, fashion and maternity inspiration can really help you to see what types of poses and images you are drawn to which will make your shoot that much more successful!
3. Bring snacks and drink water!
So this one seems obvious but just because you are playing super model for the day, baby and you still come first. Make sure to take breaks, drink lots of water and have snacks on hand. It's not like a normal boudoir shoot where you're trying to look as thin as possible or to suck it in every photo (neither of these things I recommend btw but I know you girls and how you think!) Just a heads up, you will be sore and tired after your shoot, but I think that is true with any boudoir shoot, modeling is hard work!
4. Pick a photographer you trust AND love!
Ok this one is the most important! Boudoir is an intimate thing, you have to shoot with a person who you completely trust, not just creatively but personally. I was super lucky because Jen is a good friend of mine so we had open communication the whole shoot and she made me feel so beautiful. It is a very vulnerable experience and having someone there who empowers and encourages you is so important. I always tell my girls, the sexiest thing is looking comfortable and confident. Yes, those things come from within you but if you have a good photographer they know how to bring those qualities out in you which makes you photos so much better! I mean most boudoir shoots I am meeting the girl for the first time and within minutes they are in their skivvies, it's my job to make them feel comfortable with that because if there aren't it will show in their photos. Plus, it makes their experience so much easier if they are having fun and loving the way they look and feel. Sometimes that means bringing a friend or someone with you who can be your cheerleader, who helps you smile and makes sure you're feeling yourself. In the end, it's a team effort so make sure you have a good team working for you!
5. Don't wait too long!
This one is really important too but it's also very personal. In my experience pregnancy has not been the most comfortable experience physically. I did these photos when I was 30 weeks, now that I am 37 weeks man I am glad I did them when I did. There is no way I could do that day now, way too big and heavy. I was much more mobile, things weren't starting to swell or hurt much at that point. It was perfect. That being said, everyone is different. I have done maternity photos for girls who were only 6 months and I have done shoots for girls who literally had their babies a week later. Find the stage of your pregnancy when you feel your best. Trust me, it'll make the experience so much easier which I think helps to create better results for your images as well!
So many mamas I meet say "I would never want to do maternity photos, I feel so huge." Let me just say that I totally understand that feeling and to each his own but having these photos are priceless to me. Pregnancy is such a short stage of your journey in motherhood and it's filled with so many emotions that really deserve to be captured in a special way. Even if boudoir isn't for you, at least snap some with your partner or other babies. I've never met someone who regretted taken maternity photos but I can't even tell you how many women I have met that deeply regret not taking them! Hopefully these tips help you prepare for you shoot. It was so fun being on the other side of the camera for once and being part of Jen's creative vision. It was such a special day for me and my little man!
If you are debating a maternity shoot or even a boudoir shoot message me which any questions, I would love to help! Every women deserves a chance to feel beautiful in front of the camera and celebrate their inner self love (with or without a baby bump), it's so empowering!
