This post originally appeared on our old blog.
This weekend we had the privilege of taking our maternity photographs right in the backyard of the beautiful home where I grew up. So many of life’s special milestones from the first day of kindergarten to my senior prom and beyond were documented in this driveway and on this porch. What a dream come true it was to mark this incredible moment as I embark on starting my own little family, right in the same treasured places.
I had plenty of stress about these photos — how late is too late to book? You want to get it close enough to your due date that you have a proper belly, but not so close that you risk going early and missing the window. Then there’s the question of looking and feeling one’s best. I’ve been fairly lucky with bloat throughout the pregnancy, thanks in large part to a steady exercise routine and healthy diet. That said, well into my eighth month I am starting to feel more and more whale-like and swollen by the day, and there was the obligatory panic about selecting the right outfit and feeling comfortable in front of the camera.
It turns out Week 33-into-34 was a great pick. The bump is on display, but I’m still mobile. I propped my legs up for an hour before the shoot, went with all black for its obvious slimming properties, and most importantly, just had fun. I found that once I took the ego out of it and reminded myself that it’s okay, this is not supposed to be my skinniest photo shoot ever, I was fine. And they came out great!
Josh and I hired Long Island lifestyle photographer Cristina Lee Photography to do the shoot, and I told her afterward she had better be prepared to take all of our baby and family pictures henceforth. Easy to work with, always prepared, punctual, sweet, and a rockstar editor, Cristina makes you feel at ease while taking some truly incredible shots. She has a way with newborns too, so I’m looking forward to seeing how cute our princess looks in the shoot we’ve got slated for December.
We really enjoyed taking these pictures — I hope you like them! And head on over here or here to book Cristina for your newborn, children’s, family, maternity, etc. shoot!
My dress and tights are Asos Maternity, shoes by Tory Burch; baby shoes were a gift.