When I was pregnant a couple years ago, I thought about that question a lot. Do I need maternity photos? Sure, they look nice, but we all have phone cameras now, why don’t we just do that instead of paying someone to do it? Maternity photos can be expensive and we are already spending so much on baby stuff! I decided that no, we don’t need it. I wasn’t going to work for a while, and we should save wherever we can. We decided that we were going to just do it ourselves!
But here’s the problem. We kept putting it off. With no set photoshoot date, we kept pushing it. We’ll just do it tomorrow, we have to set up the nursery. Oh we have that wedding to attend, our family is visiting, better file our taxes while we have time, should really finish that house project we’ve been working on, must deep clean the home before baby! Time just kept passing by and we kept saying, we’ll do it! We have to find a good time and a good outfit! And then the little one arrived TWO WEEKS EARLY. So here’s what we got.
Seriously, I’m a photographer and those are literally the two BEST PHOTOS I have from my pregnancy. Probably my one and only pregnancy. I just lost track of time.
To say I regret this is an understatement. As my toddler gets bigger and bigger, I think more and more about those sweet newborn moments, and how it felt when she was literally a part of me. It felt like a magical time and I don’t have a single photo that is a reflection of how that felt. There is nothing I could frame to remember that special time in our lives. We will never get it back.
So do you NEED maternity photos? Professional ones? Still nope. But I REALLY encourage you to schedule a time and place to do it. Prioritize it. Put it on your calendar, just like you would if you have a professional session.
And if you have room in your budget? A million times YES! I wish I didn’t buy the bassinet she used once, or the adorable outfit she immediately pooped on, and paid somebody for a maternity session instead.
Don’t let this be you. Chat with me about how you feel and what your visions are for your photos, and let’s make it happen!
[…] up, looking back at these photos, and thinking about how pretty their momma was (and is)! This is why you need maternity photos! They are fun to look at now and next year, but to the next generation, these will truly be […]