A maternity intimate portrait is a photograph of you, pregnant, made close and quiet, in the studio or at home, in whatever you feel like wearing: a sweater on the window seat, a slip on the bed, or nothing but a sheet. The point is you, right now, at this particular moment in your body.
If you have looked at maternity photography and felt it was not quite for you, this page explains the other option.
How is this different from regular maternity photos?
Standard maternity photography is mostly about the bump as an event. Intimate maternity portraits are about you as a person who happens to be pregnant.
The standard version: a long dress, an outdoor location, golden hour, a partner's hands on the belly, a lot of looking into the distance. It is a genre, and a lot of people love it.
The version here: the studio or your home. Window light. Fewer outfits, more time on each. Skin, if you want it, or a shirt, if you do not. The photographs tend to be still and close. You look at the camera, or you do not. There is less staging and more attention.
Both are legitimate. If you want the field, I will refer you to someone who does it well. If you want the quiet version, that is what I do.
When should I book a maternity session?
Between 28 and 34 weeks, for most people.
Earlier than 28 and the bump is often not yet the shape you want in photographs. Later than 34 and you are tired, swollen, and less inclined to spend two hours in a studio. Somewhere around 30 to 32 weeks is the sweet spot for most pregnancies.
Book earlier than that. Sessions here typically book two to four weeks out, and you want your date locked before the third trimester arrives.
If you have a high-risk pregnancy or are carrying multiples, earlier is safer. Ask your doctor, then ask me.
Do I have to show my stomach?
No. Some people do, some do not, and some do for a few frames and then cover up.
Bare skin photographs well in soft light and a pregnant belly is a beautiful shape. But an open shirt over a bump, a sweater pulled tight, or a slip that skims the shape all work. Nothing about this session requires you to undress, and you can decide frame by frame.
What should I wear?
Things that fit you right now, this month.
Bring:
An oversized button-up shirt, worn open.
A knit or ribbed dress or sweater that shows the shape.
A slip or camisole with some stretch.
A bralette and high-waisted briefs, or a maternity bra you like, if you want lingerie frames.
A robe.
Anything with meaning: a partner's shirt, a family piece of jewellery, a baby blanket if you have one already.
Skip anything with a tight waistband on the way in. It leaves marks that take an hour to fade. Full wardrobe guide here.
Can my partner be in the photos?
Yes, for some of them.
Most maternity sessions here are mostly solo, with a few frames including a partner near the end. Hands on the belly is fine if you want it, but I would rather photograph the two of you the way you actually are together, which is usually less posed than that. Couples sessions have their own guide.
If you would rather the whole thing was just you, that is also common.
Can I bring my other children?
Yes, at the end. A toddler for the last fifteen minutes works. A toddler for two hours does not, for anyone.
Is hair and makeup included?
Yes, as with every session here. Marggie does it, she stays for the whole session, and she is used to working with clients who are eight months pregnant and would like to sit down. There is a lot of sitting down.
What does it cost?
The same collections as every other session here. Collections start at $795 and include hair and makeup, studio time, direction, retouching, and your images. Full pricing on the pricing page.
Will I look tired in the photos?
Less than you think. Window light is kind, Marggie is good, and I am not going to rush you.
Pregnant clients almost always say the same thing when they see the gallery: they did not expect to look that calm. Part of that is the light. Most of it is that two unhurried hours of being paid attention to is calming, and it shows.
Send a message to check dates. If you are past 30 weeks, say so, and I will do what I can to get you in.
Written September 2026.