(Because you’re not here for soft-focus beige and hands-on-belly clichés.)

Here’s the thing about maternity photos:
They can be so much more than standing in a field, holding your belly, smiling softly at a tree.

You don’t have to lose your personality just because you’re growing a human.

In fact, it’s one of the best times to lean into who you are. Document your real life. Tell your weird, joyful, very pregnant story in a way that actually feels like you.

So let’s skip the cookie-cutter sessions and talk about how to make your maternity photos fun, playful, meaningful—and not even a little bit cringey.

1. Turn it into a date. A real one.

You’ve probably got a few months left of just us two time… use this session to make a memory.

Go to your favorite burger spot. Walk through the farmer’s market. Grab milkshakes. Laugh until your cheeks hurt. Dance at the edge of the ocean. Get takeout and bring it to a viewpoint.

Mini-tip: When the photos happen during a real experience, everything feels more natural and way more “you.”

📸 See Shayne + Shennel’s vintage diner session
There are fries, strawberry milkshakes, and one of the cutest belly laughs I’ve ever captured.

2. Let your style lead.

You don’t need to wear something flowy unless you want to.
Show up in a denim jacket, sneakers, a slouchy tee, or your favorite vintage band tee if that’s more your vibe. Want to be extra and wear sequins? Hell yes. There are no rules here.

This is about honoring your body and this moment, not fitting an aesthetic.

3. Don’t be afraid to go off the script.

Want to shoot in your home while you make breakfast and snuggle on the couch? Perfect.
Want to go to the arcade and crush your partner at air hockey? Let’s go.
Want to jump into a lake (safely, please)? Yes. Yes. Always yes.

The more personal it feels, the more powerful it becomes.

4. It doesn’t have to be serious to be meaningful.

Some of my favorite maternity photos?
They’re messy. Silly. Real. You can feel the love, the anticipation, and the total you-have-no-idea-what’s-coming-but-you’re-in-it-together energy.

And honestly? That’s what makes them timeless.

TL;DR: This Isn’t a Photoshoot. It’s a Love Letter to Right Now.

Pregnancy is weird and wonderful and vulnerable and wild.
Your maternity photos should reflect that, not flatten it.

Let’s create something that makes you smile and tear up years from now. Something that shows your kid who you were before you even met them. Something that still feels like you.

Chelsea Abram Photography: for the baby bumpers, burger lovers, and future parents who want to remember the whole damn ride.