professional maternity photos

Tips for Including Kids in a Hershey PA Outdoor Maternity Photo Shoot

If you already have kids at home and you have a new baby on the way, one of the choices you’ll have to make about your Hershey PA outdoor maternity photo shoot is whether to include your kids in some of your portraits. This is an incredibly personal decision, and as a maternity photographer and a mom, I think both choices are equally valid and respectable. You do what feels best to you!

If you do choose to include your children in a maternity photo shoot, it’s true that this does take a bit of extra planning and coordination, but I’m here to help! Here are a few tips for a maternity photo session with kids.

A Family of 3 poses while anxiously awaiting the arrival of a newborn baby boy at their outdoor family and maternity photography session in Hershey PA

Consider a Child-Friendly Location for Your Hershey PA Outdoor Maternity Photo Shoot

Choosing a location is one of the most important parts of planning any photo shoot because it affects the aesthetics of your photos so much. Don’t worry, because I know all the best spots in the area for every season and I’m happy to help you choose a setting!

If you’re bringing your child, I’ll take that into consideration and look for a location where you child can have some fun. This might mean an area that has more space to run around and play rather than a small wooded clearing. This way, your child can have more fun during the session and we can let their playful little personality come out.

Best maternity photography near Hershey PA

Have a Plan for Child-Free Portraits

As special as it is for your child to be in your maternity portraits, this photo shoot is ultimately about you and your motherhood journey - you’re the star! I think it’s so important to have at least some portraits of you solo.

To make these solo portraits smoother, bring something to keep your child occupied during those shots, like a toy or game they enjoy.

A mom and dad to be share a moment at their outdoor maternity photography session with Karissa Zimmer Photography

Booking Your Family Maternity Portraits

Your maternity photo shoot should be an exciting and enjoyable celebration of your pregnancy and your anticipation for the amazing gift you’re welcoming into your family. Whether you’re including your children or not, I’m here to make it a fantastic time! Contact Karissa Zimmer Photography and let’s chat about how to make your maternity photos magical.

A mom to be poses for maternity photos at a beautiful outdoor location near Hershey PA

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How to Prepare for Your Family Maternity Photos in Camp Hill

Congratulations on your pregnancy, Mama! For all its aches and pains, pregnancy is truly a beautiful time in your life and it’s the start of the most incredible journey. It will be over before you know it, so don’t miss your opportunity to preserve that pregnancy glow on a canvas with maternity portraits. For many moms who are expecting their second, third, or fourth (or later!) child, their pregnancy is a special shared experience for their family, so naturally, they want to include the whole family in their maternity pictures. I happen to love working with kids, so some of my favorite photos to take are family maternity photos in Camp Hill, PA!

You can get your photography session started on the right foot with a little preparation. Follow these tips for a magical family maternity portrait session.

Have an Aesthetic in Mind

Moms are notorious for putting their kids first and themselves last, but your maternity photo session is ultimately about you! Think about how you want your portraits to look. Imagine where you want to display them in your home and what aesthetic you want to capture. As your hometown maternity photographer, I can take your vision and bring it to life by giving you personal guidance on color palettes and wardrobe ideas that will create the look you want.

Choose Your Dream Location for Your Family Maternity Photos in Camp Hill

Now that you have a vision in mind for your family maternity portraits, you want to choose the perfect backdrop for those pictures. Luckily for all of my clients planning family maternity photos in Camp Hill, PA, our area has countless gorgeous outdoor locations ripe for portraits. I have a few favorites that I’ll be happy to share during our consultation. Or, if you prefer, we can plan an indoor session in your home instead. Many of my clients opt for stunning photos within their baby’s nursery.

Plan a Bag of Tricks for Your Kids

We live in the age of social media, so you’ve probably snapped countless pictures of your kids at home. You know, then, how difficult it can be to coax a smile out of a young child at just the right time. Kids who are shy smilers tend to be just as shy during a professional photo session too.

You know your kids better than anyone so you know how to make them smile. Try bringing a “bag of tricks” like a puppet that always gets a giggle, a sound that makes them smile or gets their attention, or other tricks and tools to help me get plenty of shots of those heart-warming smiles.

Invest in Yourself!

Let’s all be honest: pregnancy is stressful. There’s always so much to do to prepare for your baby. For the day of your family maternity photos in Camp Hill, PA, though, you deserve to just relax and get pampered like the queen you are. Consider scheduling professional hair and makeup services so you can look your best without adding more work to your plate.

Consider Bringing a Helping Hand to Your Family Maternity Photos in Camp Hill

As much as you’ll love having maternity photos of your entire family, you’ll also want some portraits that specifically highlight you and your bond with your beloved baby, or you and your significant other. Trust me, the last thing you want to be doing is struggling to watch and discipline your kids while you’re posing for portraits.

You might think about bringing along someone like a friend, nanny, or grandparent to help keep an eye on the kiddos while you and your significant other are in front of the camera. Or, you could arrange for someone to pick up your kids when their photos are done and take them to a playdate until you’re done with your own photos.

Communicate with Your Photographer

This is a biggie! Remember that family maternity photos in Camp Hill, PA are what I do on a daily basis. I’m not just here to snap pictures – I’m here to make the entire process easy and stress-free for you while creating spectacular images you’ll treasure forever. Keep an open line of communication and let me know what you want from your session, what sentimental items you might want to incorporate, and so on. With your vision in mind, I can take it from there and create an experience you’ll lovingly remember throughout your baby’s life.

Schedule Your Family Maternity Photos in Camp Hill

Ready to take the leap and start planning your amazing family maternity photos? Call my Camp Hill, PA photography studio today to book your session and start building your dream with my help.

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