The Mom POV

As a new mom with a fresh postpartum body, the idea of getting in front of the camera in this vulnerable part of my life is daunting. I don’t feel confident, my nipples leak at random times, and I haven’t found my “pink” yet.
(the term ‘finding your pink’ refers to finding your identity in parenthood. Click here to learn more)

However, my baby will only be this tiny once so I didn’t want to miss this opportunity to capture his tiny self—the love of our family unit, despite my own insecurities.

So, what did I do to tackle this?

Step 1: Find a photographer I trust

Thankfully, my close friend Alura is a photographer! (Check out her page!) She has done my boudoir (what she specializes in) - maternity, baby shower images—you name it she’s done it for me!

With this being said I felt comfortable vocalizing what insecurities I’m facing and what angles I want her to avoid taking.

(If you’re wondering how to find a photographer to trust, I will be covering that later on in the blog!)

Step 2: Wear something cozy

My newborn session was a lifestyle session—so more emotive, casual, and raw. With this being said I dressed comfortable and kept loose fitting clothes on (I got mine from target!). I knew if I felt restricted I would be more focused on my body than the actual moment with my family—so keep it simple if you are worried too!

I ditched the makeup, nails, and jeans and opted for something I knew would make me feel good. And, if you feel good, you’ll look good, and that’s the key to confidence!

(It’s important to remember what made me feel confident during my session, may not make you feel confident. If getting your makeup and hair done makes you feel good, do it girl!)

Step 3: Allow the photographer to take the lead

Now as a photographer myself, being a backseat photographer is an issue of mine (RIP Alura) - but at the end of the day she knows what to do to make sure my photos turn out amazing! So, trust the process.

This was my first time playing ‘the mom’, and not ‘the photographer’ in a session, so my goal was to remain relaxed, cozy, keep the baby calm…and maybe make sure my fiance is looking at the camera (haha!). I knew our wake window was roughly an hour or so from feeding, so she kept the poses comfortable for my baby to get the most out of him!

I reminded myself it is okay to take a break—whether I needed a breather with poses, or because I felt a hot-flash coming on. I simply passed the baby to his dad to take a breather when he became fussy, or simply because I felt overwhelmed. I also reminded myself these photos will be lasting me a life time, so enjoy the process as much as possible!

The photographer POV

As mentioned previously, finding a photographer you are comfortable with is half the battle— so what’s the secret?

In my opinion, these are tools I use when looking for a photographer myself;

Did you mesh well with their personality in the consult call?
Did you find them personable?
Would you feel comfortable telling them ‘no’ to a pose?
Do they provide a style guide? (Dressing a family for a session can be daunting, does your photographer have steps on how to alleviate this stressor?)
Can you find yourself trusting them with your session? (Working with you and your family, being able to direct you with poses, etc)

There are so many things that go into finding your ideal photographer—editing style, experience, budget, etc—but finding one you would go back to and trust when you’re in a vulnerable position (i.e freshly postpartum) is also just as important!

Before I became a mom, I did different things for my clients in preparation for their newborn session. Now, as a mom myself, these are new protocols I implement to ensure my clients look and feel their best.

Step 1: Pre-Session Preparation

Upon booking you will be given a questionnaire with different questions regarding your session. This is the perfect time to be open and raw with me about your insecurities, poses or angles you’d like me to avoid; and overall how you feel about being in front of the camera.

My goal is to accommodate you and your family, so allow me to guide and support you in any way I can!

Step 2: Comfort in clothing

In the same questionnaire there will be styling questions for all members in your family; What you imagine yourself wearing, what you feel like would make you shine, items you want to avoid, sizing, etc.

From the answers you provide I make you a personalized style guide and shopping chart—all you have to do is check out (purchases are optional!)

I do this for my clients so they are less stressed with the idea of dressing themselves and their family. You just had a baby, let me take the burden off of you and match outfits for your family! If anything, my personalized guide is a great tool for you to see what you have at home.

Step 3: Setting Realistic Expectations

Your baby will cry, there may be an outfit change or two because of spit-up, you may feel overwhelmed, and all of that is normal!

Whether our session is only thirty minutes because you want to keep it short and sweet, or it takes two hours because your baby was fussy, I promise, you will love your images!

Talk to me about your concerns—whether it is regarding your confidence or even worrying about when your baby gets irritated how it will appear on camera. Speaking through the emotions allows for the session to be smoother and stress-free.

Step 4: Hair and Makeup

For my mama’s who love glam, I got you!

Depending on the session you book, I offer professional hair and makeup! Now, not every mom will feel up to his addition, but for those who love glam, I got you! This bonus is especially great for my studio sessions where there is brighter lights and flash being used!

Outside of getting hair/makeup for a studio session, you just birthed a tiny human! You deserve pampering too!

Meet Alura

Now, I can’t write this blog with out discussing one of my best friends Alura. She is my fellow photographer bestie who takes all my images, but outside of that, she is the one who encouraged me to start my photography business.

Alura specializes in boudoir (intimate, sensual, sexy photography), and does one hell at a job at it!

As a mom, Alura understands the importance of confidence after having a baby. She makes sure the studio is relaxed and a safe space, so you can feel comfortable, look amazing, and really enjoy being in front of the camera. She provides professional hair and makeup with every session, a client closet (you don’t even have to bring lingerie!) and an personalized keepsake album of your images. This luxury experience is empowering, memorable, and also helps a ton with confidence—especially after a baby!

When I asked Alura what made boudoir her passion, this is what she had to say, “Art has always been my passion, and when I discovered the transformative power of boudoir photography, I knew it was where my soul belonged. I believe that everyone deserves to see and celebrate their unique beauty, and my goal is to make sure you feel confident and empowered in every shot. Whoever you are, you're welcomed with open arms here. I can't wait to collaborate and capture your inner strength.”

Are you interested in learning more about her craft? Book a free consult call!