10 Questions to Ask Before Booking a Maternity Photographer

When you start looking for a maternity photographer, chances are the first thing you’re going to look at is their work. And you should.

You need to love the photographs. You need to be able to picture yourself in them. But a beautiful Instagram feed or website gallery only tells you part of the story. Because you’re not just choosing the person who will take your pictures. You’re choosing the experience that comes with them.

What happens before the session? Who helps you figure out what to wear? Are you expected to know how to pose? What exactly are you paying for? And what happens after the photographs are taken?

These are all things you should know before you book.

So if you’re comparing maternity photographers, here are ten questions I think are worth asking. And yes, I mean asking them even if the photographer you’re considering isn’t me.

When Should I Book My Maternity Session?

There are actually two different questions here: when should you book, and when should you be photographed?

I typically photograph maternity sessions between 27 and 32 weeks. That tends to be a beautiful window because your belly is nicely defined, but hopefully you’re still comfortable enough to move, pose and enjoy the experience.

But I would not recommend waiting until 27 weeks to start looking for your photographer.

There’s planning that happens before your session, and photographers can book weeks or months in advance.

Your photographer should ask about your due date and anything that might affect your timing before recommending a session date.

I go into this much more in my guide to the best time for maternity photos.

How Will We Plan the Look of My Session?

You do not need to show up already knowing exactly what you want.

Some of my clients come in with a camera roll full of inspiration. Others sit down with me and say, “I have absolutely no idea.”

Both are completely fine.

What matters is that there’s a process for figuring it out.

At my studio, we meet before your portrait day for a design appointment. We talk about what you’re drawn to, how you want to be photographed, wardrobe, different looks, and the overall feel of your session.

Ask your photographer what their planning process looks like. You should know whether those decisions are being made ahead of time or whether you’ll be figuring everything out when you arrive.

Do You Provide Wardrobe?

Please ask this one before you start ordering ten dresses online.

Some maternity photographers provide wardrobe and some expect you to bring your own. Neither is necessarily wrong, but you should know which experience you’re booking.

My studio has a full maternity wardrobe, so my clients don’t need to go shopping for their session. We go through everything together during the design appointment and choose pieces based on the looks we’re creating.

And maternity wardrobe is about much more than dresses. Fabric, bodysuits, jackets, accessories and simpler pieces can photograph beautifully too.

If you’re trying to figure out what photographs well, I wrote more about what to wear for maternity photos.

Is Hair and Makeup Included?

This can make a much bigger difference in the experience than people realize.

Ask whether professional hair and makeup are included, whether you need to arrange them yourself, and whether the artist stays during your session.

For my full-service sessions, hair and makeup are done right here at the studio. My artist stays with us, which means we can make adjustments throughout the session and, depending on the collection, even change the hair between looks.

You’re already being photographed professionally. Hair and makeup should be planned with the photographs in mind.

Will You Tell Me How to Pose?

Please, please do not think you need to know how to pose before booking maternity photos.

You don’t.

That’s my job.

I guide my clients from head to toe — where to put your hands, how to shift your weight, where to turn your shoulders, what to do with your chin. Sometimes moving a hand an inch or changing the angle of your face slightly can completely change a photograph.

If being in front of the camera makes you nervous, ask your photographer how much direction they give.

You should never be standing there wondering, What am I supposed to do now?

Can My Partner Be Included?

If you want your partner included in some of your maternity portraits, ask how that works before booking.

Is your partner included in the session? Is there an additional fee? How many looks will they participate in? Will the photographer help coordinate what they wear?

Couples maternity portraits can be gorgeous, but I still want everything to feel cohesive with the rest of the session. That’s something we plan ahead of time rather than figuring out five minutes before we start photographing.

The same goes for children. If you’d like to include them, tell your photographer during the planning process.

How Will I Choose My Images?

This is one people don’t always think to ask.

What happens after the session?

Do you receive a gallery and choose everything on your own? Does the photographer help you? How many images are you choosing from? And how long after the session do you see them?

For my full-service clients, we do the image viewing the same day. I help you narrow everything down and choose the portraits you truly love.

You shouldn’t have to sort through hundreds of nearly identical photographs trying to decide whether you like image 47 or image 48 better.

Ask what the selection process actually looks like.

What Does Retouching Include?

Not all retouching is the same.

Personally, I want you to look like you on your very best day.

I’ll take care of temporary distractions — blemishes, stray hairs, wrinkles in clothing, things in the background that shouldn’t be there — and polish the image so it has the finished look you see throughout my portfolio.

But I don’t want to turn you into someone else.

Ask to see plenty of finished work from the photographer you’re considering and ask what their retouching includes.

Their editing style should already look like something you’d want hanging on your wall.

When Will I Receive My Finished Images?

You shouldn’t have to guess what happens after you choose your photographs.

Ask about turnaround time and exactly what will be delivered.

Are digital images included? Are they high resolution? Are prints or artwork available? If you want an album, when do you choose it?

My finished portraits are typically delivered within two weeks after the session.

If artwork matters to you, talk about that before your session too. It’s much easier to photograph and design with the finished result in mind than to think about it as an afterthought.

What Exactly Is Included?

This is probably the biggest one. When you compare photographers, don’t compare a single number. Compare what you’re actually getting.

Does the experience include hair and makeup? Wardrobe? Planning? Posing direction? Retouching? How many finished images? Is your partner included? How do you select your photographs? What happens before and after portrait day?

Two maternity sessions can have completely different prices because they are completely different experiences.

You should understand exactly what you’re booking before you pay a deposit.

And Pay Attention to How You Feel When You Ask. This may not technically be one of the ten questions, but I think it matters just as much.

You should feel comfortable asking your photographer questions.

You’re trusting this person to photograph you during a very specific season of your life. You shouldn’t feel rushed, silly for asking something, or like you’re inconveniencing them because you want to understand the process. That’s one of the reasons I meet my clients before their sessions.

Yes, we’re going to talk about wardrobe and photographs and all the fun stuff. But you’re also going to meet me, see my studio, ask your questions and decide whether I’m the right photographer for you.

I think you should have that opportunity.

Planning Maternity Photos in Dallas?

If you’re researching maternity photography in Dallas–Fort Worth right now, I created something that will make this whole process a little easier.

My free Modern Maternity Portrait Guide walks you through timing, wardrobe, posing, retouching, what to expect from the experience, and these ten questions in much more detail.

Get the Modern Maternity Portrait Guide →

It’s 16 pages of everything I think you should know before planning your maternity portraits — whether you ultimately choose my studio or someone else.

And if you’ve read the guide and want to sit down with me to talk about your own session, you can request your consultation here.

Ana Lanier Portrait Studio is a maternity portrait studio in Carrollton, Texas, serving Dallas–Fort Worth, Plano, Frisco and surrounding areas.