Editorial Maternity Studio Photoshoot in Los Angeles
Late last year I photographed THE BEST wedding ever at The Beverly Hills hotel. The people were beautiful, the location was stunning, there were Opera singers, and everyone hung out and danced the night away even well after me leaving.
Elegant Beverly Hills Hotel intimate wedding session
When my beautiful client Ava called me just 6 months later telling me she was ready for me to shoot her maternity session I literally almost started crying. I knew this was going to be such a beautiful shoot.
After our initial consultation call, and some back and forth in terms of styling, location (we shot this on location at Concrete Studios in LA), we were ready for the shoot. It was the perfect fit for the kind of polished, editorial studio look she wanted while still keeping the whole session close to Los Angeles.
For our first look, she had a beautiful backless dress that I knew we had to use for this shoot. While I typically provide wardrobe options for my clients, I do encourage them to bring a few pieces of their own if they have something they absolutely love that they want to catch in camera. For her husband, Matt, we had him in a lighter yet complimentary color to help offset the contrast of her dress and the black background.
During all of my shoots, I pre-plan backdrops to wardrobe and the lighting ahead of time. I typically have anywhere between 2-3 backdrops with different types of lighting that I go between throughout the entire photo session. While I do have my go-to lighting set-ups, I always look for creative ways and slight variations to make each couples session just slightly different and unique to them.
Once we finished the first look, Ava changed and I moved them onto a natural hand-painted backdrop with soft window light. It gave the session a more relaxed, romantic feel after the darker editorial setup, which is exactly why I love planning a few different looks ahead of time. You get variety without the shoot ever feeling rushed or scattered.
One thing I’ve enjoyed so much about Ava and Matt is how much I have gotten to know Avas beautiful mother, she has been present at every shoot ( yup including their engagement shoot) and brings so much beauty along with creative input to each shoot. Oh and I of course have to mention Max, who I have gotten to witness grow from a puppy into the beautiful dog he is now.
One of my most popular dresses this year. Every client wears it differently and I absolutely love how surprised everyone is when they put it on and love it.
For the final part of the shoot, we moved into soft draping and implied nude portraits. This is always optional, and I never want anyone to feel pressured into it, but when a client feels comfortable, these can become some of the most beautiful images from the whole session.
I use fabrics like chiffon, tulle and washed cheesecloth to create shape, softness and movement while still keeping everything elegant and artful. Some clients love the fabric gently wrapped around them, while others prefer something looser and more natural. We plan it around your comfort level from the very beginning.
Some clients choose to have it thrown around them, while others want it loosely draped. Lately this year, I have been seeing clients want more of a natural elegant draping.
Washed Cheesecloth draping
If you love maternity photos that feel polished, artistic and a little editorial, we can plan a session around the kind of mood that feels most like you. You don’t need to know exactly how to pose, what to wear, or how many looks to bring — I’ll help you pull the pieces together so the whole session feels calm, flattering and personal.