There is no wrong way to do maternity photos. I say that as a maternity photographer based in Millbury, MA — and I mean it. I've photographed mamas in orchid exhibits in February, in peony fields in June, in historic mills, in their own living rooms, and yes, at a castle in a crown and a dramatic red dress. Every single one of those sessions was exactly right for that person at that moment in their life.
The hard part isn't finding a photographer. The hard part is figuring out what YOU actually want — because what you want for your first pregnancy might look completely different from what you want for your second. And both are valid.
So let's talk about it.
The Dramatic Session
Go All Out and Own It
For my first pregnancy I went full send. We shot at Bancroft Tower in Worcester — a literal (albeit tiny) castle — and I wore a dramatic red dress, crown and all. I wanted to feel like a moment. Like something BIG was happening, because it was. My first baby. I wanted photos that matched how enormous that felt.
If this is your first pregnancy, or if you've always been the person who goes all in, this is your style. You don't have to justify wanting something dramatic and beautiful and a little extra. Maternity photos are one of the few times in your life where nobody is going to tell you you're too much.
Think: flowing gowns, architectural backdrops, golden hour light, locations that feel cinematic. Bancroft Tower in Worcester is one of my personal favorites for this vibe — the stonework, the height, the drama. It photographs beautifully in every season.
The Intimate Session
Real Life, Real Love
For my second pregnancy I wanted the opposite. I wanted to be home. I wanted my older son in the photos, holding him, laughing with him, showing what this family already was before the new baby arrived. No crowns or castles, just us.
Second time mamas especially tend to gravitate toward this. You already know how fast it goes. You want to capture the chaos and the comfort and the real thing — not a version of yourself you had to get dressed up to be.
This style works beautifully in your own home, your backyard, a favorite local park. The location almost doesn't matter because the story is about your people, not the backdrop. These are the sessions that make you cry when you look back at them ten years later.
The Location Session
Let the Setting Do the Talking
Sometimes the location IS the concept, and honestly some of the most stunning maternity sessions I've shot have come from leaning into a stunning space.
Tower Hill Botanic Garden
Boylston MA
One of my favorite creative solutions for winter maternity sessions. When it's February and you want something lush and beautiful but you're not about to stand outside in the cold at 30 weeks pregnant, Tower Hill's orchid exhibit is the answer. Nobody would ever guess it was taken in the middle of a Massachusetts winter!
The Peony Fields
Bolton MA
If your due date puts you at peak bump in late spring or early June, the peony fields are calling your name. Soft, romantic, overflowing with color and texture. I've shot sessions here that look like they belong in a magazine. I wrote a whole blog post about this one — check it out here.
Wayside Inn Grist Mill
Sudbury MA
Historic, moody, timeless. The mill and the surrounding property give you so many options — water, stone, golden fields. This location works in almost any season and photographs beautifully whether you want something romantic or something more editorial. Read about that session here.
A Fall Foliage Session
Grafton MA
October in Central Massachusetts is the best. I shot a husband and wife session for holiday cards and it turned into one of my favorite maternity sessions. Casual, warm, completely in love. The foliage did half the work for me.
The Spontaneous Session
Sometimes You Just Have to Go For It
Not every great maternity photo comes from a planned session and I'm living proof.
I was 25 weeks pregnant with my first and we got snow on Halloween. SNOW. On Halloween. I stood there looking out the window at it and thought — I have to do something with this. I grabbed my witch hat, set up my tripod in the backyard, and shot it myself.
Some of my favorite images from my own pregnancies came from moments exactly like that. If the light is good, if the moment feels right, if something magical is happening outside your window — go get the shot.
So When Should You Actually Book?
Timing your maternity session is its own conversation and I've written about it in depth. But the short version is that most mamas feel and look their best between 28 and 34 weeks — bump is full and round, energy is still relatively good, and you've got enough time before your due date that you're not stressed about going into labor at the shoot. 😅
Finding YOUR Style
Here's the question I always ask when someone reaches out about a maternity session: how do you want to FEEL in these photos?
Not what do you want to look like. How do you want to feel. Because that answer tells me everything. Powerful and beautiful and a little untouchable? We're going dramatic. Soft and real and wrapped up in your people? We're staying close to home.
There is a version of a maternity session that is exactly right for you. I'd love to help you figure out what that looks like.
Central Massachusetts mamas — I serve Millbury, Worcester, and surrounding areas throughout Worcester County. Reach out and let's start planning.
