Your pregnancy is such a precious moment and so unique to each and every woman.
Capturing it through maternity photos will give you the chance to experience it again and again even in 10 or 20yrs by simply looking at those images.
That’s the magic power of portrait photography.
If you have booked your pregnancy photoshoot, you might be now wondering WHAT ARE THE BEST COLORS TO WEAR DURING YOUR MATERNITY PHOTOSHOOT?
Truth be told, there are no strict rules as these pictures need to capture you in the most authentic way. It also all depends on where your maternity photos are created.
However, here are some guidelines to help you not get overwhelmed in front of your wardrobe !!
1 - YOUR OWN TASTE AND STYLE: STICK WITH WHAT YOU REALLY LOVE (Not what the photographer loves 😉)
We all have different tastes and styles. Really stick to what you love and don’t try to fit in a style that you actually don’t feel comfortable in. You want to feel your best during your maternity session so comfort is the most important criteria.
Even if the photographer's enthusiasm is beyond the roof to get you to wear something that you are not sure about: don't. Don’t force on wearing colors you don’t like, fabrics you don’t enjoy, or a style which is not yours because then when you will see the images, chances are you won’t love the pictures that much.
This is YOUR moment. This is YOUR session so stay within what YOU love, not what the others want. You should end up being in full LOVE with your maternity photos as they stay with you for the rest of your life.
Keep in line with your tastes and find the professional maternity photographer that can create that. What’s best is to work with a portrait photographer who can really tailor the shoots around your needs.
Here are some examples to get you started and inspired:
BLACK OUTFIT
WHITE OUTFIT
NEUTRAL TONES
BRIGHT COLORS
GOLDEN TEXTURES
2 - THE GENDER OF YOUR BABY
Some of our mother-to-be clients enjoy wearing colors that are matching the gender of the baby they are expecting.
Here are some examples.
BLUE
PINK
Again, work with a photographer who is able to tailor the session and style around what you love. That’s the most important ingredient for you to be in love with your pregnancy photos.
3 - THE SURROUNDINGS
#1 - IN A PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIO
If you are having your maternity photoshoot done in a studio, the portrait photographer you book should be able to propose to you different colors of backdrops and different styles of lighting. You don’t have to know all the details, the professional photographer should be the one guiding you.
A small rule of thumb is to match cold tones outfits with cold tones backdrops and vice-versa with warm tones.
#2 - AT YOUR HOME
It will then really depend on the type of interior design you have in your place.
You can either go neutral by staying in the same color tones.
Or not to completely blend in your interior you can think ‘contrast’ and ‘complementary colors’.
If your interior is very white, beige, you might want to go for an elegant black to contrast with the rest and your beautiful shapes to be enhanced.
If your interior is dominantly in one specific accent color, don’t hesitate to wear outfits that include complementary colors. Use this circle: complementary colors are the ones opposite to one another.
#3 - OUTDOOR
If your pregnancy photos are taken in nature, so in a dominantly green, golden, brown environment, you have 2 possible directions:
Staying in the same tones to give it an elegant, natural, and simple style
Or you can choose to play with the complementary colors to give it a more dramatic, styled, and dynamic mood
4 - BLACK AND WHITE PICTURES
If the professional portrait photographer you are booking works mainly in black and white or is planning to have your images worked in black and white, color tones won’t matter that much, however, the contrast will.
So you want to avoid neutral colors because when turned black & white they will end up in different 'dull' grey tones.
So choose dark colors or light colors.
However, don’t sweat too much over that detail if you have booked a skilled and experienced portrait photographer: they have the ability to edit that kind of detail after your session and that’s why you book someone providing a full professional premium portrait experience.
5 - COLOR TONES AND COLOR PALETTES FOR YOUR HUSBAND OR LOVED ONE
What should your husband or loved one wear during your maternity photos?
It doesn’t have to be super complicated at all.
2 simple guidelines:
Style: have his/her outfit match the style of yours: if you are in a very elegant and glammed up dress, have him/her wear a nice shirt and suit pants. If you are in a more casual style or intimate outfit, he/she can be in a simple T-shirt, casual pair of jeans or homeware.
Color wise: you 2 don’t have to match and wear the exact same colors at all. It’s best to work in color palettes and here is a collection of different color pallettes to guide you. Super easy!
Apart from when specifically mentioned, all the maternity portraits and pregnancy photos illustrating this article were all created by the NYC-based maternity & portrait photographer Alice Prenat, at the professional photography studio Portrait Madame, located in Mid Town Manhattan.