A beach maternity session is always a good idea! After a weather delay, I was able to meet up with Gary and Rachel at Harkness Park, in Waterford, Connecticut.
Beach Maternity Session: Dresses
The mom-to-be reviewed the locations that I offered and opted for a location with a lot of variety. It’s definitely a drive, but I have never had a client say that it wasn’t worth it.
Rachel came to the studio about two weeks before her session to try on dresses from the complimentary maternity Client Closet. Because it was a maternity session, we knew that her body would be changing a lot leading up to the session, so we didn’t want to book too far in advance. After trying on a bunch of dresses, Rachel decided to bring two dresses from home. She then opted to use one of mine as a back-up option.
The two dresses that Rachel brought were perfect for a beach maternity session. They were form-fitting and great colors that photographed well. The texture of her white dress was amazing on the beach and added a lot of dimension to her final images.
I loved that Gary chose to bring different looks as well. He brought a suit to wear at the mansion for the first dress. After that, he went more casual for the beach with khakis and a button down shirt. One of the best parts about a beach maternity session is shoes aren’t really a factor, which is always a bonus!
Beach Maternity Session: Workflow
We loaded up my beach wagon and hit the mansion first. I tend to do more posed pictures in formal wear. Clients get more comfortable in front of the camera after they realize I take all the guesswork out of it. Giving clear directions is my love language, and my clients quickly get comfortable and confident. The blue dress was stunning against the gray of the mansion.
After we maximized our time at the mansion, it was time to switch locations. A beach maternity session is ideal at Harkness Park because there are so many options. It’s easy to get distracted by all of the options, but Rachel and Gary knew they wanted to focus on the beach. So that is exactly what we did!
We found a quiet corner for the couple to change into with the changing tent. Rachel put on her white dress and we hit the beach. Because Rachel and Gary were warmed up, it was a breeze getting started on the beach. The beach wasn’t overly crowded, but it wasn’t empty by any means. Because of this, there is a bit of an audience. Luckily, Gary and Rachel were already warmed up from the mansion!
Once we utilized the path to the beach, the boardwalk and the dune grass, it was time for the grand finale. Rachel wasn’t sure she wanted to do the last Sew Trendy dress, but I just knew in my gut that it would be killer on her. She put it on and once we got Gary’s jaw off the ground, we made some of my favorite sunset pictures of the year.
The way a dress looks out in natural light is very different than it looks at the studio. Indoors, you’re competing with fluorescent light. If you’ve ever been in a dressing room, you know that it’s not flattering. But with the right photographer and the right lighting, magic can happen.
The Grand Finale
My favorite part about ending at the beach is that the couple is already fluent in my posing structure. Because of this, I am able to back far off, and give verbal directions that they can easily follow. At one point, I had to keep reminding them that I was still there, since I backed way off to make sure I captured as much of the sunset as possible.
If you’re even considering a beach maternity session in Connecticut, I highly recommend Harkness Park because of its variety. My clients can book a beach session from June 1st to August 30th on weeknights only. An additional travel fee does apply. But the final results show that it’s always worth it.
Want to see more images from the session? Check them out here!
And, as always, be sure to check out my recent work on my Facebook page or Instagram.
