I love getting an email from one of my favorite families that says: “Guess what? We’re expecting!” I first met this family at a beach mini session in Niantic a few years ago. They book a family session with me and I am so grateful to witness their journey. If you want to see their family session from last summer, you can check it out here.
Snow Maternity Session: The Dresses
The mom, Heidi, knew that she wanted to attempt to do a snow maternity session. Her due date is in March, which gives us plenty of opportunities to take advantage of the weather. To pick a date for a snow session, I ask the mom to book the absolute last date that would work with her due date in mind. Once that is on the calendar, we keep an eye on the weather. When snow is in the forecast, I send out a text to see if we can pull off a session with everyone’s schedules. Some years it’s easy, some years, it’s not.
With Heidi’s session in mind, I chose a few new dresses from Sew Trendy on Black Friday. Because these dresses are custom and handmade, it takes awhile to get them delivered. I was so grateful Heidi booked her session so far out! Having worked with Heidi before, she had me choose her dresses (I ran the options by her) and she selected a dress for her daughter from my Client Closet.
I brought three dresses to her session. They are all very form fitting and flowy. Most moms are self-conscious about their pregnant bodies, but these dresses are designed to fit you in all the right places. Sometimes, under fluorescent lights, they aren’t flattering. But with the right photographer and the right light, magical things can happen. I am so glad Heidid trusted me with these picks!
Selecting a Location
Heidid and her family lucked out with her snow maternity session, because there was ample snow on the ground. When I went to scout the location the night before, I noticed a lot of ice. Parents are strongly encouraged to wear shoes that will be safe on the ice. Especially with maternity sessions, safety is of the utmost importance and priority.
To beat the cold, we selected a location where we were close to the car. The car was kept on during their session so that the parents and daughter could take warming breaks. I planned out the session so that by the time their three year old daughter got cold, we had already done the priority shots with her. Since parents are able to deal with the cold a bit longer, I saved parent pictures and pictures of mom alone until the end of the session.
Snow Maternity Session: Top Tips
My best tips for a snow maternity session are to make sure that you are smart about footwear. Slipping can be dangerous for you and your baby and that should always be the #1 priority. Having soles on winter boots is your best bet, and these can easily be covered by a flowy dress.
I also recommend having leggings nearby that you can put on right after the session since you will be more than a little cold. And be sure your gas tank is full in case running the car makes the most sense while you are changing dresses (these sessions are typically shorter than a usual session).
This snow maternity session in Avon, CT was everything and I am so excited for this family’s newborn session in just a few short weeks!
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