NOV 2015
Every pregnant woman looks forward to having a special photoshoot to capture the beautiful time with a baby bump, and I too was excited to have mine. Here are some points you have to keep in mind while doing a maternity photoshoot.
Photographer.
Picking a photographer you know and trust is key. These are extremely special, and extremely personal and extremely intimate pictures, and you need to be comfortable with the photographer. And for this very reason, my choice was my lifelong friend, Habeed Hameed. My husband and I have known him for ages, and he was the one who covered our wedding and many occasions since.
In case you want to see his work, check out: www.facebook.com/essenciaproductions or www.facebook.com/habeedphotography His work is absolutely spectacular. Don’t believe me? Here is the link to our wedding highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd4Kg3gCjhk
And no, he is not based in Qatar, but in Bahrain (which btw is home to me – I moved to Qatar only 2 years ago). But even with his tickets and other expenses, it still was more economical for me to get him here.
And always discuss what you have in mind with the photographer – discuss his thoughts and ideas, as well as yours. It usually is a great idea to google some interesting images that you might want to recreate, and show that to the photographer as well.
Timing.
I planned mine in November 2015, when I was 6months pregnant, and at the time, I had a nice big bump. As it is a maternity shoot, it goes without saying that the bump is the star of the show. So it shouldn’t be planned too early in a pregnancy, nor too late. You don’t want your water breaking just when the flash goes off. Another reason to aim it for the 6th or 7th month is simply your health. In the earlier months, with nausea and vomiting and all the other exciting pregnancy additions, you might be too tired to look cheery for the images. And towards the end, you will tend to be a lot more tired again. Plus, you might be pre-occupied with a lot of other baby preps, so it is best to get this done at the end of the second trimester.
Venue.
I knew I wanted more than one location. I had a few in mind and we couldn’t cover it all, but we do two outdoor locations, and one at home. The outdoor venues I chose were Katara Cultural Village and the Museum of Islamic Arts Park. I was a bit worried initially as I was not sure about permissions. But decided to go ahead and try. The main thing about both the shoots were that we chose to go after 12pm, and were done by 5pm, before the crowds came in. And I also found that as long as you are respectful, and not pointing the camera at random people, you’ll be fine.
Outfit.
This was a real big issue. Ha! Ofcourse it was, at least for me. My husband just wore what I picked out; he probably didn’t want to go through the hassle of hunting for clothes or making me cry (hormones and all that you see..). So I knew I wanted three different outfits, with one Indian. The focus should obviously be on the bump. I had a full length dress already which I liked, and I knew which desi outfit I wanted to wear but the third outfit drove me nuts.
I went to pretty much all the stores here, and finally found mine at Pimkie at Villagio, just when I was ready to give up. Ideally, a solid block coloured, preferably a dark shade, works wonders, and that is why I picked the navy blue. Having the man wear something that matches your outfit a little, also makes the pictures look better.
Props.
This depends on the amount of time you have, and the venues that you have picked. Make sure that the props don’t overwhelm the pictures. It should add to the images, and not quite become the center of focus. The highlight has to remain you, your spouse and the bump. I wasn’t sure of what all to get so I got a little blue cradle, boy’s shoes and a teddy bear.
Getting Ready.
After all these days of lugging yourself around, tired and disheveled, use this day to pamper yourself. I got my nails done, and hair as well. Nothing like a hair wash and blow-dry at the salon to make you feel chirpy.As for make up, I am a bit fussy and hence I chose to do it myself. If you can, then squeeze in a day at the spa just before the shoot. It will also be a great bonding time for the man and you, if you can get a couple’s time away at a nice spa. Now I am wondering why I didn’t do that. Oh yeah! Office. Oh boo. Nevermind.
And remember to get plenty of rest and get enough sleep!
