Maternity portraits in Brisbane.

When to plan a maternity session

Most mums book between 30 and 36 weeks. By then the bump is well and truly there, you're usually still comfortable on your feet, and there's been a bit of time to think about the kind of photographs you'd like. If you're carrying twins or having a tougher third trimester, a few weeks earlier works just as well.

Spaces fill up across spring and autumn, so it's worth getting in touch around 24 to 28 weeks even if you'd rather shoot later. That gives us room to choose a date that fits your week and the light, rather than the only slot left.

Where we'll shoot

The home studio in Cashmere is the easy answer: private, warm, lit by a single large window. It's twenty minutes north of the Brisbane CBD and a short drive from Eatons Hill, Albany Creek, Brendale, Strathpine, Mitchelton and Ferny Grove. The right pick if you're nervous, if the forecast is awful, or if you'd rather something quieter than a public park.

Outdoors, I shoot at golden hour around the Northside. Samford Valley turns soft and gold in the last hour before sunset; the bayside at Sandgate and Shorncliffe gives you sky and water without the crowds; suburban parks closer to Cashmere work nicely if travel is a chore: Bunyaville at Albany Creek, the open spaces around Eatons Hill and Stafford, or somewhere in Ferny Grove, Mitchelton or Arana Hills if that's your part of the Northside. We'll pick a spot together once we know what you're after.

North Lakes has a long-grass field I keep going back to. It opens west, so the last forty-five minutes of light turn the grass warm and gold and give you a clean horizon behind the bump. It's a calm spot for mums who don't want a long drive in the third trimester. Closer to the CBD, Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens is another quiet one — green corners everywhere and almost no one around on a weekday afternoon.

How a session runs

An hour, give or take. We start with a few moments to settle in, and I'll direct the whole way through, so you don't need to plan poses or know what to do with your hands. Most mums tell me they were nervous walking in and forgot about it ten minutes later.

Up to four people are included, so partners and big siblings are welcome. If your older one is going to last twenty minutes before they're done, we'll do those frames first while everyone's at their best.

What to wear

Fitted beats loose. Anything that drapes over the bump tends to hide it; anything that follows the shape of your body shows it off. A simple long dress in a solid tone is hard to get wrong. If you'd like a more skin-forward look, an unbuttoned shirt or a wrap over briefs works beautifully and stays tasteful.

For partners, aim for the same tone family as you (not necessarily the same colour). Avoid stripes, big logos, and bright white. Bring two outfits if you're unsure and we'll pick on the day.

Who books maternity sessions

All sorts. First-time mums who want to mark the wait. Second or third-time mums who never got around to it the first time and don't want to miss it again. Mums who tell me on the phone they hate having their photo taken, and then halfway through the session forget they said that.

Most of my clients drive from somewhere within half an hour of Cashmere — suburbs like Albany Creek, Eatons Hill, Brendale, Warner, North Lakes, Strathpine, Everton Park, The Gap or Ferny Grove. A few come from further out, and the studio or a location closer to them usually makes that easier.

Make it a maternity and newborn pair

Most mums who book maternity also book the newborn session that follows. The combo includes both, with a single online gallery for each. It's the most popular package and the only thing I run at a discount. Read about newborn sessions or jump to the combo on the investment page.

Read more

From the journal: why I book most sessions for the four-week window between thirty and thirty-four weeks, and how a North Lakes bump shoot came together around the light and the long grass.

Maternity portraits at thirty-two weeks →

For pricing, see the Maternity & Newborn combo and standalone maternity options.