Should I do professional maternity photos & newborn photos?

Well obviously you’re going to get a resounding YES from me. Maternity photography and newborn photography are special investments for your family to honor this sacred time in your lives. You’ll have timeless maternity photos and newborn photos that you can pass down to your little one when they’re no longer little and treasure for generations.

Click here for more about maternity photography and newborn photography with Laura Simon Photography.

Before we get into it: congratulations. As a Mama myself and high-end New York maternity and newborn portrait photographer, I’ve been in your shoes (or should I say maternity leggings? oh wait…I’m still wearing them…excellent lifetime investment),

I photograph families from bump to baby with maternity & newborn photography sessions in NY, available as stand alone sessions or a bundle (of photography joy). We’ll start by honoring that tender time of anticipation (and rib kicking & nausea?) and then, of course, there’s the beautiful new being.

Our maternity photography session can be at your home or outdoors (or both!) and be just you or involve the whole family. I’ll help you decide what to wear and gently guide you through our session, tweaking your natural movements & postures to create beautiful timeless photos of you & your bump that you’ll love looking back on.

Some of us feel like beautiful glowing goddesses during pregnancy. Others of us feel like gassy, sweaty watermelon smugglers (hi). Most of us probably feel a mix of all the things. I’ll meet you where you are. As a Mama myself, I get it. It’s a lot.

Let’s honor this stage of maternity pants & maxi dresses by creating authentic photographs that you can look back on and say “hey, I actually looked beautiful, and that was a meaningful period of my life. Also – wow, I grew a human. I did that. I am amazing.”

Bump Bump Bump: Why Maternity Photos are Important

Maternity photos aren’t just about showing off your baby bump (though, it’s the cutest accessory, right? Or maybe not because you feel like a sweaty watermelon smuggler – that was me). They’re about capturing the love, anticipation, and even the nervous excitement you’re feeling in these transformative months. They’re about celebrating your strength and the miraculous journey your body is undertaking. Years from now, you’ll cherish these photos as a beautiful reminder of the time when your little one was listening to your heartbeat from the inside and kicking you in the ribs (oh, so lovely, right? I’m not a pregnancy idealizer).

Let’s start by honoring this tender time of anticipation (and rib kicking & nausea?).

Our maternity photography session can be at your home or outdoors (or both!) and be just you or involve the whole family. I’ll help you decide what to wear and gently guide you through our session, tweaking your natural movements & postures to create beautiful timeless photos of you & your bump that you’ll love looking back on.

Also, let’s not forget about the soon-to-be siblings (if you’re not a first time mama), the doting partner if you have one, and OF COURSE your fur babies! Everyone who’s part of your growing family can be part of the session, because this is a family journey as much as it’s your journey.

The days are long but the years are short: The Essential Newborn Photoshoot

Just like maternity photos, newborn photos aren’t only about those chubby cheeks and tiny toes (though, again, can anything be cuter?). A newborn photoshoot is essential because it captures your family’s first moments with its newest member. These are the days when your baby is changing by the minute, so having professional photos taken during this fleeting time (from 10 days to 3 months old) helps you honor and remember every sweet detail. You might be a little too sleep deprived at the time to really take it all in – a newborn photo shoot might feel overwhelming at the time, but you’ll end up with those tiny toes and rolls frozen in time, maybe illiciting that iconic delicious newborn smell.

I gathered my Mama strength to make newborn photos happen (it will be less tricky for you as you will not be taking your own photos like me) and created timeless photographs of my newborn that we will love forever. We have a beautiful photo album of his newborn photos that will become a family heirloom for him to pass on. I’m so glad I pushed through the postpartum challenges and made it happen.

Some people are blissed out with their newborn. If that’s you, I’m so happy for you, and your shoot will be a smooth sailing dream. Others of us are not exactly “enjoying every moment” of sleep deprivation, acid reflux, and latching drama (hi). I’ll meet you in that tender place. There’s nothing you have to do other than be with your newborn.

Just like your maternity photo portrait session, everyone in the family can get in on this newborn photoshoot. If there are siblings, it can be really helpful for them to have special photos just with you and any of their other primary caregivers. This will help them know that they are still special even though baby will be taking some attention. Get those photos framed and up on the wall in their room and point them out in moments of jealousy – there you are with Mama, just me and you, my always special one!

Check out this post for how to prepare for a newborn photography session.

Dynamic Duo: The Maternity and Newborn Photography Package

Now, I know you’re juggling a million things right now, from nursery color schemes to prenatal vitamins. So, I offer an exclusive Maternity & Newborn Photography package to make things a little easier. It gives you the best of both worlds – beautiful portraits of your pregnancy journey and precious images of your newborn’s first days. And perhaps the biggest motivation is $500 in savings. Yup! Mention this blog post and reach out through my contact form to get all of the details.

From One parent to Another…

As a mom and a professional maternity photographer and newborn photographer, I understand this time can feel like *all the things*. But one thing I can tell you from my own experience is this: maternity photos and newborn photos are one of the best gifts you can give to your future self, and to your children. They capture these fleeting moments of joy, anticipation, transformation, and love with timeless images you’ll be able to pass down for generations.

I was SO not into taking photos of my watermelon smuggler self or taking precious sleeping time to take newborn photos of my beautiful boy (he was 8 weeks old at the time – “newborn” doesn’t have to mean right away. In fact, I think giving yourself some time to settle in is perhaps the most supportive option). But now I have a beautiful album of my pregnant self (I actually looked way more Goddess like than I thought) and my tiny baby boy, who is now a walking, talking toddler. Check us out below!

I meannnn don’t I look kind of awesome? To emphasize: I did not feel pretty at this time. I did not want to do these maternity photos but made myself because I walk the talk. See how it was worth it? Also, I ended up being pregnant for another FIVE WEEKS after this and my bump got even bigger. Ouuuuch.

It felt way too overwhelming to do NEW newborn photos. I was just trying to make it through in those early days. Just like my maternity photos, I had to really use my willpower and knowledge as a professional newborn photographer to make these photos happen. Again: so worth it. I can’t even believe he was this small – it’s so weird. Here’s Lionel Jude!!