Third Trimester: Maternity with Teigan

 

Teigan got in touch, having seen that I'd worked with her sister, Rose back in August. Teigan was in her third trimester of pregnancy and was keen to capture this phase, while she still had the energy. We planned the shoot within a matter of hours on the 27th of December, arranging to shoot from her home on the 29th.  

Fog was our biggest challenge. It had barely lifted in seven days and while her home let in considerable amounts of natural light, I needed to reach for portable lighting, reflector and primarily rely on my 1.8 50mm Viltrox lens. Teigan had modelled in the past, along with their mother, so she posed very naturally and seamlessly, which makes the photographer’s job considerably easier.  

From Here To Maternity...Bella & Bump

 

Bella got in touch, keen to do a maternity-themed shoot, but one with a bias toward portraiture, rather than nudity. She privately announced her pregnancy during our last concealed boudoir shoot, prefacing this by saying she was likely to be taking a break from modelling.

She floated the idea of a maternity shoot around her second trimester, when the pregnancy was more established and she’d also feel comfortable announcing this to family and friends. I expressed an interest, though left it very much in her corner-everyone’s circumstances, experience of, and relationship to, pregnancy is unique.  

We initially toyed with the idea of concealed nudity. We’d seen beautifully captured examples using subtle use of low-key lighting but on balance, decided something clothed, yet still intimate and sensual was the best route. This is why clear pre-shoot communication and planning are pivotal. Model comfort is key. if not, it will be glaringly obvious in their body language and facial expression. Similarly, never try and cajole a photographer into doing something they are not comfortable with. 

I let Bella take the lead and as with our earlier shoots, everything flowed very naturally. I chose nature and colour for the maternity-specific frames, mono for added mystery/intensity using the urban backdrop. Ultimately, both of us were pleased with the results.