Happy almost Mother’s Day to all moms, mother figures, and soon-to-be moms! Knowing the baby could come this month is surreal. As we get closer to our due date, the word, parent, is starting to set in. But before my wife brings our little one into this world, I organized a maternity shoot for her.

A few weeks ago, Fatima said that she never got to enjoy looking pregnant. Besides her bumpies and photos from her baby showers, she didn’t have any other photos of herself. Well, I have a ton, but they’re not the most flattering. So I looked at her and said, “We’re doing a maternity shoot.”

The perfect photographer for this maternity shoot was me.

I told her I wanted to do a few black and white shots and some in color. One of our favorite spots in Central Park is the Conservatory. In the spring, the trees and flowers start to bloom and it looks beautiful. You should check it out if you’re ever in the city. I knew this had to be one of our locations. She worried the shoot would look too staged and cheesy, but I assured her she’d be with a fantastic photographer, me.

We love candid photos. Ones that look ‘in the moment’ and not too staged. To achieve this, here are some simple tips to keep in mind.

Tips for taking your own photos:

• Show your personality through your clothes, expressions, and poses.
• Try to get a photographer you know or feel comfortable around. This helps you feel more relaxed and it comes out in your photos. Fatima felt awkward taking pictures in front of so many tourists in Central Park, especially when they just stood there and watched. I knew how to find her focus and we were able to tune out everyone else.
• Show off the bump!
• Be yourself. It’s hard to do this when you’re thinking about how you’re standing, if you’re smiling, and whether or not you’re blinking. But being yourself has a way of showing through any photo.

The goal of this maternity shoot was to capture Fatima’s beautiful spirit, love for our child, and her warming smile. Here are some of the approved shots I’m allowed to share.

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