When is the best time to take maternity photos?

::: If you're looking for the quick answer its 30-32 weeks :::

In my professional experience photographing pregnancies, the best time to plan your maternity photo session is when you are 30-32 weeks, which is  approximately 7 ½ months into your pregnancy. At this time, the baby's gender is typically known and can be utilized in choosing colors and props for your session. The size of your tummy increases the most in the third trimester, and for most women at 32 weeks, it is symmetrical and round. If you wait until your belly is larger, the baby tends to sit very low or rests on one side creating an asymmetrical appearance. You also don't want to wait too long to schedule your session in case of early delivery. By taking your photos earlier in you pregnancy your energy will last you through a longer photo shoot. My maternity sessions typically last between one and two hours with multiple wardrobe changes and lighting adjustments. 

Kimi's Maternity Progression at 30 Weeks

17 weeks through 30 weeks

I have been following Kimi's pregnancy since she was 17 weeks along, and still barely showing. We have had four progressive sessions, each of them matching wardrobe, poses, and lighting, so that I can edit a seamless sequence like the one shown above. Our first session took the longest of them all because it was when we were deciding which outfits would work with which backgrounds, and just how many variations of each we wanted to have. All of our following sessions have gone much smoother and flow from one setup into the next without much fumbling and wondering if we're doing the right thing

The consistency is good for matching session to session, but can become tedious when that's all you are photographing. The funnest part of our progression is when our repetitive poses are complete and we have a chance to try new ideas and experiment with poses, wardrobe and props. I like to collaborate with my subjects to come up with ideas that we both agree would work for their personalities, and of course are flattering to them.

Kimi has been great all around to have as a model for her pregnancy. She brought many of her own outfits to use, but also utilizes the props and wardrobe I have on hand. I like to have a variety of fabric, cute tops and props to cater to any of my maternity subjects. Many of these props are also the same I use for beauty and boudoir photography sessions as well.

You can find more composites and recent poses from our sessions below...

Baby Riley's First PhotoShoot

Riley was born in November, and was brought in for her first photo session at five weeks old.

I photographed her mother at 28 weeks as part of a maternity before and after progression series.

You can find photos of her pregnancy in earlier posts on this blog, here and here.

We tried several different outfits, hats, and poses while changing the backdrop and props during Riley's photo session. In addition to her solo photos, we also photographed Riley with her siblings, and with the whole family.

You can find more beautiful photos of Riley below:

Maternity: Before & After for Nancy

Capturing a moment in someone's life is one of the best gifts you could ever give them.

Capturing two moments that span such a dramatic change as pregnancy is even better.

Nancy was 28 weeks into her pregnancy when we had our first of two sessions to document her pregnancy. She had two children previous to this pregnancy and knew exactly which week she wanted to be photographed. This proved to be the biggest benefit of our photo session, we were able to achieve dozens of poses with different wardrobe and background combinations. I could not have asked for a better model. She was full of energy and ideas, and willing to try poses I had never attempted before.

Although we spent most of our second session photographing the baby by herself, I wanted to get at least this one before & after pose of Nancy wrapped in purple, cradling her tummy, and then holding the baby. I was able to use the same background for each and with a little editing magic, combined the two images into a side by side composite.

I have included a few other images from the second set below: 

Armenta Family Album

This wonderful family came to me for portraits and wanted to include all three generations in the photo. Here we have grandma and grandpa, their three children, two spouses, and four grand-children. Eleven people in total in my tiny little studio. It was a juggling act to get all the different combinations of family members photographed. We met on December 23, to allow for those who lived further away to be able to travel here for Christmas. We were able to schedule this session on short notice, and create many beautiful images.

Below are my personal favorites from our photo session.

Melissa - Pinup

Melissa in her red corset showing off her tattoo

I met Melissa a few months ago, and asked her if she would model for me. She has an alternative look that lends itself to pinup photography and she was a natural model. We spent almost two hours shooting with different outfits and backgrounds, creating some amazing images. I have so many fantastic shots of her, I have had a difficult time narrowing down the best of the best to share with you here. She brought an assortment of her own wardrobe, but also raided my props and used them to create an even better array of photos. 

I have included an assortment of my favorite poses and composites from our session:

Family Portraits

This Christmas, all this mom wanted was a new family photo with everyone smiling.

I was happy to help her get her Christmas card photos done in time to print and send to friends and family. We also took the time to photograph everyone individually, and with a few different group combinations.

I have included a small sampling of the session below. These are my top picks from over 400 images shot during their photo session.

Bringing an Idea to Life

 If you could see through someone's clothes, would you be surprised to see a tattoo like this?

For this session, I had a very specific idea in mind:
To use a picture frame as if it were an x-ray, looking through her dress.

The trick to it all, is to photograph her in exactly the same pose, both with and without her dress. I explained to her, that to make it work, she couldn't move her feet between each photo. She had to change out of her dress without moving her feet from her original pose. We managed to match the angle of her body, the picture frame, and her arms for each reference photo. Creating the final image required blending three separate photographs. One image of her holding the picture frame and wearing the dress, the next of her in the same pose holding the picture frame nude, and the final of her without the frame focusing on the tattoo.

Find a few more edited shots from this session below...

Showing Off Your New Tattoo

Samantha and I met last spring while she was taking a digital photography course at San Juan College, where I assist with all the photography classes. She started this tattoo midway through the spring semester, and only just recently was able to complete all the coloring and shading on her arm. After several attempts to get together for a photo session, we were finally able to arrange to meet.

I wanted to get as many views of the tattoo as we could manage. Changing lighting, posing, and backgrounds several times through the session. The resulting images are fantastic, and show off her ink beautifully. I wish I could share more of them here, the entire session was a complete success.

Outdoor Studio Photography

Would you like to have the option to take your portraits outdoors?

I have the equipment to make it happen. During this particular photo session, I had my camera around my neck and a light stand in each hand, walking through the park. I was able to set up a studio within moments of finding a suitable location.  In the image above, I had one flash aimed at the kids in the background, and another for their mother who was sitting much nearer to me. The light on their hair was the setting sun and added a beautiful glow to each of them.

From Maternity to Mommy with Chenisse

Beginning our sessions when she was nine weeks along, this lovely young woman had a photo session at different stages during her pregnancy. We arranged to use the same wardrobe, backgrounds, and lighting to document her complete pregnancy. Since the birth of her daughter at the end of August, she now has a priceless set of images documenting a time in her life that has changed her from a young woman into a mother.

Capturing a Moment in Time with Maternity Photography for Nancy

How would you like to document your pregnancy with magazine quality images?

With careful attention to lighting and posing, you can have exactly that

I schedule two hours for a maternity session, allowing for different backgrounds, lighting, and wardrobe changes to achieve many different looks. In the image above, this lovely mom-to-be made use of a swing I have installed inside my studio. I set up the lights and changed the background, and all she had to do is swing. The shot is not posed, it is a moment of joy as she swung back and forth, truly enjoying herself

Cherry Brandi - Glamorous on Location

I had the great fortune to work with Cherry Brandi for a second time. We wanted to create a different feel and a new look for her with this photo session. After deciding to shoot outdoors, I scouted several locations and decided on three where we could shoot. The first is literally in my backyard. Or rather the backyard space at my studio.

Behind the Scenes of a Simple Headshot

 
I would like to offer a behind the scenes look in my studio, with a how-to guide for this lovely portrait. My intention was to create an evenly lit head shot, with a dark (but not black) background.

Now, for the shot and a description of the setup,

Local shutterbug mixes skill with passion in his photography

This past January, I was featured in the Daily Times in Farmington, NM.
The following is the article as it appeared in the paper:

Local shutterbug mixes skill with passion in his photography

Photography is for some, a profession, and for others, a hobby. For Farmington photographer Adam Telford, it's both. Telford became interested in photography in 1997, during his senior year in high school. He served on the yearbook staff where he was responsible for taking most of the photos that were to be included.

"It was the first time I went out of my way to take photos," Telford said in an interview Tuesday, "rather than just snapshots."

Telford's affinity for the medium came naturally, though he continued to improve his abilities by taking classes. During his first semester of college at San Juan College, he took a black and white photography class taught by Jim Burgess. "I became so intrigued by the process, that I continued to take advanced courses taught by him and learn new techniques in the darkroom," he said. "Over the last two years, I have continued to learn more about the use of flash in photography through online tutorials and photo sharing websites."

Telford said he has a number of small, portable flash units that can be used for photo sessions, both in the studio or out on location, that he has become comfortable using through these online learning sessions.

Local Paper Recommends Natural Images by Adam

The Talon, a local paper in Aztec, NM, has featured my business in the Area's Best Business Review in the July edition:

Preserving memories in your life with distinctive portraiture is the specialty of NATURAL IMAGES BY ADAM, located at 302 East Main Street, Downtown Farmington, inside Artifacts Gallery. You can contact them by phone: (505) 716-0719, email: thecameraguy@hotmail.com or browse their portfolios at NATURAL IMAGES BY ADAM on Facebook.
 
"What I do is I bring light-stands and small flash units to set up an outdoor studio. And the best part is its all portable, so I'm not limited to one location. I can create beautiful images in my studio, a local park, or even in your living room. This style of lighting is beautiful and it adds depth with a 3D quality to the images. This is not something you can get from the big-box stores, they have one lighting setup for everyone. I believe every subject requires their own lighting and I offer unique, personalized attention for every session."
 
The editors of this 2012 Area’s Best Business Review suggest that if you have a special event coming up, make an appointment to visit NATURAL IMAGES BY ADAM. Their excellence in this field makes them your best choice when it comes to photography.

If you haven't picked up a copy of the Talon, you can find it online. http://www.aztecnews.com/

Thank you for taking the time to view and appreciate my photography.

For more about me and my photography click here

Has your photographer left you seeing spots?

I have heard complaints about other photographers blinding their subjects with on-camera flash. Shooting an entire session this way can adversely effect the resulting images. If you are already seeing spots from the flash, your expression changes and you start to anticipate the next flash and flinch before each photo is taken.

That is where I come in:  I move my lights away from the camera so you may not even notice when they do flash. I have received compliments for this technique and how much nicer it is not to be blinded every time I take a photo.  Shooting outdoors is even better using this technique. It adds a 3-D quality to the photos giving a depth you can't get with natural light alone. It also helps to balance the background light with your portrait, instead of having an over-exposed background in your portrait, or an unintentional silhouette with a properly exposed background. I use my portable lighting equipment to give you beautifully balanced outdoor portraits like the images below:

You can keep every image from your photo session!

How would you like to have a relaxed 2-hour photo session in your own home with a photographer who customizes the lighting to suit your individual needs? From me, you will receive a full digital copy of the entire session with selected images edited at no additional cost. A typical session will produce between 150 - 200 images, including all the silly expressions and quirky poses that define your personality. You don't have to choose which ones to keep, they're all included.

The big box stores offer a great price on portrait photography. Unfortunately what you get is a rushed 15 minute photo session, a huge package of a single pose that you may or may not like, with a single lighting setup that doesn't change for anyone. And if you want the rest of the photos they shot, its really gonna cost you. ::UPDATE:: Since writing this post, it seems that most of the big-box stores have closed their portrait studios. I have found that most small studios are still intent on up-selling prints and digital services to make more money from  you. I continue to offer one price for your photo session with the full digital copy included in that cost.

How many photos below would you want to hang on your wall? But how many show the character and personality of this boy? During my sessions, I encourage silliness and goofing off between the formal, smiling portraits. There is no extra cost to snapping these in-between expressions, and they tell such a great story.

So what if you want to take your photos outside or at a special location? The session cost is the same, only a small travel fee will be applied for locations outside the Farmington city limits. And I bring my studio lights with me to that location. You still get customized lighting, you still get a 2-hour session time, and you still get to keep all the images from the photo session. Travel time is not deducted from your session's shooting time.

Thank you for taking the time to view and appreciate my photography.

For more about me and my photography click here

Cherry Brandi - A Burlesque Beauty

I recently had the good fortune to photograph a beautiful young woman who recently moved here from Chicago. She had been a burlesque dancer, and wanted to get new images for her portfolio and website. We spent two hours shooting, allowing her wardrobe changes and different lighting setups. At the conclusion of our session, we had nearly 700 images to choose from. It was quite a challenge to narrow it down from that, but I scaled it back to 250, and then again to 135. She was able to choose 24 from that set and will use those for her website. She also maintains a profile on Model Mayhem, her model number is 729493.

Location shooting does NOT mean bad results

I recently photographed a self help group during their meeting in a small office. The space I used was 8 feet square with 9 foot ceilings, and fluorescent lighting. I had fifteen minutes to set up a backdrop and my lights before the ladies started arriving. Each of these women sat for their portraits for five minutes or less. I was able to achieve a quality result that looks nothing like the office where they were photographed. You'd never know the circumstances of the session just by looking at the photos.