Have you ever taken a moment to really think about and visualize the “before-and-after” of going from pregnant to holding your brand new baby in your arms? As a Newborn Photographer in Kansas City, I often get to see Mama a few weeks before baby is born to document her Maternity Session. Then again within the first few weeks after baby’s arrival. One of my favorite ways to help Mom and Dad visualize such a huge change is by taking “before-and-after” photos throughout their session. I want to share with you a recent session that allowed for multiple opportunities to document in this way!
These photos were only taken 5 weeks apart!
Becca reached out to me expressing her desire to document this last season of her and her husband's relationship before they welcomed baby boy to the party! She booked a Motherhood Bundle since she also knew she wanted me to come back after baby was born for their Lifestyle Newborn Session. We ended up scheduling an In-home Maternity session for comfort, convenience, and the ability to remember the details of the house they had turned into a home together. During the session I quickly realized what an awesome opportunity I had to help create some really amazing “before-and-after” images for them.
How to create iconic before-and-after bump to baby photos:
Before-and-after Maternity to Newborn photos don’t have to be fancy and intricate to be iconic. In fact, sometimes the more simple you keep things the better! The key to being able to truly compare a “before-and-after” is to keep as many variables the same during your session or in one photo as possible. It's not typically realistic to have every single variable exactly the same. Because that's not real life! But when you can keep general consistency...magic happens! 🤩
Here are some tips to know which variables that can impact your images and help you achieve the best before-and-after photos.
1. Wear the same outfit for both sessions!
Or at least something somewhat similar! If you wear the exact same outfit for both sessions it will be easier to compare the difference within the time that has passed. However! It doesn't have to be the exact same outfit to work beautifully. Becca and her husband wore basically the same clothes. The only difference was the color of their shirts. They are the same style as before though! So the images are still super similar and the overall relaxed "I'm in the comfort of my home" vibe is still totally on par!
2. take photos in the same room(s)/location(s).
If your entire session takes place in the same room both times...no worries! You're actually keeping that "same variable" all the more simple. However! It's so fun to be able to use a few different rooms/locations to be able to compare the differences. I loved that we were able to take photos in baby's nursery, in their main living room area, in their entry way, as well as on their front porch! We were super spoiled and ended up having a 50 degree afternoon for their December Lifestyle Newborn session in Kansas City (*C R A Z Y!*)!
3. Have mom and dad pose in a similar stance.
Sitting or standing in the same stance/position also helps keep consistency in your images. Oftentimes I don't want couples/families to feel overly posed or like they have to stay super still during their session. So I'll have them start in the same pose, take the photo, then prompt them through to something different so they don't stay here for long! In each image you'll notice they aren't I D E N T I C A L. That's intentional. If I had them stand/sit/do EXACTLY what we did before it would be awkward. This also allows for everyone to see the natural change that has happened within their lives from before baby was born to now.
incorporating before-and-after bump to baby photos is fun but never the focus:
These images were posed and prompted throughout their session to help compare the beauty of change within such a short period of time. There were far more photos taken in-between the images above that help show more fully the love this sweet family has between one another. Below you'll find more of my favorite photos from their In-Home Maternity Session as well as their In-Home Lifestyle Newborn Session.
Fall In-Home Maternity Session
Winter In-Home Lifestyle Newborn Session
The best way to achieve before-and-after's is to bundle!
If you're looking for a Newborn Photographer in Kansas City I offer a Motherhood Bundle Package that can include a session for a Pregnancy Announcement, Gender Reveal, Maternity, Fresh-48, and/or Lifestyle Newborn. The bonus to bundling sessions not only includes being able to easily document these iconic before-and-after photos but it also includes a discounted price on each individual session as well as a discount on a full gallery purchase.
Don't hesitate to ask your photographer whether they offer a similar bundled package in order to achieve photos similar to these!
To schedule your Motherhood Bundle with Kaitlyn Law Photography, simply tap on that "book my bundle" button below!
