When to have your pregnancy photos taken
The window falls between week 28 and week 34
weeks 28 to 34Pregnancy photos are best taken between week 28 and week 34. Here I explain why that window, how far in advance it's worth pencilling in the period, and what changes between a session in the studio and one on the beach.
Why are pregnancy photos taken between week 28 and week 34?
Between week 28 and week 34 the bump shows up well in photographs, and you can still stand for a while without getting tired. That's six weeks: within them you choose the day that suits you best.
Before week 28 the bump flattens out in profile, and it reads less clearly in photos than it does in the mirror: the curve that side lighting rests on is missing. From week 34 onwards, changing position takes effort and standing for long periods becomes uncomfortable.
If I had to point to just one spot within the window, I'd go for the middle. That leaves margin if the baby arrives early, and margin if the day we'd chosen for the beach turns to rain.
I'm at week 35, is there still time?
Yes, the session still goes ahead. After week 34 I break it into more sittings and lengthen the breaks, and the photos still come out well.
When you message me, tell me what week you're at and your due date. With those two pieces of information I can tell you straight away which days fall within your window. If the doctor has told you the birth might come early, mention that in the same message.
How far in advance should you book the pregnancy session?
Message me before week 28. We pencil in the period, and we fix the exact day once you're getting close.
During pregnancy, dates shift: a checkup that gets rescheduled, or the weather changing if we'd planned the beach. With the period already pencilled in, moving by three days is just a message.
At week 33 you're still within the window for one week only, and the day is picked from whichever ones are still free. It happens often, and we still go ahead: what you lose is the choice of day.
In the same conversation we can also pencil in the newborn session, if you'd like. That one is booked without a date: it happens in the first 10 to 15 days of life, so the baby decides the day. How the session works is on the newborn photography session page.
Studio or beach: does the season change anything?
In the studio, no: I decide the light, so the session is the same in January as in August. On the beach, yes, because we shoot in the last light, just before the sun touches the sea, and in winter it's too cold at that hour to stand still on the shoreline. If your week 28 falls in December, in practice the studio is what's left.
How the setting changes between studio and beach, I've written on the pregnancy photography session page. The studio is in Trani, at Via Umberto 230: half an hour's drive from Bari, less from Barletta, Bisceglie and Andria.
What to tell me when you message me
What week you're at, your due date, and whether you're picturing the studio or the beach. With those three pieces of information I'll reply with the free days within your window between week 28 and week 34.
If you'd like a quote too, ask for it in the same message: the session is one item, and what you choose afterwards (the files, the prints, the album) is another. The quote keeps them separate.
Frequently asked questions
Is the bump visible enough at week 28?
Yes. By week 28 the shape is already there, and in photographs it reads best in profile, with the light coming from the side. If this is your first pregnancy and it looks small to you, look at yourself in profile in the mirror rather than facing forward: that's what the lens sees. And if you'd rather wait another week, there's room for that within the window.
What should I wear for the pregnancy photos?
Something fitted, in a plain colour. A long jersey dress or a short top shows the shape of the bump, while a loose shirt makes it disappear into the fabric. Small patterns and text draw the eye to the wrong place, and fine stripes look bad when enlarged. If you don't know what to wear, message me before the session and we'll talk it through.
Can the dad come too? And the older sibling?
Yes, both. At the end you'll also have photos of everyone together, which can't be taken again once that particular bump is gone. Tell me beforehand who's coming, so I can plan ahead: how the part with the dad and the siblings works is written on the pregnancy session page.
What if the baby is born before the session?
The pregnancy session is skipped and we move to the newborn one, which has its own window in the first 10 to 15 days of life. Message me as soon as you're home: that second window is shorter than this one, and it's counted from the day of birth, not from the due date.
Pencil in the period, we'll fix the day later
Message me your due date: I'll tell you which days your window falls between and send you the quote. I'm Alessia Zitoli, and the studio is at Via Umberto 230 in Trani.