Yana Skakun
Journal / Maternity
Maternity Photography Tips
Articles, guides and tips from Yana Skakun Photography — Cambridge & England.
16 articles in Maternity
Maternity
30 June 2026·6 min read
Best Time for Maternity Photos: A Week-by-Week Guide
When to have your maternity session, why 28–34 weeks is the optimal window, how seasons affect your choices, and when to book your photographer.
Read More
Maternity
24 June 2026·7 min read
Bump Photography: A Complete Guide to Maternity Sessions
When to book, what to wear, where to shoot, and what makes a great bump photo session — a complete photographer's guide to maternity photography.
Read More
Maternity Tips
27 May 2026·8 min read
What to Wear for Pregnancy Announcement Photos
Pregnancy announcement photographs need to communicate joy, anticipation, and the significance of the moment. This guide covers timing, what she should wear, couple and sibling shots, props, and what to avoid.
Read More
Maternity Tips
17 May 2026·9 min read
What to Wear for a Gender Reveal
A gender reveal photograph depends on colour contrast — the neutral before and the pink or blue eruption after. This guide covers the parents-to-be, guests, existing children, and every reveal format.
Read More
Maternity Tips
13 April 2026·9 min read
What to Wear for a Baby Shower: Mum-to-Be, Hosts & Guests Guide
The mum-to-be is the centrepiece; what guests wear shapes whether the images are cohesive. A complete guide to baby shower photography outfits — from mum's look to guest palette guidance.
Read More
Maternity
24 March 2026·5 min read
Maternity vs Newborn: Should You Book Both?
Maternity and newborn sessions each capture a very different and irreplaceable moment. Together they tell the complete story of your pregnancy and new arrival — but how do you decide whether to book one or both? An honest breakdown.
Read More
Maternity
24 March 2026·5 min read
Second Pregnancy Maternity Photos: Including Your Toddler
A second pregnancy maternity session tells a completely different story — one that includes the toddler who's about to become a big sibling. Tips for weaving your child into the session naturally and capturing the anticipation they may not fully understand.
Read More
Maternity
24 March 2026·5 min read
Gender Reveal Photography: Creative Ideas UK
Gender reveals have evolved from simple cake-cutting to elaborate events worth photographing professionally. Creative ideas for UK gender reveals — from powder explosions and balloon drops to understated intimate moments worth capturing.
Read More
Maternity
23 March 2026·5 min read
Pregnancy Announcement Photo Ideas 2026
A pregnancy announcement photo is the first image you'll share of your growing family — it should be as unique as your relationship. Creative, heartfelt and altogether non-clichéd ideas for announcing your news in 2026.
Read More
Maternity
23 March 2026·5 min read
Maternity Photography at Home: Intimate and Relaxed
Home maternity sessions have a warmth and intimacy that outdoor or studio sessions rarely achieve. In the rooms where your baby will actually live, surrounded by the details of your real life — this is documentary bump photography at its most honest.
Read More
Maternity
23 March 2026·5 min read
Maternity Photo Dresses: What to Wear for Bump Portraits
The right dress can elevate a maternity shoot from nice to extraordinary. Flowy fabrics, off-shoulder styles and stretch lace all work beautifully — while structured office wear rarely does. Everything you need to know about dressing for bump portraits.
Read More
Maternity
22 March 2026·5 min read
Partner Maternity Photos: Including Your Partner in the Session
Maternity portraits don't have to be solo bump shots. Including your partner transforms the session into a document of the two of you becoming three — tender, connected images that tell the whole story of this chapter.
Read More
Maternity
22 March 2026·7 min read
Outdoor Maternity Photography: Best Locations UK
Natural outdoor settings give maternity portraits a sense of scale and freedom that a studio simply can't match. A guide to choosing the best outdoor locations for bump photography across England — from rolling hills to coastal paths.
Read More
Maternity
22 March 2026·6 min read
Maternity Photoshoot Ideas for Every Season
Each season offers a completely different setting for maternity portraits — from the wildflower meadows of summer to the frost-edged fields of winter. Ideas for seasonal maternity shoots that feel timeless rather than trendy.
Read More
Maternity Tips
12 March 2026·6 min read
What to Wear for Maternity Photos: Beautiful Bump Outfit Ideas
Outfit choice is one of the most tangible preparations you can make for a maternity session. A practical guide to what photographs well — flowing dresses, colours that work, and what to avoid.
Read More
Maternity Tips
12 March 2026·8 min read
Maternity Photoshoot: When, Where & What to Wear
The timing, location, and outfit choices for your maternity photoshoot all affect the outcome significantly. A complete guide covering the optimal pregnancy week, best locations, and what actually photographs well.
Read More
Maternity Photography Advice From Cambridge
Expecting and wondering when and how to book your maternity session? This section gathers practical, tested advice from a photographer who has photographed expectant mothers across Cambridgeshire and beyond — from the best week of pregnancy to book, to what to wear, to choosing between an outdoor or in-home session.
Whether you're planning a solo session, want your partner and children included, or you're already thinking ahead to newborn photos, these guides will help your session go smoothly and feel like you.
Read the full guide
Maternity sessions are one of my favourite things to photograph — there's a particular stillness to this stage of pregnancy that doesn't come back. These guides cover the practical decisions: timing, location, wardrobe, and who to bring along, so your session runs smoothly and the photos actually feel like your family.
The Best Week to Book Your Maternity Session
In my experience, 28 to 34 weeks is the sweet spot for most expectant mothers. Your bump is well-defined by this point but you're not yet at the stage where standing for an hour feels exhausting or swelling has changed how your rings and shoes fit. I always tell my clients to enquire around 6-8 weeks before their due date, but confirm the actual date once they pass 26 weeks — good outdoor slots around Cambridge fill quickly in spring and early autumn. If you're expecting twins or have had a complicated pregnancy, aim earlier, around 26-28 weeks, since twin pregnancies often progress faster than singles. Always check with your midwife before committing to a date, particularly if you're planning anything active like walking through long grass or climbing over stiles at a meadow location.
Outdoor vs In-Home Sessions in England's Climate
England's weather means you need a plan B, and I build that into every maternity booking. Outdoor sessions give you soft, diffused light and a real sense of place — a meadow at golden hour photographs beautifully and needs almost no editing. But they're weather-dependent, and heavily pregnant clients often don't want to be caught in a sudden downpour a mile from the car. In-home sessions solve this: soft natural window light, no travel, and the ability to include everyday details — the nursery, a favourite armchair, the dog. My honest advice is to book outdoor from April to September when evenings are long and warm, and in-home from October to March. If your due date sits right on that boundary, I'll always offer a flexible hybrid slot with an indoor backup nearby.
What to Wear for Maternity Photos
Flowing fabrics photograph best because they move with you and skim rather than cling — think jersey maxi dresses, chiffon overlays, or a fitted underlayer with a loose open robe or cardigan over the top. Avoid stiff structured fabrics and anything with a tight waistband that leaves a mark. For colour, I steer clients towards muted, warm tones — terracotta, sage, dusty blue, cream — because they sit well against both Cambridge's green parkland and a neutral indoor backdrop, and they won't fight with your partner's or children's outfits. Solid colours photograph more timelessly than busy prints. Bring two outfit options: one fitted to show your shape, one flowing for movement shots. And don't forget comfortable flat shoes you can slip off — bare feet in a meadow always look more natural than sandals.
Including Your Partner and Existing Children
Some of the images clients treasure most aren't solo bump portraits but the ones with their partner's hands resting on the bump, or an older sibling pressing an ear to hear the baby. I always build in a dedicated 10-15 minutes for these family moments rather than treating them as an afterthought. For partners, simple prompts work best — a forehead-to-forehead moment, a quiet walk hand in hand — rather than posed stiffness. With toddlers and young children, keep their portion short and unstructured; five genuine minutes of them running around or being tickled beats twenty minutes of forced sitting still. Coordinate outfits loosely rather than matching exactly — same colour family, different textures, works far better on camera than identical outfits, which can look staged.
Golden-Hour Maternity Locations Around Cambridge
For outdoor sessions I most often recommend three spots. The Cambridge University Botanic Garden gives structured, varied backdrops — the winter garden, the lake, and the wildflower meadow all photograph differently, and the entry fee is worth it for the range you get in one visit. Grantchester Meadows offers open grassland and the River Cam, with golden hour light coming in low and warm across the fields from roughly May to August. For something closer to woodland, Coton Countryside Reserve has dappled tree-lined paths that work well if you want dappled backlight rather than the harder open-field light. I always book these for the final hour before sunset — check exact timing weekly, as it shifts fast through spring and summer, and arrive 20 minutes early to scout the light before we start.
Pairing Maternity With Newborn Photography
I always encourage clients to think of maternity and newborn sessions as two chapters of the same story rather than separate bookings. Booking both together, ideally before the baby arrives, means you lock in a newborn slot during the unpredictable first-two-weeks window, when availability is tightest and due dates shift. It also means continuity — the same locations, tones, or the same armchair from the maternity session can reappear in the newborn images, which makes the two sets feel connected rather than disjointed. Practically, I recommend confirming your newborn session provisionally at the same time as your maternity booking, then finalising the exact date once the baby arrives. If you're planning this route, see my Newborn Tips hub for guidance on the best week after birth to book and how to prepare your home for that session.