Can you take maternity photos after 33 weeks?

Yes. A maternity session after 33 weeks is possible, and I photograph women at that stage regularly in my studio. My recommended window is approximately 28 to 32 weeks, because that is when most women feel steadiest on their feet, but arriving later than that window does not mean you have missed anything. It changes how I plan the session, not whether the session is worth doing.

What a session after 33 weeks looks like

The structure is the same as any other session in the studio, and the pacing is different. I plan fewer wardrobe changes, so that your time is spent being photographed rather than dressing. I build the session around seated and supported poses, and I keep standing work short and place it early, while you are freshest. I also plan real breaks into the session, so that sitting down for a few minutes belongs to the plan instead of interrupting it.

• Fewer wardrobe changes than the package allows
• Seated and supported poses as the foundation of the session
• Standing work kept short and placed early
• Breaks planned in rather than improvised
• Small adjustments instead of full changes of position

Fewer looks, chosen more carefully

A package sets the maximum number of looks, not a quota you are required to reach. For a session this late I would rather photograph three looks well than move through five in a hurry. In the studio wardrobe I reach first for gowns and flowing fabrics that go on in one movement, and for bodysuits with simple closures. Color then does much of the work for us: white and cream read soft and airy, black reads classic or dramatic depending on how I light it, and a deep jewel tone gives an editorial result without asking anything more of you physically.

Every pose is directed, and that matters more now

You do not need modeling experience and you do not need to hold anything difficult. I direct the whole session, including posture, the angle of your hips, where your hands rest, your chin and your expression. Later in pregnancy I work in smaller steps. A supported seated pose, turned slightly, with the hands moved and the light changed, produces a great deal of variety and costs you very little. If there is anything you would like me to plan around, tell me when you book and I will build the session that way from the start.

Choosing a package when you book later

Light is a one-hour session with up to three looks and ten retouched images, and it suits a later booking well when you want everything kept simple. Comfort is an hour and a half with up to five looks and twenty retouched images, and your partner and children are included. Premium is two hours with up to seven looks, thirty retouched images and professional hair and makeup, which many women choose at this stage so that they arrive ready and spend none of their own energy on preparation. Hair and makeup may also be added to an eligible package for $399.

Booking and timing

The studio is private and by appointment, at 1220 Melody Lane, Suite 180 in Roseville. A $399 deposit reserves your date, and the balance is due on the day. Unedited proofs reach your private gallery in approximately one to two days, and your retouched photographs are delivered within 21 business days of your selections, so it is worth counting backwards from your due date when you choose a date. Booking Monday through Friday adds two extra edited images with the code WEEKDAY2.

More on timing: when is the best time to take maternity photos