A Montgomery Newborn Photographer Tells Her Styling Secrets

As a Montgomery newborn photographer I am asked all the time from mamas and mamas to be what to wear for their session. Well, spoiler, you don’t have to worry about that with me. You can just borrow from my extensive studio wardrobe! But here’s the thing. There are possibly other events to attend or maybe you aren’t one of my clients and you do have to choose your own wardrobe. I’m going to try to help you feel confident in your new body by walking you through my secrets to looking for post partum clothing that will have you feeling your best.

Montgomery newborn photographer

Steer clear of clingy fabric. When I’m seeking out clothing for my mamas I am paying close attention to fabric choice. Is it slinky? pass. Does it cling tightly to the skin? pass. The reason behind this is because light plays a huge part in my job. How it dances around my clients and highlights their beauty can just as easily creep around and draw attention to a less loved feature. These clingy fabrics will only make this worse. Lets be honest….a post partum body has a lot of lumps and bumps. And while you can be proud of what your body has done, and simultaneously not want that highlighted. I look for dresses that are high quality flowy fabrics. Think cotton viscose, tulle, ramie, etc. anything that will drape off the body with ease and comfort. This also adds an incredible element of delicacy and romance to your images. And the way the light plays with these fabrics? Oh heavens. It’s amazing.

Empire waists are usually a great choice. Here’s the thing. You have been carrying a ~8 pound human around in your midsection for a while now. By the time you see your montgomery newborn photographer for your session your waist is just not going to be down to the size you were before. And that’s ok! So lets not try to squeeze you into something that doesn’t fit. An empire waist is a great way to do this. It leaves a lot of room for your body to breath and is really versatile. It’s also incredibly flattering. At this point in your recover, your ribcage is likely the smallest part of your frame. Lets capitalize on that! Using an empire waist leads the mind to believe what they want about the rest of your silhouette based off of our assumptions about the human body. So when you’ve highlighted your ribcage and let the rest be a mystery, the mind assumes the best. Win win.

Montgomery newborn photographer

Look for lots of gathers. This can go wrong fast. You don’t want so much fabric that you feel like you’re drowning and you’ve added 10 pounds because there is so much fabric. But you also do not want to have a dress with zero gathers at the waist. It’s not the time for that. When I’m looking for a dress for mamas to wear postpartum I’m often looking at things that would also work well on a pregnant mama. Finding a dress with gathers at the waist will allow for a wide range of body types and is super versatile. So no need to know exactly what your body will look like after you’ve had that sweet babe. It will most likely work out

Get a binder. When all else fails, don’t be ashamed of getting an abdominal binder. As a Montgomery newborn photographer I actually have one in my studio wardrobe that will fit a wide range of sizes. It’s great because not only does it help you feel confident in your images but it also adds a little security to your muscles. Your abdominal muscles have literally been torn apart and separated. So your core is just not what it once was. There are many cultures where abdominal binding after having a baby is standard procedure. I also love it for your images because even if you are fit as a fiddle and down to your pre-pregnancy size, it helps with posture. Your spine and back has also gone through a lot and it might be difficult to sit and stand up straight for the duration of your session.

Making the right choice for your Photoshoot

The last secret is choosing the right photographer. This is huge. Without skill and training a novice photographer can make you look about 20 pounds heavier in about 2 seconds flat. However, having been a Montgomery newborn photographer for a while now I have seen all types of mamas in my studio. And let me just say they are all incredibly beautiful. Do not forget that. You are beautiful, mama. This new body might be difficult to come to grips with, but the only thing anyone else sees is your beauty and your fierce mom-ness. Focus on that and you will love every image that celebrates you and your wee little one. ♡

If you are thinking about hiring a Montgomery newborn photographer I would absolutely love to have a chat with you about an experience with me. I am so very passionate about not only getting your memories printed for your home but also serving you. You have enough on your plate right now. Lets not let those images sit unseen on a USB drive, but lets also not add another thing to your to-do list. From the details of picking outfits to designing to delivery, I will handle it all so you don’t have to. In order to give my clients this luxury service, I only take a limited number of clients per month so contact me as soon as possible to get on my calendar.

If you’ve enjoyed this blog post, you might also enjoy reading these:

Virginia Schultz is a published Birmingham newborn photographer specializing in motherhood storytelling and custom heirloom artwork for busy and stylish moms in central Alabama and the River Region. From handmade albums to exquisite, museum-worthy frames, her passion is to serve clients by designing artwork for them that will last generations. From handmade albums to exquisite, museum-worthy frames your memories deserve to be seen.

You can see my work featured on the cover of the August 2022 magazine and the September 2022 magazine.

What to Wear for your Session | Montgomery Newborn Photographer

Montgomery newborn photographer

Montgomery newborn photographer

Making the right choice for your Photoshoot