WHEN IS THE BEST TIME FOR MATERNITY PHOTOS?

If you’re here, chances are you’re in the thick of pregnancy planning and trying to figure out when is the best time for maternity photos. As an experienced Melbourne maternity photographer, this is the one question I get asked the most.

Let’s dive into the two crucial “when” questions that’ll help make your maternity shoot a beautiful, relaxed experience, rather than a chore!

1)  What is the ideal week of pregnancy to do your maternity shoot?
2)  When do you really need to book your maternity session? 

When is the ideal time to shoot your baby bump? 

The timing of your pregnancy shoot is crucial not only to how your photos will look, but also to how you’ll feel during your maternity photoshoot. 

I recommend Week 28 to Week 34
My recommendation and the timing I find consistently delivers the best results for my Melbourne mums is to aim for your maternity session to fall between week 28-34 of your pregnancy. It’s that sweet spot where you looking and feeling pregnant, but you’re not yet too uncomfortable.

Your bump is looking it’s best
By this stage of your pregnancy, your bump is beautifully round and very prominent, but it is unlikely to have dropped yet, giving you the most flattering profile, especially for beautiful side-on silhouette shots.

As your pregnancy progresses, your baby might engage (drop lower into your pelvis), changing the shape of your bump completely, which can sometimes appear less flattering in photos.

You won’t be exhausted
This is typically when you still feel your best! You’ll still have the energy to move around, hold poses, get up and down and most importantly, enjoy the process.

As you move past 35 weeks, many mum-to-be’s experience a decline in comfort and become fatigued easily as baby grows and sleep may become harder and harder to come by.

Minimal swelling
Scheduling within this window helps us avoid water retention and swelling (think cankles and puffy fingers) that can affect how you look and feel later in your pregnancy. As hands are pretty prominent in maternity photos, most mums-to-be still want to be able to wear their rings in their photos.

More wardrobe options (especially for my studio gown collection)
You’ll have more flexibility in what fits, looks good and feels comfortable to wear during this window

Gives you a safety buffer
Booking earlier means we have a safety net just in case your little one decides to make an early entrance.

If your preference is for an outdoor maternity session, booking your photoshoot in for after 35 weeks may limit the possibiltiy of rescheduling. Melbourne’s fickle weather can often result in outdoor maternity sessions needing to be postponed, which is hard to do with a short time frame to work with before your due date.

Pro Tips
For experienced Mums: If this isn’t your first baby, your bump may show earlier. I suggest ladies who already have at least one child aim for the earlier end of the window, around Week 28-32.

For Mums expecting multiples: If your pregnancy includes twins or triplets, aim for earlier in your pregnancy. Your bump will obviously grow faster and bigger and you’ll likely deliver earlier, so the ideal timing often moves toward weeks 22 to 26.

When to actucally book your Melbourne maternity photographer

Now you’ve got a good understanding of when the best time to book your shoot for, you don’t want to leave booking your maternity shoot till too late. 

The ideal booking window to secure a date to be photographed by me is Week 12 – 20
The ideal time to secure your session with me is early in your second trimester, ideally between Week 12 and Week 20. Booking this early lets you choose a date in your ideal window instead of squeezing into a remaining slot.

Why booking early is preferable

Limited Spots
High-quality, experienced photographers (like myself!) can only take a limited number of sessions each month. My prime weekend and golden hour dates often book out 2-3 months in advance.

Newborn Priority
If you plan on booking a newborn and maternity package (which is the most popular option!), booking early ensures I can reserve you spots on both my maternity and the newborn calendar. This is the absolute safest way to guarantee I’m available for both milestones in the ideal shooting windows.


What if you’ve “left it too late?”
If you’re 35+ weeks and only just thinking about maternity photos, you’re not alone – this happens all the time! 
The good news is: Beautiful maternity photos are still possible, even at 38–40 weeks. I always do my best to squeeze in a last-minute maternity session, especially on weekdays or in the evenings. Just keep in mind your date flexibility will be limited.

Here’s my 3rd insider tip around timing of maternity shoots you might not have considered yet….the best time of day for your maternity shoot may fall during work hours AND your maternity leave probably won’t start until after this ideal shooting window of 28-34 weeks. As weekends tend to book out weeks, if not months, in advance, this can make securing a date with your dream photographer a challenge.

So, when is the best time of day for your maternity shoot?

Outdoor maternity shoots
Outdoor maternity shoots work best at sunrise or in the late afternoon/early evening. This is known as ‘golden hour’, when the light is soft, warm, diffused and the most flattering.

Studio Maternity Shoots
When booking, don’t forget that most mums-to-be don’t go on mat leave until after the ideal 28-34 week window, and your partner/husband will be working. This can make booking during the day on a weekday tricky!

I offer a flexible scheduling solution for working parents – weekday mornings, afternoons and early evenings are all possibilities in my studio.

If you feel fresh and most energised first thing in the mornings so are thinking of booking a morning shoot don’t forget to factor in time to do your hair and make-up. You don’t want to be getting up at the crack of dawn and rushing around with limited time to do it. To ensure you arrive relaxed, I usually suggest a late morning start (or coming in the afternoon).

Booking a late afternoon/early evening shoot means you won’t have to take time off work or sacrifice a precious weekend day (you’ll be needing those to set up your nursery and shop for all the things that come with having a baby).

A BONUS of booking an early evening shoot is they make a great date night experience! You’re all done up, so it’s a great excuse to make a night of it and head out somewhere nice afterwards for dinner together, or go and relax at the movies before they become a thing of the past once baby arrives!

Ready to lock in a Maternity Photoshoot?

My calendar for this 2025/2026 summer season is filling up quickly. I’d hate for you to miss out on capturing this incredible milestone with me as your maternity photographer, so give me a call to chat more about my maternity sessions or click the GET IN TOUCH button below to send me a message.