Hollywood Inspired Maternity Portraits

Sometimes in the business of life, holidays, and obligations, we forget to breathe. When we try to please everyone else, we forget to take care of ourselves. That’s where these Hollywood inspired maternity portraits come in.

In September, I felt a nudge to capture some portraits as I never had before. I decided to step out of my comfort zone and do something different. I posted a model call in the Houston and Galveston area, looking for two expectant mothers to help me capture some unique images.

My Maternity Model

Today I’m revealing some of my favorite photos from my Hollywood-inspired studio shoot. My model, Kelly, has a smile of a starlet and the perfect baby bump! Kelly has never had professional studio maternity portraits taken before. I was excited to give her an experience just like the experience my usual clients have.

She’s expecting her third child. Here’s what she says about it: ” ..every single pregnancy was worth it because I can’t imagine my life without my precious babies. Our bodies can do some really incredible things, and even though I have some battle scars, I’m pretty proud of my body for carrying these babies for 9 months and giving birth.” Kelly herself is a very caring labor and delivery nurse. I truly enjoyed getting to know her.

The Style

Kelly is wearing a maternity photography dress designed by Ana Brandt International. Her sash and jewelry was provided by my studio. I’m proud to offer unique and beautiful maternity gowns, exclusively for my clients’ use. Using our Hollywood-inspired Pinterest board, we focused on bright red lipstick, careful curls, and long lashes. (I’d like to give a special thanks to my makeup artist and licensed cosmetologist, Danielle Schumann, (@d.nic.s) for helping make my vision a reality.)

The Portrait Experience

My photographer inspiration for this shoot was Hollywood photographer, George Harrell. I set up two continuous lights next to a large black backdrop to create the dramatic lighting. Kelly sat on a green velvet chair with carved wooden roses. I even found 1930s and 40s music to set the mood. With my videographer, Leelund Kim, there to capture the session, we captured the classic portraits you see here. Doesn’t Kelly look stunning?

Maternity Photography

To capture even more looks, Kelly also modeled one of my most popular maternity styles…soft, bright light that flatters every expectant mother. This style of photography looks soft and romantic in color, but to fit the style of this session, I decided to feature black and white images. Kelly mentioned having “maternity photos taken is a fun way to celebrate and remember the short time I carried this little guy or girl (it’s a surprise!) in my belly!”

Thank you so much, Kelly, for being my model, and I hope to work with you again!

Lesley’s love of photography started over 8 years ago when she embarked on a quest to become more than just a photo enthusiast. While working as a photojournalist for Texas Tech University’s The Daily Toreador, Lesley built a versatile portfolio, and has had numerous photographs published and featured on several TTU-affiliate websites.

Based in Houston, Texas, Lesley specializes in individual and couples portraits- both outdoors and in-studio. As a pediatric nurse, she has the knowledge and experience to safely work with your newborn . As a competitive Irish dancer, Lesley understands the ins and outs of capturing powerful motion. She’s always looking forward to push creativity and capture your emotion! See her website here.