Central Illinois Maternity Shoot

Couples

Aug 24

That’s right, a Central Illinois maternity shoot AT THE BEACH. This maternity shoot photographer is catching some waves (well, more like capturing some light movement from the river lol)!!!

maternity shoot photographer, hannah, captured an expecting couple on the beach of the illinois river

From a Couple’s Photoshoot to a Pregnancy Announcement

Wellllllllll.. let’s start towards the beginning. Kat and Chance are a returning couple for me! We had a great time a while back with their 1st Anniversary photos! I was so excited when they booked another shoot with me for—surprise!—their pregnancy announcement! I don’t book tons of shoots like this because so often photographers will bundle them with newborns.

For their announcement photos, we took some cute mom and dad crew photos in the studio! You can tell just how excited they are and it has ME emotional about it.

a view of a sonogram photo through the gap between mom and dad's heads

pregnancy announcement photography—a sonogram photo and a onesie lay together on a canvas dropcloth

an expecting couple hold a sonogram photo and a onesie between them during a pregnancy announcement photoshoot

an expecting couple hold up a sonogram between them

an expecting couple gaze at each other while holding out a sonogram photo

an expectant couple share a kiss as dad points to the sonogram photo

an expecting mom and dad share a smiling glance

an expecting couple laugh together while she holds the sono photo in a studio with a maternity shoot photographer

Life of the Maternity Shoot Photographer

So, of course they booked a maternity shoot too! This shoot was a little bittersweet for me. I do couples photos (and of course, I am a maternity photographer), but I am not a newborn or family photographer. Wrangling littles is not my life’s calling (it’s honestly a shame sometimes because they are all so stinking cute). So, in a way this was one of—if not, my LAST shoot with Kat and Chance!

It has been so heartwarming to be a part of their milestones and watch them go from happy newlyweds to happy expecting parents.

We did two different locations for their maternity shoot. The first was this overgrown field with lots of little wildflowers and a spot to hang a clothesline. I thought this clothesline concept was SO cute! Watching Kat and Chance pin up pin up the tiny onesies and little shorts was so sweet. Their outfits and the bow in her hair fit the vision PERFECTLY. I wanted to find locations that felt different from their anniversary photoshoot to make sure it wasn’t just the same shoot (but this time she is pregnant). I think it’s safe to say we didn’t fail. ;)

an expectant mother stands in a wildflower field for a maternity photoshoot

an expecting mother stands in a wildflower field during a shoot with an Illinois maternity photographer

a close up belly shot from a maternity shoot photographer

an expecting couple clip a baby onesie on a clothing line during a maternity photoshoot

an expecting couple sits on a blanket in the grass under a clothes line with baby boy clothes hanging during a maternity photoshoot

a black and white photo of a mom and dad-to-be nestled together during a session with a maternity shoot photographer

a maternity shoot photographer captures a sweet portrait of an expectant couple on a blanket in a field

an expecting couple pin a baby onesie to a clothes line in a session with a a maternity shoot photographer

Beach Maternity Shoot in Central Illinois

The locations that I found for their maternity shoot feel like a life hack. This “beach” location is an unassuming spot on the banks of the Illinois River. It takes a little bit of vision and a whole lotta trust, but it makes for the sweetest beach side shoot.

Her dress was breezy and they were so smiley. I’m so glad this shoot came together exactly the way that it did.

maternity shoot photographer, hannah, captured an expecting couple in an embrace on the banks of the illinois river

an expecting couple laugh together on the beach

a dad-to-be presses a kiss to his pregnant wife’s forehead during a maternity shoot photographer session

a mom and dad-to-be smile in this portrait from a session with a maternity shoot photographer

Book Your Maternity Shoot

I am so grateful for these two!!! Their trust in my vision is unwavering (literally even when I have them on the ground next to a slightly dirty river). Being a maternity shoot photographer always reminds me how much joy and excitement there is in the world and I am so thankful that I get to capture a little part of it.

If you are on the hunt for a maternity shoot photographer in Central Illinois, I’ll be ya girl. You can always keep up with me on IG! See more from this branding, senior, and maternity shoot photographer on my Instagram.