If you are a pregnant mama who is expecting a baby in early spring, it means that the best timeframe for having your maternity photos taken is during winter time. I recommend scheduling maternity photos when you are between 28-32 weeks pregnant. Here in Lancaster, PA the colder months are typically November through February. Herr Park is one of my favorite locations for winter photo sessions and I recommend checking it out!
While you may prefer a studio or indoor option such as a greenhouse or your own home, there are also some really lovely outdoor winter photo shoot locations if you’re up for braving the cold and are up for the adventure. Herr Park is one of my favorite winter photo session locations in Lancaster because of the abundance of evergreen trees. In addition it overlooks some fields and farmlands and gets lovely afternoon sunlight.
My tips for planning an outdoor winter maternity photo session are
1. wear layers
2. take breaks to warm up if needed (hop in the car or put on coats)
3. keep moving
4. plan for late afternoon vs early morning when temperatures are a bit higher
5. bring a blanket to sit on or wrap around one another
This beautiful winter maternity photo session took place in early December and we lucked out with an unusually warm day. The couple brought their dog along and I was happy to incorporate him into photos. I love the textures of the evergreens combined with their neutral colored clothing as well as the dried grasses and carpet of rust colored pine needles.
One thing to note: the parking lot for Herr Park is next to a school and it’s about an 8 minute walk to the large evergreen forest from there. There is a paved walking path that is a loop that will take you to the forest. There is also a disc golf course at the park so you have to be aware of that if you’re taking photos inside the large pine tree forest.
If you’d like to see some of my other favorite Lancaster photo shoot locations throughout the seasons, you can check out my list here.
Melissa Engle Photography offers portrait, family and lifestyle photography in Lancaster, PA. Please contact me if you would like to make some photo magic together!
