An At Home Maternity Photoshoot in Pasadena with Amanda and Rohan
An At Home Maternity Photoshoot in Pasadena | Amanda + Rohan
Rohan and Amanda’s maternity session took place at their home in Pasadena, only ten days before their baby arrived. They originally reached out because they were drawn to the date night sessions I offer and loved the idea of creating something that felt more like an experience than a traditional maternity photoshoot. They wanted to bring that same feeling into their session, although at first they were not quite sure how it would work.
Eventually, we decided to treat it like a quiet date at home, followed by a short walk around their neighborhood. We moved through the space they had created together, gave them simple things to do, and let the photographs grow naturally from the way they interacted. Rohan is also interested in photography, and Amanda had put so much care into the interior of their home, so the space felt like more than a background. It was already part of their story, and with their baby arriving so soon, everything around them felt especially meaningful.
Keeping the Session Comfortable
Since Amanda was so close to her delivery date, we kept the pace relaxed.I gave them direction when they needed it, but I did not want every photograph to feel formal or overly posed. We moved through the rooms with the best light, created a few portraits, and also left space for quieter moments between them.
Their excitement was already there. My job was simply to notice it and photograph it well.
The Empty Seat
In the middle of the session, an idea came to me.
I asked them, “Why don’t we leave a seat between you?”
Maybe a year or two later, they could recreate the photograph in the same place with their child sitting between them. They would be able to see how much their family had grown and how the space around them had changed.
We all loved the idea.
That photograph became one of my favorites because it was not only about the present. The empty space already represented the person they were waiting to meet.
Amanda and Rohan photographed from behind in their kitchen during a natural maternity shoot
A Home Does Not Need to Be Perfect
Amanda’s interior design made their home especially beautiful, but an at home maternity session does not require a perfectly styled space.
We only need a few areas with good light and enough room to move. A sofa, a window, a hallway, or a quiet corner can be enough.
The goal is not to make your home look like a studio. It is to photograph this part of your life in a place that already means something to you.
Huntington Library Engagement Photos | Michelle & Gabriel walking to The Rose Garden
Amanda and Rohan walking across a Pasadena street with ice cream during their maternity date night photoshoot
Planning an At Home Maternity Session in Pasadena
You do not need to know how to pose before the session. I will guide you while keeping the experience comfortable and natural.
Before the shoot, it can help to clear a few small distractions from the rooms we plan to use, but I still want the home to feel lived in. Clothing can stay simple too. Soft textures, comfortable pieces, and colors that work with the space are usually enough.
The session can include both partners and does not need to feel like a long series of traditional maternity poses. It can be quiet, personal, and connected to the life you are already living together.
Hi, I’m Francis, a photographer based in Pasadena, California
I’m originally from Taiwan and now call Pasadena home. Growing up between cultures shaped how I see connection and family, which is why I’m drawn to honest, unscripted moments. Inspired by film and fueled by homemade matcha, I create images that feel natural and true to you.
Francis Cinema Photography | Pasadena Photographer
Professional portrait photography, couple photography, and candid lifestyle photography in Pasadena, CA. Specializing in capturing timeless, artistic moments at iconic locations like Old Town Pasadena and the Pasadena City Hall.