It was week 27 when Laura first reached out to me. She lives in Alella, in the Maresme area, and had been going back and forth for days about the same thing: she wanted to do her pregnancy photos, but one question was holding her back from everything else.
Her message said exactly this: “I have no idea what to wear.”
It’s the sentence I hear the most before a session. And it makes sense — what to wear for maternity photos isn’t something you think about in your everyday life. But when I get that message, I know I can help. I always give personalised recommendations before the session. I don’t believe in “just bring something neutral and we’ll figure it out.”
From Alella to central Barcelona: the experience starts before you walk into the studio
Laura wasn’t sure it was worth the trip from the coast. Many women who live outside Barcelona have that same doubt. The answer is always the same: there’s a direct train from the Maresme to Plaça de Catalunya. You step off, walk a few minutes surrounded by the buildings and balconies of central Barcelona, and you’re at the studio. No traffic, no stress.
I like the experience to start that way. Arriving already feels like something. That short walk through the city centre is part of the day, not just a step you need to get through.
I suggested three specific looks. And one of them, in particular, changed everything from the start.
Look 1: the denim skirt (and why it’s not always jeans)
When we think about what to wear for maternity photos, the first thing that comes to mind is jeans and a top. It’s comfortable, it’s familiar, it’s what everyone does.
But I suggested she swap the jeans for a denim skirt. It sounds like a small detail, and it is — but visually it’s far more flattering and lets the pregnancy silhouette take centre stage. Jeans cut the line at the waist; the skirt extends it, letting the bump become the focus.
In one of the sets we also worked just with the silhouette, no top, playing with light and the fan’s movement. Skin, the shape of the bump, hair flowing. Clean, strong, editorial images. The skirt had naturally led to that look — and it wouldn’t have worked the same way with jeans.
If you want to explore more options before your session, this article has maternity pose ideas that also help you think about what to wear for each one.
Look 2: lingerie and a white shirt (the classic that always works)
The second look is the one I recommend the most when someone doesn’t know what to wear for maternity photos and wants something simple that always works.
“If you ever wonder what to wear, this combination always works. The shirt adds movement, texture, softness. You can open it, close it, let it fall.” — Tami (Wonderstory)
Comfortable lingerie and a long white shirt. It’s that simple. The shirt gives you options: buttons open, half-closed, falling off one shoulder. Depending on how you wear it, the result can be very soft and natural or more editorial. Plus, white fabric catches light in a way very few other fabrics can.
It worked perfectly for Laura. The look was simple on paper, but the photos had an elegance that speaks for itself.
Look 3: the reinterpretation (when you bring a fashion reference)
Laura arrived with a photo saved on her phone: the famous Gigi Hadid pregnancy shot with the wet dress. She wanted something along those lines — artistic, bold, different.
This happens more often than you’d think. Women come with references from fashion editorials, from Instagram. And I think that’s great. We don’t copy — we take the idea and reinterpret it. In this case, I worked with a wet fabric drape, creating something artistic, elegant, and truly ours. Not an imitation of Gigi Hadid, but something that started from that inspiration and became something that belonged to Laura, her body, her moment.
When she saw that image, I knew it had been worth it. That’s what I’m after with maternity shoot dresses and styling: that the woman sees the photo and thinks “that’s me, but like I’ve never seen myself before.”
You can bring photo references you like. We’ll adapt them to your reality, no pressure.
Michael, Hudson, and the last twenty minutes
At the end of the session, Michael arrived — Laura’s husband. He came with Hudson, their dog. Michael is from London, still not very comfortable speaking Spanish, and not exactly thrilled about posing — a combination that might sound tricky but that I actually welcome.
For Laura, it was important that I could guide him in English. And that’s fine. Barcelona is an international city, and in the studio we work with families from many backgrounds. Adapting to the language is part of the job.
“We worked for just twenty minutes. No stiff poses. No pressure. I asked them to walk, to look at each other, to play a bit with Hudson. I guided them in English, naturally.” — Tami (Wonderstory)
Michael relaxed little by little. Hudson helped — dogs always do, because they give you something to focus on that isn’t the camera. Sometimes the best photos don’t come from a perfect pose, but from a small, real gesture: a look, a hand on the bump while the dog sniffs around.
If you want to know more about preparing that part of the session, here’s a full guide on couple maternity photos.
Every woman, every pregnancy, every look
In a single morning we created two very different things. On one hand, editorial and elegant images for Laura — the denim skirt, the white shirt, the wet drape inspired by Gigi Hadid. On the other, natural, family-oriented, spontaneous photos with Michael and Hudson.
That’s what matters to me. Not imposing a single style, but listening to what each woman wants. Offering ideas if she doesn’t know what to wear for maternity photos. Adapting fashion references to her reality. Thinking about how she gets here, how much time her partner has, whether she’s coming from outside Barcelona, whether she needs easy parking or a direct train connection.
Every session is different. Every woman lives her pregnancy in her own way. And I adapt the looks, the pace, and the ideas to all of that — before you arrive at the studio, not just once you’re in front of the camera.
As Claudia Oliver says in her Google review:
“she helps you beforehand with outfits and during the session, improvising even with a piece of fabric”
That’s exactly it. What to wear for maternity photos isn’t a problem you have to solve on your own. It’s part of what we prepare together.
If you’re thinking about doing your maternity session in Barcelona and don’t know where to start — not even with the looks — get in touch. You can see all the details about maternity photos at our Barcelona studio and book your date whenever you’re ready.
Tami · Photographer and founder of Wonderstory I’ve been capturing real moments in Barcelona for over six years. Every article I write comes from what I experience in the studio with my clients.
