A Paris maternity photoshoot is a strange and lovely thing to plan. You’re going away precisely because it’s the last easy time to go away, and you know it while you’re doing it.
That’s worth photographing — not a studio maternity session with a draped sheet, but the two of you in a city you chose, at the point where it’s still the two of you.
When in your pregnancy to come
Between 28 and 34 weeks is the window we’d suggest, and most people land around 30 or 31.
Earlier than 28, the bump often doesn’t read clearly in photographs, particularly in a coat. Later than 34 and you’ll be tired, walking is harder, and most airlines start asking questions.
If you’re already past 34 weeks, we can still make it work — shorter session, fewer locations, more sitting. Just tell us, and we’ll plan it properly rather than pretending otherwise.
Flying while pregnant
Nobody writing about Paris maternity photoshoots mentions this, and it’s the thing most likely to derail the trip.
Airline rules vary, and they’re stricter than people expect. Many carriers restrict travel from around 36 weeks for a single pregnancy, and earlier for twins. Several require a doctor’s or midwife’s letter from around 28 weeks confirming your due date and that you’re fit to fly.
Check your specific airline, in writing, before booking anything. The rules differ between carriers; they change, and the policy that applies is the one on the day you fly — not the one you read six months ago. Check the return leg too, since you’ll be further along.
Travel insurance is the other one. Many standard policies exclude pregnancy-related claims after a certain week. Worth reading before you need it.
Our practical advice: book the airline first, then the trip, then us. We’ll fit around whatever your dates turn out to be.
We’re photographers, not medical professionals. Your midwife or doctor is the person to ask about whether to travel at all.
Which locations are comfortable
This is where most maternity advice falls down. Paris is cobbled, hilly in places, and the most photogenic spots are not always the most walkable.
The easiest, and our first recommendations
Parc Monceau. Flat, short distances, benches everywhere, plenty of shade, and lovely at nine or ten in the morning so there’s no sunrise alarm. If you want one recommendation from this page, this is it.
Jardin des Tuileries. Flat, with those green metal chairs scattered throughout so you can sit whenever you like. Gravel underfoot, which is worth knowing. Beautiful in late October when the whole garden turns gold.
Champ de Mars. Flat, grassy, enormous, with the Eiffel Tower behind you. Room to go at your own pace, and somewhere to sit on the grass.
Pont Alexandre III. Short, flat, and the most dramatic backdrop in the city. You can photograph the whole bridge in thirty minutes without walking far.
Café terraces on Rue Saint-Dominique. Sitting is the session. Coffee, an awning, the city waking up around you, and some of the warmest photographs we take.
Workable, with planning
Jardins du Trocadéro for the classic Eiffel Tower view. There are steps, but it’s manageable if we choose the route and you don’t mind a slower pace.
Where we’d steer you away from
Montmartre. Steep, cobbled, and almost entirely stairs. We love it, and we wouldn’t suggest it at 32 weeks.
The lower Seine quays and Bir-Hakeim’s walkway. Both need steps down to reach, and the quays have no easy exit if you’ve had enough.
The narrow residential streets. Lovely, but they involve standing around waiting for traffic to clear, which is more tiring than it sounds.
[All our Paris photoshoot locations, grouped into routes →]
The practical things
Bathrooms. A real consideration and nobody writes about it. Parc Monceau and the Tuileries all have facilities. Café terraces have the obvious advantage. We’ll factor this into the route rather than leaving you to work it out.
Somewhere to sit, always. We plan maternity sessions around resting points rather than around a walking route. You’ll never be more than a minute or two from somewhere to sit down.
Heat. Paris in July and August can be genuinely difficult at 30 weeks. If you’re coming in summer, sunrise isn’t about the light — it’s about being finished before the day gets hot. In winter, the opposite applies, and a warm coat matters more than the outfit under it.
Pace. We go slower. Fewer locations, more time at each, and we stop when you want to stop rather than when the plan says to.
Water and a snack. Bring both. We’ll carry them out of frame.
You can stop early. If you’ve had enough after twenty-five minutes of a thirty-minute session, that’s completely fine, and we won’t make it awkward.
How long should the session be?
This is one of the few times we’d genuinely point you toward the shorter option.
Thirty minutes is often exactly right. One location, one look, no walking between places, and you’ll be finished before you’re tired. Plenty of our favourite maternity galleries came from a half-hour session.
An hour works well if you’d like two looks or a second nearby spot, and if you’re earlier in the window — 28 to 31 weeks rather than 34.
Two hours, we’d only suggest if you’re relatively early, feeling good, and want genuinely different backdrops. It’s a lot of time on your feet.
Tell us honestly how you’re feeling, and we’ll recommend accordingly. We’d much rather you booked thirty minutes and enjoyed it.
What to wear
Maternity outfits follow different rules from everything else we write about.
Fitted through the bump, not draped over it. A flowing tent conceals the thing you came to photograph. Something that follows the shape reads clearly and photographs beautifully.
Long dresses with movement are the reliable answer — they photograph wonderfully in the wind by the river, and they’re comfortable.
Bring a wrap or a coat you can take off. Early mornings are cold in every season, and you’ll want to cover up between frames.
Colours that work against Paris: cream, camel, navy, burgundy, olive, and black all sit beautifully against limestone and greenery. A single strong colour — deep red, emerald — reads especially well on a maternity session.
Shoes you can actually walk in, and not just stand in. Flat, and broken in. This is not the session for new shoes.
Your partner should dress up too. Complement rather than match — if you’re in cream, navy or camel works beside it.
[Our complete guide to what to wear for a Paris photoshoot →]
Bringing older children
If this is your second or third, bringing the older ones is worth considering. Photographs of a child meeting the idea of a sibling are among the most moving we take.
Practically: choose Parc Monceau or the Tuileries, keep it to thirty minutes or an hour, and go mid-morning rather than at sunrise. We’ll get the two of you alone as well — usually early, while everyone’s patience is intact.
[More on planning a family photoshoot in Paris →] – [Our full price list →]
What’s included
- A planning conversation before you arrive — including how you’re feeling and what you can comfortably manage
- A route chosen for comfort as much as for light, with resting points built in
- A photograph of the exact meeting point
- Full direction throughout. You don’t need to know how to pose, and we’ll suggest positions that are comfortable to hold.
- A private online gallery with full personal print rights
- Delivery within five days
- Free rescheduling if it rains
- A 30-day money-back guarantee
If it rains
Go ahead anyway, within reason. Rain empties the landmarks and wet stone reflects beautifully, and a covered location like the Rue de Rivoli arcades or a café terrace solves it entirely.
If the weather is genuinely unpleasant and you’d rather not, rescheduling is free. At 32 weeks, we’d think no less of you.
[Why we’d rather you didn’t reschedule →]
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time during pregnancy for a maternity photoshoot? Between 28 and 34 weeks, with most people choosing around 30 or 31. Earlier, the bump doesn’t always read clearly; later, walking becomes harder.
Can I fly to Paris while pregnant? Many airlines restrict travel from around 36 weeks, earlier for twins, and several require a letter from a doctor or midwife from around 28 weeks. Rules vary by carrier and change, so check yours in writing before booking, including the return leg.
How much does a maternity photoshoot in Paris cost? Between €180 and €520, depending on session length and the number of edited photographs. A thirty-minute or one-hour session suits most maternity bookings. Prices are per session, not per person.
Which Paris locations are most comfortable for a maternity photoshoot? Parc Monceau is the easiest — flat, short distances, benches and shade. The Tuileries, Champ de Mars and Pont Alexandre III are all flat and manageable. We’d steer you away from Montmartre, which is steep and almost entirely stairs.
How long should a maternity photoshoot be? Thirty minutes is often exactly right, and plenty of our favourite maternity galleries came from half-hour sessions. An hour works well earlier in the window.
What should I wear for a maternity photoshoot? Something fitted through the bump rather than draped over it, ideally long with some movement. Bring a wrap for cold mornings and flat shoes you’ve already worn in.
Can my older children be in the photos? Yes, and we’d encourage it. Choose a flat park, keep the session shorter, and go mid-morning rather than at sunrise.
Do you do newborn photos too? Our sessions are outdoors around Paris rather than in a studio, so we photograph babies on family sessions rather than newborn portraits in the traditional sense.
Let’s plan something gentle
Tell us how far along you’ll be, how you’re feeling, and when you’re in Paris. We’ll suggest a location and a length that suits rather than one that sounds impressive.
[Check availability →] · [Our prices] · [Where we shoot] · [What to wear]
