Expert advice for bad-ass maternity boudoir shots

A good photographer can capture a lot of things. A stolen glance from two lovers, the way light softly plays with the highlights of a baby's hair, the forlorn beauty of a tree dancing in the wind. If a good photographer meets a bold mom-to-be, the ensuing photos can be stunning.

Maternity photography has been pretty traditional for a long time. You all know the shots I'm talking about, mom with hands on tummy, dad with hands on tummy, dad holding mom from behind with hands on tummy, etc. Those photos are fine, and are wonderful mementos of a beautiful time.

One thing I've noticed doesn't get photographed a lot is the natural sexiness that comes from being pregnant. For sure pregnancy can occasionally make you feel less-than-alluring, but with the right lighting, the right photographer, and the right mama…MEOW.

I'd never heard of pregnancy boudoir photography until I saw these photos, but I think they're amazing. They take all the best aspects of pregnancy and show them off. The amazing hair, softly rounded curves, and innate joy bring a light to these photos.

Even if you're not the type of person who would frame one of these shots to hang above the mantle, what better way to remind yourself of your amazing body during pregnancy? Personally, I'd love to have pictures like this to keep for my husband and I to share and remind us of that incredible period of time during which our family went from a family of two to a family of three.

I asked some of the amazing photographers who have shot maternity boudoir photographs for some tips on how to ensure the best results for this kind of shoot. If you're gonna do this, you might as well do it right, no?

Jenny Jimenez says it's helpful to wear loose clothing before the shoot in order to avoid imprints or patterns on the skin. She also recommends bringing music that makes you feel comfortable, and scheduling plenty of time for the shoot. Some of her best shots come toward the end of a shoot, when everyone's had a chance to get warmed up. Also, hiring a good makeup artist can really make a difference in how your shots come out and how confident you feel during the process.

Jenn of BlondeShot Creative points out that the opportunity to do something like this doesn't come around often, so just do it! She says she gets the best results when the shoot takes places somewhere the mom-to-be is comfortable, wearing clothes she's comfortable in.

For more photos from this shoot, you can check out the rest of the Flickr set here. This couple is so adorable, they make looking cute on camera look easy!

Jessamyn said it better than I ever could, so I'll quote her directly:

"Try not to worry too much about how you look (easier said than done, I know). Yes, you might have stretch marks, cellulite, the "mask of pregnancy", weird nipple or coochie things happening, but you are also a fertility goddess overflowing with the beautiful creation of life. Seriously, you are "allowed" to get away with any imperfections or "flaws" now more than ever, so try not to focus too much on how things should or shouldn't be looking.

Pregnancy is a great time to learn to accept and embrace yourself, so find the right balance of what you're comfortable with, but also cut yourself a break and think, "So I have cellulite, screw it!" Sure, the photographer can address any concerns and shoot accordingly (to crop out any parts of your body you're really feeling insecure about right now), or retouch certain things.

But I really encourage my subjects to relax into the insecurities too, because I am not seeing the things that you may feel self conscious about – and when I don't see them, the camera doesn't either."

We heartily recommend working with any of these awesome photographers if maternity boudoir photography sounds like your thing. As you can see, they know what they're doing, because what they're doing is making pregnant mamas look hot!