A milk dress maternity photoshoot!
Milk Dress Photoshoot
I’m often coming up with ideas for creative portraits; some I don’t do anything about, others I get a little bit obsessed with and decide to give it a go. This milk dress photoshoot was one of those obsessions!
The ‘Milk dress’
Case in point. Last year I saw the most amazing ‘milk dress photoshoot’ “pinup” style photos from a great photographer called Jaroslav Wieczorkiewicz.
Wow! His work is just inspirational and brilliantly done.
My creative mind started working. I wondered if I could produce a milk dress maternity image without wrecking the whole photography studio too much!
Luckily, it wasn’t too hard to find a willing victim (I mean model, ha ha) who was happy for me to give it a go.
So armed with eight litres of milk and a big roll of plastic sheeting, I decided to give try out a milk dress photoshoot with the help of my photographer friend Jacky.
Preparing the photography studio
I really didn’t want to let any of the milk I was going to be using during the photoshoot to hit the floor.
That would have been a nightmare to clean up afterwards, and the smell would have been just horrible! So, as you can see, we covered everything!
I did warm the milk but only a tad, as I’d been told that warm milk is a little more translucent than cold milk. And I really needed the milk to cover my model Lindsay’s body to achieve the effect I was after.
Milk throwing!
We tried a few milk throwing/pouring techniques. But, to be honest, for the milk skirt splashes (which you can see below), it really was a case of just chucking it! No finesse was needed. The goal was simply to hit the target (poor Lindsay!).
The top half was more tricky. In order to create the final ‘dress’, we needed the milk to run in a certain way and not spread too much as it ran down the body.
In the end, it took roughly 500 photos to have enough to piece together the dress bit by bit. The splash skirt ones were my personal fave!
Huge thanks to Lindsay
Jacky and I worked as quickly as possible but it soon got a bit cold for my poor model despite the central heating being on.
I think Lindsay deserved a medal for braving the cold milk at 30 weeks pregnant (yes, doesn’t she look amazing for 30 weeks!)
We all had a lot of fun trying out the milk dress technique. Lindsay was a great sport for putting up with us and all the milk being thrown at her naked body.
It probably wasn’t the most enjoyable experience she has ever had. And I think her face in this photo says it all really!
Creating the milk dress
After the studio cleanup, and armed with my 500 photos of a milk-covered model, I set about the task of piecing it all together in my photo editing software, Photoshop.
Boy, how I had underestimated this part of the process!
It’s safe to say that my photoshop skills were tested to the limit with this portrait.
I normally use Photoshop to enhance a photo, not completely manipulate it. And being self-taught, it took a little research into areas of Photoshop that I don’t normally use. But after several hours I got there.
I had lots of fun throwing milk and a few hair-pulling moments in Photoshop, but I’m pleased with the end result and hope Lindsay loves it too.
What do you think? Do please let me know in the comment below.
I’m hoping to do a few more creative photoshoots over the coming months so look out for those on the blog soon.
Maternity photoshoots at KW Photography
I just love doing maternity photo sessions. So if you’re expecting then please take a look at my maternity photo gallery and get in touch to book a session.
There won’t be any need for you to be subjected to the milk throwing, like Lindsay was. My normal maternity photoshoots are far more conventional!
But they do make you feel and look amazing and are a great way to celebrate this special time in your life before your new baby arrives.
Karen x
Introducing the KW Photography Baby Oscars
And the Award goes to…
This Sunday, the 89th Academy Awards – a.k.a. the Oscars – will be held in Hollywood. The great and the good from the movie industry will attend and the best actors, actresses and movies of the past year will be celebrated. So here at KW HQ we decided we needed our own version The Baby Oscars
Purely in the name of fun, I have decided to create my very own version of the Oscars to tie in with this prestigious event.
Having had my photography business established for six years now, I have a tonne of adorable newborn baby and kids portraits in my portfolio.
So, I thought it would be fun to look back and celebrate some of these gorgeous children.
I love photographing children of all ages
Babies and children are just the cutest people to photograph.
Those of you who have hired me as your portrait photographer and recommended me to your friends will know that I absolutely LOVE my job.
Getting to meet so many delightful little people makes my work so much fun!
The innocence of a sleeping newborn right through to the mischievous grins of a one-year-old during their first birthday cake smash shoot are just some of the things I enjoy the most.
So, ladies and gentleman, without further ado, let me introduce you to…
The KW Photography Baby Oscars
In this inaugural KW Photography Baby Oscars, I’m celebrating some of my favourite images from the past year.
And there are prizes for the winners – if your child is featured below please contact me via the comments box below to claim your prize which is a free 10 x 8 print worth £25.00.
The KW Photography Baby Oscar for the ‘Best Newborn Smile’ goes to…
Bea: Back in July 2016, Bea came along with her mummy and absolutely stole my heart with her great big grin. She was just six weeks old at the time and really loved that camera. Yeah baby!
The KW Photography Baby Oscar for the ‘Best Pout’ goes to…
Theo: This was an easy one to choose. There was no contest really!
All Theo had to do during his photo session was to enjoy his cake smash cake and be the star of my cake smash video. But, no, he had other ideas!
It’s true what they say about working with kids and animals! Ha ha!
The KW Photography Baby Oscar for the ‘Best Yawn’ goes to…
Benjamin: Just look at that sleepy head! Oh, it’s such hard work being just a few days old!
The KW Photography Baby Oscar for the ‘Best Splash’ goes to…
Alyssa: I had so many adorable children in for cake smashes during 2016. Alyssa’s still makes me laugh out loud! She was so excited!
The KW Photography Baby Oscar for the ‘Best Smash’ goes to…
Woody, Hugo and Rosie: Being triplets, they will have to share their cake smash crown, just as they shared their cake. Hats off to mummy and daddy! Triplets as active as these three needs heaps of energy!
The KW Photography Baby Oscar for the ‘Best Chin Dimple’ goes to…
Daisy: Perfect in every way! I love her gorgeous little chin dimple.
The KW Photography Baby Oscar for the ‘Best Newborn Hair’ goes to…
Florence: Just look at those gorgeous locks!
The KW Photography Baby Oscar for the ‘Best Dressed’ goes to…
Elsie: She wins the best-dressed crown hands down. She stole the show in her mummy’s wedding dress.
KW Photography Baby Oscars winners
So, that’s my 2017 KW Photography Baby Oscars award winners!
I hope that you have enjoyed these pictures as much as I have enjoyed taking them? Which is your favourite? Do let me know in the comments.
And, don’t forget mummies and daddies, if your child has been featured please also comment on the blog to get in touch about your prize.
Have a great weekend everyone ☺
Karen x
Maternity portraits: Exciting collaboration with European maternity fashion designer
Maternity Portraits
I don’t get a lot of spare time, particularly during the summer holidays when I have been juggling the care of my two children with a busy photography business, but last week I did get a day off!
I used it wisely. I escaped the studio and got out and about to do some experimental maternity portraits, along with my friend and fellow photographer, Gary Hill.
As you may know, maternity portrait photography is one of my core services and I love taking photos of gorgeous mummies-to-be.
Photographing a woman in her final stages of pregnancy is truly special.
The pregnancy ‘glow’ and the fully rounded tummy make for stunning portraits.
My maternity clients tell me that they love looking back on their pregnancy photos, long after their babies have been born.
Developing my portfolio of maternity portraits
So, in a bid to continue developing my portfolio of maternity portraits I took a day out recently with some beautiful pregnant ladies.
I recently collaborated with the amazing European maternity fashion designer, Mii-Estilo, and I had some of her gorgeous gowns for my maternity models to wear.
Designer maternity dresses
Based in the Netherlands, Ingrid of Mii-Estilo creates the most stunning maternity dresses. They accentuate every gorgeous baby bump and curve and come in the most flattering colours and designs.
I literally have fallen in love with her dresses, and so was thrilled to be able to use a number of them for my test shoots. I even got to use some of the dresses from her latest collection!
The gowns I used came in the most striking colours, for example, this rich red wine hue of this ‘Bordeaux Red Bellis’ Dress. It had an extra-long train – which I just loved too!
Experimenting with light and working in all weathers!
I took photos of my models in the forest and at the beach, to get a variety of shots.
The weather and the lighting were certainly a challenge! I battled strong winds and bright sunshine to get these great maternity portraits.
But that was the whole point of the day really. I had wanted to try photographing the ladies in difficult circumstances; at the times of the day when the natural light was harsh and therefore most challenging to work with, and in all weathers.
In this lovely beach shot, it was dark and spitting with rain so I think Beth did an amazing job!
In this one, this beautiful lady braved the gorse which was super prickly too!
And in this one, the sun was really bright but this portrait worked out brilliantly.
I’m thrilled to share the results of those test shoots with you here. I thoroughly enjoyed the day (big thanks to my lovely models Lindsey, Sarah, Beth and Kimberley), and I am absolutely delighted with the maternity portraits I took.
Which is your favourite? Do let me know in the comments!
Something new for you mummies to be!
Mummies to be
You know me…Never one to stand still! As a complement to my pregnancy and baby portrait services, I’ve decided to introduce something brand new for you mummies to be. Something which I hope many of you will love.
I’ve been busy behind the scenes testing out a new idea, a plaster cast of a pregnant lady’s baby bump.
This makes a beautiful prop, in the shape of a bowl, which can then be incorporated into a newborn baby photoshoot several weeks later.
During your newborn photo shoot, the baby can be placed in the bowl – in my signature sleeping baby style – and then the bowl is yours to take home with you afterward, as a lasting memento of your pregnant shape.
What a lovely way to celebrate your pregnancy and to create a personalised photo prop for your baby’s first photoshoot!
I’m really excited about adding another string to my bow with maternity bump castings. I love learning new skills and trying out new things, and the feedback from ladies I’ve done a cast for is extremely positive.
The process is incredibly quick to do and is completely safe for you pregnant ladies. So, don’t worry about having to stand for long periods of time while you have your cast done, and the process isn’t uncomfortable for you either. I promise!
I hope that you love this idea?
If you’re expecting in the next sixth months, I’d love to get you booked in for your maternity bump casting soon! The ideal time to get one done is between 34-38 weeks of pregnancy. Please contact me to secure your session.
Also, please share news of my new service with all the pregnant ladies who you think would love to get one done. Thank you in advance!
Finally, if you’d like to know more please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions you have.
I will be posting more examples of my maternity bump castings on my social media pages along with reviews from ladies who have tried it out for themselves.
Until next time, thanks for reading.
Karen x
Capturing the ‘beauty of the bump’
As well as specialising in newborn photography, I also absolutely love taking portraits of mums-to-be and the bump and have really enjoyed doing several maternity and pregnancy portraits in my studio recently.
As a mum of two, I remember that special feeling of carrying your unborn child and the amazement of the natural changes in your body as the baby grows inside you. It is such an exciting time, but it’s also a phase in life that comes and goes so quickly that it can be easy to forget, particularly after the baby has arrived and your life as you have known it has been turned upside down!
Without photographs to provide a reminder, the unique and special time that was your pregnancy can easily become a distant memory.
When pregnant ladies come to me for their maternity photo shoots, I aim to capture what I like to call the ‘beauty of the bump’! Bumps come in all shapes and sizes, but each is unique and special in its own way, and I work with the mothers to determine what they are comfortable with and the kind of photos that they would like to achieve.
Pregnancy portraits can involve just the mum or the dad-to-be can get involved too, whatever is your preference. I use flattering backdrops and subtle lighting, and guide you on how to create flattering poses which enhance the baby bump while also hiding any other bits that you may be keen to hide!
I’m thrilled when the mums who come to me are delighted with the results. The photos often provide them with a real confidence boost, at a time when they may be feeling less confident about their changing bodies. Exactly what a mum to be needs!
Karen x
