10 Best Philadelphia Maternity Photography Locations

1. Hunting Hill Mansion.

Are you looking for the Best Philadelphia Maternity Photography? Located inside the gorgeous Ridley Creek State Park, Hunting Hill Mansion features beautiful foliage and trees along with a paved fountain area and of course the Mansion itself.  Good at golden hour and just 30 minutes from downtown Philly.

2. Shady Brook Farm.

Shady Brook Farm has a sprawling property including a farmer’s market, deli, homemade ice cream and seasonal events such as sunflowers, pick your own apples, pumpkins, etc.  Sunflowers tend to be best in July/August. They feature group tours and homemade delicious pies along with a spectacular Christmas light display every year.

3. Bellevue State Park.

A stone’s through from Philadelphia, Bellevue State Park, located in Wilmington DE features 328 acres in an urban oasis for nature and recreation.  It features a large pond, a perfect backdrop for a maternity shoot.

4. Longwood Gardens.

Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA provides ample locations for maternity photography. They have a large greenhouse good for year-round photography and plenty of floral/foliage backgrounds to choose from.

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5. Shofuso Japanese House and Garden.

Shofuso is a beautiful 17th century Japanese House and garden including a beautiful pond, garden, and tiered waterfall.  Beautiful koi fish swim in the waters and a traditional Japanese Tea House completes the look. Definitely an excellent choice for Philadelphia Maternity Photography.

6. Race Street Pier.

With sweeping views of the Delaware River, Race Street Pier certainly presents a gorgeous background for a maternity shoot.

7. Wissahickon Creek

A go to location for both engagements and maternity.

Here are some maternity ideas that can be done anywhere!

8. Studio

Will your maternity session come due in December or January?  When it’s 15°F and the wind chill is -5°F, studio might be the best bet.  The following images were done in our studio in Lafayette Hill, PA.

9. Smoke Bomb Maternity

Trending this year is the year of the smoke bomb. You can do these really in any large open field.  Make sure to bring a fire extinguisher as a precaution.  The smoke bombs used here are: (7-PACK) ENOLA GAYE WIRE PULL SMOKE GRENADE – RAINBOW. They last about a minute, so make sure you are in position before you pull the pin.  With wind, the direction of the smoke can be unpredictable so be prepared to run back and forth once the smoke starts.  You’re not supposed to touch the smoke bomb once it starts smoking so make sure it is well positioned pointing up.  Before pulling the pin, throw some grass in the air to test wind direction and stand downwind of the smoke bomb. Final tip: Have at least 3 smoke bombs, these are very much trial and error photos and since smoke outside is unpredictable, you’ll want to give yourself a couple tries to get it right.

10. Milk Bath Maternity

Also trending this year is the milk bath maternity shoot.  This can be done anywhere that has a large bathroom and bathtub.  Keep in mind the bathroom needs to be big enough not just for 3-4 people (Make Up, Hair, Florist, Photographer, Lighting Assistant) but also all the respective gear they will need in the bathroom–light tripods, cases, softboxes, etc.  To prepare we filled the bathtub about 6″ with warm water.  Note you want to add the milk after the water, not before, to avoid lots of bubbles.  Then we dumped 5 gallons of whole milk into the tub and stirred it gently.  Voila! Time for the photoshoot.  Note, you’ll need at least a 3 hour session as the milk, flower arrangement, dress arrangement, etc takes a lot of time.

Planning a Maternity Shoot?

I hope our location guide has been helpful.  Contact us to book your session today.  We also offer maternity albums, artwork, and wall art.

Article by John Ryan, J&J Studios.  John is a wedding, portrait and event photographer based in Philadelphia.