Maternity Photography, Session planning Jennifer Tavera Maternity Photography, Session planning Jennifer Tavera

Why Choose a Custom Maternity Photographer in Denver? - Truth Photography LLC

Are you searching for a Denver maternity photographer who creates more than just photos? I believe maternity portraits should go beyond simple snapshots—they should be custom pieces of art that capture the beauty, strength, and magic of this special time in your life.

Colorado mountain maternity photographer

Are you searching for a Denver maternity photographer who creates more than just photos? I believe maternity portraits should go beyond simple snapshots—they should be custom pieces of art that capture the beauty, strength, and magic of this special time in your life.

There are countless photographers in Denver, and with smartphones in hand, it’s easier than ever to take your own pictures. But capturing the essence of your pregnancy journey requires more than a quick snap. It takes an experienced, passionate maternity photographer to turn moments into art. So what makes working with me different?

Let’s dive into the three key elements that set me apart as a Denver maternity photographer: styling, posing, and editing.

Westminster Colorado, original edit

Original edit

Snowy maternity portrait, Westminster Colorado

Final image

1. Personalized Styling for Every Mama

When you book a maternity session with me, the experience begins long before we ever pick up a camera. One of the most important parts of creating maternity art is the wardrobe. I provide high-end designer maternity gowns, jewelry, and accessories to ensure you look and feel your best. But that’s not all—I also offer a pre-session fitting and styling appointment in the comfort of your home. During this time, I help you choose the perfect outfits not only for you but also for your family members who will be part of the session.

This personalized styling service means you don’t have to worry about what to wear or how to coordinate your family’s looks. I take care of all the details so you can focus on celebrating this beautiful journey.

2. Expert Posing to Highlight Your Beauty

Knowing how to pose a pregnant woman is an art form in itself. As an experienced maternity photographer in Denver, I understand how to position you in ways that highlight your baby bump and beautiful curves while making you feel comfortable and confident.

From selecting the best locations to guiding you through each pose, I ensure that every shot captures your natural beauty. My goal is to create timeless images that reflect your unique journey into motherhood—images that make you feel empowered, radiant, and proud.

3. Transformative Editing to Create Stunning Art

Unedited maternity portrait

Original image

Mountain ranch maternity portrait, Lafayette Colorado

Final edit

The magic doesn’t stop at the photoshoot. The final step in creating your maternity portraits is the editing process, and this is where the real transformation happens. Editing isn’t just about fixing flaws; it’s about elevating your images into true works of art.

During the editing process, I enhance lighting, colors, and details to create breathtaking images that capture the emotion and beauty of this special time. Whether it’s adding a whimsical snowfall to a winter session or blooming wildflowers to a spring shoot, I can bring your dream scene to life.

Unedited maternity portrait

Original image

Maternity portrait next to a river, pink lace dress, Denver Colorado

Final edit

This level of customization ensures that your maternity portraits are truly unique—reflecting your personality, style, and story. The result? Stunning keepsakes that you and your family will cherish forever.

Why Choose a Custom Maternity Photographer in Denver?

Unedited maternity image

Original image

Colorado Mountain maternity portrait, Evergreen Colorado

Final edit

When you choose me as your Denver maternity photographer, you’re not just getting photos—you’re investing in a one-of-a-kind experience. From wardrobe styling to expert posing and transformative editing, every step is designed to make you feel celebrated, beautiful, and empowered.

Your maternity journey is a story worth telling. Let’s create something extraordinary together—something you’ll treasure forever.

Ready to start planning your session? Contact me for more details!

Jennifer Tavera is a Luxury family, maternity photographer in Denver Colorado who specializes in creating an experience that will make mom feel comfortable, papered, and beautiful so she will be excited to turn her portraits into art for her home. Sessions are available outdoors all over the Denver and Boulder area and beautiful mountain locations. Ready to start planning your dream session? Click below to schedule a call.

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How to choose the right gown for your maternity session - Denver Maternity Photographer

One of the biggest challenges for preparing for your pregnancy portraits has always been finding the right clothing. My goal is to make finding the perfect look easy, and fun!

One of the biggest challenges for preparing for your pregnancy portraits has always been finding the right clothing. I remember when I was pregnant with my 3rd, my now 10 year old daughter, I had a vision for my photo shoot. A beautiful long flowing gown and me standing in a river water flowing around me. I went to so many stores looking for the perfect full length dress for my session. I finally wound up at old navy where I with frustration bought a plain blue full length dress….that I hated.

If you are searching for that perfect flowy maternity gown, you aren’t going to find it at a local store, and while Amazon now carries many knock off gowns with designs copied from top maternity designers, you will likely wind up with a gown that doesn’t fit properly, or is cut in an unflattering manor. If you’ve looked at designer gowns on the top maternity websites they rival the price of most peoples wedding gowns. So how do you find that perfect look to make your baby belly look amazing to celebrate you new addition to your family?

Winter maternity portrait Lafayette Colorado, mom in red gown

I’ve made that easy for you, over the last 8 years I have collected designer maternity gowns for my clients to use in their session. Each gown in my collection is valued at anywhere between $200 and $800 and I allow my clients to select up to THREE for their maternity session!



I make selecting easy! First I talk to my clients about their vision for their session. What do they dream their finished images will look like? This can be colors or styles of the gown, the location or things like I want to stand in a river, or in a field of flowers or on a mountain with the sun setting behind me. Do you want lace? Sequins? A long flowing train that you can toss in the air? I have all of those!

From there I select a variety of gowns from my collection that match your style and vision, and I bring them to you for an in home fitting. During your in home fitting we can look at how your gown choices look with you partners favorite shirt or the dress you want your daughter to wear (need clothes for your kids? Ask if I have outfits in their size and I can during those to the fitting as well!!). Once we’ve selected clothing for you and anyone else participating in the session, let’s accessorize! I have everything from sparkly jewelry, pearls, warm shawls and scarves, flowers for your hair, or a beautiful tiara!!

My goal is to make finding the perfect look easy, and fun!

I had a wonderful experience with Jennifer at Truth Photography! She came to my residence to help me pick out the right gowns that matched my skin tone and the style I wanted for my maternity photos. It was so fun trying on all the dresses and jewelry, and Jennifer did an amazing job making me feel beautiful that day and the day of the shoot! Highly recommend her services for maternity pictures and will be contacting her again for other photos in the future!
— Katlin G

Ready to get started? Click below to contact me for all of the details!

Jennifer Tavera is a Luxury family, maternity photographer in Denver Colorado who specializes in creating an experience that will make mom feel comfortable, papered, and beautiful so she will be excited to turn her portraits into art for her home. Sessions are available outdoors all over the Denver and Boulder area and beautiful mountain locations. Ready to start planning your dream session? Click below to schedule a call.

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Mountain maternity session | Evergreen Colorado Maternity Photographer

Sasha received the full luxury experience starting with hair and makeup by Francesca Nicole, and she looked like an absolute QUEEN for her session. She was so excited about wearing the gold Blair gown from my collection which made me happy since the gown had been recently added to my client closet and not yet worn. She excitedly told me when she saw this image that she looked like Pocahantas! I have to admit with the wind in her hair and am getting some Pocahantas “colors of the wind” vibes!

I’m excited to finally share images from one of my favorite recent maternity sessions! I met Sasha in the maternity group that I offer each year for local expecting women. Myself and a couple of other local business owners who work with new moms create and moderate a Facebook group every year for expecting mothers to get to know each other and find support form others in a similar place in life. If you are expecting check out this years group here:

Sasha received the full luxury experience starting with hair and makeup by Francesca Nicole, and she looked like an absolute QUEEN for her session. She was so excited about wearing the gold Blair gown from my collection which made me happy since the gown had been recently added to my client closet and not yet worn. She excitedly told me when she saw this image that she looked like Pocahantas! I have to admit with the wind in her hair and am getting some Pocahantas “colors of the wind” vibes!

We met at one of my favorite Evergreen, Colorado locations along Squaw pass. I love this area because it is beautiful in every season! Fall at this spot did not disappoint. The yellow aspen leaves against the evergreen trees were just stunning and the gold gown just echoed their beautify.

The baby’s dad and big brother joined us for the shoot and I could definitely see how excited they both were for a new baby boy to join the family! I love when other children are involved in a maternity shoot and seeing how excited they are!

Sasha also selected a second gown for her session, this beautiful wine-colored Kiara gown. The Gold was definitely my favorite on her but the wine was beautiful too!

If you are expecting a baby this year make sure to contact me ASAP to set up your maternity and newborn sessions! Click the link below and fill out the form to be contacted with more information.

We did family maternity pictures. I got hair and make-up included in my pricing I love the artist who did my hair and make-up. I felt like a princess is an understatement. She was amazing during our session. Jennifer the photographer was great with my special needs 8 year old. I love how they came out and we had a great experience I highly recommend and I would use her again anytime.
— Sasha

Jennifer Tavera is a Luxury family, maternity and newborn photographer in Denver Colorado who specializes in creating an experience that will make mom feel confortable, papered and beautiful so she will be excited to turn her portraits into art for her home. Sessions are available outdoors all over the Denver and Boulder area and studio sessions in the studio space in Arvada. Ready to start planning your dream session? Click below to schedule a call.

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When to book your maternity session | Denver family photographer

Choosing the right time for your maternity session is very important. If you do your session too early then you may not have a clearly defined baby bump, but if you wait too long to do your session you risk missing out if you go into labor early. I have also found the last month of pregnancy my clients are very uncomfortable in many of the poses and tend to not look as relaxed during their session.

Choosing the right time for your maternity session is very important. If you do your session too early then you may not have a clearly defined baby bump, but if you wait too long to do your session you risk missing out if you go into labor early. I have also found the last month of pregnancy my clients are very uncomfortable in many of the poses and tend to not look as relaxed during their session.

So when is the perfect time for maternity portraits?

For most women, I recommend between 30-36 weeks. For first-time moms who may show a little later aim for around 34 weeks unless you are showing any signs of preterm labor. If this isn’t your first pregnancy and like me, you looked pregnant much earlier in the pregnancy, you can aim for 30-34 weeks.

Mothers of multiples

If you are expecting more than one baby you may want to plan for your session right at 30 weeks or even slightly before due to higher risk of preterm labor and also because you are going to get uncomfortable in the poses way earlier than moms carrying a single baby.

When should you contact your photographer?

Honestly it is really never too early to contact your photographer and get on their books. Often during busy season I book up several months in advance. I also occasionally run specials where you can order a gown for your session and be reimbursed in the form of a print credit for those who want a gown not already offered in my gown collection. When I do these sales the gown needs to be ordered 6 weeks prior to your session. Either way it is a good idea to contact me by around 20 weeks to start planning your maternity session.

Ready to start planning your dream maternity session? Click the button below to contact me for a consultation call.

Jennifer Tavera is a Luxury family, maternity and newborn photographer in Denver Colorado who specializes in creating an experience that will make mom feel confortable, papered and beautiful so she will be excited to turn her portraits into art for her home. Sessions are available outdoors all over the Denver and Boulder area and studio sessions in the studio space in Arvada. Ready to start planning your dream session? Click below to schedule a call.

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What should my family wear for my maternity session? | Denver Materntiy Photographer

Last year I published a blog all about what to wear for your maternity session. Today I want to take that a step further for sessions involving dad or older children. Now that you know what you are wearing, what do you put them in? Here are a few of my top tips for dressing dad and your other babies!

Last year I published a blog all about what to wear for your maternity session. Today I want to take that a step further for sessions involving dad or older children. Now that you know what you are wearing, what do you put them in? Here are a few of my top tips for dressing dad and your other babies!

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1. Coordinate, don’t match!

This is one of the biggest mistakes I see people make when choosing clothing for photo shoots and it’s even more important when it comes to maternity portraits. The last thing you want it for your baby bump to blend into dads shirt. Having dad or the kids in a color that looks great with your gown but doesn’t match it allows you and your baby bump to shine in the portraits!

2. Choose solid colors

There are definitely exceptions to this rule but overall a solid color is typically best for dad and the kids. Again this allows mom to shine in the photos so your eye is drawn to her, not to a patterned shirt.

3. Dress it up

I love it when dad wears a suit, vest, suspenders, or even a tux (yes, I have had dad show up in a tux for the session!) but, even if your man or little men are not suit kind of guys I highly recommend a nice button-down shirt for the session even if they choose to pair it with some nice jeans. I have photographed moms in my maternity gowns with dad in a polo or t-shirt and honestly, dad just looked out of place. A nice shirt on dad honestly makes all the difference. For you little girls I have a variety of nice dresses that will match the look and feel of the maternity gowns without distracting from you so make sure to give me your little girls size so I can show you what I have available for her for the shoot.

4. Comfort is still important

While this does contradict the tip above stay with me for a moment. I get it dad and kids may not be 100% on board with being part of this shoot. Unfortunately, sometimes that is just the case. If having to dress nicely is going to result in a grumpy participant then go with comfort over style. This sample photo…her son is wearing sweat pants below that polo shirt., and we made it work. I always say have them wear the nicest thing you can get them to happily wear. Although there is nothing wrong with also slipping a nicer option in the car to see if you can get a few shots in it too!

Still feeling lost? Don’t stress it, as part of my service I will come to you for a dress fitting and family clothing consultation before the shoot. You can try on the gowns and we will look through your partner and kid’s closets to see what you have that coordinates. Ready to learn more? Let’s start with a phone call to go over details and start to plan your dream shoot. Click the link below to contact me to set it up!

Jennifer Tavera is a Luxury family, maternity and newborn photographer in Denver Colorado who specializes in creating an experience that will make mom feel confortable, papered and beautiful so she will be excited to turn her portraits into art for her home. Sessions are available outdoors all over the Denver and Boulder area and studio sessions in the studio space in Arvada. Ready to start planning your dream session? Click below to schedule a call.

Jennifer

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The Gloria Gown | Newborn and Maternity photographer Denver

I am so excited to show off the exclusive Sew Trendy So You winter 2021 Subscription box! This is a limited edition Couture gown that is currently only offered to So You subscribers. Part of the fun of the box is you don’t know what it’s going to look like until your box arrives!

I am so excited to show off the exclusive Sew Trendy So You winter 2021 Subscription box! This is a limited edition Couture gown that is currently only offered to So You subscribers. Part of the fun of the box is you don’t know what it’s going to look like until your box arrives! Check out my gown unboxing in the video below!

The new Gloria gown is now available in my client closet! Mommy and me/family sessions using this gown will be happening Saturday February 26th and Sunday, April 10th space is VERY limited so contact me today for information and to reserve your spot!

It is an off-the-shoulder wrap-style gown that can adjust to fit women from approximately size 0-16. It features elegant bishop sleeves and the gown I received is a beautiful “Almond” gold color! This gown is perfect for family, mommy and me, maternity and newborn sessions.

Visit https://www.sewtrendyaccessories.com/collections/sew-trendy-so-you-subscription-box/products/sew-trendy-so-you-studio-subscription-box #Sewtrendyaccessories #Sewtrendysoyou

Ready to get started? Click below to schedule a call and get all of the information about your session!

Jennifer Tavera is a Luxury family, maternity, and newborn photographer in Denver Colorado who specializes in creating an experience that will make mom feel comfortable, papered, and beautiful so she will be excited to turn her portraits into art for her home. Sessions are available outdoors all over the Denver and Boulder area and studio sessions in the studio space in Arvada. Ready to start planning your dream session? Click below to schedule a call.

Jennifer

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Squaw Pass, Evergreen Colorado | Colorado Family Photographer

Part of creating a luxury experience for my clients is knowing and recommending the best locations to them for their photoshoots. Choosing a location for your portrait session here in Colorado can get complicated. There are hundreds of beautiful spots all with their own rules, perks, and often fees for use. Luckily I navigate this for my clients. Your session fee includes not only your hair and makeup so you can look amazing, but also travel fees and location permit fees for any location listed on my blog.

Part of creating a luxury experience for my clients is knowing and recommending the best locations to them for their photoshoots. Choosing a location for your portrait session here in Colorado can get complicated. There are hundreds of beautiful spots all with their own rules, perks, and often fees for use. Luckily I navigate this for my clients. Your session fee includes not only your hair and makeup so you can look amazing, but also travel fees and location permit fees for any location listed on my blog. When we sit down for your consultation you can tell me what you envisioned for your session, and I can give you a few suggested locations that match your vision. After that I’ll take care of the rest. Or if you see a location here that you love, mention it when you contact me! Here is another mountain location on my favorites list!

Best time of year for this location: 

This mountain location Is beautiful all year round, not only do you have beautiful mountains any time of year but also the evergreen and aspen trees are beautiful even after the leaves drop. In this post I show images of both my favorite trailhead along Squaw pass and also some spots higher up along the road that are just spots you can pull off on the side of the road. While the spots higher up are not going to change much for views in summer vs. winter the roads may be icy and harder to navigate in the winter. For the open space, it features beautiful yellow flowers covering the field around June and gorgeous changing aspens in the fall.

Best time of day for this location: 

This location would be beautiful for sunrise or sunset sessions however since my sessions come with hair and makeup I only shoot here in the evening to allow time for hair and makeup to be done.

Drive time: 

This location is just under an hour drive from the Denver metro area.

Parking: 

The main open space where I typically start my sessions up here has a large dirt parking lot. The last few images shown are taken further up the road where there are only small areas to pull off the road.

Family friendliness:

The open space is a great spot for family sessions with many beautiful spots close to the parking lot and no dangerous areas. There isn’t a restroom at this location, however. I would not recommend the spots used in the last few images for small children since they are close to cliffs and right next to the busy road.

I would love to set up a session for you here or at any of the many beautiful Colorado locations that I offer my clients. To get more information on a session please click the link below and fill out my contact form.

Jennifer Tavera is a Luxury family, maternity and newborn photographer in Denver Colorado who specializes in creating an experience that will make mom feel confortable, papered and beautiful so she will be excited to turn her portraits into art for her home. Sessions are available outdoors all over the Denver and Boulder area and studio sessions in the studio space in Arvada. Ready to start planning your dream session? Click below to schedule a call.

Jennifer

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Wall art sizing guide | Denver Family Photographer

If you are planning on hanging your portrait or gallery wall centered above a piece of furniture like a table, bed or couch the you will want the image to be 50-75% of the size of the piece of furniture. The same rule applies if you are using a gallery wall, you will want to space the images 1-4 inches apart and have the full set be no more than 75% as wide as the furniture below it.

When I started working at the commercial portrait studio 15 years ago I sold prints and wall “enlargements”. In the one week of training, we received before starting as a photographer and “portrait artist” not one bit was about how to help our clients choose the best size of art for their home. Most of our clients came in, bought 8x10 prints, and likely went home and realized they were way too small for their space. After 9 years as a business owner, I started offering my clients wall art and studying interior design. While I still have so much to learn one thing I have learned is that there are rules to choosing the proper size wall art piece, especially if it is going to hang above a piece of furniture. So today I am sharing those “secrets” with all of you.

You may be reading this because you are a current client of mine, or looking to hire a photographer, or maybe you stumbled across this trying to decide what size painting to hang above your couch. Either way, whether you come to have your portrait taken in my Arvada photography studio or a beautiful outdoor location in the Colorado mountains and allow me to design your art for you or you just need to find the right size for the landscape print you are ordering the rules are the same.

The Basics

If you are planning on hanging your portrait or gallery wall centered above a piece of furniture like a table, bed, or couch you will want the image to be 50-75% of the size of the piece of furniture. The same rule applies if you are using a gallery wall, you will want to space the images 1-4 inches apart and have the full set be no more than 75% as wide as the furniture below it.

There are two different rules for how high to hang your images. The rule for hanging above furniture is 6-12” inches above the furniture piece however the general rule is at eye level. Here is how I handle these two sometimes contradicting rules:

For a low piece of furniture that is well below eye level, hang the images at eye level. In the image above it appears that the table is fairly low so when I created this sample I “hung” the images at what I believed to be approximately eye level. You could put something decorative on top of the table (maybe candle sets on either side?) to give the table some height and then hang the art 6 inches above the top of the decorations if you wanted to try and follow both rules.

For higher furniture pieces, go with the 6 images above to hang as close to every level as possible.

And in the case you have small children who may touch your art, either choose a durable option such as canvas or hang just out of reach of your little one!

Choosing the proper size for above a bed

This is a quick “cheat sheet” for creating art galleries above your bed based on the size of the bed.

The program I use to show my clients their art, which is also what I use to create these sample galleries, shows me the total width of the full gallery set so that I can make sure I create the correct size for your home. So having a cheat sheet to check those numbers against is really helpful to make sure that when it arrives it will fit perfectly like this set that I created for a client last fall.

Sizing “cheat sheet”

If you are hanging your art above the headboard choose this size for the best fit:

Twin bed- 22-30” inch art

Full bed - 30-40” art

Queen bed - 34-45” art

King bed - 42-56” art

Crib (above the long side) - 30-40”

Hopefully this gives you a start in choosing the correct size. I would love to design portrait art that fits perfectly into your space. When I plan your session with you and create your art I take into account the colors and design style of your space as well to make sure your art looks at home in your space! Ready to get started? Click below to schedule a call and get all of the information about your session!

Jennifer Tavera is a Luxury family, maternity, and newborn photographer in Denver Colorado who specializes in creating an experience that will make mom feel comfortable, papered, and beautiful so she will be excited to turn her portraits into art for her home. Sessions are available outdoors all over the Denver and Boulder area and studio sessions in the studio space in Arvada. Ready to start planning your dream session? Click below to schedule a call.

Jennifer

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Levonia's Mountain Maternity Session | Morrison Colorado Photographer

Winter maternity session in Morrison Colorado.

Every once in a while despite my 15 years of experience and careful session prep, a session doesn’t go quite as planned.

I had the honor of creating portrait art for so many awesome clients in 2021. I was so busy during the fall that I never had the chance to show off all of the images on my blog. I am starting with this session from the end of October because most of the leaves had fallen and this location should look very similar to this most of the winter, with the possible addition of some snow on the ground.

I met Levonia through my 2021 expecting moms group. Every year for the past 3 years myself and 2 other professionals in the birth/maternity/newborn fields have hosted a Facebook group to help new moms connect and navigate pregnancy and motherhood. If you are expecting in 2022 please join us in this years group.

I loved Levonia from the moment I met her during our zoom consultation. She is so sweet and outgoing and was so excited about capturing her maternity portraits and getting to use my gowns.

On the day of her session, I arranged for a hair and makeup artist to go to her home and help her get ready for the session. All of my maternity and family sessions include hair and makeup as part of the services I provide. I want to make sure every mama looks and feels her best for the session.

I met up with Levonia and her husband Andy up at Meyer Ranch Park in Morrison in late October. I have to say that this fall was like nothing I have ever seen before, normally the fall color is gone in the mountains by around the first week of October but it lasted through most of the month and down in Denver through much of November. I chose this location because the mountain views and evergreen trees make it a great spot year-round but, I was pleasantly surprised to find bits of yellow left when we arrived.

Every once in a while despite my 15 years of experience and careful session prep, a session doesn’t go quite as planned. Due to circumstances outside of their control, my clients arrived a little late to this session. Luckily I had scheduled with about a 30-minute extra buffer before sunset, so when they arrived we still had almost 90 minutes until sunset. We started up a small incline taking our time and stopping for portraits as we went. We were about 25 minutes into the session and halfway up the hill when Levonia mentioned that she was a little light-headed. Unfortunately, the nearest place to sit was up at the top of the hill so we turned the rolling suitcase into a place to sit and I held it in place while her husband ran to go get her water from the car. I’m not going to lie, there was a moment where I thought I was going to have to attempt to catch here and I pictured both of us lying on the ground lol. Luckily her husband arrived with the water and after drinking some she was up to continue to the top of the hill where there was a real place for her to sit and rest for a bit.

The downside to this delay was that we missed sunset to allow her to rest and make sure she was ok. The good news is the bench was next to the restrooms and after resting she was able to change and into the other gown she had selected and get some shots that were outside of my usual style, after dark. Back in my days of being a natural light photographer I would have had to cut this session short after the first gown however my expertise in off-camera flash allowed me to shoot for a short time after the sun dipped behind the mountains. The end result was that even between them arriving late and us pausing the session partway through I was still able to create my average 30+ portraits for them to choose their wall art from, and they still loved the images!

After talking to her a bit, I realized that her and her husband had only moved to Colorado, from a sea-level start, around a year before. On top of not being used to the altitude, she had not been drinking much water that day in all the excitement of getting ready for the session. So a few tips for your session to prevent this from happening again.

!. Hydrate: 1/2 your body weight in oz. of water is the recommended water intake for most people, however when dealing with high altitude drinking more is normally a good idea.

2. Let me know if you are new to Colorado. There are many beautiful Colorado locations I can recommend for those who may not do well with the high altitude.

3. Bring water with you. This goes back to #1 Hydrate.

Not every session is going to go exactly to plan, however, when working with a true professional you will still get amazing images in the end. I am so happy I was able to create images for my clients that they were excited to hang in their home. Here are a few of my favorites from the session!

I would love to help you create your dream portraits. Click below to contact me and set up a consultation call.

Jennifer Tavera is a Luxury family, maternity and newborn photographer in Denver Colorado who specializes in creating an experience that will make mom feel confortable, papered and beautiful so she will be excited to turn her portraits into art for her home. Sessions are available outdoors all over the Denver and Boulder area and studio sessions in the studio space in Arvada. Ready to start planning your dream session? Click below to schedule a call.

Jennifer

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What should I wear for my maternity session? | Denver Colorado maternity photography

If you are looking at having maternity photos done you have probably seen hundreds of shots where mom is wearing a gorgeous gown that makes her look like a goddess, or princess, or just amazing! You may be dreaming of the perfect gown, but in your mind wondering if it is worth spending the money for a dress you will wear once. Many of us photographers have been dreaming of taking your photos in that perfect gown and have, like me, started a collection, or client closet, for their clients to use. As I write this in August 2021 my gown collection consists of 23 gowns size small to XL and I’ll admit, I was looking at a new one today!

If you are looking at having maternity photos done you have probably seen hundreds of shots where mom is wearing a gorgeous gown that makes her look like a goddess, or princess, or just amazing! You may be dreaming of the perfect gown, but in your mind wondering if it is worth spending the money for a dress you will wear once. Many of us photographers have been dreaming of taking your photos in that perfect gown and have, like me, started a collection, or client closet, for their clients to use. As I write this in August 2021 my gown collection consists of 23 gowns size small to XL and I’ll admit, I was looking at a new one today!

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I have a range of gowns so I wanted to put together this blog with some tips on finding the right one for you!

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Flowy of form-fitting?

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Personally, I love both, and both can be beautiful for your session. Form-fitting gowns give me a little more freedom for posing your hands, they don’t have to be on your belly for every shot because that gown is going to show it off! Flowy gowns are popular however because many moms want to feel like a princess at their session and the flowy gowns definitely give that vibe! They are also more forgiving if you are not really sure what size you need, they typically fit a size larger or smaller than the size on their tag.

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Do you want to toss?

You probably just thought huh? Unless you are as obsessed with designer maternity gowns as I am, then you may have known exactly what I meant. Many high-end maternity gowns are designed with what is called a tossing train. These trains can be a lot of fun at your session for all kinds of dramatic shots, just be warned I may put the baby’s dad to work tossing if for us!

Even if we choose not to toss the gown it can be perfect for dramatic images with the gown laid on the ground. I have added a variety of images below with my tossing train gowns so you can see both the toss and non-tossed train.

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What Color should you wear?

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Color can be used to tell a story, like the gender of your baby, or that this baby is your rainbow, the joy after a loss. But choosing color can also just be about choosing the best tones for your skin color.

Cool skin tones

Colors that will compliment your skin tone include; Green/Emerald, purples, light or bright blue, sage green, light pink, very pale yellows, reds, bright white, gray, or navy.

Warm skin tones

Colors that will compliment your skin tone include; Green, brown, mustard yellow, warmer reds, peach, coral, gold, olive or moss green, plum or magenta purple.

Not sure which you are? I found this quiz that helps you find out, don’t worry it doesn’t ask for any contact info! https://www.popsugar.com/beauty/Warm-Cool-Undertones-Quiz-1843402

I am always expanding my collection so while some of these shades aren’t currently included I am hoping they will be very soon!

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What do I do if you just can’t choose?

Don’t worry, you don’t have to choose just one! You can choose up to 3 different gowns to wear for your session! I will help you choose up to 3 unique looks for your session. I want this to be a session you will never forget!

What accessories should you wear?

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I also provide accessories for your session! I hand make all of my floral crowns so that they match perfectly with my gowns. They are often made with a specific client in mind, for example, a mommy and me set made for a maternity shoot with a 3-year-old big sister participating. Or, the purple and red crown I made for the session where mom was wearing my plum colored gown and dad was wearing a red shirt. The crown tied the colors together perfectly! In addition to the florals, I offer glam accessories like gemstone sashes, jewelry, and crown. I will help you perfectly match your accessories not only to your gown but also to coordinate with anyone else participating in the session!

Throughout this post I have shown many of the gowns I offer currently however I am always adding new ones to my collection! Take a look at my collection here and contact me today to schedule a consultation to select your gown and accessories!

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I'm Jennifer Tavera.

A family photographer and portrait gallery designer in the North Denver Colorado area.


I help moms capture the moments and milestones that matter and turn then into beautiful art to hang in their home.

Learn more about me and a session with Truth Photography below.

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Sarah and Bill {Mountain maternity session}

Maternity sessions are about celebrating your baby, but they are also about celebrating the beautiful woman who is growing that baby inside of her. She deserves to feel beautiful for her session. My whole session is designed around that idea. That is why every session comes with hair and makeup for mom, that is why I only carry high-end gowns that I know will look stunning on clients of every shape and size and that is why I provide accessories like necklaces, bracelets, and hairpieces to complete your look.

Maternity sessions are about celebrating your baby, but they are also about celebrating the beautiful woman who is growing that baby inside of her. She deserves to feel beautiful for her session. My whole session is designed around that idea. That is why every session comes with hair and makeup for mom, that is why I only carry high-end gowns that I know will look stunning on clients of every shape and size and that is why I provide accessories like necklaces, bracelets, and hairpieces to complete your look.

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I really enjoyed helping Sarah bring out her inner supermodel. Her and her husband Bill are so excited for their baby boy to arrive this month and Sarah really did glow with love and joy for her child! We chose 3 gowns for her session and Sarah looked amazing in all of them. All 3 gowns are from my client closet and made by Sew Trendy Accessories and these gowns really do look like they were made to fit every woman I put them on but, Sarah looked especially beautiful because her joy was shining through the whole time!

There were just too many awesome images from their session to narrow them down to just a few to share so here are all of my favorites from the session!

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I would love to help you celebrate your baby boy or girl and the beautiful mama carrying them with a maternity session. Contact me below for more information!

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I'm Jennifer Tavera.

A family photographer and portrait gallery designer in the North Denver Colorado area.


I help moms capture the moments and milestones that matter and turn then into beautiful art to hang in their home.

Learn more about me and a session with Truth Photography below.

Read More

Why professional photo printing is important {Denver Photographer}

All of my clients receive both printed portraits AND digital files. When you invest in images through me I can ensure that you receive a product that will last longer and look better hanging in your home. You will still receive the digital files for sharing online, creating fun photo gifts or cards, and even making additional prints to send out to your family, but, you will also have high-quality images that I know you will love!

All of my clients receive both printed portraits AND digital files. I often get asked why I don’t just give my clients the digital files and let them print them. There are several reasons why I chose to give a printed product, if you haven’t read my blog post “how one family changed the way I do business” then go read that for one of the biggest reasons, another huge reason is quality. If you had your images printed at a store that also sold food and cosmetics, you did not get a professional quality print. The same applies if you printed at a discount online printer. These printers are only a small step up from printing on your home printer.

So what is the difference between a professional quality print and those done by these discount printers?

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1. Color

Professional photographers work on color calibrated computers. If you have never calibrated your personal computer and are unfamiliar with what that means it basically means that we have set our computers to make sure it isn’t too light, dark, green red, warm (yellow), or cool (blue). Then as a professional, I hand edit each photo to make sure that the color balance of that image is perfect. I want to create a work of art, not just another photo. After all that work the last thing I want is for you to get get a cheap print that makes your skin look too grey, green, yellow or blue. Unfortunately, these cheaper printing labs can be hit and miss with color and often are not true in color to the original edit. The person printing your images is often not a professional photographer or printer and does not have a trained eye. They also typically have little control over the machine they are printing from beyond loading it with new paper when it runs out.

Professional photo lab employees are trained to color correct images that do not match the edited image that they receive. And when you order through me you have an extra line of defense from discolored images since I check each image before delivering it to my clients.

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2. Images that last

These consumer labs are also not focused on images that last a long time. They print the snapshots from your phone and your 10-year-olds camera and their focus is to do this for you at the lowest cost possible NOT on printing photos that you can hand down for generations. Their images often fade or become discolored after a few short years.

Professional quality print labs such as the ones that I order through for my clients are focused on a product that is high quality and lasts. From matted prints to canvas wraps to wood prints all of the products I offer come from a professional heirloom/museum quality lab that uses only the best products such as professional-grade paper, ink, and printers to create your finished images.

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When you invest in images through me I can ensure that you receive a product that will last longer and look better hanging in your home. You will still receive the digital files for sharing online, creating fun photo gifts or cards, and even making additional prints to send out to your family, but, you will also have high-quality images that I know you will love!

If you have more questions about a session with me I would love to chat! Contact me or set up a time to chat about your session.

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I'm Jennifer Tavera.

A family photographer and portrait gallery designer in the North Denver Colorado area.


I help moms capture the moments and milestones that matter and turn then into beautiful art to hang in their home.

Learn more about me and a session with Truth Photography below.

Read More

3 reasons professional photoshoot makeup is essential {Denver photographer}

All of my photoshoots include hair and makeup if mom is going to be part of the shoot and there is a good reason for this. When planning a photoshoot as a busy mom the last thing on your mind is likely your hair and makeup for the day. As a professional photographer for 13 years, I found that often this was something my clients rushed to do at the last second the day of the shoot, often resulting in them not loving the way they looked in their family photos. Professional photography is an investment of both your time and money and when you look at the end result you should LOVE it! As I considered how I can best serve my clients and deliver a product that they will love, adding hair and makeup to my packages was a no-brainer. Here are my top 3 reasons why I believe that professional hair and makeup are a must for your photoshoot.

Hair and makeup by Mully Beauty

Hair and makeup by Mully Beauty

Hair and makeup by Sabrina Deemer Makeup

Hair and makeup by Sabrina Deemer Makeup

1. Having your hair and makeup professionally done will help you look and feel your best!

One of the biggest differences I have seen with my clients since I added professional hair and makeup was how relaxed they are when they arrive for their session. I always schedule your artist to arrive with more than enough time to complete your hair and makeup and leave plenty of time for you and your family to get dressed and travel to the session which means instead of moms rushing at the last minute to get themselves ready or worse doing their makeup in the car on the way (I saw this more times than I can count), they are ready with plenty of time to help the rest of the family get dressed, and arrive on time relaxed and looking amazing. Not only are my clients feeling more confident knowing that their hair and makeup look amazing but they are also more relaxed after getting to sit and be pampered before their shoot.

2. Makeup appears different in person than it does on camera

The makeup artists that I work with do makeup specifically for photography on a regular basis. They know the best products to use and how to apply them in a way that will show up best on camera, not look shinny when my flash hits them and flatter your specific coloring. They know what products to use to prep your face for oily or dry skin to reduce shine or flaking and they use high-quality products and know how much to apply to look best on camera.

Hair and Makeup by Mully Beauty

Hair and Makeup by Mully Beauty

3. Professional hair and makeup last longer

I have shot photo sessions with everything from snow falling around us to 90+ degrees even at 7:30 in the evening, and often when mom did her own makeup it quickly starts to look shiny or dull even without these extreme conditions. In addition, hair gets frizzy quickly at both extremes. Professional makeup is designed to last longer and reduce shine. Professional hair products reduce frizz and help keep your hair in place without making it stiff. Providing my clients with professional hair and makeup has cut down my editing time since I no longer have to edit shinny faces and flyaway hairs. This has allowed me to reduce the time it takes between your shoot date and your selection appointment and in the end, gets you your printed portraits up to 2 weeks quicker than when I had to spend my time hand-editing hair and makeup.

A few tips

  • Know what you want. Do you want a more natural look? Do you want something bold? Have an idea of the overall style before your artist arrives to make sure you will love the end look.

  • Communicate with your artist. Tell them they look you are going for and any preferences you have for colors. If possible show them what you will be wearing (if you are borrowing gowns from me I will send them pictures prior to the shoot). These ladies are amazing at taking your ideas and making you look amazing!

  • If there is anything you don’t love speak up. I have never had a mom not love her makeup but if there is something you do not love please tell your artist. They want you to love the end look as much as I do!

  • Moms with little ones, arrange for someone to watch your kids while you have your hair and makeup done.

  • Relax and enjoy. This is your time to be pampered!

Book a free no-obligation consultation now to discuss your shoot! I’ll answer all of your questions about a shoot with me and help you plan portraits that you will LOVE!

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I'm Jennifer Tavera.


A family photographer and portrait gallery designer in the North Denver Colorado area.


I help moms capture the moments and milestones that matter and turn then into beautiful art to hang in their home.

Learn more about me and my photography style:

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Alderfer/Three Sisters Park {Evergreen Colorado Photography}

Evergreen is an amazing place for portraits, less than an hour from Denver with all the beautiful mountain views it is the perfect place to plan your next photo shoot! Alderfer/Three sisters park offers beautiful mountain views, shady forested areas with evergreen trees for all year color and a beautiful barn!

Alderfer/Three sisters park

Evergreen is an amazing place for portraits, less than an hour from Denver with all the beautiful mountain views it is the perfect place to plan your next photo shoot! Alderfer/Three sisters park offers beautiful mountain views, shady forested areas with evergreen trees for all year color and a beautiful barn!

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Best time of year for this location: 

This mountain location Is beautiful all year round and was easy to access even in the winter. The mountain views, evergreen trees, and barn make it a perfect winter location when most trees in the Denver area are dead.

Best time of day for this location: 

I book sessions at this location for 2 hours before Denver’s sunset time since the mountains block the sun a little earlier and this allows time to use both areas of the park. We will start in the shady forested area and then move to the more open views of the mountains and barn.

Parking: 

There are 2 parking lots for this location located a few minutes drive apart. During your consultation, we will discuss the best place to start your shoot and we will likely move from one lot to the other partway through the shoot.

Family friendliness:

This is a great spot for family sessions with many beautiful spots close to the parking lots and no dangerous cliffs in this area.

I would love to help you plan your session with a free no-obligation consultation. I will answer all of your questions about sessions and wall art and help you plan the session of your dreams. To schedule your consultation click “contact me” below.

More images from the location.

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I'm Jennifer Tavera.

A family photographer and portrait gallery designer in the North Denver Colorado area.


I help moms capture the moments and milestones that matter and turn then into beautiful art to hang in their home.

Learn more about me and a session with Truth Photography below.

Read More

My favorite images of 2020 {Northglenn, CO photographer}

With fewer than usual shoots in 2020, I thought doing a favorite image of 2020 post would be easy. But, as I look back through the images taken this year I realize choosing favorites is like trying to choose a favorite child. But, I have already started this post and so I am committing. Here are some of my favorite images taken in 2020, separated by category.

With fewer than usual shoots in 2020, I thought doing a favorite image of 2020 post would be easy. But, as I look back through the images taken this year I realize choosing favorites is like trying to choose a favorite child. But, I have already started this post and so I am committing. Here are some of my favorite images taken in 2020, separated by category.

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Favorite Maternity photos

Newborn Images

Family Portraits

Couples

Kids Portraits

Headshots

I wanted to take this moment to say THANK YOU to all of the amazing clients who supported my business in 2020. This year was not at all what we expected, and you trusted me in the middle of all of this to capture portraits of you and your family and that means the world to me! I look forward to many more shoots in 2021 and beyond!

Interested in more information about a session with me? Click the contact me button to book a free consolation call!

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My name is Jennifer Tavera, I am one of North Denver's premier high end photographers. In 2020 I celebrated 13 years as a professional portrait photographer. I got my start back in 2007 working at a children's portrait studio, that, combine with 10 years experience raising my own 5 children means I am ready for just about anything when photographing your kids and I know how to make even the most stubborn kids laugh. I am often told by my clients that I am the only one who has ever taken a photo of them that they love. I attribute this to my superpower of knowing how to get you to relax in front of the camera.

I am passionate about capturing motherhood in all of it's stages and helping you celebrate your life through ready to hang heirloom portraits wall art. I want to take your favorite family photo. Contact me to book a free no-obligation consultation to plan your perfect portrait session.

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How to display your family photos: Story boxes {Denver family photographer}

Updated August 2020 to include information on new sizes!

Do you remember those old photo albums with the sticky sheets inside that you just stuck your photos to? For anyone who has no idea what I am talking about you bought them at the store empty and each page was similar to a thick card stock covered in a stick material and then a clear sheet of plastic. You pulled back the plastic and stuck your photo to the sticky part and then stuck the plastic back over. They were great until your images started to fade from the acid in the paper and glue and then permanently stuck to the goo…

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I recently heard my Storyboxes described as a modern-day album, it’s not a bad description. Like those sticky albums or the sleeve albums that were also popular you can easily switch out the images in the box however unlike those, the Story box protects your images instead of ruining them.

 

I recently heard my Storyboxes described as a modern-day album

 

I love these because they are the perfect way to display your images without running out of wall space!

They are an 8x10 sized box with a beautiful oatmeal-colored cloth cover and the option to emboss the front with your family name, your child's name, and birth-date, special dates such as the date of a religious milestone, the date of the session or any other writing you would like. They have a black interior and they feature a black ribbon to help you easily remove images from the box.

These come in 3 sizes, 10 print with 10 matching digital images, 20 print with 20 matching digital images or 30 print with your full set of digitals. All printed images are matted 5x7 prints in 8x10 mats that you can display in the box full time or take out and frame!

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Ready to get more information on a session with me, fill out the form below to get instant access to my session planning guide including pricing on this and other beautiful ways to display your photos.

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My name is Jennifer Tavera, owner, photographer and gallery designer for Truth Photography LLC. I have created beautiful custom portraiture for my clients here in the Denver and Boulder Colorado areas for the past 12 years! I specialize in growing families including children, maternity, and newborn. I love what I do and I cannot wait to share my passion with all of you.

As a busy mom myself, I understand that you need a photographer who will go the extra mile to help you with every aspect of creating cherished imagery of your family.

I would love to become YOUR family photographer and can't wait for us to get to know each other better!

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Davidson Mesa, Louisville {Colorado family photographer}

Davidson Mesa

Davidson Mesa is a beautiful location with a mountain view in Louisville Colorado. It's a great spot of family, maternity and kids sessions. 

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Best time of year for this location: 

While this location is great any time of year because of it's mountain views, I really love this location for winter shoots. The tall brown grass and snow-covered mountains make it a beautiful spot during the winter when everything else looks dull and dead. 

Best time of day for this location: 

I only shoot at this location at sunset because of the lack of shade and because it's beauty is the mountain view. Sessions earlier in the day would put the sun in your eyes resulting in squinty unevenly light portraits. 

Parking: 

Parking at this location is very limited. The lot next to the park is often full however just on the other side of the road is a lake with additional parking and a path that goes under the road. 

Ready to book your session at this location or just want to get more information about my sessions? Fill out the form below to get instant access to my session planning and pricing guide.

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My name is Jennifer Tavera, owner, photographer and gallery designer for Truth Photography LLC. I have created beautiful custom portraiture for my clients here in the Denver and Boulder Colorado areas for the past 12 years! I specialize in growing families including children, maternity, and newborn. I love what I do and I cannot wait to share my passion with all of you.

As a busy mom myself, I understand that you need a photographer who will go the extra mile to help you with every aspect of creating cherished imagery of your family.

I would love to become YOUR family photographer and can't wait for us to get to know each other better!

Read More

Five tips for an amazing maternity session {Northglenn Maternity Photographer}

Congratulations on your pregnancy! If you are considering having maternity portraits taken you may be feeling overwhelmed by the thought of planning a shoot. Here are my top 5 tips for planning an amazing maternity shoot.

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1. Choosing your photographer

Quality

When choosing your photographer you will want to take a look at their work as a whole. Check out the images on their website and social media to get a more complete look at their work. Watch for focus issues, look at posing and the overall quality of the images you are seeing. Also look at how long the photographer has been in business, while this isn't always an indication of quality an experienced photographer is more likely to deliver quality images than someone who just started. 

Style

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After quality, the most important part of choosing your photographer is their style. This is true with any type of session you are trying to book but here are a few things to consider when looking for a maternity photographer. First, the type of photos they take, do they specialize in maternity photography? If you are including your husband and other children in the shoot you will want someone that also specializes in family portraits as well. Next what type of maternity photography do they shoot. If you have your heart set on maternity portraits in a mountain setting, or standing in a stream you are not going to want to hire a photographer that specializes in studio maternity or boudoir style maternity and Visa-Versa. Make sure that they offer or better yet specialize in the type of photos you would like taken. Last look at their editing style, do they edit true to color? Light and bright? Dark and moody? If you don't love the edits you will want to find someone who’s editing style you do love. 

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Service

Different photographers offer different levels of service. Chances are if you are looking at a photographer in the lower price range (anything below $300 typically) their service is just going to include the basics. In some cases, for maternity sessions, basic packages may be mom only so if you want to include other family members make sure to check with your photographer on who is included in the sessions. They will probably help you find a location, although not always, and they should include some basic editing but not many bells and whistles.

High end and full-service photographers often include services like gowns and accessories to borrow for your shoot, help coordinating clothing for other family members, more extensive knowledge of session locations, hair and makeup artists included or as an add-on, gallery design and printing, delivery of your products after the shoot and in some cases even services to install your portraits for you so you don’t have to hang them yourself. Think about the level of service you are hoping for from your photographer and check with them to see what services they offer.

One more thing to look at when it comes to service is the type of sessions your photographer offers. While its great to choose someone who specializes (and in my opinion you should) you may want to continue to use the same photographer through your babies first year or even as your family continues to grow. Some photographer’s specialties may be so narrow that they only offer Maternity/Newborn, so check to see if they offer first year packages or photography beyond those first few weeks.

Products

Print: The last thing that you want to look at is what your photographer offers. If you don’t want to have to figure out photo labs printing and sizing on your own or you want higher quality products than you can purchase at your local or online consumer lab (most professional quality labs offer their products to professional photographers only) you will want to look for a photographer that offers those services. Take a careful look at the types of products that they offer. A good photographer should offer a variety of high-quality products, in-person guidance when ordering so you know exactly what you are ordering, and a full price list BEFORE your session so there are no surprises on cost when you sit down with them to place your order.

Digital: If you are hoping for digital files as well a few questions you may want to ask your photographer is if they offer them, are they included in their print collections or only sold separately, do they offer them free or discounted with large print purchases, and do you get all of the edited digitals or only those that you purchased prints for. Most photographers will not offer every photo taken for the simple reason that no one wants to pay someone for the photos that someone blinked, were out of focus, bad lighting or just otherwise unusable and no matter how experienced your photographer is there are always a few of these in the bunch. A true professional will only deliver quality images to their clients.

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Before we move on….

I am sure you are wondering what of these styles, services, and products I offer. Here is a quick rundown for you.

I have been a professional photographer since 2007 and in business for myself since 2010 and have photographer maternity, newborns and families my entire career. My maternity style is outdoor in beautiful natural settings and I love bright, colorful and mostly true to natural color edits, although I tone down my greens slightly in editing. My sessions can include the whole family or just mom depending on your preference. I offer both individual maternity and newborn sessions or premium memberships that will give you discounted sessions every 3 months for your baby’s first year and beyond. I am full service so I include gowns from my collection as well as matching floral crowns and some jewelry for your session, I offer children’s clothing as well so I may have coordinating options in your child’s size. I will help you find the right clothing for dad as well if he is participating in the session. I have tons of favorite locations I can recommend and I am always scouting out new spots to use to give you the best options. I shoot all of the Denver and Boulder metro areas so I can offer a great variety of looks for sessions. I also offer hair and make-up as an add on to your session and I will arrange for your hair and makeup artist to come to you. I offer both high-quality wall art prints and digitals, my collections include both and I also give free digital if you hit a certain print order. You always get all edited files with my digital collections. You can download my full pricing list by filling out the form at the bottom of this blog post, the list also includes more information on my sessions and the products that I offer! You can see samples of my work both here on my webpage or by visiting www.facebook.com/truthphotographyllc or www.instagram.com/truthphotollc

2. Know when to book

For single babies

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In most cases, you will want to shoot your maternity session between 30-36 weeks. This is early enough in the pregnancy that you will not feel huge and uncomfortable and also will not be at high risk for going into labor during your session, but late enough you should have a beautiful baby bump by this point. Since photographers can often book several months in advance, especially during the busy season, I recommend booking early to be sure to get a spot. I take maternity booking starting around 20 weeks.

For twins or multiples

If you are pregnant with multiples make sure to let your photographer know and plan the session a little earlier. With multiples, you are more likely to have your babies before your due date and you will also get to that uncomfortable stage of pregnancy a lot sooner so I would aim for between 26-30 weeks for your session.

High Risk

If you are at risk for premature labor this is another reason to book early to make sure you are able to get your portraits before the baby arrives. I can shoot a maternity shoot anytime after you are clearly showing if you are worried about waiting too long.

Make sure to talk to your doctor, while I believe you should get maternity portraits done if possible, it is not worth risking your baby’s life or health if you have been placed on bed rest. As long as your doctor clears it we can plan a session with minimal walking for you.

3. Style Your Session

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For mom

How you look for the session is one of the most important aspects. I love doing sessions with gowns because they make mama look and feel amazing. I offer a variety of gowns to use for your session, you can choose one, or more than one if you would like multiple looks. You may also do some in one of my gowns and then some in more casual clothing. If you don’t see a gown you love in my collection make sure to ask about my option to order one for you. In many cases, I am able to order a custom gown in your size in time for your session.

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Coordinating the family

For any session, I always recommend coordinating the family’s clothing colors NOT matching it. This is even more important for a maternity session since you want your baby bump to stick out, not blend in. What I recommend is choosing at least two colors and having everyone where a mixture of the two. more about this in the section below about accessories.

Accessories

Don’t forget accessories when styling your session, the perfect accessories will complete the look of your session and, for family maternity shoots, help coordinate the look of the family unit.

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One of the things I offer for my clients is custom made floral crowns. I have a variety pre-made for your session but I can also make custom creations that tie in the colors that your family is wearing like I did for this couples session last year. She chose this gorgeous purple gown from my collection and we decided we wanted a bold color on him as well so we chose this red and I made the red and purple crown she is wearing specifically to match both of their clothing.

You can also use items like jewelry, nail polish, sweaters, belts, ties, and bowties to help coordinate colors and complete the look.

4. Choose a location

Look at maternity photos you love

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The easiest way to choose an amazing location is to take a look at other portraits and note locations that you love. What features do these locations have in common? Are they all in the mountains? By water? In tall grass? While searching google or Pinterest to see what stands out is helpful it’s even better to check out your photographer’s website, Facebook or blog, then when you find a location you love you can simply ask them where it was. If you don’t see exactly what you are hoping for trying telling them what type of location you have your heart set on and asking for recommendations.

5. Pamper yourself

Rest

Make sure to get plenty of rest during the days before your session, the last thing you want is to look tired and worn in your portraits. Pregnancy can be exhausting so go to bed a little early the night before and allow yourself a little more rest.

Hair and Makeup

As mentioned above I offer the option to add a hair and makeup artist onto your session fee. I highly recommend having a professional do your hair and makeup, after all, you are paying for professional-quality portraits and products so why wouldn’t you make sure to look your very best. If you book them through me I will schedule them to come to your home around an hour before you need to leave for the session. If you have a regular stylist you use just make sure to contact them as soon as you book your session to make sure they are available that day.

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Nails

Having your nails done is often overlooked but it’s so important especially for maternity sessions. Your hands are going to be on your belly where the focus of a maternity portrait is and you want to make sure they look great. Make sure to have dad and anyone else in the session clean and trim their nails before the session as well.

I hope this helps with planning your maternity shoot. If you would like to set up a session, or just want more information please fill out the form below to download my session planning guide with more information on my sessions, ordering your printed images, gifts, and digital files and a full pricing list

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My name is Jennifer Tavera, owner, photographer and gallery designer for Truth Photography LLC. I have created beautiful custom portraiture for my clients here in the Denver and Boulder Colorado areas for the past 12 years! I specialize in growing families including children, maternity, and newborn. I love what I do and I cannot wait to share my passion with all of you.

As a busy mom myself, I understand that you need a photographer who will go the extra mile to help you with every aspect of creating cherished imagery of your family.

I would love to become YOUR family photographer and can't wait for us to get to know each other better!

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Standley Lake Regional Park, Westminster Colorado {Westminster Maternity Photographer}

Standley lake is a beautiful location with the mountain views, gorgeous lake and occasional wildflowers. It is a great spot for mountain views if you are not up for a trip into the mountains. Here is a little more information about a session at this location.

Standley lake is a beautiful location with the mountain views, gorgeous lake and occasional wildflowers. It is a great spot for mountain views if you are not up for a trip into the mountains. Here is a little more information about a session at this location.

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Best time of year for this location:

This location is beautiful year-round however the winds here can get very chilly in the winter. If you are choosing this location for a winter shoot it is a good idea to have a backup location. Because of the open fields and lake the winds tend to be worse at this location than at other spots, but if you can catch it on a day with low winds this location is gorgeous for photos!

Best time of day for this location:

Sunset!! I know what you are thinking, that seems to be my answer for every location. Yes it is but with this location because of the lack of shade I shoot here exclusively at sunset.

Parking:

There are several spots to park around the lake to park, some paid and some free, I typically use one of the two free parking lots which are a little further from the lake but both have some great spots near the parking as well as access to the lake if we want to get closer. If you select this location we will agree on a spot to park before your session date.

Other info for this location:

On hazy of cloudy days the mountains are not always visible. If you have your heart set on a mountain backdrop I recommend getting a little closer to the mountains for better visibility however this spot does have more than the mountains going for it so either way I can capture beautiful portraits here.

Get more information on a session at this location or any of the beautiful locations in Denver, Boulder or the surrounding mountains by downloading my session planning guide! Fill out the form below for instant access to the guide!

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My name is Jennifer Tavera, owner, photographer and gallery designer for Truth Photography LLC. I have created beautiful custom portraiture for my clients here in the Denver and Boulder Colorado areas for the past 13 years! I specialize in growing families including children, maternity, and newborn. I love what I do and I cannot wait to share my passion with all of you.

As a busy mom myself, I understand that you need a photographer who will go the extra mile to help you with every aspect of creating cherished imagery of your family.

I would love to become YOUR family photographer and can't wait for us to get to know each other better!

Read More

The Old Barn, Boulder CO {Denver Photoshoot Locations}

The old Ban in Boulder has been one of my most requested locations for a long time. The barn, mountains, tall grass, nearby river and sunflowers in the fall make it a beautiful location for family, children’s and maternity sessions.

The old barn in Boulder has been one of my most requested locations for a long time. The barn, mountains, tall grass, nearby river and sunflowers in the fall make it a beautiful location for family, children’s and maternity sessions. This is one location I would not recommend for outdoor newborn sessions.

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Best time of year for this location:

This location is beautiful year-round however I do not recommend this location right after it rains or snows or any time of year that the mosquito population is high. Because of the tall grass and nearby river I have on occasion been to this location when it was wet and mushy or when the mosquitos where completely out of control. I prefer this as a fall location personally but have used it in every season!

Best time of day for this location:

Sunset!! There is little shade except right up against the barn and you can’t really use this location to get the best looks shooting other times of the day so I highly recommend an evening/sunset session for this location.

Parking:

Parking is a little complicated at this location, there really isn’t any, but there is plenty of room to park cars on the dirt shoulder off of the road.

Other info for this location:

While this location is a little more off the beaten path than most Boulder spots it can still get crowded in the fall so expect to work around other photographers and families that time of year. I highly recommend you bring bug spray just in case for this location as noted above the bugs sometimes get bad here.

Get more information about a session at this location:

headshot.jpg

My name is Jennifer Tavera, owner, photographer and gallery designer for Truth Photography LLC. I have created beautiful custom portraiture for my clients here in the Denver and Boulder Colorado areas for the past 12 years! I specialize in growing families including children, maternity, and newborn. I love what I do and I cannot wait to share my passion with all of you.

As a busy mom myself, I understand that you need a photographer who will go the extra mile to help you with every aspect of creating cherished imagery of your family.

I would love to become YOUR family photographer and can't wait for us to get to know each other better!

Read More