If you ask me what is my favorite time of day to shoot, I'll tell you sunrise on the coast. If you ask me what is my favorite type of photo session to document at sunrise, I'll tell you a maternity portrait session. Hands down, there is no better way (in my humble opinion) to capture your pregnancy than on the coast, especially at sunrise. The beach has a built-in minimalistic quality that will transfer to your maternity portraits. The simplistic nature of the coastline, coupled with an excellent choice in a maternity dress, and you're sure to leave with timeless portraits from your pregnancy.

I say this often, but clothing is so important! When my client embraces the coastal vibe, and nails her dress, it's everything! For this particular Mama, she found the most amazing shimmery, metallic fishnet dress! It coordinated so beautifully with the coquina rocks we have here in Saint Augustine Beach, that it looked as if she found this among the rocks and threw it on! Haha Seriously! We joked during her session about that because it matched so beautifully with the surroundings.

I loved the crochet/fishnet detail of this dress. Handmade, it allowed for the morning sun to backlight it, while also adding texture to these maternity portraits (a very important part in creating depth and dimension in a photograph). This texture of this dress, coupled with the color and shimmery quality of the fabric, made for the absolute perfect Ariel-inspired maternity dress. Perfection!

I've included a few of my favorites from this coastal maternity photo session, and as always, the light was key in creating these portraits. My love for the coast holds true at sunrise. I always welcome greeting the sun with my clients, and am amazed at just how many people are up for it!