Family, Maternity and Newborn Photoshoots in Abu Dhabi: A Studio Guide

A family photoshoot in Abu Dhabi is usually booked for a moment: a pregnancy, a new baby, a first birthday, the whole family together for once. A studio makes those moments easier to photograph. The light is the same at any hour, there is no heat or wind, and the set can be built around the family rather than the family fitted around a location.

This guide covers how to plan each kind of shoot and what to ask a studio before you book. For the basics of any studio day, see how to prepare for a studio photoshoot, and for choosing a studio, the ten checks for choosing a photo studio in Abu Dhabi.

Why a studio for family photos in Abu Dhabi

Outdoor family photos in Abu Dhabi are beautiful at the right hour and hard work at the wrong one. Through the summer months, the midday heat is tough on babies, grandparents and make-up, and the light is harsh until the evening. A studio takes the weather out of the plan.

Maternity photoshoots

Many photographers suggest the third trimester for a maternity session, once the bump shows clearly and before the last weeks, when sitting and standing for long gets harder. Book early, because the window is short and the date may move. Tell the studio how far along you will be, so the set and the poses suit you.

• Comfort first: a seat or a plinth, breaks whenever you want them, and water within reach.
• Clothes that show the shape: a fitted dress, a flowing gown or a partner's shirt, in solid colours against a dark or white backdrop.
• A partner in some frames, and older children if you have them.
• Modesty on your terms: tell the studio in advance what you are comfortable with, and ask who will be in the room.

Newborn photoshoots

Newborn sessions are planned before the birth and booked around it. Many newborn photographers prefer the first couple of weeks, when babies sleep deeply and curl up easily; others photograph older babies awake and alert. Ask which the studio does, and hold a provisional date as soon as you know the due date.

• Warmth: babies need a warm room, so ask about the temperature before the day.
• Time: newborn sessions run at the baby's pace, with feeds and changes. Allow longer than you think.
• Safety: a parent within reach, no props or poses that put the baby at risk, and composite pictures for anything that only looks precarious.
• Soft, plain fabrics for the family, in a palette, with nothing scratchy against the baby.
• Feed and change the baby just before the session starts.

Family portraits

A family portrait has one job: everyone looking like themselves, together. Plan it around the youngest and the oldest people in the frame.

• Choose the time when the children are usually at their best, often the morning or after a nap.
• Take the group picture first, while everyone is fresh, then smaller groups and portraits.
• Pick a palette: matching shirts make a strong, graphic picture, and two or three colours that sit well together look softer. Mixing busy prints works against both.
• Plan seats for grandparents, or anyone who cannot stand for long.
• Let the photographer direct, so parents can be in the picture rather than managing it.

Children on their own

Children's portraits work best when the child is doing something: holding a ball, kicking it, dancing, reading, laughing at a parent behind the camera. Ask them to bring the thing they love, and keep the session short. A child who is enjoying it photographs better than a child who is posing.

First-birthday and milestone shoots

First birthdays, graduations, Eid and other milestones photograph well on a set built for the day: balloons, a backdrop in the party's colours, and a cake if you want the cake-smash pictures. Agree the theme, the colours and who brings what a week before. If there is a cake, bring it with a bib and a change of clothes, and leave the cake until last.

What to ask before you book

• Can we see family, maternity or newborn photographs taken in this studio?
• Who will be in the room, and how do you work with babies and young children?
• How long is the session, and can we stop for feeds and changes?
• Is there somewhere to change, feed and rest?
• What is the total, with the set, the edited pictures and VAT?
• How many pictures are edited, how do we choose them, and when do they arrive?
• Will you use our photos in your portfolio or on social media, and can we say no?

Privacy and your family's pictures

Family photographs, and above all photographs of children, are personal. Before the shoot, agree in writing whether the studio may use any of them, where, and for how long. Some families are happy to share one or two; others prefer none. A good studio asks, and takes no for an answer.

Family photoshoots at Evo's studio

Evo's studio in Abu Dhabi photographs maternity, newborn, family and first-birthday sets built and lit in the room, and has a lounge for the rest of the family. Shoots are directed in English, Arabic, Tagalog or French, whichever you prefer.

For the sets, the address and how a booking works, see the Evo Media Pro studio guide. For what a studio booking usually covers and how many hours to allow, see photo studio rental in Abu Dhabi.