Pregnancy Photographer in Tuscany: Maternity, Newborn and Video

There are only a few weeks when your bump is already noticeable and you can still move about easily. It’s a narrow window, and those who find themselves in it almost always realise it too late: many of the enquiries I receive come in when that moment has already passed.

Sono Giovanni Papini e realizzo servizi di gravidanza in tutta la Toscana, in studio, in esterna e a casa. Accanto alla fotografia giro brevi video, che di un’attesa restituiscono qualcosa che le immagini fisse non possono: la voce, il gesto, il modo in cui vi guardate.

I’m based in Serravalle Pistoiese and cover all ten provinces of Tuscany. Each area has its own locations: below you’ll find what I do in each one.

How to organise a maternity photoshoot

• In the studio. Controlled lighting, neutral backgrounds, no unexpected weather. It’s the most relaxing option, and allows you to focus on simple images where it’s just you.
• On location. The countryside, the seaside, parks, historic town centres. These images also tell the story of the place where you are experiencing this time of anticipation, which, looking back years later, will mean more than it seems right now.
• At your home. This is the option I most often recommend to those who are already in the final stages of pregnancy or who don’t feel up to travelling. Your home is where that baby will actually arrive, and it really shows in the photographs.
• With my partner and my brothers. If there are already other children, I include them without pressuring them: we work at their own pace, and the best photos come when they stop being aware that they’re being photographed.
• Newborn, to follow. The newborn care service during the first few days of life, which many book at the same time as their antenatal care to ensure continuity of care before and after the birth.
• Between one and three minutes in length, filmed during the same session: a few words to the unborn child, or a silent sequence of gestures and glances.

Maternity photographer in Florence

A Firenze lavoro sia in studio sia nelle esterne che la città offre a poca distanza dal centro: i giardini storici, la collina di Fiesole, gli spazi verdi lungo l’Arno nelle ore in cui non c’è nessuno. Per chi vive in centro e non vuole spostarsi, il servizio a casa resta la soluzione più comoda, specie negli ultimi mesi.

Le esterne fiorentine vanno programmate presto la mattina o nell’ultima ora di luce: sono le fasce in cui i luoghi si svuotano e la luce diventa morbida. Nelle giornate calde è anche l’unico orario sostenibile per chi è a fine gravidanza.

Pregnancy videos in Florence

During the session, I film short clips which I then edit into a video lasting one or two minutes: just a few gestures, a few words if you feel like it, and no staging. This is the content that families tend to watch most often, even years later – far more so than printed photographs.

Maternity photographer in Prato

A Prato il servizio a domicilio è la richiesta più frequente: la città è compatta, gli spostamenti sono brevi e molte coppie preferiscono restare in casa propria. Per chi vuole l’esterna, i parchi cittadini e la campagna verso la Calvana offrono spazi tranquilli senza dover fare chilometri.

In flats, we almost always work near the windows, making the most of natural light and supplementing it where necessary. You don’t need a lot of space: a room with a decent-sized window is enough for a full service.

Pregnancy videos in Prato

In home sessions, the video turns out particularly well, because you’re more at ease in your own home than in front of a backdrop. I film a few simple moments — the hands, a glance, a phrase — and edit them into a short clip, which I also deliver in portrait format.

Maternity photographer in Pistoia

Pistoia è la mia zona, e questo per un servizio di gravidanza conta più che in altri lavori: posso raggiungervi in poco tempo, spostare l’appuntamento senza problemi se quel giorno non vi sentite bene, e organizzare la sessione anche con poco preavviso. In gravidanza la flessibilità vale quanto il risultato.

There are plenty of options close by: the nurseries on the plain, the Valdinievole countryside, and the woods of the Pistoia Mountains for those looking for something a bit wilder. The historic centre is best visited in the early hours of the morning.

Pregnancy videos in Pistoia

Realizzo brevi video durante la stessa sessione fotografica, senza allungarla in modo significativo. Per chi prenota anche il newborn, monto un unico racconto che unisce l’attesa e i primi giorni: è il formato che le famiglie condividono di più.

Maternity photographer in Lucca

Lucca ha una caratteristica che poche città offrono: le Mura, un anello verde percorribile a piedi, in piano, all’ombra degli alberi. Per una donna a fine gravidanza è una delle location più comode della Toscana, perché non richiede di camminare su terreni difficili né di allontanarsi dall’auto.

Around the city, the villas of Lucca and the countryside leading towards Garfagnana offer even more picturesque outdoor settings for those who fancy a trip out. In the city, home delivery is always available.

Pregnancy videos in Lucca

The video really does justice to the City Walls: the walk beneath the trees, filmed whilst moving, conveys a sense of tranquillity that still photographs simply cannot capture. I edit short clips with ambient sound, without intrusive music, and deliver them in portrait format as well.

Maternity photographer in Massa-Carrara

The Apuan coast offers wide beaches with the Apuan Alps in the background: it is one of the few places in Tuscany where both the sea and the mountains can be captured in a single shot. At sunset, out of season, it is one of the most beautiful locations for a maternity photoshoot.

There’s almost always a breeze along the coast. It’s not a problem — in fact, it’s rather nice for your hair and light fabrics — but you need to bear it in mind when choosing what to wear: long skirts and flowing fabrics work well, whereas stiff garments and structured hairstyles do not.

Pregnancy videos in Massa-Carrara

Filming on the shore at sunset, with the low light and the sound of the sea as the natural soundtrack, produces a result that would have to be created artificially in other locations. I edit together short sequences of you walking, without giving any instructions: the rest just falls into place.

Maternity photographer in Pisa

In Pisa, I alternate between the Lungarni, which are bathed in a very soft, reflected light in the early hours, and the natural surroundings of San Rossore Park, where pine forests and meadows offer sheltered outdoor settings that are easily accessible even in the later stages of pregnancy.

La campagna pisana verso le colline dà un’alternativa più tranquilla e meno frequentata rispetto alla città, con la possibilità di parcheggiare vicino al punto in cui si scatta, cosa che negli ultimi mesi fa una differenza concreta.

Pregnancy videos in Pisa

Nelle pinete la luce filtrata dagli alberi è ideale per il video, perché non crea i contrasti duri del sole diretto. Giro sequenze semplici e le monto in una clip di un paio di minuti, con l’audio ambiente lasciato così com’è.

Maternity photographer in Livorno

Livorno è la scelta naturale per chi vuole il mare come sfondo: le scogliere lungo la costa, le spiagge fuori stagione, i tramonti sul Tirreno che qui sono frontali e non laterali come sull’altro versante. È il posto giusto per chi immagina immagini luminose e aperte.

La luce riflessa dall’acqua ammorbidisce i volti e riempie le ombre senza bisogno di attrezzatura aggiuntiva. Il momento migliore è l’ora prima del tramonto, che in inverno cade a un orario comodo e in estate va spostata in avanti.

Pregnancy videos in Livorno

At sunset by the sea, backlit shots produce silhouettes that work very well when set in motion. I edit short clips using the sound of the waves as the background audio, and also deliver them in portrait format for social media.

Maternity photographer in Arezzo

The province of Arezzo offers two distinct landscapes within a short distance of one another: the open countryside of the Valdichiana, with its vast fields and gentle contours, and the woods of the Casentino for those who prefer a more intimate and shaded setting.

In open fields, it is best to work at the end of the day, when the low sun shines across the crops and creates natural backlighting. In the Casentino, on the other hand, you can also take photographs in the middle of the day, as the canopy of trees ensures the light is even.

Pregnancy videos in Arezzo

Nei campi della Valdichiana le riprese in movimento con il grano o l’erba alta in primo piano danno profondità al girato. Monto sequenze brevi, senza voce fuori campo se non la volete, lasciando l’audio dell’ambiente.

Maternity photographer in Siena

The Crete Senesi are probably the most recognisable landscape in Tuscany: bare hills, rows of cypress trees, and fields that change colour with the seasons. For an outdoor maternity photoshoot, they’re a choice that needs no explanation.

Le stagioni cambiano completamente il risultato: verde intenso in primavera, oro tra giugno e luglio, terra scura dopo l’aratura. Vale la pena scegliere il periodo in base a come volete che siano le immagini, se i tempi della gravidanza lo permettono.

Pregnancy videos in Siena

The video really captures the essence of the Crete, because the landscape has a depth that gets lost in photographs. Slow-motion footage of you walking along a ridge conveys a sense of space that individual stills fail to capture.

Maternity photographer in Grosseto

The Maremma is the least tamed part of Tuscany: pine forests stretching right down to the sand, long, deserted beaches out of season, and countryside that doesn’t look like a garden. For those seeking natural, unspoilt scenery, this is the place to go.

Il vantaggio della Maremma è la tranquillità: anche nei fine settimana si trovano tratti di costa e di campagna dove non c’è nessuno, il che rende la sessione più rilassata per chi non ama farsi fotografare in mezzo alla gente.

Pregnancy videos in Grosseto

Tra le pinete e la battigia si possono girare sequenze continue senza interruzioni, che in montaggio diventano un racconto fluido invece di una somma di clip. L’audio naturale — vento, mare, pini — basta da solo, senza musica aggiunta.

When to do it

Il periodo migliore va indicativamente dalla ventottesima alla trentaquattresima settimana. Prima la pancia spesso non è ancora evidente quanto vorreste, dopo ci si stanca in fretta e diventa difficile stare in piedi per un’ora e mezza.

If you’re expecting twins, it’s best to bring the session forward by two or three weeks, as everything happens earlier. And if you’re already past the 34th week, do get in touch anyway: we’ll arrange a shorter session at your home, and you’ll still end up with some lovely photos.

How the session is conducted

Before

We’ll get in touch to decide on the package and venue, and to find out what sort of photos you have in mind: some couples want something simple and understated, whilst others prefer more staged shots. I’ll give you some advice on outfits, and we’ll agree on a timetable that suits how you’re feeling at that time.

During

Una sessione dura tra un’ora e un’ora e mezza, pause comprese. Non sto in piedi a dare ordini: propongo situazioni semplici e poi lascio che succedano, perché le immagini che vi piaceranno di più saranno quelle in cui non stavate posando. Se avete bisogno di fermarvi, ci si ferma: non c’è nessun programma da rispettare.

After

You’ll receive a private, password-protected online gallery containing the full selection. Delivery within seven days, with full-resolution downloads. If you’ve also booked the newborn shoot, both sessions will be styled in the same way so that they complement each other beautifully in a single album.

What to wear

• Soft, flowing fabrics: they follow the body’s shape rather than constricting it, and offer far more in terms of movement than stiff fabrics.
• Tinte piene, meglio se chiare o neutre. Le fantasie fitte spostano l’attenzione dalla pancia al vestito.
• Bring two or three changes of clothes, including something very simple: a plain, close-fitting top almost always works better than an elaborate dress.
• If your partner is coming along, coordinate your outfits without wearing the same thing: two similar colours will do.
• Avoid wearing clothes with tight elasticated bands in the hours leading up to the session, as they leave marks on the skin that show up in the photographs.

Confidentiality and use of images

Pregnancy photographs are intimate images and remain yours. The gallery is private and password-protected, and is not indexed by search engines.

About this publication: I do not use your images in my portfolio, on social media or on this website without your explicit written consent. If you would prefer that no photographs be published at all, simply let me know: this will not affect the service or the price in any way.

If there are other children: The same rule applies to photographs of them, and the decision ultimately rests with you as parents.

How much does it cost?

Il prezzo dipende da formula, durata, location e numero di immagini finali, e da quanto lontano ci si sposta. Una sessione a casa in provincia di Pistoia e un’esterna al tramonto sulle crete senesi non comportano lo stesso impegno.

Chi prenota gravidanza e newborn insieme trova condizioni migliori rispetto ai due servizi separati, ed è anche la scelta che dà l’album più coerente. Scrivetemi settimana di gravidanza, zona e che tipo di immagini avete in mente: vi mando un preventivo scritto, senza impegno, in genere entro il giorno dopo.

Frequently Asked Questions

In which provinces of Tuscany do you work?

All ten: Florence, Prato, Pistoia, Lucca, Massa-Carrara, Pisa, Livorno, Arezzo, Siena and Grosseto. I’m based in Serravalle Pistoiese, so journeys to Pistoia, Prato, Florence and Lucca are short and travel costs do not affect the quote.

Which week is best for the service?

Di solito tra la ventottesima e la trentaquattresima. Prima la pancia potrebbe non essere ancora evidente come vorreste, dopo stare in piedi per un’ora e mezza diventa faticoso. Per le gravidanze gemellari conviene anticipare di due o tre settimane.

Shall we meet at your place or at the studio?

Both, and on location too. I usually recommend the home visit service towards the end of pregnancy: you don’t have to travel, you’re in your own surroundings, and all you need is a room with a decent window.

Can I do the service on my own, without my partner?

Certo, ed è una richiesta frequente. Molte donne vogliono immagini solo proprie, e sono spesso le più belle del servizio. Se il partner c’è, si fa una parte insieme e una parte no: si decide sul momento.

Do you also offer a newborn photography service?

Yes. Newborn photo shoots are usually carried out in the first ten to fifteen days of life, when babies sleep most deeply. Many people book this at the same time as their maternity shoot to ensure a consistent style between the two sessions.

Are you filming as well?

Yes, and it’s filmed during the same photo shoot without extending it significantly. These are clips lasting between one and three minutes, with ambient sound, and are also delivered in portrait format. This is the footage that families watch most often over the years.

Will the photographs be published?

Only if you give your written authorisation. The gallery is private and password-protected, and is not indexed by search engines. If you would prefer that no images ever be published anywhere, that’s perfectly fine and it won’t affect the service in any way.

What if I’m not feeling well on the day?

It can be rescheduled without any penalty. During pregnancy, this is the norm and I take it into account: it’s also why I don’t pack my day full of appointments when I have a session like this.