One of the first questions expecting parents ask us is surprisingly simple: when is the best time to actually take maternity photos? The answer has two layers — there's the week of pregnancy that photographs most beautifully, and then there's the season of the year that will frame those photographs. After photographing hundreds of maternity sessions across Snohomish County, from the cherry-blossom groves in Lake Stevens to the lavender fields east of Snohomish, we've learned that pairing the right trimester window with the right season is what turns a nice set of photos into heirloom images.
This guide walks you through both decisions. We'll cover the 32-36 week sweet spot that nearly every maternity photographer swears by, what each Washington season offers as a backdrop, how our famously unpredictable weather affects outdoor sessions, and how far in advance you should reach out to book. Our goal is that by the time you finish reading, you'll know exactly when to schedule your session — not just a vague "sometime in the third trimester."
The 32-36 Week Sweet Spot
The most flattering and comfortable time for maternity photos falls between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy. This is the window nearly every experienced portrait photographer recommends, and it's not arbitrary — it's the point where the baby bump is unmistakably pronounced, rounded, and camera-ready, while most expecting mothers still feel mobile enough to walk a trail, climb a few steps at a venue, or pose comfortably for forty-five minutes. The American Pregnancy Association marks the third trimester as beginning at week 28, and photographically speaking, the mid-third-trimester is when the bump really starts to photograph with that characteristic perfect shape.
Before 32 weeks, the bump often reads as softer or less defined in photographs — still beautiful, but less dramatic. After 37 weeks, two things tend to happen: swelling in the hands, feet, and face increases, and the risk of an early delivery grows. We've had clients go into labor days after their 38-week session, which is a wonderful story but not one we'd recommend planning around. For a first pregnancy, aim for 33-34 weeks. For a second or third baby — where the body tends to show sooner and deliver sooner — 31-33 weeks is often a better target. Twins? Plan for 28-30 weeks; twin pregnancies progress faster and you want to photograph before discomfort sets in.
Spring Maternity Sessions (Cherry Blossoms & Tulips)
Spring in Snohomish County is, quietly, one of the most photogenic times of year on the West Coast. Cherry blossoms begin to open in early-to-mid April and typically peak around the third week — the University of Washington's Quad is famous, but we shoot closer to home at Lake Stevens parks, along the Centennial Trail, and at McCollum Park in Everett, where flowering trees create soft pink ceilings that photograph like something out of a painting. Tulip season follows in late April at the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, an easy forty-minute drive from Bothell, and the color payoff is spectacular.
The tradeoff with spring is timing precision. Cherry blossoms bloom for roughly ten to fourteen days, and a single hard rain can strip a tree overnight. If you want blossoms in your photos, we ask that you reach out at least two months ahead so we can hold a flexible block and move the session by a few days if the bloom shifts. Spring also gives you the softest, most diffused light of any season — overcast skies that photographers secretly love because they eliminate harsh shadows and flatter every skin tone. Pair the season with a flowing pastel dress, and you get images that feel genuinely dreamlike.
Summer Maternity (Golden Hour & Lavender Fields)
Summer is when Washington hands photographers the light they dream about the rest of the year. From late June through mid-August, the sun sets around 9 PM, which means golden hour — that warm, honey-colored window roughly an hour before sunset — lands around 8 PM. We love scheduling summer maternity sessions at 7:30 PM, giving us fifteen minutes to settle in before the light turns magical. Mukilteo's lighthouse beach, Edmonds' waterfront, and the meadows around Lord Hill Park all come alive during this window.
July brings lavender season. Jardin du Soleil near Sequim is the most famous farm in the region, but there are smaller working lavender farms in Snohomish Valley that we've used for private maternity sessions — rows of purple stretching to the foothills, heavy with bees and the smell of summer. Summer's one caveat is the heat. Snohomish County summers increasingly see stretches of 85-90°F, and pregnancy in the third trimester does not mix well with midday heat. For summer sessions, we exclusively shoot early morning (7-9 AM) or evening golden hour, never midday. We also encourage clients to hydrate aggressively the day before and to wear breathable fabrics like linen, cotton, or flowing chiffon.
Fall Maternity (Cozy Foliage)
Fall is our single busiest season for maternity photography, and the reason is simple: the color. From late September through the third week of October, the maples and liquidambars around Bothell Landing, the North Creek Trail, and the parks along the Snohomish River turn brilliant shades of red, orange, and gold. Paired with a warm-toned dress — burgundy, rust, mustard, forest green — the images feel rich and cinematic in a way no other season quite matches. Our Bothell photography locations are especially beautiful in October.
Fall also brings cooler, more comfortable temperatures for the mother-to-be — usually 55-65°F during shoot hours, which is ideal for anyone in their third trimester. The main planning note is that the peak color window is narrow (about two weeks), and we book fall maternity slots up to four months in advance. If your due date lands in November or December and you want fall color, we strongly recommend reaching out by July. Fall is also a good season to think about coordinating outfits — if you haven't already, read our guide on what to wear for autumn sessions.
Winter Maternity (Studio & Indoor)
Winter in Snohomish County runs from roughly mid-November through March, and while it's our shortest-daylight season, it's also one of the most intimate for maternity portraits. Outdoor winter sessions are possible on dry, overcast days — the moody, silver light over Mukilteo Beach or the bare architectural branches at Lord Hill make for gorgeous minimalist photography — but most of our winter maternity work moves indoors. We partner with a handful of natural-light studios in Bothell and Everett that offer cream walls, large north-facing windows, and warm textured backdrops.
Indoor studio sessions offer something outdoor sessions can't: complete weather independence and guaranteed warmth. For anyone at 35+ weeks who doesn't want to be standing outside in a drizzle, this is the answer. Studios also make it easy to style multiple looks — a fitted knit gown, a flowing white dress, even intimate partner-in-white-shirt poses — without rushing between outfit changes. If you're set on outdoor winter photos, we recommend checking the forecast at the National Weather Service Seattle office a week out and building in two backup dates. Winter is also the quietest season for bookings, which means easier scheduling if you've decided late.
How Far in Advance to Book
Maternity photography has an unusual booking rhythm because your session date is anchored to a biological deadline that will not flex. Here's the timeline we recommend: reach out to your photographer between 18 and 24 weeks of pregnancy. That feels early, but it gives us time to scout a season and location that matches your due date, to hold a two-to-three week flexible window for weather and blossoms, and to coordinate with your calendar well before the third-trimester exhaustion kicks in. For fall sessions specifically, we stop taking new bookings around mid-August because October is fully reserved by July.
Once you've booked, we hold two session dates — a primary and a rain-backup — within the same week. Washington weather will do what Washington weather does, and a free rescheduling cushion removes the stress of a wet primary date. We also recommend letting us know immediately if your doctor puts you on modified activity or bed rest; we can transition a planned outdoor session into an in-home or studio session without losing the date. To see more of our recent work, browse our Snohomish County maternity photography portfolio, or reach out directly to book your session.
Whether you're due in spring and dreaming of cherry blossoms, summer and drawn to golden-hour fields, fall and in love with maple color, or winter and leaning cozy and indoor — there's a beautiful maternity session waiting at exactly the right week. We'd be honored to photograph yours.