When Energy Meets Intuition: The First Clue Might Already Be Inside You

A while back, a client reached out in that beautifully tender stage of third-trimester grace. She wasn’t quite sure if an indoor or outdoor session felt “right.” Her days were full, her body tired but radiant, and she whispered, “Do I need to explain why I might want to just stay in?”

You don’t.

You truly don’t need a reason.

If you’re pulling toward being curled up in your own space or drawn to the wild air and golden light, that’s a breadcrumb. And in my work, we follow breadcrumbs. What your body craves, what feels soft and unfussy, what your spirit lights up about when you picture the day – that’s where we begin.

Whether we’re capturing a perfect little belly fold on your favorite linen sheets or catching the wind’s energy in your hair at the edge of the world, both paths are artful, powerful, and yours.

Let’s explore how you might choose between an indoor or outdoor maternity session – and why the answer might already be whispering to you.

Here’s What I Know: It’s Less About Logistics and More About Feeling

So many women come to me thinking they need to choose the “right” location. But right for who, exactly?

Here’s the truth: You’re not doing something wrong just because you don’t want to hike a hillside or perfectly tidy your house. Every story has its place. Some unfold best on a breezy overlook, others in the quiet corners of your home.

And here’s something I remind clients often: it’s actually easier to move around while pregnant than it is with a newborn. If you’re weighing this session with an upcoming newborn shoot in mind, indoors might be a perfect call for that second moment when you’re in healing mode with a tiny human on your chest.

But for now? You get to choose what speaks to you, body and soul.

Let’s sift through what might guide your choice with care – and without pressure.

How to Choose Between Indoor and Outdoor Maternity Sessions

1. Consider the Session Flow You Want

If you’re aiming for:

• A cozy, intimate session with slower transitions — indoor might be for you. There’s comfort in being steps away from your robe, your tea, your favorite music.
• A dynamic, nature-connected session with space to explore — outdoors holds that expansive energy. Think wind-tangled hair, golden hour glow, the crunch of grass under bare feet.

And if you’re doing both maternity and newborn sessions, dividing the experience (maternity outside, newborn inside) can give your story variety and rhythm.

2. Think About What You Want to Wear (and How You Want to Feel)

Indoor sessions tend to welcome more skin – think layered knits, bralettes, or that oversized button-down you love. There’s privacy, permission, and warmth.

Outdoor wardrobes lean into movement, light, and silhouettes – flowing dresses, textures that catch the breeze, pieces that dance as you walk.

And here’s the whisper of truth: whatever popped into your head when you read those words? Probably already the right answer.

Don’t second guess it. That favorite linen dress or that soft throw you wrap yourself in after a shower? Start there.

3. Consider the Weather (But Don’t Let It Drive the Entire Decision)

Yes, the practical matters too – is it 100 degrees outside? Pouring rain? Freezing cold with biting wind? Then sure, maybe indoor is the joyful choice by default.

But on a mild spring or fall day, we get to decide based on feel, not forecast. Some clients want to savor the edge of a season; others want to build a nest in the sacred quiet of their homes. Both are artful. And I’ll help you prepare for either.

(Also – outdoor doesn’t have to mean “public park with a crowd.” I know how to scout tucked-away, soul-rich spaces where you’ll feel seen and safe.)

4. Ask Yourself This: What Will Feel Like a Gift to Future You?

One of my favorite questions to ask during our planning is, What do you want to remember when you look back at these photos years from now?

Do you want to see the details of your home – the light in your kitchen at 10am, the nursery still mid-decor, the couch where you’ve spent many evenings talking with your baby still inside you?

Or do you want to step into a feeling outside of time, somewhere you don’t visit every day but that speaks to the bigness of this moment – a hill at dusk, sand underfoot, a towering oak tree?

Both are treasures. You’re simply choosing what kind of treasure you’re collecting right now.

This Isn’t Just a Session. It’s a Way to Stay Present.

At the root of this choice is presence. And presence doesn’t look one single way.

It looks like:

• you being barefoot in your kitchen, holding your belly while gentle morning sun hits the tile.
• you walking slowly through a field, the wind tucking a strand of hair behind your ear.
• you leaning into the unexpected – the toddler you’ve already raised climbing beside you, a dog photo-bombing with glee, or the exact same tree that shows up in your wedding album years before.

The magic doesn’t happen because you chose one “right” setting over another. It happens because you slowed down enough to feel what was calling you.

That’s where the beautiful part begins.

Ready to Feel Light, Held, and Seen During Your Session?

If you’re navigating this decision and unsure what will feel best for you, reach out. Part of what I do is help you listen to the quiet moments underneath the planning.

We’ll talk through how you want to feel, what feels nourishing in this season, and where you can release pressure. The session itself is meant to be joyful – not one more thing to “figure out.”

I create artistic, emotional maternity photography for modern women throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, Lake Tahoe, Napa Valley, and beyond. Whether in your home or the wild outdoors, the images we create together will be unmistakably yours.

Let’s start trekking toward your next breadcrumb.

Start the booking process here.

With warmth,

Kelley

www.letsspreadbeauty.com