Maternity Photography by Koren

I have the same conversation with every single client and it starts something like this, “What should I wear or bring to my maternity photo session?”

I always answer the same way, “I like working with solid colors (favorites being black, white, chocolate brown, teal, charcoal gray…), and the fabrics should always be thin, and the fit should always be perfect, not too loose and definitely not too tight.”

Inevitably, this starts a discussion about what to wear in general when pregnant. And this leads to me changing the way a lot of women actually wear their clothes during the last two months.

While I may pay particular attention to the way pregnant women wear their clothes, there’s a better source for what to wear and here’s how I found it…

I was engaged in shameless self-promotion at a bookstore the other day when I stumbled upon Bump it Up by Amy Tara Koch. I think every pregnant fashionista will enjoy not just the great style tips, but the “before and after” drawings. They’re delightful. They’re useful. They’ll change the way pregnant women think about pregnancy style!

Learn more at Amy Tara Koch’s web site, Bump it Up

After having a baby, one of the biggest concerns mothers have is getting the post-pregnancy weight off. As we all know, sometimes its a little difficult to get motivated or find the time to try to figure out what you’re supposed to be doing. If you have the means, getting a personal trainer is great, but if you don’t, well, there are other tools you can use that can be just as effective. And once you drop the pounds, a boudoir photography session is just the thing to show off your new body!

One of the coolest sites for weight loss and getting healthy in general that I’ve come across is the LiveStrong website. The Lance Armstrong Foundation, along with Demand Media, created the site to encourage everyone to live a healthier lifestyle, to transform their lives, really, and have infused it with a ton of tools to keep you motivated and informed. One of the best is My Plate, a completely free food tracker. It calculates how many calories, fat grams, protein grams, etc, you’ve consumed throughout the day. MyPlate has many of the brands of food you know and love, so after a quick search, you input how much you ate, and it’ll do all the math for you. Easy, right? On LiveStrong, you can also blog about your journey, upload pics, join groups and get local exercise routes from other members to try. Its very cool, and my favorite part is the tagline: “Dare to Change Your Life.” How can you NOT be motivated?!?!

Toys R Us is great, but sometimes you want to give your child toys full of whimsy and magic. An awesome place to go is ROMP, an exclusively online store started by mom and designer Jenn Labelle. Not only do her products make great gifts, but they’re also awesome accessories to have on a baby or children’s photography shoot. Below are some of the cutest toys I’ve seen in a while (take note of the wooden camera – my favorite!):

Found this awesome little quiz, and decided to go ahead and do it. Marcus Buckingham wrote “Find Your Strongest Life”, which will be added to my library very shortly. According to the website:

“Find Your Strongest Life also introduces Marcus Buckingham’s Strong Life Test, a unique profile-builder that measures individuals against nine distinct roles—Advisor, Caretaker, Creator, Equalizer, Influencer, Motivator, Pioneer, Teacher, Weaver—and reveals each woman’s Lead Role, the role she was born to play—the role that she and her closest friends and family will recognize as her core self. Used in conjunction with the book, the Strong Life Test can be a powerful tool enabling women to tap into their best selves and find their strongest lives.”

So if you need a little direction, this is one great place to look for guidance. Take. Quiz. Now!

Here are a few great coupon codes to use for some fabulous discounts! You can find these and more at dealnews.com, one of my favorite discount shopping sites. You’re welcome!!

Babies R Us – Use code “930411″ to get a $5 off $25 coupon. Expires 8/31/2009.

Blue Nile – Use code “SPECIAL20″ to get 20% off (no min). Expires 12/31/2009.

Bobbi Brown – Use code “Eyes66″ to get a free full-size Shimmer Wash eye shadow w/ $65+ order. Expires 9/27/2009.

Lord & Taylor – Use code “LOVE” to get 15% off regular & sale items, 20% off clearance. Expires 8/25/2009.

I’ve never seen a sunflower display like this enormous bouquet. Check it out!
I had to photograph these flowers at Grammercy Tavern on 20th Street in Manhattan. The food was outrageously delicious.

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http://www.4over.com/080109deals/