Maternity Portrait photography

san diego Maternity photographer

on this page

Natural· Simple· Relaxed· Timeless·

Congratulations on your pregnancy — such an exciting season. I create natural, relaxed maternity portraits that celebrate your connection and preserve this fleeting chapter in timeless photographs.

Maternity sessions are best scheduled between 30–36 weeks, when your bump is beautifully round. I recommend booking shortly after your 20-week scan to secure availability.

Elegant Maternity Portraits that Celebrate New Beginnings

Collections begin at $650. After viewing your gallery, you’ll choose a collection that includes digital files and print credit. Most families invest between $850–$6,000 per session.

For full collection details, please inquire.

  • 1 hour of shooting
  • Up to 5 people ($50 per additional person)
  • Travel within the San Diego area
  • Pre-session consultation and style guide
  • Private online gallery and ordering store

collections

inquire now

pricing

session fee

Session fee does not include digital files or products. A collection is purchased separately.

Outdoor session fee $200
In-home session fee $250
Studio session fee $300

The Session Fee Includes

Celebrate your pregnancy and baby’s first year with curated milestone sessions designed to preserve every stage — from maternity to newborn to their first birthday.

maternity and newborn packages

select from

Choose from maternity, newborn, sitter (6–10 months), and first birthday sessions — or customize your package to fit your family’s milestones. If maternity isn’t needed, it can easily be replaced with a family session or another stage you’d like to document.

Maternity
Newborn
Sitter (6-10 months)
One

the year of us

4 full sessions

New Beginnings

2 full sessions

learn more

book &
plan

01.

Secure your session with the session fee and contract. I’ll send a questionnaire to help plan outfits and details so everything feels effortless.

Photo Time

02.

We arrive, set up if needed, and guide you gently through a relaxed session. Just show up and enjoy time with your family.

Gallery & ordering

03.

Within a couple of weeks, you’ll receive a hand-edited gallery and slideshow. You’ll have time to choose your collection and favorite images.

Enjoy Your Photos

04.

After you purchase your collection, you’ll have 6 months to select your favorite digital images and use your print credit to order the beautiful artwork you’d like—zero pressure!

How it works

session details

locations

Sessions can take place at the beach, trails, parks, or in your home. I’ll guide you toward locations with the best light and space for relaxed, natural moments. Coronado Beach works beautifully at any tide, while Scripps Pier and La Jolla are best during low to mid tide.

sunset sessions

Outdoor sessions take place near sunset to capture soft, golden light. We photograph both gently guided portraits and natural, candid moments — perfect for families with active kids.

Worried your kids won’t cooperate?

That’s completely normal. My sessions are child-led and flexible. We follow your family’s pace and embrace the in-between moments — those often become the favorites.

Styling Support

After booking, you’ll receive a style guide and personal outfit help so everything feels cohesive and effortless.

Her responsiveness and clarity of process were hugely appreciated

We were on a special family trip to California and wanted to capture the beach memories. Yuka did a wonderful job of creating a fun evening and beautiful photos.
Her responsiveness and clarity of process were hugely appreciated when booking ahead.

Elaine.A

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we love how everything turned out.

I’ve always loved Yuka’s photos, and she took such beautiful pictures of our family this time.
She captured our natural expressions and moments so effortlessly, and we love how everything turned out.
The colors and backgrounds are

Chika.T

Read more

I cannot believe how many amazing photos she got!! 

The photos Yuka captured are absolutely gorgeous!! I cannot believe how many amazing photos she got!! I really walked away from the session thinking she. might not have gotten any because of how difficult my youngest was being. Watching the slideshow she sent

Melissa.W

Read more

We were absolutely delighted with the maternity and newborn photos!

We were searching for a photographer to capture our maternity and newborn moments, and after thoroughly reviewing many photographers’ websites and portfolios, we chose Yuka. Her clear explanation of her process, outcomes, and pricing made

Sean.W

Read more

Trust her process, you won’t regret it!

What an incredible experience it was to have our photos taken by Yuka! She’s a true professional and made my family so at ease during the whole process. We were originally supposed to take photos at a different location until those plans fell through but Yuka came

Delaney.S

Read more

Her attentive guidance and top-tier service 

Yuka truly understood my vision and became a part of the story we created together. Her attentive guidance and top-tier service went far beyond my expectations — truly worth more than the price!!
I’m already looking forward to booking with her again. I highly

Sonam.P

Read more

The photos exceeded my expectations! 10/10 Recommend!

We had family photos with Yuka, it was a pleasure working with her. From the initial consultation to the final delivery of photos, Yuka was professional, courteous, sweet and incredibly talented; the photos exceeded my expectations! She has a gift for capturing the

Rochel.K

Read more

We felt very comfortable having our family photos taken

We had many of our family photos taken by Yuka. I am not photogenic and I always felt awkward having my photos taken, but Yuka turned the experience from dreadful to joy. We felt very comfortable having our family photos taken by her. She takes both natural pictures and

Dan.j

Read more

The most talented photographer ever! 

We recently visited San Diego and Yuka photographed my family on our vacation. We had the best experience working with her and her team. Thank you, Yuka, for everything you did to make our shoot day so special. From the moment we booked with Yuka she

Suzy.K

Read more

We felt very comfortable having our family photos taken

Yuka was exceptionally friendly and professional throughout our photoshoot. Her communication was prompt and efficient, making the entire process smooth and stress-free. She arrived on time and provided valuable guidance on posing, which greatly enhanced the

Sachiko.M

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I feel happy every time I look at the pictures.

We asked for a couple's photo session to capture our life in San Diego. Yuka consulted with us in detail about the outfits before the session, and on the day of the shoot, she spoke with us a lot to help us relax, even though we were a little nervous. I am so grateful

Haruka

Read more

Yuka brought out my natural smile.

Every time I enter a new stage in life, I have Yuka take photos of me, whether it's for my wedding, maternity, newborn, or sitter photos, and all of those moments captured are truly treasures. When I had my photo taken for the first time, I was very nervous because I

K.I

Read more

She is professional, helpful, efficient, and kind. 

Yuka took our daughter’s 6th-month pictures, and we were blown away. She is professional, helpful, efficient, and kind. She was, also, so patient with us as we helped our daughter through every emotion: happy, sad, hungry, tired. The pictures she captured are so

Sarah.S

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Incredible dedication, picturesque results.

Yuka is incredibly dedicated in her work. Our photoshoot was a particularly foggy evening ( which suddenly came on us and was not in the weather forecast)on the cliffside of the beach without any light available . Yuka was able to capture very picturesque scenes

CATHERINE.D

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No other photographer could have made us this satisfied.

For our 5th wedding anniversary, I asked Yuka to take our photos. Having seen her work several times, I knew I wanted to book her for any special occasion. From scheduling to discussing our preferences and receiving detailed advice, Yuka’s professionalism and

Shuku.R

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Yuka provided us with an amazing maternity session.

Yuka provided us with an amazing maternity session. She pays attention to detail, ensures your hair perfect and that your clothes lay just right. Prior to our photo shoot she asked for our favorite music artist and played that during our session. Not only did we have a

Jackie.A

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Both the maternity and newborn photos are treasures for us.

Thank you for your help in taking my maternity and newborn photos. The maternity photos were taken on the beach, and the newborn photos were taken at my home. I truly appreciated how Yuka always took care to consider my well-being, from the preliminary meeting

S.M

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No other photographer could have made us this satisfied.

It was just so great! The way Yuka guided us was very professional but fun! My husband and I enjoyed the session with her very much. We printed a couple pictures from her website and we are very satisfied with their quality. The photos made us realize how happy we are in our

Naoko.T

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the entire process
was perfect!

Before returning to Japan from San Diego, we had a family photo session. We have a 2-year-old and a 4-month-old, and I was worried about getting smiling photos of my older son, who is shy. However, thanks to Yuka’s friendly and gentle demeanor, we were able to get

Mariko

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Yuka was incredibly kind and supportive, which made me feel comfortable

This was my first time hiring a photographer, so I was unsure about the preparations and everything involved. However, from our initial communication to the day of the shoot and through to the delivery of the photos, Yuka was incredibly kind and supportive,

Nao.Y

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The session was a lot of fun

It was my first pregnancy, and honestly, I wasn’t sure whether I should take photos to capture the memories of this special time. Yuka answered all of my detailed questions carefully, one by one, until I felt completely comfortable, and I finally decided to take the

miki.P

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Yuka skillfully captured expressions

Yuka was introduced to me by my Japanese friend. On the day of the photoshoot, it became a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, and I believe she skillfully brought out the natural and cute expressions of my children, along with her assistant. She also quickly edited

Aiko

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Captured even more wonderful photos than I had imagined!

I hired Yuka for a branding photo session. I'm a makeup artist. Yuka approached the photoshoot with specific considerations such as 'What impression do I want the client to have?' and 'What kind of clients do I want to attract?' On the day of the photoshoot, Yuka

A.H

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Yuka captures magical moments.

There aren’t enough words to possibly describe how amazing each and every photo that Yuka captured. She has a magical way of finding the perfect angles and lightning and of course expressions, and her editing is so beautiful! 

Kaoru.T

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The final photos exceeded my expectations in their beauty

Thank you for the invaluable experience. I had the opportunity to have Yuka take my photos just before returning to Japan from San Diego. The session was at the beach in La Jolla, which Yuka recommended for a sunset photoshoot. Everything was

Akina

Read more

These are our very important and special memories in San Diego

When we first moved to San Diego we wanted to find a professional photographer to take our pictures. When I saw Yuka's photography I decided that she was the one that I wanted to take our pictures with. When My husband received notification of transfer out of San

Aya

Read more

The finished photos were a huge hit with family and friends.

It was my first pregnancy, and I wanted to capture the memories with a maternity photoshoot, but I couldn’t find the right photographer in LA. A friend recommended Yuka, and although I hesitated at first because San Diego is quite far from where we

Akiko

Read more

what people say

The photos Yuka captured are absolutely gorgeous!! I cannot believe how many amazing photos she got!! I really walked away from the session thinking she. might not have gotten any because of how difficult my youngest was being. Watching the slideshow she sent

Melissa.W

I cannot believe how many amazing photos she got!! 

Read more

We were on a special family trip to California and wanted to capture the beach memories. Yuka did a wonderful job of creating a fun evening and beautiful photos. Her responsiveness and clarity of process were hugely appreciated when booking ahead.

Elaine.A

Her responsiveness and clarity of process were hugely appreciated 

Read more

I’ve always loved Yuka’s photos, and she took such beautiful pictures of our family this time. She captured our natural expressions and moments so effortlessly, and we love how everything turned out.
The colors and backgrounds are

chika.T

we love how everything turned out.

Read more

Yuka truly understood my vision and became a part of the story we created together. Her attentive guidance and top-tier service went far beyond my expectations — truly worth more than the price!! I’m already looking forward to booking with her again. I highly

Sonam.P

Her attentive guidance and top-tier service

Read more

We were searching for a photographer to capture our maternity and newborn moments, and after thoroughly reviewing many photographers’ websites and portfolios, we chose Yuka. Her clear explanation of her process, outcomes, and pricing made

Sean.W

We were absolutely delighted with the maternity and newborn photos!

Read more

What an incredible experience it was to have our photos taken by Yuka! She’s a true professional and made my family so at ease during the whole process. We were originally supposed to take photos at a different location until those plans fell through but Yuka came

Delaney.S

She’s a true professional and made my family so at ease during the whole process.

Read more

We recently visited San Diego and Yuka photographed my family on our vacation. We had the best experience working with her and her team. Thank you, Yuka, for everything you did to make our shoot day so special. From the moment we booked with Yuka she

Suzy.K

The most talented photographer ever!

Read more

We had family photos with Yuka, it was a pleasure working with her. From the initial consultation to the final delivery of photos, Yuka was professional, courteous, sweet and incredibly talented; the photos exceeded my expectations! She has a gift for capturing the

Rochel.K

The photos exceeded my expectations! 10/10 Recommend!

Read more

We had many of our family photos taken by Yuka. I am not photogenic and I always felt awkward having my photos taken, but Yuka turned the experience from dreadful to joy. We felt very comfortable having our family photos taken by her. She takes both natural pictures and

Dan.j

We felt very comfortable having our family photos taken

Read more

Every time I enter a new stage in life, I have Yuka take photos of me, whether it's for my wedding, maternity, newborn, or sitter photos, and all of those moments captured are truly treasures. When I had my photo taken for the first time, I was very nervous because I

K.I

Yuka brought out my natural smile.

Read more

what people say

popular artwork

Don't let your photos remain hidden on a computer or social media. Use your print credit to create beautiful, fine art prints that you can display and cherish for years.

Within your online gallery, you'll have access to luxury, US-made artwork from my professional lab.
Print your photos so your family can enjoy them for generations.

From $1200

From $40

From $180

view all artwork

FAQ

What time of day do your outdoor sessions usually take place?

My maternity sessions take place outdoors during the golden hour, which is the last hour before sunset, to capture that beautiful, soft golden light. I love scheduling sessions during this time to ensure we capture the best moments. 

When to book a maternity session? 

The best time to schedule your maternity session is around 30 to 36 weeks, when the tummy is nice and round. Based on my experience and feedback from clients, 31 to 33 weeks often works well, though it may vary for everyone.

Do you offer any discount when booking the maternity and newborn session together?

Yes, I offer special milestone packages for that. Please visit this page or contact me to inquire about more details.

Can we order prints or albums?

Absolutely! I offer a range of high-quality prints, albums, and other products to showcase your photographs. I will guide you through the ordering process and help you select the perfect products to display and cherish your images.

Can you travel for a photo session?

Yes, I do. Please contact me for more information.

Do you offer mini sessions?

Yes! I call them "short sessions" and I exclusively offer them during special events held a couple of times each year. I normally host spring and fall. If you're interested, feel free to reach out for more details. Also, make sure you're on my email list so you don't miss out when I announce them!

How to pay?

I offer two convenient payment options, either through credit card or Venmo.

What is print credit?

Print credit is a credit that you can use to purchase à la carte print products from your gallery. After each session is completed, you will receive a print credit.

How many images will it in the gallery?

It depends on each family but usually there will be 60 or more images in your gallery.

What if it looks like we are going to have bad weather on the day of session?

If the weather isn’t agreeable on the day of the session, I will gladly reschedule to another agreeable date.

How long does it take to receive the final edited images?

The editing process typically takes around 2 weeks. During this time, I carefully select and retouch the best images from your session. I want to ensure that each photograph reflects our high standards of quality and artistry.

Can I include my partner and other children in the photos?

Absolutely! Including your partner and other children can make the session more personal and special. 

YOU LOVE MY WORK AND YOU'RE

Ready to book?

I'd love to hear from you! Please fill out the form or send a note directly to hello@yukaschad.com

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