A Simple Press Release Template for Maternity Photographers

Editors have an old saying.

When a dog bites a man, that isn’t news. When a man bites a dog, it is.

Keep that in mind before you write a maternity photographer press release.

“Local photographer takes lovely bump photos” is the dog biting the man. It happens every day.

But “Local photographer opens a free gown library for expecting moms” is something else. That’s the man biting the dog.

It’s new, local and helpful. Editors need stories like that every week.

A press release is simply a short news story you write for them. You hand it over ready to use, with facts, a quote and a few good photos.

If it’s useful and true, it can land your name in the local paper or on morning TV.

Let’s find your story, interview yourself, write the release in six blocks and send it to the right inbox.

Run the man-bites-dog test

Before you write a word, ask whether your idea is news. Most photographers skip this step, and most releases end up in the trash.

A story is news when it has at least two of these four things.

• It’s new. Something started, opened, changed or happened for the first time.
• It’s local. It happens in the editor’s town and involves people who live there.
• It’s timely. It ties into a season, an event or something people are talking about.
• It’s human. There’s a person at the center, with a reason to care.

Now look at the difference.

The left column is an ad. Editors don’t run ads for free, and they can smell one from the first line.

The right column is something a reader would tell a friend about. That’s your test.

Find your story in these 12 angles

You may not have a big announcement right now. That’s fine. Many good stories are ones you create on purpose.

Here are 12 angles that suit a maternity photographer, from small to ambitious.

1. You open a gown library and lend dresses free to local moms.
2. You start a project photographing moms due in the same month.
3. You offer free sessions to spouses of deployed military members.
4. You run a charity print sale for a local family shelter.
5. You partner with a prenatal yoga studio for a joint event.
6. You open a new studio with a comfy, pregnancy-friendly setup.
7. You reach a milestone, like your 500th maternity session.
8. You win a local or national photography award.
9. You host a free class on taking bump photos at home.
10. You photograph a group of moms over 40, a growing group in your area.
11. You document a set of local twins or triplets from bump to first birthday.
12. You share your local numbers, like the busiest birth months in your town.

Angle 10 has real data behind it. The latest CDC report on US births shows the birth rate for women aged 40 to 44 rose in 2024.

The same report counts more than 3.6 million births that year. Big national numbers like that give a local story a reason to exist.

Pick the angle that’s true and fits your business. Never invent a project just for the headline. Editors check.

Interview yourself before you write

Reporters ask the same questions every time. If you answer them first, the release almost writes itself.

Grab a notebook and play both parts. Here’s how it sounds for the gown library idea.

Reporter. What’s happening?

You. I’m lending 40 maternity gowns, free, to any mom in Riverside County who wants photos.

Reporter. Why now?

You. Gowns cost $80 to $300, and many moms wear them once. I had a closet full, so I opened it up.

Reporter. Who is it for?

You. Any pregnant mom, whether she books me or another photographer, or just takes photos with her phone.

Reporter. How does it work?

You. She books a 20-minute try-on, borrows a gown for a week and brings it back. I handle the cleaning.

Reporter. Why do you care?

You. I remember crying in a fitting room at 30 weeks. Nothing fit, and everything was expensive.

Reporter. Where can people learn more?

You. My website has the gown list and a booking link.

See what happened? You now have the who, what, when, where and why, plus a human quote.

That fitting room line is gold. It’s honest, specific and a little vulnerable. Reporters love lines like that because readers do.

Write a maternity photographer press release in six blocks

Every release follows roughly the same shape. Editors expect it, so the familiar order actually helps you.

Here are the six blocks, top to bottom.

Block 1, the headline

One line that says what happened, in plain words. Aim for under 12 words.

“Riverside Photographer Opens Free Maternity Gown Library” is better than “A Beautiful New Chapter for Riverside Moms.”

Put the most surprising word near the start. Here, that’s “free.” Many editors only read the headline before deciding.

Block 2, the dateline and first paragraph

Start with the town, the state and the date, followed by a hyphen. Then answer who, what, when and where in one or two sentences.

If an editor reads only this paragraph, she should be able to write a short news item from it.

Block 3, the quote

One or two sentences from you that sound like a person, not a brochure. Use the line from your self-interview.

“I remember crying in a fitting room at 30 weeks” beats “We are thrilled to offer this exciting service to our community.”

Block 4, the details

How it works, how to join, dates, costs and any limits. Short paragraphs or a few bullets.

Block 5, about you

Two or three sentences about your business. How long you’ve worked, where and what you photograph. This part is called the boilerplate.

Block 6, contact

Your name, phone, email and website. End with three hash marks, centered, so the editor knows the release is complete.

The whole thing should fit on one page, about 300 to 450 words.

Read a full sample, start to finish

Here’s the gown library release, put together. Notice how each block does one job.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Riverside Photographer Opens Free Maternity Gown Library

RIVERSIDE, California, March 3, 2027 – Photographer Elena Ruiz is lending 40 maternity gowns free to any expecting mom in Riverside County.

Moms can book a 20-minute try-on at Ruiz’s studio on Main Street, borrow a gown for up to a week and return it. Cleaning is included.

The library is open to everyone, whether or not they book a photo session with Ruiz.

“I remember crying in a fitting room at 30 weeks,” said Ruiz. “Nothing fit, and everything was expensive.

These gowns were sitting in my closet, so I opened the door.”

Gowns range from size 2 to 24 and include long dresses, knit sets and lace.

The full list and booking link are at elenaruizphoto.com/gowns.

Try-ons are available Tuesday to Saturday, starting March 10.

About Elena Ruiz Photography. Elena Ruiz has photographed more than 600 families in Riverside since 2016.

She specializes in maternity and newborn portraits.

Media contact. Elena Ruiz, (951) 555-0142, hello@elenaruizphoto.com

###

That’s about 190 words, which is on the short side, and that’s fine. Short releases get read.

The details answer an editor’s follow-up questions before she asks them. Sizes, days, the start date and the link.

Grab this press release template

Copy this, fill in the brackets, then cut any line that doesn’t add a fact.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[Plain headline that says what happened, under 12 words]

[TOWN, State, Month Day, Year] – [Your name], a maternity photographer in [town], [what is happening, for whom, starting when].

[How it works, in one or two sentences].

“[Your honest, specific quote],” said [last name]. “[One more sentence about why].”

[Details. Dates, costs, sizes, limits, how to join].

[Where to learn more, with a short web address].

About [business name]. [Two sentences. How long, where, what you photograph].

Media contact. [Name, phone, email]

###

Write the first paragraph last. Once the rest is done, you’ll know exactly what the most important sentence is.

This same press release template works for a studio opening, an award or a charity sale. Only the angle changes.

Send photos an editor can actually use

A good photo can be the reason a story runs. Editors often have space for a picture but no photographer to send.

Attach two or three images, or include a download link. Give them options.

• One horizontal photo and one vertical, so it fits print and phone layouts.
• No watermarks, logos or text on the image.
• A file large enough to print, but under about 5 MB each.
• A one-line caption for each, with names spelled correctly.
• A photo of you at work, not just client photos.

Permission is essential. Only send client photos when the client has agreed, in writing, to appear in the news.

A gallery release that covers your website doesn’t always cover a newspaper. Ask again, and explain where it may appear.

For the gown story, a photo of the gown rail with you beside it may be better than any client photo. It shows the news itself.

Know where to send it

A maternity photographer press release only works when it lands on the right desk. Send it to people who cover families and local life.

A sports editor won’t care about gowns.

Find the right person by name. Most news sites list a features editor, a community reporter or a tips email.

Keep your list in a simple spreadsheet. Name, outlet, email, what they cover and the date you last sent something.

Some outlets ask for news through a web form instead of email. That’s fine. Paste the release into the form and attach your best photo.

Start small. Five well-chosen contacts will do more for you than fifty random ones.

If you also shoot newborns, the editors on your newborn photographer press release list are often the same people.

Family desks cover both, so one tidy list serves your whole business.

Write a pitch email that gets opened

Don’t send the release as a cold attachment with no message. Put a short note on top, then paste the release below it.

Subject. Story idea, free maternity gown library opens in Riverside

Hi [editor’s first name],

I’m a maternity photographer in Riverside, and I’m opening a free gown library for local moms on March 10.

Any expecting mom can borrow a gown for a week, whether or not she books photos. I thought it might suit your community page.

The release is below, and two photos are attached. I’m happy to arrange a visit or an interview.

Thanks, [your name and phone]

The subject line starts with “Story idea,” which tells the editor this isn’t spam or an ad.

Use her first name. Mention her section. Two sentences of why, then get out of the way.

Send it Tuesday to Thursday, in the morning. Avoid Mondays, when inboxes are full, and Fridays, when everyone’s finishing up.

Follow up once, then let go

If you hear nothing after four or five working days, send one short follow-up.

Hi [name], just checking this reached you. The gown library opens March 10, and I’m happy to send more photos or set up a visit. Thanks!

That’s all. One follow-up is polite. Three is a reason to block you.

No reply doesn’t mean the story was bad. Editors get hundreds of emails, and timing is everything.

Try the same story with a different outlet, or save it for a better week.

Some releases get picked up a month later, when a page suddenly needs filling.

Team up for twice the reach

A story with two local businesses in it is often stronger than a story with one.

It feels more like community news and less like promotion.

Think about who already serves pregnant women in your town. A prenatal yoga studio, a maternity boutique, a doula group or a baby shop.

Plan something together, like a free “bump day” with yoga, a gown try-on and mini portraits. Then write one release with both names.

• Include a quote from each of you, one or two sentences each.
• Agree on the facts, dates and links before anything goes out.
• Each of you sends it to your own contacts, so it reaches twice the editors.
• Share any coverage on both sets of social accounts.

Partners also help with photos. A yoga teacher guiding a class of bumps makes a lovely, easy picture for a paper.

Keep the release balanced. If it reads like an ad for one of you, editors will spot it straight away.

Time it with the calendar

Editors plan around the calendar, often weeks ahead. If your story fits a date they already care about, it’s easier to say yes.

Here are a few dates that suit maternity stories.

Pitch about four to six weeks before the date. A Mother’s Day story pitched in May is already too late for many outlets.

These timely hooks give an ordinary project a reason to run this week instead of never.

Keep a note of what you pitched and when. Next year you can pitch the same outlet a fresh angle on the same date.

Get ready for the call

Sometimes it works, and a reporter calls. That’s exciting, and it can also make your mind go blank.

Prepare three sentences you can say in your sleep.

1. What’s happening, in one breath.
2. Why you started it, using your honest quote.
3. How people can join or learn more.

Talk about the moms, not your camera. Reporters want the human part, and readers do too.

If you’re asked something you don’t know, say you’ll check and reply within the hour. Then do it.

For TV, wear a plain top and stand somewhere that shows the story. The gown rail, the studio or the park where you shoot.

Ask when the story will run, and thank the reporter afterward with a short email. Reporters remember who was easy to work with.

Make the most of the coverage

When the story runs, it’s not the end. It’s raw material for weeks of marketing.

• Share the article on your social accounts and tag the outlet.
• Add an “As seen in” line to your website, with a link to the story.
• Mention it in your next client emails, briefly and warmly.
• Frame a printed copy for your studio wall.
• Send a thank-you note to the reporter.

An “As seen in” line builds trust fast with nervous clients. It says other people already checked you out.

It can also slip into a line of your welcome email, next to the timing tips in your usual maternity photographer client email set.

Share it with the people who helped

If a boutique lent gowns or a doula helped with the story, send them the link.

They’ll often share it with their own clients, who are exactly the women you want to reach.

Add it to your About page

A small as seen in line with a link builds quiet trust with women comparing photographers.

Turn one story into five pieces

You did the hard work of finding a story. Don’t let it live in one email.

The same facts can feed your marketing for a month.

1. A blog post on your site, a little longer, with more photos.
2. A social post and a short video tour of the gown rail.
3. A note to your past clients, who may know someone pregnant.
4. An update on your Google Business Profile.
5. A permanent news page on your website.

Each version reaches different people. Your past clients might share it with a sister. A mom searching Google might find the blog post.

Write the release first, because it forces you to get the facts tight. Then reshape it for each place.

Check with the mom before every reuse

She agreed to the newspaper story, but a social post or a blog feature is a different audience.

A quick message asking if she’s comfortable keeps the trust you built.

Change the angle each time

For a blog post, add more behind-the-scenes detail. For social media, share one photo and one quote.

Each piece should feel fresh, not copied.

Skip these story-burying mistakes

A few habits sink good releases before an editor even reaches the second line.

If your release reads like a flyer, rewrite it until it reads like a short news story. That’s the whole trick.

Burying the mom’s voice

A release that’s all about your business and has no quote from the mother feels flat. Her words are what make readers care.

Sending it with no photos

Editors rarely run a maternity story without a picture. Attach two or three strong, approved photos with captions.

Send your first story this month

A maternity photographer press release can reach families who’d never see your ads.

A gown library for women who can’t afford a shoot outfit, a session for a mom who carried twins after loss or a free day for military families are stories editors notice.

You’re also offering editors something rare, a warm local story with professional photos ready to print.

Still, these stories involve tender moments, and some women may later feel exposed.

A release that sounds like an ad also lands straight in the delete folder.

Ask permission early, let the mother’s words lead and send one story this month.

A single kind piece in the local paper can do more for your name than a season of promotions.

Frequently Asked Questions