20 Tips for Taking Better Maternity Photographs | mom blogger

20 Tips for Taking Better Maternity Photographs

Today I am sharing 20 tips for taking better maternity photographs, this advice is for both mama and photographer. So if you are pregnant getting pictures taken go ahead and send this along to your photographer, or vice versa if you are the photographer and want to help your client prep!

The other day we had the opportunity to capture my maternity photos and I am really happy with how they came out! I have never done formal maternity photos before, and with this being my third pregnancy I thought it was time. Before taking the photos I was really nervous. I spent a ton of time looking up ideas to get them just right. This list is a compilation of everything that I learned about taking better maternity photographs.

20 Tips for Taking Better Maternity Photographs | mom blogger

20 Tips for Taking Better Maternity Photographs

Posing & Angles

As a mom getting ready for a maternity shoot, or a maternity photographer, posing is one of the key things to keep in mind. Even though you may feel bigger and more awkward when you are pregnant, there are plenty of beautiful angles to capture that belly and commemorate this special time. Here are some pose ideas for you or your clients for an upcoming maternity shoot.

1. Get up High

Standing on a stool or stair that is then cropped out of the image adds height which can help to balance out the appearance of mama’s bump. I took some pictures balancing on this log by accident and was happily surprised by the flattering effect it had on the appearance of my belly.

maternity photo posing ideas | mom blogger

2. Hands on Belly

This classic pose is a must for every maternity shoot. Not only is it a tender and natural way to capture that bond between a mother and her unborn child, it is a great way to frame the stomach in photos. Hands on the belly the best pose ideas for maternity photos.

3. Get Close with your Partner

I love intimate maternity pictures like this one. Mom is obviously the center of attention for a maternity shoot, but dad is a super important part too! Having dad stand behind and put his arm around and hand on mama’s belly can be a really sweet pose idea. Another great one is kissing mama’s forehead while she holds her belly and looks down at her baby bump.

when to schedule your maternity photos and what to wear

4. Side Profile

Side profile pictures are really fun for maternity shoots since they are a great way to show off mom’s baby bump! Either have mom’s hand on her bump or her hip.

5. Straight On

Depending on the size of your baby belly, straight on pictures can be a really cute way to capture a pregnancy. Look straight into the camera lens for a few and do a few looking down at your bump.

6. Looking Down from Above

I personally love maternity photos looking down from above. It is a less traditional angle to capture a baby bump from and can be really cute when done right. Have your photographer hop up on a stool and get one looking over your shoulder so you can just see your feet below your bump, and definitely get one from the front looking down. This is my favorite of my pose ideas for maternity photos!

when to schedule your maternity photos and what to wear

7. Silhouette

If you can get the lighting just right at sunset or sunrise a silhouette shot is absolutely beautiful for maternity photos! Make sure to get this one at a side angle to capture your bump.

8. Candid and Natural

If you are having your maternity photos taken, just try and relax and feel natural throughout the process. Natural candid shots are usually the best.

when to schedule your maternity photos and what to wear

Family Posing Ideas

9. Candid

Candid photos is the best option for younger kids. Think less of pose ideas, and more about capturing natural moments between mama and child, when including kids in maternity photos. If you are including kids on a maternity shoot try and get those photos first. Do the individual photos and couple photos after. Kids have limited patience so this is the most efficient way to make sure you get cute pictures of everyone. Play with your kids as you naturally would, ask them to touch your belly. I was worried about taking photos with Zander since he hates posing, so we put our camera on high speed capture mode. That way we got 100’s of snaps within seconds and had plenty of images to work with. If you look through the rest of my images from this maternity shoot you will see lots of pictures with the kids, but only one or two posed. Candid is the way to go with little ones.

when to schedule your maternity photos and what to wear

10. Toddler Sitting on Belly

Of all the pose ideas I have seen for maternity photos with kids, this one is my favorite! A side angle with your toddler sitting directly on your baby bump is so cute. If you can get your baby to kiss you on the forehead or cheek at the same time even better!

11. Toddler Kissing Belly

This is such a sweet pose idea, especially if your toddler is right at the height of your belly! Have them stand on their tiptoes and lean forward for a belly kiss.

12. Kids Hands on Belly

A belly closeup with everyone in the family’s hands on mama’s belly is a fun pose idea and pretty easy to do with kids.

13. Hand in Hand

This is a really natural and easy pose to capture with children. Link hands and walk slowly towards your photographer while talking and laughing with your little ones.

when to schedule your maternity photos and what to wear

Location

14. Outdoor

I personally love outdoor maternity shoots. Choose a time of day where the lighting will be perfect, for example an hour before sunset. Choose a location that suits your personality and family lifestyle, or your clients if you are the photographer. Here are some ideas of outdoor locations that would work great for a maternity shoot:

  • The beach, obviously that is what I chose! It is my personal favorite spot for maternity photo sessions.
  • A mountain backdrop.
  • A field with tall grass.
  • A farm!
  • A lake with a dock you can walk out on.
  • A desert surrounding would be gorgeous if you live somewhere near that.

15. Lifestyle in Home

Lifestyle maternity photos can be beautiful too. I like to capture photos in the nursery and master bedroom for in home maternity sessions. If you have a beautiful mantle take advantage of that too and get some maternity pictures in front of the fireplace!

16. When

Wondering when is the best time to take maternity photos? Around 30 weeks is probably the best time to take pregnant pictures. It is a happy medium between the huge belly stage and having no bump at all.

17. What to Wear

I think a maternity photo session is the perfect time to go all out and dress up really fancy. I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on a dress I would only wear once so I used Rent the Runway. They have a great maternity selection with some absolutely stunning pieces (use the code RBURGESSPERK40 for 40% off your first month). You can also shop this dress directly here. I was really worried that this gold dress wouldn’t fit over my bump, but I got it anyway since it was in their maternity collection. It fit perfectly! Fun accessories like a flower crown, false eyelashes, and hair extensions can make for an even more dramatic and beautiful maternity session.

20 Tips for Taking Better Maternity Photographs | mom blogger

18. Props

I wouldn’t do a ton of props for a maternity shoot because it can get cheesy. Something simple like a pair of baby shoes or a letter board with details on when baby will arrive can be really cute!

19. Emotion

Make sure to capture the emotion in a maternity shoot! This is such a sweet and tender time and you want to show that in the photos. Capturing emotion through candid photos is the most effective for a maternity shoot. Create a natural situations, like a moment where dad feels the baby kick, or mom telling the kids a story of when she was pregnant. Capture natural reactions and candid moments to really feel emotion in the photos.

20 Tips for Taking Better Maternity Photographs | mom blogger

20. Self Documentation

Outside of a professional maternity shoot, capture your pregnancy step by step throughout the process at home. This can be done in a really simple way. For example taking mirror selfies with your phone. I have done that a ton with this pregnancy, you can see that here in my 27 week update. Or you can get more fancy and set up a tripod to capture weekly bump shots in front of a plain wall, like my recent 30 week update! Either way this is a special and unique time and deserves to be documented.

Those are all my best tips for taking maternity better photos! Hopefully they help you capture yours or your clients special time in a meaningful, beautiful and memorable way. You can see the rest of my maternity photos from this shoot here.

Maternity photography has become wildly popular. Usually, it’s done in the latter stages of the pregnancy for maximum visual effect. More and more, women are looking to capture this special moment in their lives. Here’s another excellent resource to read on maternity photography.

Are you expecting?! Have you taken photos yet? How far along are you?

Keep scrolling for more pictures or…


Dress: Theia via Rent The Runway (use code RBURGESSPERK40 for 40% off your first month of Rent The Runway) | Flower Crown: Amazon


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