I love Maternity Shoots because I get to capture the magic that is creating a little human! There is also fun in documenting the soon-to-parents and their excitement about what is to come. Here is more insight into how I handle these specialized sessions…
Photographing pregnant women is unlike my usual Family Shoots where I am chasing after little kids and being more of a “fly on the wall”.
First, I turn into a big sister (I can’t help it!) and will ask her repeatedly if she is feeling okay to walk up a staircase or if she needs to sit down. Then, I am more intentional with my shooting angles because I want to show off the baby bump. So typically, that’d be directly from the side or from the top. If I’m feeling adventurous, I may shoot from below for an upward view of the belly.
The type of light I look for is backlight that creates a golden outline around the belly, which emphasizes the beauty of pregnancy. I also like even light (like shooting in an open shade) for portraits of my pregnant mama because that is flattering on the skin. I’ll avoid harsh shadows at all costs.
In a Maternity Shoot, I have more luxury to craft the images I want to create. ❤️
Check out these BTS (behind-the-scenes) images to see what I mean. Thank you to Christine’s husband, Kevin, who took these photos during the shoot.
Behind-the-Scenes #1:
I chose this area because it was a quiet spot at a popular park. There were tall trees that intercepted the bright sun, which softened the light. I had Christine stop in the brighter spot on the path for a side profile shot of this gorgeous mama-to-be.
What I shot:
I took most of this series in color to show the golden sunlight.
Behind-the-Scenes #2:
Kevin probably thought I was cray-cray when I was leaning over Christine from behind. If you were there, you’d hear me say: “I promise I’m not taking a photo down your wife’s dress!” It was pretty funny.
There is definitely an element of trust that needs to exist when you’re on a photoshoot, especially for Weddings, Maternity Shoots, Newborn Shoots… and Lifestyle Shoots in someone’s home. Okay, so that’s most every kind of photoshoot! You also need chemistry between the photographer and subjects, which I talk about here.
What I shot:
Baby bumps are unique to each woman and each pregnancy, so I like to capture the shape of the belly from different angles.
A side view would show how round it is, while a top-down view would show if the bump is narrow or wide.
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