Maternity Shoot: 8 Ideas That Will Make it Special

There are almost 50,000 professional photographers in the US.

If you are starting a family, you may be considering a maternity shoot. These artistic photos allow you to capture the elegance and excitement of your pregnancy in images you can enjoy forever.

The right clothes, hair, and makeup go a long way toward making you feel like a queen on your big day. Yet you may be wondering about the best way is to show off your personality, glow, and excitement.

What are some great maternity shoot ideas? Let’s take a look.

1. Before and After

Many mamas like to take before-and-after photos of their offspring. She may place her hands around her belly and wear the same outfit for holding her infant in a newborn shoot.

These can be done as black-and-white photos or images that appear to be reflections of one another. Your photographer can get creative with depth of field and portrait lenses. Remember that black-and-white photos are often considered to enhance the natural beauty of expectant mothers.

2. Lots of Props

The props in your photos can add a great deal of fun and detail. Some ladies like to get photographed surrounded by all their favorite pregnancy-craving foods. Ultrasounds, tiny baby shoes, and children’s books are also popular props for maternity shoots.

Other mothers like to spell out the baby’s name in building blocks, or spell the word “love” with the belly as the “O.” Props are in the foreground with the mother in the background. You can also change up the focus and put the belly out front.

3. A Family Affair

Your toddler or preschooler may add the perfect energy to your maternity photo shoot. Consider comparing bellies with your two-year-old, or letting her hold a tin-can phone up to your belly for a prenatal conversation.

You can let everyone in your family dress in color-coordinated clothes and get a family photo shoot taken along with the maternity shots. Older siblings are usually eager to meet their new family member, and you can capture their excitement in a photograph.

Encourage your children to dance, sing, and get imaginative. Don’t forget to bring snacks to keep everyone happy!

4. Keepin’ It Country

Country backdrops are popular because they enhance the organic beauty of pregnancy. Some women love to wear long skirts to highlight the romantic atmosphere. Country boots are also a great prop.

Country shoots are especially popular in the fall. These pictures can capture pregnant moms laying in a grassy field, or in a pumpkin patch surrounded by blankets.

You can also take your little pumpkin to a favorite park, farmer’s market, or baseball field. Many moms like to photograph pumpkins next to their bellies.

In the spring, you can take your photos with eggs and Easter baskets. In the winter, a snowy setting and sleigh work beautifully. Consider wearing a cape and muff to highlight your bump.

Beachy photographs are great for summer. Some mamas even paint their bellies to show them off.

5. Water It Down

You can head out to a waterfront background to capture mom’s earthy beauty. Choose a dress with soft tones to offset the background. Seaside photos are especially popular if you are planning a water birth.

Photos at sunset can highlight the peaceful, romantic colors in your outfit. The lighting adds the perfect gentle mood. If you met your spouse in a particular city, consider taking a waterfront photo with the skyline in the background. Your engagement spot is another popular sentimental setting.

Water is also a great background for a silhouette shot, which always looks elegant in maternity photos. You can have a friend take one for you by waiting until sunset and facing the sun. The momma-to-be can stand in front of the photographer and be captured in her shadowy glory.

6. Sport a Crown

A floral headdress or crown can help enhance the goddess-like appearance of a pregnant woman. It adds a vintage, whimsical, Bohemian vibe. A floral headpiece helps to bring the great outdoors together with the subject.

Some expecting mommies also like to crown-braid their hair or leave it flowing in gentle waves. Popular wardrobe choices include maxi dresses, solid colors, and flowing skirts.

7. Take a Bath

Milk baths have become a popular way to take natural, glamorous photos of expectant mothers. They depict the Mama in a luxurious tub full of milk and floating flowers, a symbol of new life.

Milk baths can actually help you achieve your best pregnancy glow. You can use real cow’s milk, a bath soak product, or a bath bomb to achieve the effect. A lace dress or sheer robe are popular wardrobe choices.

8. Have a Laugh

Many pregnant women have fun with puns during their maternity shoots. Consider a photo in your kitchen of the “bun in the oven,” or a photo of you blowing a gum bubble that is “about to pop.”

Photographers can use balloons to cover your belly, or you can fill a studio with them. You can also take a photo of you and your spouse with an all-white background and a single balloon revealing the baby’s gender.

The Perfect Maternity Shoot

All moms have different plans for the perfect maternity shoot. Whether you want to be funny, romantic, or colorful, the right photographer can capture your expecting months in the perfect session. Be sure to bring your favorite props, outfits, and family members along.

For more information, contact us today.