Maternity photography already has some foolproof poses; no matter you shoot your maternity customers indoor or outdoor. Posing rightly can convert an okay photo to a great photo. Here we have included some tips to achieve great maternity photos.
- Mom Alone: If you are capturing a soon to be parents, do not forget to take photos of the mom alone. A photograph of her embracing her bump is going to make it meaningful capture. Tell her to pose in different ways and focus on the bump. You can tell her to talk to her baby and rub her belly. She can even simply look down with a smile. Tell her to think of seeing the baby and then you can capture a real expression. Experiment with different angles to get the best maternity pictures. During the portrait session of the mom, tell her to look at you, at her belly or at her partner. You can also use photography backdrops to have a clear focus on the mom.
- Dad with Belly: Though the belly is the main focus of the whole shoot it does not mean that the dad can’t have photos. You can ask the dad to kneel down close to the belly with his both hands on each side of the belly. Tell him to talk to the baby and feel the affection. You can also ask the dad to stand behind her partner and touch her belly. If the dad has any special request, do it. Let them enjoy the session and make them feel they are the part of this maternity photography session. Use of perfect photography lighting can add more perfection to the maternity shoot.
- Props and Accessories: Maternity photography shoots are a way of capturing the parent’s excitement to meet the baby beautifully. Many couples bring props to add in the shoot. Whatever they want to add to the shoot, make sure you cover both them and the props or accessories. For example, if the couple brings tiny shoes for the session, you can tell them to hold the shoes at belly level and get a mid-length photograph. You can take ideas from different photography websites.
- Wardrobe: Talk with your clients before the session about wardrobe. Wardrobe can add more perfection to the maternity shoot. Tight body dresses or shirts work better as they highlight the bump during the session. You can also ask to use belts above the belly. Wardrobe offers the chance to get different poses for the shoot as you can’t always make the mom to pose the same way that is having hands at the bump. Heels are not at all recommended. If the mom wants to wear heels, tell her to bring an extra pair of shoes to take rest between the shoot. You can check out photography blogs to get creative ideas for wardrobe.
- Legs and Hands: Maternity photography mainly focuses on the belly and to make the focus on the belly and the couple, hands and legs work as great tools. Tell the mom to place both the hands below her belly, one above her belly and another one below or just tell her to rub her belly as she would normally do. Always try that hands are placed in such a way that hands are overlapping, but they are not consuming the belly. For legs, tell her to cross her legs and keep the face towards you. This will add more focus to the bump.
- Include older kids: If the couple has kids, do include them in the photo session. Siblings share a special bond and including them in the picture adds more value. This will be a perfect moment to capture where siblings are interacting with their parents and the belly at the same time. Have the siblings to talk to the belly or kiss the mom’s belly. Try to take some pictures of the family.
- Play and have Fun: Maternity photography is not only about intimate moments or tender. You can ask your clients to have fun in the session. They can walk, dance, talk and enjoy the moment. Ask the couple to talk to each other and smile. Try to capture candid moments of them. You can also shoot them in a photo studio to include an interesting background in the photo.
