10 Pregnancy Photo Ideas: Complete Guide

The pregnancy photos They are, without a doubt, one of the most special you can do. It is the photography of unique moments, of very magical and intimate moments that you will be lucky enough to experience with the person you are photographing.

Photography of pregnant women is, in short, delicate and intimate, it allows us to peek into the miracle of life, the magic of gestating a baby in the womb. Whether you are going to photograph your partner, if you are doing a favor for a friend or family member, or if you are doing a somewhat more professional photo shoot, or if you want to take a self-portrait, because you are the lucky one, I am going to reveal all the secrets to you. to photograph pregnant women.

Today I propose, as has been my custom lately πŸ˜‰ , to teach you all the tricks, tips and material necessary for you to achieve the most spectacular pregnancy photos.

INSIDE THIS ARTICLE… πŸ“–

Now yes, get comfortable, let’s start.

Necessary equipment to take pregnancy photos

We will start with the most basic: What is the best equipment for pregnancy photography? It is not far from what we use for any portrait:

  • A bright target: It will allow you to blur the background and take advantage of the ambient light, in addition, the brighter, in general, the better sharpness in your photographs. I also recommend a focal length of 50mm to 105mm, but depending on the style of photography you want to do, you can go from a 35mm to a 200mm.
  • A tripod: It will not always be necessary, but it can save you on more than one occasion. Not to mention if what you are looking for is to self-portrait, in that case it is essential. Even if you do it with your smartphone, in that case, here is the best mobile tripod.
  • A remote trigger: It is always an interesting option to avoid the trepidation that we generate when activating the camera shutter. If you are going to self-portrait, another essential accessory.
  • 5-in-1 spotlight: if you don’t know what it is, click on the link πŸ˜‰
  • A background: It is very possible that you opt for locating outdoors, but if studio photography is your thing, you cannot live without a background for your photographs (the results are very good and the investment is relatively low).
  • a flash: It’s not essential, but when you master it, it will open up an infinite world of creative possibilities in your photos. If you are looking for one, here I leave you with all the necessary advice to choose the best one for you.
  • Sufficient batteries (well charged) and memory cards. You don’t want to be left without either in the middle of a photo shoot.

The light in pregnancy photography

The light in pregnancy photography is surely the key to achieving a good result. Avoid marked shadows, excessive contrasts or too harsh light. Remember how important it is to use light to your advantage to round off the message.

  • The soft diffused light It is the most used in this type of photography for transmitting tenderness, warmth and positivism.
  • The warm light of sunrises and sunsets It is preferred by photographers for all types of portraits, but even more so in photography of pregnant women. Its warmth, the lateral angle that enhances the textures, etc., make it perfect for this type of photography.
  • Look for the natural light: especially if you don’t master the flash, try to work at sunset, get close to the windows if you are indoors, etc.
  • Dare with techniques like the low key. It is very elegant and suggestive and can give you spectacular photographs.
  • backlit the profile silhouette of a pregnant woman is one of the images that yes or yes you are interested in getting. Try doing something different by photographing it against the light.
  • Do not miss our complete lighting guide where you will find all these techniques and much more.

props for pregnancy photography

Surely by now you know that the detail is what is capable of making the difference between a good image and a spectacular image πŸ™‚ . The props in pregnancy photography is that detail that can make a difference in your photos:

  • maternity dresses
  • maternity underwear
  • Vaporous fabrics that allow you to play with the movement of the fabric
  • Flower crowns or similar

The props and the chosen clothes are very, very important. The ideal is that you adapt to the tastes of each person. Feeling comfortable and good about yourself is essential to having a successful pregnancy photo shoot.

So, previously, discuss the topic, take a look at different styles and decide which one you want to give to the session. As props for pregnant women you can find these types of accessories:

But, as I say, you must find the style in which the person portrayed feels most comfortable, be it in underwear, in a casual, elegant or more artistic style.

Pregnant photo ideas

The most complicated part of any photo session is usually knowing where to start, what photos we want to take, where to place our model (where to place yourself if you are the photographer and the person portrayed πŸ˜‰ ), etc.

To do this, the first piece of advice is to have a good list of photographs and never arrive at a session without having a set of images in your head that you want to take.

  • 1- Plan and write down ideas that you want to carry out in your photography session for pregnant women.
  • 2- Social networks are a great source of inspiration, dedicate some time to them and write down ideas that you like.
  • 3- Start with a clear idea of ​​the images you want (and everything you need to carry them out), will prevent you from going blank when you start taking photos. Then you can let yourself go according to the needs of the moment and the ideas that arise as you take the photos.
  • 4- Make references to the baby in your photographs: ultrasounds, shoes, clothes, toys, whatever comes to mind.
  • 5- Talk to the future baby, leave messages for the future, write his name or draw a picture. You can paint on the belly, on a blackboard, etc., everything you can think of to energize your photo session is welcome.
  • 6- Follow-up of the pregnancy photo by photo:
    • Every month a different photoin a bikini or naked, some are as beautiful as others.
    • Or every month exactly the same pose. In this case, it is preferable to be half-profile or fully facing with your hands below your belly. In the tenth photo you place the baby in the place it occupied in the belly held by the mother’s hands.
  • 7- Get the family involved. It is important that the couple (if any) appear in the photos, but if they have other children, it is also a good time for them to feel important with the arrival of the new baby.
  • 8- Pregnancy photos with the family can be really emotional. In these cases, the contact between the different members is essential to transmit warmth and love.
  • 9- Changing the scenery and the poses you can achieve very different photographs. The following family is the same, notice how they transmit very different sensations.
  • 10- You can combine photos tender and emotional with other crazy and daring. Express your imagination!

Have you been wanting more ideas? Do not miss this article with 15 ideas to photograph your pregnancy.

pregnancy photo session

We come to the pregnancy photo shoot itself, the moment of truth, for which you have been preparing all this time πŸ˜‰ . We are going to see some tips to manage the session in a productive way and obtain the best results:

  1. The best time to do a pregnancy photo session It is about 4 weeks before delivery, which is when the belly is practically at its full size. Of course, sessions can be done with less belly, especially if we want to photograph the entire pregnancy process, or if the pregnant woman begins to feel very tired and heavy.
  2. Connect with your model: It is an intimate moment of an even more intimate process, so it is essential to break the ice and generate a atmosphere of trust and total well-being. So take the time you need to make this happen, especially if you don’t know the model; And even if you know her, not all of us unfold naturally in front of a camera πŸ™‚ .
  3. Set the stage: choose the background, make sure there are no elements that distract from the main reason. The background must accompany and emphasize, not subtract prominence.
  4. Find the place with the best light: indoors move closer to windows or model it with flash (bounced and/or diffused) or continuous light. Make sure the light is always soft and diffuse.
  5. Photography in RAW mode.
  6. Set the value ISO as low as possible, It is the one that will give you the greatest sharpness.
  7. Choose a diaphragm opening depending on the result you want to obtain. In this case I do not recommend that you open the diaphragm to values ​​such as f/1.4 since it is too shallow a depth of field to have the entire model in focus. An aperture of f/4 of/5 is a good place to start.
  8. Regarding shutter speed, always remember this rule to guide you:
    • 1/ focal length=minimum shutter speed.
  9. In short, use the manual mode.
  10. Try various compositions, close-up, half-length, and full-length.
  11. Take profile photos to emphasize the belly.
  12. Try that the hands do not cover the belly but emphasize it, for example, one above and one below the belly, or both below.
  13. Dare with him backlightingyou will love the result.

Self-portrait in pregnancy photography

It is very possible that you are reading this article and you are the photographer and the pregnant one, right? Well, I haven’t forgotten about you πŸ˜‰ I’m going with a lot of tips so that you are able to self-portrait in this special and beautiful moment that you are living.

  • Make sure you have good lighting and a large space that is pleasing to the eye to take photos. It is best to take advantage of natural light, try to get high near a window.
  • Use a tripod.
  • Choose clothes that highlight your belly and that you feel good in: dresses, open shirts, underwear, or simply naked.
  • Wear makeup that you feel comfortable with and look good on (if you prefer no makeup, no makeup).
  • Use a medium diaphragm opening to come out well focused in the image.
  • Help yourself with an object to focus exactly on the place where you are going to place yourself. Then focus on auto or manual and turn auto mode off.
  • Use a remote shutter (or alternatively the delayed shutter of your camera).
  • Turn off auto flash.
  • Be patient, try different frames and compositions, you will see that little by little the result you are looking for is getting closer :).
  • If you need more tips to get a good self-portrait, in this article and if you prefer visual inspiration, visit this other one.

How to do a maternity photo shoot at home

If you want to photograph your pregnancy monitoring at home, I recommend you follow these tips:

  • Make sure you have a good background or a photogenic corner without distractions.
  • Find a place with good lighting (near a window is ideal).
  • Put masking tape on the floor to place…