Pregnancy Photography – Share Your Tips on Photographing a Pregnant Subject
I get asked about photographing pregnant women quite often by readers so I thought it might make an interesting community discussion.
Here’s the latest question on the topic that was submitted by Henry:
“Can you help me to take some great photos of my wife who is 8 months pregnant? We’ve seen a lot of great maternity photos and would like to commemorate our first pregnancy with some tasteful images of my wife’s belly.
We were thinking of getting some professional shots done but seeing as we’ve just bought a DSLR for taking photos of our baby when it arrives we wanted to give it a go ourselves. Do you have any tips for us?”
What tips would you share with Henry and his wife?
PS: for a little inspiration check out our tutorial on the topic - 7 Tips for Taking Great Maternity Shots.
12 Responses to “Pregnancy Photography – Share Your Tips on Photographing a Pregnant Subject” - Add Yours
October 25th, 2008 at 12:36 am
Remember lighting is everything. Try some window lighting shots. Don’t use your on camera flash, you will most likely not get the results you are looking for.
Take a lot of pictures and review them together. Try some Black and white photographs, close up shots and don’t forget the rest of the family.
Rosh
http://www.newmediaphotographer.com
October 25th, 2008 at 1:01 am
Check out work from other photographers to get some ideas of different poses and angles. Don’t forget to include yourself in the shots too so use the self timer or a remote. Pick a time when your both relaxed and enjoy the process. I’ve just completed my first maternity session and pulled off some great shots mostly because the couple were relaxed and enjoyed the process themselves.
All the best for your new arrival!
October 25th, 2008 at 1:35 am
I’ve only had the pleasure of photographing 2 pregnant women so far, but just remember angles. Try not to take photos straight on, or they’ll just make her look wide. Even slightly rotating the shoulders and face can make a big difference.
October 25th, 2008 at 5:40 am
Take her outside! Pergnacy is natural, and so is the great outdoors! I just did a shoot with a quilt on the ground with the fall leaves around the lady. I also like to find curvy trees and have the gal either stand next to it or slightly behind it to form a nice frame around her and her beautiful belly. :D
October 25th, 2008 at 11:27 am
Well, I’m only one down, two to go on the maternity shoots, but I do have to say that being comfortable with your subject and them being comfortable with you is key. You are shooting your wife, so obviously she’s comfortable with you, but is she comfortable with you with a camera that’s going to capture images that you’re gonna share? I shot my sister-in-law over the summer, whom I have known for a lot longer than I have even been with her brother, but there was a serious disconnect with me when it came to me being behind a camera. Of course she loved the pictures and showed them to everyone she knows, but the whole shoot was really awkward, and as my own worst critic, I can tell in the pictures. I think had I taken some specifically non-maternity pictures with her and her hubby first just to get relaxed and for her to get the feel of it would have been best. So the point is that maybe you guys need to take some pictures with the timer or remote or something just get comfortable with the idea that you’re the singular center of attention behind the camera, and any awkwardness will show. Get out there and take some everyday, candid shots of eachother, and then maybe think of doing your maternity shoot. Just an idea that I wish I had known pre-maternity-shoot :) Hope that helps!
October 25th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
I love doing pregnancy photos. I started off photographing my stepdaughter at a friends farmhouse which was empty at the time. I loved doing shots next to the large windows with a small amount of fill flash. I would say that one of the most important things to do is to keep the laughter going and maintain a relaxed atmosphere. Convey to your wife (model) that she is really beautiful.
Two of my last pregnancy shoots were family pictures. I was really pleased with the interaction of young children with their mothers and the baby. I even got the family dog in some of the photos. Have fun with this!
October 26th, 2008 at 1:22 am
Hi- I am originally from Brazil and maternity pictures are very big there- every one gets them done and they really do some nice things.You can check out my better photo gallery for pages 6-8 to get some ideas. I like different angles as already mentioned, also it is important to have pictures just of the belly perhaps her sideways and hands on lower belly as if holding, other common shots we do is the mom telling the baby to be quiet as if hush little baby, another one is for mom to form a heart with her hand on belly, and you can also write on belly with lipstick, the babys name or say coming soon, you can add that with text in photoshop later as well. Another big one is getting some baby shoes and using your fingers to lay it over belly or even a plush etc. Hands play a big part in maternity shots, engaging the husband and other children as well. Hope that helps~
October 26th, 2008 at 4:43 am
On a funny side note, is it just a complete accident that in the “additional links” at the end of this post there is a link for “Photographing buildings” as well? Pregnant women feel big enough as it is, now your just rubbing it in. Don’t worry DPS, I know it was a coincedence, but a funny one at that.
October 26th, 2008 at 9:36 am
I agree with the first poster saying lighting is everything. Try using off camera flash balancing front light with a back light. Also explore high and low angles.
November 11th, 2008 at 11:23 am
I saw the pics on this site….loved them…where can i find some more?
Thanks
May 8th, 2009 at 6:28 am
When my wife was about 7ish months, we took quite a few maternity shots. She was not really interested in having a lot show — more abstract and minimal. I think a few of our favorites turned out to be a close photo of her belly with a very shallow DOF (very large aperture — possibly f/1.8 or 2 using 50mm prime lens) where her beautiful belly button was the focal point (in sepia), a full-lenght portrait of my wife wearing a very pretty black dress holding a bunch of favorite pink flower outside with the side of our house that we love and trees in the background on a sunny day (full color) and finally a tight shot of both my wife’s hand and my hand with wedding bands on her exposed belly (in sepia). That was 8ish months ago. A lot of fun! Much more to come. (8->}
June 6th, 2009 at 2:41 am
I resently started my own photography business and havent done alot of shoots het. Only friends and family. I struggle to get comfortable with the people that I’m taking photos of and I cant remember any of my ideas. Is this natural or is there something wrong with me?
I also find pregnancy photos are stunning outside or in there own home. If you dont have a studio lamps are great for lighting.
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