Creative Maternity Photography Ideas

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Article: description: With these creative maternity photography ideas, you can prepare a better photo shoot, have improved poses, and make the model more comfortable, all of which garner better images.
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Maternity photography is a profitable and fun genre of family portraiture. Finding creative maternity photography ideas can be somewhat of a challenge, though.

However, with a little ingenuity, any photographer engaging in this type of photography can create beautiful and unique images.

Some creative maternity photography ideas include unique posing and wardrobe choices, exciting compositions, and products to offer as a maternity photographer. Let’s have a detailed look at each!

Table of Contents:

Creative Maternity Photography Ideas - Posing

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Maternity photography is a special event for expectant parents. So, we really want to make sure we put our clients at ease with the process. Make the photo shoot about them, and it will automatically be somewhat relaxed. Try to capture full-length, mid-length, and close-up views.

Many creative maternity photography ideas concerning posing happen during the final trimester of pregnancy, when the baby bump is pronounced. The shape of the expectant mother is decidedly different during the later stages of pregnancy, which is part of what makes maternity photography a thing in the first place.

One way or another, that baby bump takes center stage. Highlighting it will be easy with some creative maternity photography ideas about posing. This might include framing the baby bump naturally with the mother’s arms. Cradling the infant in the womb is the feel or effect most try to create or invoke.

Turning the mother 45 degrees and having them sit or recline is a way to vary the standard posing we usually see. Slightly bent legs, whether sitting or standing, appear more natural and comfortable. Including their partner in the image is another good posing technique that creates a sense of family. Keep the session open, light, and fun, and see what develops naturally.

Above is a YouTube video from Lola Melanie on the B&H channel with some wonderful tips for improving your maternity photography.

Creative Maternity Photography Ideas - Wardrobe Choices

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The wardrobe options for maternity photography are a grab bag as well. One of the major options is whether or not to have the baby bump covered with clothing. Both options also have numerous in-between stages, with some overlapping depending on styling and posing choices.

Showing skin can make some mothers a little self-conscious. Taking some test shots and letting her see them on a tethered device might help ease her tension. But if she doesn’t want to, don’t force the issue. We want the images to look relaxed and natural, after all.

Loose, flowing drapes are a nice way to bridge the gap between uncovered and covered. Lacy, airy fabrics also fit well in this in-between stage.  

Maternity wear has so many styles from which to choose, romantic, business wear, active clothing, beachwear, earrings, bath robes, jeans and a crop top - the selection is virtually endless in scope. Let the mother choose and then design the shoot around it.

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Creative Maternity Photography Ideas - Composition Tips

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Composition tips and techniques accompany the posing tips for creative maternity photography ideas. As stated earlier, shoot from various distances, capturing full-length body views, ¾ or mid-length, and some close-ups.

Environmental portraits work fantastically as maternity photography compositions. You can also include people, especially the mother’s spouse or partner and other family members such as other kids. You can involve their favorite pets, too! 

The Rule of Thirds works exceptionally well for maternity photos, but be sure to use your entire grab bag of composition tools, like negative space, asymmetry, S-curves, and leading lines (such as legs or arms). 

Whether seated, reclining, standing in groups or singly, keep watch on those legs and arms. Avoid awkward looks by suggesting where and how to position the subject’s limbs. Fitting them into a composition tip, such as curves and lines, is a simple method to accomplish this.

Creative Maternity Photography Ideas - Exposure and Lighting

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What mood is desired in your maternity photos? Low-key and high-key lighting effects can make two radically different moods with the same exact posing and composition. Using a modified Rembrandt lighting configuration in black and white or color is also one of the better creative maternity photography ideas.

The silhouette is a lighting and posing technique that also makes fantastic maternity images. You can keep it minimal with a featureless backlit subject or incorporate a semi-silhouette lighting setup, emphasizing the maternity aspect while providing a subtle level of romance. 

Above is a nice tutorial on backlit maternity photography from Kelly Brown on YouTube.

Creative Maternity Photography Ideas - Photo Products

Once you have the images from your creative maternity photography ideas, the subject needs to receive them somehow. Digital delivery is a big thing in this modern era of photography, but a physical print or book is the cherry on top of a successful maternity photo session.

The occasion deserves a special level of excellence in any photographic product we offer to our client, friend, or family member. Saal Digital is one of the highest-quality photo printers for these items. Let’s see what they have that fits into our theme of creative maternity photography ideas.

BABY ANNOUNCEMENT CARDS

Baby announcement cards are a wonderful way to introduce the newborn infant, but they also make nice maternity photo cards. After all, a maternity photo hints that something big is about to happen!

You can add several levels of personalization to the cards, and Saal Digital ups the ante by using FSC® certified papers. These papers are produced sustainably, using solar energy banks for their printeries and carbon-neutral production and shipping. 

SOFTCOVER PHOTO BOOKS

Softcover photo books are an area in which Saal Digital excels. Their book designs can be customized for whatever style or occasion. They can also be personalized with text and different cover designs and also come with lay-flat pages and optional presentation boxes

PHOTO PLAQUES

Photo plaques are a display of your images that is unique in how and where to show them off. Instead of hanging on a wall, they stand on their own with either an acrylic block or metal feet. These plaques are available in several sizes and can be made as acrylic, metal, or gallery prints.

As far as finding creative maternity photography ideas, using Saal Digital as your professional printing solution is a fantastic idea. While you’re on their site, browse and explore everything else they offer.

Final Thoughts on Creative Maternity Photography Ideas

Photo by SVPhilon via iStock

Truth be told, there are more creative maternity photography ideas than you can shake a stick at. I’ve only just begun to show you what’s out there! You’d do well to explore the other maternity photography tips we have on this site.

As ever, trust your skills, use a high quality photo printer, and have fun while making the entire experience enjoyable for the mother-to-be. The more fun you have, the more fun she’ll have, and the better your images will be!

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