If you’ve ever walked into a maternity session and wondered, How do I make this feel natural and flattering? this post is for you.
If you’d rather listen, head to my podcast page.
Maternity sessions are a little different than newborn or family sessions because the focus is mom, movement is your friend, and angles matter more than posing.
How Should You Prepare Before a Maternity Session?
Before the session, I like to send styling guidance to help clients choose outfits that photograph well. I send this post- The Ultimate Maternity Guide to go over all the things as a preface before they book.
Some of my favorite recommendations include:
- Flowy dresses
- Fitted ribbed dresses
- Open cardigans
- Neutral tones
- Fabrics with movement like chiffon, cotton, and linen
I also encourage moms to avoid tight elastic waistbands or stiff fabrics that can create unflattering lines.
When choosing a location, look for places with open sky and soft backgrounds such as fields, tall grass, water, or simple tree lines. I also recommend planning your session about one hour before sunset. I send my location guide that looks like this.
If you’re shooting indoors or in a client’s home, ask for photos of rooms with large windows, neutral bedding or couches, and avoid rooms with strong colored walls.
What Should You Look for When You Arrive?
Before I ever start shooting, I scout the location.
I look for:
- Filtered backlight
- Harsh light
- Dappled light
- Side light
- Areas of shade
I also identify a few different backgrounds so I can create variety throughout the gallery. This might include trees, open fields, a simple wall, tall grass, or water.
What Is My Maternity Session Workflow?
I typically start with the entire family and work toward more focused portraits.
My flow usually looks like this:
- Family photos
- Mom with children
- Mom alone
This allows everyone to get comfortable in front of the camera while creating a natural progression throughout the session.
What Photos Should You Capture During a Maternity Session?
Family
- Walking together
- Looking at ultrasound photos
- Sitting together
- Mom laying on dad’s lap
Mom + Kids
- Hugging
- Hands on belly
- Child sitting on mom’s bump
- Twirling
- Kissing mama’s belly
- Whispering to the baby
- Handing mom flowers or natural elements
- Laying down together
Mom Alone
- Standing with one hand under the bump and the other in her hair
- Hands supporting the belly
- Seated poses with movement in the hands
- Laying on her side
- Belly-focused detail shots
- Belly rubbing video clips or GIFs
How Can You Create More Variety?
One of the easiest ways to create a stronger gallery is to rotate every setup.
For each pose, try:
- Wide shots
- Mid-range shots
- Close-up details
You can also change your perspective by:
- Shooting through objects
- Shooting from above
- Shooting over dad’s shoulder
- Creating silhouettes
- Capturing shadows
Don’t forget movement:
- Walking
- Skipping
- Belly rubbing
- Hair tosses
These small changes can turn one pose into an entire series of images.
Ever run out of ideas when shooting? Grab my creative shot list for a pocket size reminder before each session:
What Prompts Help Maternity Photos Feel Natural?
Some of my favorite prompts include:
- “Look over a ball.”
- “Smell your shoulder.”
- “Look toward the sun. You can close your eyes.”
- “Twist your upper torso.”
- “Pop the knee closest to me.”
- “Shift your hips back.”
- “Lean toward the camera.”
- “I can’t believe we’re having another baby.”
I also frequently remind clients to keep their arms slightly away from their body rather than pressed against their sides.
How Should You Use Light During a Maternity Session?
Lighting can make or break a maternity gallery.
A few of my favorite techniques:
- Position the sun behind your subject, slightly off to one side.
- Avoid shooting directly into the sun when possible to reduce haze.
- Use trees or shade to filter harsh light.
- When laying down, position the top of the head toward the light source.
- Encourage your client to lift her chin toward the light to avoid unwanted shadows.
- Turn your subject approximately 45 degrees toward the light source to create depth and dimension.
When shooting in harsh sunlight, expose for the highlights and remember that the brightest areas of the image are often where you want the viewer’s eye to go first.
What’s This Week’s Challenge?
At your next maternity session, take one pose and photograph it three different ways by changing your framing or perspective.
Try:
- A wide shot
- A mid-range shot
- A detail shot
Or challenge yourself to change your perspective:
- Shoot through something
- Shoot from above
- Shoot over dad’s shoulder
The goal isn’t to find more poses—it’s to get more variety from the poses you’re already doing.
Listen to this on Episode 19 of my Podcast in my Series, How to Make Better Photos on Apple, Spotify or on this page:
Got a question or something you want covered on the podcast? DM me on Instagram at @brittanyporterphotography. I’d love to hear from you.
