6 Creative Maternity Photoshoot Ideas and Tips

by Mastin Labs

Maternity photoshoots are a chance to honor the beautiful journey of motherhood.

As a professional photographer, it’s your job to capture this intimate moment. With nothing but your camera and a few props, you have to document lasting memories in a way that showcases the love, joy, and anticipation surrounding the arrival of a new baby.

Top 6 Photoshoot Ideas and Tips for Creative Maternity Photos

Here are six maternity shoot ideas to inspire you and a few expert tips to help you bring these concepts to life.

1. Consider a Maternity Boudoir Shoot

A boudoir maternity photoshoot can bring out your clients' sultry side and capture the beauty and sensuality of pregnancy. With soft lighting and delicate maternity picture poses, this style celebrates the sophistication and allure of the female form.

Whether your clients want something playful and innocent or something more sensual and erotic, here are some tips to bring this shoot to life:

Let clients wear what makes them comfortable, be it lingerie or something with more coverage.
Encourage the use of sheer or flowing fabrics.
Experiment with different angles, making sure to show off the baby bump.
Incorporate flowers or a botanical backdrop to enhance the feminine feel.

2. Include the Whole Family in the Session

Though most of the photoshoot will center around the expectant mother, taking maternity pics with family can help get everybody involved.

Center the mother in your family shots to keep the arriving baby the main focus. You can also encourage poses where the partner and kids embrace the baby bump.

For young children, you may need to offer additional posing guidance. Here are a few maternity picture pose ideas to bring out the natural chemistry between mother and child:

Kissing or hugging mom’s belly
Putting a hand on the belly while looking at mom
Crossing arms over mom’s belly
Holding mom’s hand
Lying down in the grass right next to mom
Holding up mom’s flowing maternity dress

3. Find a Dream-Like Outdoor Location

A beautiful outdoor location creates some of the most stunning backdrops for maternity photoshoots. The great outdoors provides endless possibilities, whether it’s a lush forest, idyllic beach, blooming garden, or a wide-open field.

One of the best times to capture a maternity shoot in a natural setting is during “golden hour,” right before the sun goes down. The warm and radiant natural light will bring out the best of your subject's pregnancy glow.

4. Try Including the Ultrasound Pictures

Instead of leaving the ultrasound scan on the fridge, use it in your photoshoots to make a statement about the anticipation and joy of pregnancy. This simple yet powerful image represents the first glimpse of your client’s growing baby.

Have your client (or her partner) hold it over her pregnant belly. You can also have them hold it up to the camera to make the baby the center of attention.

Pair the sonogram with a set of tiny baby shoes for an extra special twist. This adds another emotional layer to the photo — representing the hopes and dreams for the baby to come.

5. Add a Unique Element With Belly Painting

Making the belly the focus of your photos helps to highlight the beauty of creating new life, using whatever design resonates with your client. Go for an abstract design, floral patterns, or even a complete nature-inspired scene.

If painting doesn't work for the client, that doesn’t mean you can’t decorate the belly. Try using natural decor — such as real pressed flowers, fruit slices, and more — arranged on the belly in an intricate design.

6. Take Your Photoshoot Underwater

An underwater maternity photoshoot isn’t easy to pull off, but it can result in stunning maternity photos. This trending technique creates an ethereal, whimsical quality that enhances the natural essence of an expectant mother.

In a heated pool, have your subject bob down for a few seconds at a time while you capture shots. The lighting should be set up around the pool, or you'll need a handheld, waterproof light to put a spotlight on the client as she poses underwater.

For best results, make use of flowing fabrics that float behind the subject in the water. This adds to the weightless feeling and dreamlike ambiance of the shots.

Give Your Maternity Pictures a Twist With the Best Presets

Whatever pregnancy photo poses and ideas you decide to use, remember that the end goal is to capture everything that makes this special time so magical. Each photo should tell a story of beauty, love, anticipation, and the promise of new life.

From the creative use of props like ultrasound pictures to stunning backdrops like fields of flowers, each idea brings you closer to creating cherished keepsakes for your clients.

It’s one thing to capture the wonder and emotion of pregnancy through a camera lens, but it’s another to bring those pictures to life in the editing room. That’s where Mastin Labs comes in.

With our lineup of professional-grade presets, you can effortlessly and consistently achieve the stunning images your clients want. Check out our collection of presets to see the results for yourself.