When a lady becomes a mom for the 1st time, it becomes imperative for her to try a maternity photoshoot. After all, this is one of the most beautiful stages of her life. Maternity gives her the chance to feel amazing while giving her a few moments of comfort during this challenging phase of her life. Gearing up for such shoots will reduce stress levels for any pregnant woman, and if you are wondering what you can do to make that shoot amazing, then don’t worry! We have some amazing tips, poses, tricks, and ideas in our back pocket that will help you not just capture perfect images but also create memories for a lifetime.
Be Punctual
The best time to start a shoot is sometime between 33-36 weeks of pregnancy. However, it is best to speak to the client once and see what season or phase they are most comfortable with. Their timing also matters a lot. A lot of future mommies who expect multiple babies have said to experience complications in their pregnancy or tend to have premature deliveries. So make sure you schedule earlier and are flexible enough to meet the needs of the client.
Get Those Lenses Ready
Maternity photoshoots also offer you immense versatility. There’s a whole variety of compositions, poses, angles, and lighting situations that you can try. Maternity sessions also let you choose your lenses. Long lenses work well, give gorgeous compressions and lenses that you will like. However, be very careful of distortions with wide-angle lenses as they make moms look larger than what they are. A few of the best lenses include 35mm which gives you a very realistic point of view, 50mm which gives you a good focus on the mommy and her preggo belly, 85mm which works well on capturing all details of the body, 24-70mm which is good for outdoor maternity shoots.
Try Various Angles
A great maternity photoshoot also needs the right angles. So make sure that you find the right place so that the shooting can be done n a good area. First, make sure to set your camera in manual mode. This will help you gain control over the settings. Some of the ranges that you can try are aperture which is good for maternity portraits, shutter speed which is excellent for moms who love to pose, and ISO. However, be very careful that you don’t close up the camera and get all the right people in focus.
Play Up With Props
You can always make prop suggestions to the couple before the photo shoot begins. This could include a photo of the ultrasound or any special object with their kid’s name on it. Not only does this add a very personal touch to the images but also helps you get the best captures. You could also bring a few props depending on the couple’s choice. Feel free to personalize their journey and make it more creative for all your clients.
Comfortable Clothing Matters
Like all types of photographs, a good maternity photoshoot also requires you to focus on the terms of clothing of the people. All the clothes will have to depend on the decisions to follow pegs or themes. For example, some moms prefer having high street fashion while some want a casual look. No matter what the theme is, it is important to help the mom decide the right clothing so that she can accentuate her preggo belly while feeling comfortable.
Plan The Compoisitions
Compositions are extremely important in maternity and portrait photoshoots as it makes the mom and her preggo belly more prominent. Even if the parent prefers to have a relaxed photoshoot or simple black & white images, the right composition will change your mood too. Some of the ways you can change your composition as photographers include silhouette where you can show the mom’s profile and her belly pop, the side where you can show a 45-degree angle of the belly, straight on which accentuates the bump easily, and up high where the mom can lie down and you can stand on a stook to grab the perfect capture.
Choose The Right Lighting
If you prefer shooting maternity portraits, you could use a nice and soft light so that the images show a very ethereal-like lighting. For an outdoor maternity photoshoot, make sure you take advantage of the natural lights, especially if you are doing it during sunset or sunrise. Not just that, a good photographer will give you reflectors or flashes that will control and emphasize the bump as well.
Add Some Family Members Too
Another adorable thing you can do is adding some of the siblings in the pictures. You can give them objects like iPad, coloring books with crayons, etc that will help you do an excellent shoot. If the kids are babies or toddlers, even a grandmother can accompany them for assistance. Older kids may also take some direction or hug the mom’s belly, making it look adorable. When you have younger kids, you will be able to direct them to create better poses. Even a few cute and snuggly shots will help you capture the coolest of images.
Try Telling A Story
Always make sure that you are telling a story. In order to successfully do that, you need to add some meaningful elements. This would also include choosing the right location that has significance to both the parents. It should have a natural connection with the subjects and make them feel comfortable. So make sure you choose a location that suits them and helps you capture their personal story as well.
Choose The Right Location
There are various locations you can experiment with if you’re looking for an exciting maternity session to do. Some of the options include beaches, fields, the backyard of your home, picturesque ponds, lakes, gardens, sea-beaches, and what not! Add some dramatic gowns to that and your job is done. Make sure to take advantage of these scenic landmarks and make sure you don’t feel too shy from testing the waters. In fact, we’d say a lot of wonders can happen when you experiment. The only thing you need to mindful of is how comfortable the mommy is her with baby bump. Make sure the idea doesn’t get too uncomfortable for her or put any of them in danger.
Don’t Shy Away From Exciting Angles
Not all pregnant moms are the same. In fact, each one of them is unique in its own way. Their shapes, sizes, all vary from one parent to the other. In simple words, it’s impossible to use similar angles when you are doing a maternity shoot. Shots that look good on one woman may not look appealing on the other. So you have to be experiment with various angles, or at least be okay experimenting with them. A lot of women also tend to feel conscious of the kind of angles they should try. Or at least they feel more confident in one angle and uncomfortable in the other. You could also talk about its preferences or talk about the features they want to hide or highlight.
Try To Make Them Feel Comfortable
Pregnancy is not an easy journey. Not only does it involve physical discomfort but also swollen feet and painful varicose veins. So make sure you are aware of this and are showing empathy to your clients while shooting. A lot of moms are comfortable with bare body photoshoots while some shy away from them. So make sure to check that before getting started. Also, try not to pressurize them to show their skin.
If a bare-bodied shoot is what they prefer, do ensure that they are well-prepared for a shoot of this sort. Some of the things that you need to ensure yourself are:
- Ensure that there is someone they also trust, like a good female friend
- Try using lenses that come with long focal lengths
- Do not touch her. Ask her friend to do all adjustments.
- Turn up the temperature in your room.
- Keep the shoot efficient and simple
- Show some example portraits to your model
- Remain professional: Don’t look like something is weird or unusual. A bare-bodied photoshoot takes guts, so make sure they are feeling comfortable in your presence.
More than anything else, be sure of how she is feeling. If it feels very tense, ask the mommy to imagine her baby and think about how pregnancy has been so far. Basically, take the attention from nudity away and focus on other essentials: like the feeling of anticipation and love.
Maternity photoshoots are an excellent way to give your clients the best captures and images they will love and cherish for a lifetime. Also, if you make a fine impression on your clients, they will be most likely to assign you more work like milestones, family sessions, and newborns too. Don’t forget to give them a thank you note, create excellent customer service and take good pictures. For more ideas, stay tuned with us.
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