With the current lockdown, you may be considering photographing your baby bump at home.
If you are currently pregnant during this COVID-19 pandemic, it will certainly be preventing you from doing some of the things you had planned. This may also be true if you’d planned to have a maternity shoot with a photographer. We don’t want you to miss out on these special moments so have compiled a guide with suggestions on how to take your own maternity photographs.
When is the best time to take photographs of my bump?
You can, of course, photograph your growing bump at any point of your pregnancy. Lots of women like to take photographs each month in the same location, wearing the same clothes in order to chart their progress. At our studio, we offer maternity photography at 34 – 36 weeks. This is because your bump is usually carrying higher still at that point and we can really show off your beautiful form.
What do I need to take photographs?
If you have a camera then great, you can use that. Alternatively, you can use a phone camera. The point of this guide is about creating flattering poses so you don’t need an expensive camera to get some pictures that will document your pregnancy journey. You will also need someone willing to take the photos for you, or the ability to use a self-timer, however, it can be tricky to get into the right position before the camera triggers. Also, a large window with lots of natural light coming in is ideal instead of flash.
Check the background
When taking photos at home, it’s easy to forget what is visible in the background. Too much clutter will take the attention away from what is important in the image – you and your beautiful bump! If you will use your bed to sit on, check the covers aren’t all wrinkled as this again will cause a distraction.
Clothing
You probably won’t have access to the type of maternity dresses that you would find at a studio but don’t worry. Depending on how much of your bump you want on show in your pictures, you can find suitable outfits at home. A classic, black body con dress gives your body a beautiful silhouette, wearing a nice set of underwear and an open dressing gown or over-sized white shirt is another option. Even a white sheet or silky scarves can be fashioned into a ‘boob tube’ style top.
Posing basics when photographing your baby bump at home
A maternity photoshoot is all about making the most of your body shape during this unique time. You want to look and feel amazing and use flattering poses and create shapes with your body. Standing flat-footed for example is not too flattering. With some simple suggestions, we are hopefully going to have you posing like a pro.
Poses when in profile
Let’s start with a side-on pose. I like to take this as a backlit shot. In the studio, this is usually in front of a large lightbox. In your home, you can achieve a nice backlit photograph in front of a large window. Try and avoid doing this when you have direct light rays coming through the window as it will cast strange shadows. You could always add net curtains or a thin white sheet across the window to diffuse the light.
As with any posing in profile, make sure you don’t draw your chin in towards your chest – you will create a double chin! If you do want to be looking down towards your bump, I recommend you choose a spot on the floor just in front of you and look there. It will give the impression that you are looking at your bump without creating a double chin.
An alternative to this pose is to place your the hand closest to the camera on your hip as shown below.
You can also take this pose at a 45-degree angle towards the camera as shown below.
Leaning poses
If you have a nice bright corner, close to your window, you can create a leaning pose. Keep your face nice and close to the light. Even if you are cropping in a little closer like this, still bend the leg closest to the camera.
Facing the camera
This is where it is super important to create shapes with your body. Standing face-on to the camera on flat feet is not very flattering to your lovely shape. You need to use your legs to create beautiful lines.
You can, of course, add some variation in this pose. Look down to your bump (mind that chin!), both hands at the top or bottom of your bump.
These are just some basics to get you started on photographing your baby bump at home. Hopefully, it’s useful.
If you would like information about our maternity sessions please visit our maternity page.
