At a pregnancy photoshoot, the baby bump is always going to feature heavily. But don’t let it eclipse the love that started it all. These intimate photo ideas for maternity photoshoots will give you plenty of beautiful shots, reminding your clients of the beautiful journey they are on.
Celebrate coupledom: intimate photo ideas for maternity sessions
As well as documenting the mother’s belly and their excitement to become parents (see Pregnancy Feelings), a maternity photoshoot is a great opportunity to celebrate the couple’s relationship. They may not have had romantic portraits taken together since their wedding day (or ever!) so use the opportunity to help them reflect and look back at how far they have come.
How to use this photo pose prompt
Prepare couples for the maternity session by asking them to bring something (an artefact or keepsake) that represents something important about their relationship (and suggest they keep it secret from each other!). For e.g. a gift given for an early anniversary, first photo together, etc. At the session, ask them to explain the artefact to the other, or guess what the other’s artefact is.
Shoot tight on details: holding hands, faces close together, hands holding artefacts.
Always look for opportunities to add connection, physically or emotionally. Watch how they interact, then make suggestions: put a hand on her back, touch his face, bump hips, lean against each other, pull together tighter. Emotional connection by eye contact, laughing together, looking at the other (e.g. Dad looks at Mum as she looks at belly).
Prompt: Celebrate Coupledom
- Help them celebrate the relationship that led to the pregnancy.
- Get romantic, playful, intimate (depending on the couple).
- Capture the essence of the relationship: snuggle together, kiss, walk holding hands looking at each other, lead one by the hand looking back, tickle, joke.
- Have them tell an artefact story, have each guess the keepsake the other brought, document them holding the keepsake together.
- Get close on details.
- Always look for opportunities to add connection (touch, gaze).
Creative extension
- Incorporate older children too, and celebrate the family’s beginnings and early days. Have parents bring a keepsake from when the older child was born, and share it at the session. Older children could share something they have made or bought for the baby as a gift.
Tag @promptographerguide and use the hashtag #promptographerguide to share your favorite photos captured with this prompt.
Want this prompt in your Field Cards set?
All the info in this prompt post is summarized onto a single card in the Promptographer Guide Field Cards and App. All the ideas are given on one card so you have a rich, comprehensive tool for sparking ideas. I’ve designed it this way so you only need five to ten cards to build a whole photoshoot.
If you want this prompt in your set, make sure you include Set 7: New Baby Moments in your Field Cards.
