Pregnancy photographer london

How to take pregnancy photos at home

DIY Pregnancy Photos

As someone who has been posing and lighting pregnancy photo shoots for over since 2005, I know that there will be women out there desparate to know how to take pregnancy photos at home that are flattering.  So I wanted to give you a few very important pointers when asking your other half to take a photo of you and your bump, in order to make sure you look your best and don’t feel you look like a whale even if you may feel like one!!

how to take pregnancy photos at home

Pregnancy Posing

The first thing you should be thinking about is the right pose.  Now there is no one perfect pose and in fact I rather hate the ‘lets-display-the-bump’ kind of pose..you know the one, one hand on top of the bump and one underneath, looking down lovingly….hmmm…yeh not my kind of thing.  Firstly, this kind of pose broadens your body and makes you look like a whale, and secondly you’re looking down which increases the risk of double chins being captured for all time!   NOOOO!

So I’m going to break things down for you and by just doing a few things you’ll look 1000% better.

 

 

Arms and Hands

Firstly arms…so when we are with child, we are generally wider than we usually are…so in a photograph, we need to show our edges as it were…  we don’t want the viewer (usually us!) to see our outline as larger than it actually is.  So to avoid this you need to keep your arm away from your body in order to see the line of your back as you can see in this image.  Apart from showing that you do actually have a back, it will show the curve which is very pleasing to the eye.  Don’t bend your arm too much or it can start to look a bit contrived but a bit of a bend and you have improved your outline hugely.

Secondly hands – so to avoid the ‘here’s-the-bump’ display, you need to relax your hands as much as possibly… if you have naturally straight fingers then just force a slight bend in them, if your hands are tense then the image looks forced.  The second point to note about hands is not to place them too far into your crotch as so many people do…it looks like you’re …well, use your imagination.  I prefer to keep the hand out of there and place it just below the belly button or on your hip.

When you know how to take pregnancy photos at home you’ll know how to pose for photos generally, it’s actually a really good bit of selfie training!

 

how to take pregnancy photos at home

Legs

No matter how big your thighs get, and lets face it, it’s rare to find a pregnant woman who hasn’t put weight on around the bum area, you can help yourself in the photos with 2 things..

Firstly bend the leg that’s nearest to the camera.  By bending your knee you are balancing the bump up top and creating a lovely curved backside which should mimic the shape of your pregnant belly.

Secondly crop your image at the slimmest part of your body, usually lower thigh or knee.. as your eyes move around a photo, you notice that if cropped at the widest part of you, that is what your brain will take as your width.  So try to crop at a more flattering junction… see below for good and bad examples.

 

how to take pregnancy photos at home
how to take pregnancy photos at home

Hair and Clothing

Are you still with me?  OK so the last thing to do when trying to make your form look smaller, is to think about your hair and clothing.  Hair needs to be big and if possible slightly up so that your neck is visible…your neck is the slimmest part of your torso and so should be shown off.  You can either put your hair up or simply turn side on to the camera, jujj (is that even a word?) up your hair as big as it will go and lift your chin..your neck will now look lovely and slim.

Clothing, should be non bulky for these shots, make sure the line of your back is visible as this is the most slimming effect, so wearing a dress or tight fitting top would be best.  If you’re opting for a dress then do place one of your hands just below your belly button as this will give your bump a shape rather than making it look like you’re straight down from the widest part of your body.

pregnancy photos at home
pregnancy photos taken at home

A note on nude poses

Now clearly I’m doing this for a living and there are thousands of ways to pose a pregnant woman, with and without clothing..  I love doing nudes and semi nudes and use materials to complement a woman’s shape and skin tones.  I think if you have amazing lighting and posing you really do look amazing when you are pregnant.  If you’re still a bit overwhelmed with how to take pregnancy photos at home then do get in touch and I will be happy to do it for you.

If you want to try doing a semi nude shot, maybe top off..then use your arms to cover up as naturally as you can.  Don’t grab a boob, but rather screen them from view by careful placing of arms and hands.  Take a look at my portfolio for inspiration or make a booking to have your own gorgeous pregnancy portraits captured at my studio or outdoors.

Pregnancy nude portrait

For more advice on maternity portraits

If you’re wanting a bit more advice on clothing, lighting and posing then book a zoom session with me to make sure you get it right.  I have a ‘pay what you can afford’ system in place so you don’t need to spend a fortune and I love talking to people …it’s been a wonderful way to spend my time over the last few weeks.

Book a Personal Chat with me

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE

some useful blogs

CONTACT Me

+ 44 7815 864 884
susans@sptphotography.com

Follow me on Instagram

 

#pregnancyphotoshoots  #londonfamilyphotographer

How to take pregnancy photos at home

We all want to record our pregnancy as it’s such a special, unique time of our lives..but there is a good way to do it and a bad way! Let me show you how to take the best portraits possible at home if you can’t get to a photographer

What to do with 3 or more children on a family photo shoot

How Susan deals with larger family groups on a family photo shoot on location

What are the best ages for baby photo shoots

A baby is the best subject for a photo shoot, but what are the best ages for baby photo shoots, when are the cutest moments and stages to record and potentially go for a professional photo shoot? I will show you the best stages to photograph and why as well as the worst stages!

Flattering Lighting in the Studio

My Favourite lighting - so it's probably clear from my Instagram account what I like in the way of studio lighting..I'm a succour for moody, gently lit, soft lighting that flatters the skin and flattering to the body.  Not surprisingly as I do a lot of Maternity...

Simple and elegant Maternity Shoots in London studio

I have done thousands of maternity shoots in London over the last 15 years and a lot of my clients prefer to go for the impact of lighting and pose rather than the addition of materials and movement. I love this style, we can work on great lighting and amazing shape...

Maternity portraits in the studio

Maternity Portraits in the Studio in West London last week. You can see here how impactful the studio can be for maternity shoots, you don't have any distraction around and behind, we can create beautiful lighting and take time to pose correctly to make the most of...

Maternity photographer West London

For a maternity photographer West London has a wealth of mums to be, however this gorgeous bump came all the way over from Canary Wharf with her husband and mother in tow. Truly stunning, I thoroughly enjoyed this shoot, she had...

Maternity Photo shoot London

Having a Maternity Photo Shoot London is getting more popular as the years go by. Especially as mothers to be want something artistic that is going to record their pregnancy for their children to see. There is something magical about a pregnancy and I find it very...

Family photo shoots Hampstead

For family photo shoots Hampstead is truly one of the loveliest locations in London. This shoot was taken on one of the darkest dreariest and coldest days of the autumn and yet the vistas and colours and great backdrops are endless. I love the fact that there are...

West London Photographer

It's always great when you get a little person who is able to take direction and loves the attention I give her. Little Rose was so sweet and loved the wind machine. I've been a West London Photographer for 11 years now and every now and then I do special offers for...