Maternity Photos

This gallery of on location maternity photos shows a wide range of settings and poses you can  utilize when photographing women and couples for maternity shoots. The bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and of course, the outdoors, can all serve as the perfect backdrop for your maternity photo shoot. Oftentimes, a combination of indoor/outdoor is ideal for a full shoot.

I’ve been working as a professional photographer based in Denver, Colorado for more than 20 years and offer maternity photos / pregnancy photography. Maternity is one of my favorite genres of portrait photography. I love the awe-filled and excited state it tends to put expectant parents in. That feeling of sobriety and eager anticipation that comes with the knowledge that everything’s about to change forever.

Maternity Photo Ideas

Looking for maternity photo ideas for your upcoming photo shoot?

Maternity photos are a wonderful way to celebrate your journey to motherhood and capture the unique and possibly unfamiliar waters you may be finding yourself in for the first time. So whether you’re a professional photographer or an expecting parent planning your own photo shoot, here are some creative maternity photo ideas that should help you capture this special time in your life in stunning and memorable ways.

Golden Hour

Capture the soft, warm light before sunset for a natural, flattering glow. It’s called golden hour for a reason and the light you’ll capture at this hour is yummy and delicious.

Parks, Open Spaces and Gardens

Mountains in the background, lush greenery, fall foliage, bodies of water, or blooming flowers in open spaces, parks and gardens provide a vibrant and fresh setting for maternity photos. Just don’t forget that the shoot is ultimately about the mother and partner’s emotional experience as they prepare to welcome a new addition to their family. Capturing the emotions inherent to a pregnancy should always take precedence over a utilizing a beautiful backdrop IMHO.

Nursery

Take photos in the baby’s nursery, surrounded by the items you’ve lovingly prepared for his or her arrival. I love capturing these moments and find these images to be especially dramatic and full of loving anticipation for baby’s pending arrival.

Candid Moments

Capturing activities like going for a walk, reading, showering, playing a game, or making a fresh pot of coffee and enjoying it at the dining room table or on the front porch. These day-in-the-life moments contrast with the anticipation and intimacy of this time in your life, adding a certain energy and dramatic quality to the photos that will make them even more memorable.

Natural Poses with Partner

Simple, authentic interactions between partners can make for touching, heartwarming photos. Relax and enjoy yourselves. Forget that there’s a photographer in the room with you if you can. Laugh and flirt. Dance. Or disrobe and cuddle in bed if you’re comfortable with that.

At the end of the day…

I offer these maternity photo ideas to provide some professional guidance in helping your maternity photo shoot go off without a hitch. Trust me, maternity photos don’t need to be overly elaborate to be beautiful. Simple settings, authentic moments, and the right frame of mind by the participants can go a long way in creating lasting memories that celebrate and memorialize the joy and anticipation of the pending arrival of your new baby.

Check out more of my maternity work here or on the blog.