Lockdown has unfortunately meant postponing a bunch of photo shoots. Some of these shoots are maternity sessions which are obviously more time sensitive and when we come out of lockdown may not be able to be rescheduled depending on due dates. I’ve put together some tips on how to take maternity photos at home just in case clients miss out on their session with a photographer. Hope this helps!

1. Pick a tidy spot in your home, I picked this corner of our living room. You don’t need a blank wall, there can be furniture that makes it feel more homely and authentic, just remove any clutter so it looks tidy (tv remotes, cellphones, too many pillows etc). Make sure its not directly in front of a window. You want a bright area with no direct sun. Turn off any lights to avoid a yellow tint in your photos.

2. Step off the background, you don’t want to be directly against a wall. The person taking your photo will want to raise the camera up (get taller than the person being photographed) and angle downwards, see the image above for an example.

3. Turn your body at a 45° angle, shift your weight onto your back leg and pop that front foot.

4. Stand up straight. Place your back hand on top of your bump and your front hand closest to the photographer scoop it underneath.

5. Play around with expressions, look down (towards your toes) and back at the camera.

Thanks to my flatmate Latasha for pretending to be pregnant for me today! Watch our video below to see these tips in action.