50 great ideas for your maternity photoshoot! Seasons, dogs, family, siblings, to couples.
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Top 50 Maternity Photoshoot Ideas

By Rhiannon Giles
Partnership with Sequenom.

Documenting your pregnancy with maternity pictures is a great way to capture the magic of that gorgeous pregnant belly. Okay, okay, I know it doesn’t necessarily feel gorgeous, but pregnancy photos can be a great excuse to get dressed up, or even dressed down for something playful and fun.

Regardless of if you go with a professional photographer, or just do a quick at-home shoot for Instagram, here are some maternity photo ideas to help inspire you.

50 Maternity Photoshoot ideas:

pregnant woman sitting on a bed maternity portrait
Kinship Photo (New York)

#1 Let’s get straight to the star of the show. The belly. The bump and nothing but the bump.

pregnancy announcemnt maternity photo shoot with 'you're going to be a dad' secret
Sara Marie Photography (Kansas City)

#2 Are you early for every party? If so, how about surprising the dad?

man and pregnant woman holding hands outdoors
Crystal Kent (Utah)

#3 Lovely in its simplicity, and as a bonus, this is a maxi dress you can easily wear again.

silhouette of pregnant woman at sunset
Julie Parker Photography (Utah)

#4 Classic and beautiful silhouette at sunrise… or sunset, if you’re more of a night owl.

couple holding hands in a fall maternity session
Lindy Cordell (Rome, GA)

#5 Winter? Spring? Summer? Fall? Every season has its beauty, so capitalize on that.

block spelling baby name with baby shoe props
Brianna Noelle Photography (San Francisco / Sacramento)

#6 Cute props go a long way! A favorite childhood toy and a pair of baby shoes. Perfect for sharing the news and the name!

pregnant woman in red gown for an outdoor pregnancy photo shoot
Michelle Nunes Photography (San Diego)

#7 Beautiful. Simple. Classic. Also an excuse to get dolled up and buy a fancy gown if that’s your thing.

family photoshoot with pregnant wife
sophistishe.com (Chicago)

#8 Let dad’s love for the baby – and you! – shine through.

boy holding chalkboard in pregnancy announcement
Heather Mcginnis Photography (Greensboro, NC)

#9 Let people know when to start hounding you daily to see if you have had that baby yet (send them to haveyouhadthatbabyyet.com)

pregnant couple in the rear view mirror of vintage car
Vicki Lynn Photography (Chandler, AZ)

#10 A simple shot can become visually interesting with a change in perspective.

black and white photo of pregnant woman holding baby shoes
Lauren Riggs Photography (Colorado Springs)

#11 I had always wondered what teeny tiny baby shoes were actually good for. Now I know.

It all started with a kiss pregnant belly.
Big Dream Photography (Brisbane, Australia)

#12 Tell your story. “It all started with a bottle of whiskey…”

pregnant woman hold ultrasound picture in maternity portrait
Kelia Joy Photography (Spokane, WA)

#13 Get a picture of the baby in the picture of the baby bump. Meta!

black and white photo of expecting mom holding photo of daddy's portrait
Brooke Ashley Photography (Dallas)

#14 Is the dad away and unable to be there? Check out this idea!

photo of family looking at their bellies
Tout Petit Pixel (Marseilles, France)

#15 Get the whole family in the picture!

funny maternity photography session with husband and pregnant wife
Ange Movius Photography (Lewis Clark Valley)

#16 You’re going to need a sense of humor to make it in this parenting gig. There’s nothing wrong with having a playful maternity photo session!

black and white photo of pregnant woman sitting cross legged while laughing
Avia Rosen (Los Angeles)

#17 So many maternity photos look somber and serious. Laugh!

black and white photo of couple sitting on grass in a maternity photo session
ajbc photography (Port Huron, MI)

#18 Make sure to get some classic black and white shots.

pregnant woman in milk bath surrounded by flowers
Neva Michelle Photography (Killeen, TX)

#19 I find everything about this gorgeous.

expecting mother holding a basket of flowers in a meadow
100 Layer Cake-let

#20 Beautiful. Kinda meadow maiden!

pregnant mom and child jumping on bed
Tout Petit Pixel (Marseilles, France)

#21 I love this mom and daughter shoot.

toddler sitting on dad's shoulders kisses pregnant mom while dad kisses her belly
Grace Claire Photography (South Louisiana)

#22 Two in diapers is going to be challenging, but it is also adorable for a maternity photoshoot.

family hugs each other in an outdoor maternity photo session
Geneviève Albert Photographe(r) (Rockland)

#23 It’s like herding cats, but you’re a pro.

little boy listens to mom's pregnant belly with cans and string
Lauren Riggs Photography (Colorado Springs)

#24 A cute idea for older siblings.

pregnant woman at sunset
Render Photography (Minnesota)

#25 Get out just before sunset for some beautiful golden light. They don’t call it the “golden hour” for nothing.

expecting couple kisses under bump ahead sign as a prop
Julie Parker Photography (Ogden, UT)

#26 Delicious puns. Use sparingly!

pregnant woman with tattoo on arm
Jessamyn Harris Photography (San Francisco)

#27 So many women are asked, “but what’s going to happen to that tattoo when you get pregnant?” The answer? This! And it’s awesome!

pet dog resting against owner's pregnant bump
Jo McVey Photography (Nashville)

#28 Include your furry family members. But really, how can you go wrong with pets?

pregnant woman holding up onesie to her bump
Allison Corrin Photography (Lenexa, TX)

#29 This is the only time that the nursery will be clean enough for professional photos.

couple sitting on steps
A Little Bit of Lacquer – photo, iSweet Photography (Boston)

#30 It is easy to get carried away with trendy ideas, but sometimes a well-framed photo is all you need.

expecting couple in football jerseys for maternity portrait
Lauren Davidson Photography (Scott Depot, WV)

#31 You will cherish pictures that highlight your hobbies. One of my favorites from my pregnancy was me at 36 weeks pregnant, on roller skates.

maternity pin up photo idea in kitchen

#32 Life isn’t always pretty, but the photos can be.

couple's hands on pregnant belly showing pink baby gender reveal
Ashlee Wethington Photography (Centralia, IL)

#33 Your maternity shoot can pull double duty as a baby's gender reveal, and rather than burning down a forest, all you need is a t-shirt and some paint.

family in matching outfits pregnant woman in foreground
Brooke Ashley Photography (Dallas)

#34 What’s not in focus can be just as important as what is. A pop of color and a coordinated wardrobe can really make this work.

mom and toddler outside blowing bubbles
Tout Petit Pixel (Marseilles, France)

#35 Candid and fun.

pregnant woman sitting on floor eating foods she craves for fun maternity photo
Geneviève Albert Photographe(r) (Ottawa)

#36 What have you been craving? I would have been surrounded by frozen peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

expecting couple kissing in front of fire truck
Alexandria Tyler Photography (Rosenberg, TX)

#37 Fireman? Teacher? OBGYN? Incorporate your careers into your portrait.

pregnant woman holding board book on bump
Life’s a Dance – Photo, Black Little Button (Oshkosh, WI)

#38 Pick your favorite kids’ book. Or read Hunger Games. Whatever, it’s your maternity photoshoot.

before and after pregnancy newborn photos
100 Layer Cake-let – Photo, Elate Photo (southern CA)

#39 Before and after: Some photographers offer package deals for a newborn / pregnancy photo shoot.

maternity session with pregnant woman in black dress lying on rocks
Brooke Ashley Photography (Dallas)

#40 I’m not saying to reenact scenes from 50 Shades, but I am saying that your pregnant body can still be sexy.

pregnant woman in white dress standing in river
Love Mate Photography (St. Cloud, FL)

#41 Water is especially poignant if you are planning a water birth.

pregnant mother nursing toddler in bathtub filled with flowers and herbs
Ashlee Wethington Photography (Centralia, IL)

#42 Tandem nursing? The Facebook comments alone will make it worth capturing this maternity photoshoot.

Preemie held by mother for portrait
MG Photo (Durham, NC)

#43 Did your baby come early? Celebrate the due date or the day he comes home from the hospital in lieu of maternity photos (I should know, this is me and my 31 weeker).

woman holding twin sonograms over pregnant belly
Heather Rice Photography (Altamonte Springs, FL)

#44 Twins? Make sure they get equal billing. Sibling rivalry starts early.

couple with surrogate holding chalkboards that read Our Buns, My Oven
RHM Photography (Wildwood, NJ)

#45 Surrogacy? A great way to highlight the village you have created.

pregnant body with rainbow paint
Ashley Maiso Photography (Orlando, FL)

#46 If you are one of the many parents expecting after a loss, this is a lovely way to celebrate your rainbow baby

man kisses pregnant wife on park bench
Pinterest

#47 Creative maternity photography doesn't always happen in a studio.

pregnant best friends
Paula Andrews Photography (Melbourne)

#48 Are you and your best friend both pregnant? Sing it with me now, “I’ll be there for you….”

military maternity photo shoot
Weston Neuschafer Photography (Arroyo Grande, California)

#49 Honor your service. Some maternity photographers even offer discounts for military personnel.

hands on globe for maternity photo idea
Lenses and Paws (Nashville)

#50 Adoption is its own type of expecting, so celebrate it!

Hopefully, that gives you some great maternity photo shoot ideas!

I hope you have found some inspiration within these lovely photos. Do you have other ideas that you think are even better? Share the links in the comments!

Related: Baby Shower Games That Don't Suck



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