Baby belly's are beautiful! You know when you see a woman pregnant all you can do is just stare, knowing there is something so special and precious inside of them. Many woman (and men) will want to touch, feel the baby move & kick and even hear them move around and make noises.
There are also many different reactions to pregnancies ranging from the 'the most beautiful time' to 'the most uncomfortable'. Each woman is different, from the way they carry to their body reactions of having a human life inside their own.
I wanted to give some "Tips & Tricks" on photographing this magical moment of parent hood and to truly capture the belly. I also want to send off some personal feedback from a few fans that have gone through pregnancy once or twice and what some of their best photos & reactions are.
Photographing a pregnant belly can sometimes be difficult. You want to capture
the shape, size and beauty of it. There are many different positions you can display the woman in to enhance the photos as well. You can also bring in a child or the husband/boyfriend to capture sweet moments.
Some favorite photos I've seen is shaping your fingers into a 'heart' and placing that on the belly. Holding the belly in different positions, like under the belly and above the belly just under the breasts. Some woman are more comfortable with their body and can show skin, up to having a light piece of material around their breasts, others prefer to have clothing on. If you wish to have clothing on, wear a light color or a black. These colors enhance the shape of the belly and make for a better photo.
Props add a different and perfect element to maternity photos. Bring in a pair of shoes and place . them on the belly. You can also use letter blocks or a teddy bear.
Play with different angles, different shots and experiment with your comfort zone. You can capture the beauty of anything if you see if for what its meant to be.
Good luck photographing!
"Being pregnant is the most joyous time for me... A special bond was created between me and Abigail that is so wonderful that it brings tears of joy everytime she reaches a new milestone... her first smile... her first laugh... reaching for Mama or Dada... She grows up very fast... I love my baby Abigail so much... " - Celia (c. Abigail)
"I loved being pregnant, never really got any portraits done but I have some funny pictures in my last month:p being pregnant was the best time of my life and the only time I actually felt good about myself" - Karli (c. Nancy)
"When I was pregnant with Corbin I have never had so much self esteem. I always felt gorgeous. Happy and giggly. Of course there are the aches and the pains but then you get those fantastic little jabs and although they're at your belly or lungs they might as well be at your heart. I absolutely love being pregnant. It's an absolutely surreal feeling. Knowing that you are responsible for growing an entire person. It's an amazingly magical experience." - Sasha (c. Corbin)
"I found when I was pregnant, it wasn’t like the books described. I had the weight gain that never went away after the birth, the mood swings and my complexion. Don’t get me wrong, it was awesome when there would be movement and kicks, knowing there was life inside me but I couldn’t wait to get it out. But now, when I look at my two beautiful children, they were worth it. And if everything I endured was part of their creation, then I wouldn't have had it any other way." - Lola (c. Keira & Ethan)
"Personally, I really enjoyed pregnancy. It felt amazing and awe-inspiring to think I was growing and shaping a human being for almost 10 months. Every time from month 5 on when I felt the baby kick it was like I got butterflies in my stomach. And with every false contraction and explosion of joy and expectation until finally the time came to actually deliver. Even through the first 4 months when I had some pretty extreme morning sickness, I couldn't help but smile ALL the time because I just knew what was in my future :) I love being pregnant and can't wait to do it again!" - Amanda (c. Aeris)
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