By Jetweb
Confidence is key when having pregnancy photos taken. As a Mother-to-be she wants to look and feel her best, which is never easy when pregnant, but you can help her by capturing the joy in pregnancy and the love that she will undoubtedly display for her baby. The best time to photograph a pregnant woman is when she is around 6 months pregnant. By 8 to 9 months there is always the possibility of water retention and stretch marks and she may not feel completely comfortable in her pregnant body at this stage.
A good photographer will always listen to the client and work around any insecurity she might have, rather than making them a focus point when taking pregnancy photos.
Taking the photos from a higher or lower angle will flatter most body shapes. Keep talking to her to build her confidence and remind her how beautiful she looks. Also, if the father is present talk to him beforehand and ask him to also compliment and reassure her throughout the shoot. Ask the mother to bring a piece of linen (satin works nicely) or a shirt from the father-to-be, to the shoot. If she wishes to cover up in order to feel more comfortable, she will be able to.
Use a location that is clear of any clutter and incorporate props when taking the pregnancy photos. It can be anything from the baby’s scan, a cute pair of shoes bought for the unborn baby or anything that will personalise the photographs.
Always shoot in colour, regardless of what the client wants. You can always change it to black and white at a later stage if the mother requests it, but you can’t change black and white into colour if that’s her preference.
A silhouette shot by exposing the background, is always a wonderful mood shot. You can also try to involve any siblings in the shoot as well. A popular request is that the siblings write a message on the mother’s tummy. Interaction with her other children will also make her feel more comfortable and relaxed, which will result in pleasing photos.
It’s always a good idea to soften the pregnancy photos when editing them, even if you don’t take away any blemishes or stretch marks. It will give a more soft and satisfying result that will please the mother, making her pregnancy photos part of a precious memory.
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