How to Take Maternity Photos

Rachel Brenke uses her Tamron SP 90mm F/2.8 Macro lens to focus on the natural beauty of the moms-to-be in front of her camera.

Article by Jenn Gidman

Images by Rachel Brenke

Rachel recently started using the Tamron SP 90mm Macro lens in her maternity work and has found the transition seamless, tapping into the 90mm's maximum F/2.8 aperture to beautifully blur out her backgrounds and focus on the glowing mom-to-be. "I already prefer focal lengths between 85mm and 135mm, so it's been really smooth for me," she says. "The length of the lens is amazing - right where I like to shoot - and I enjoy the quickness and sharpness of it."

Read on to see how Rachel creates unforgettable photographic memories for these future moms.

Ask the mom-to-be what she wants in her photos.
I try to look up my clients online on Facebook before we meet to get a feel for who they are and their style. I'll begin and end every session by asking if there's anything in particular that the mom (and dad, if he's involved) really wants. I want her to feel in control as much as possible. I also don't want her to have to email me after the session is over to say she had wanted XYZ pose and we never did it.

There's a lot of gorgeous architecture here in Southwest Texas. Because there are a lot of military families in the area who move from place to place, I like to ask if there's a place around El Paso where the mom would like to shoot, so that she can remember where she was when she was pregnant. Whether we shoot in front of a local building or at a park, those landmarks represent their time here.

Involve siblings and the dad-to-be.
I don't work with kids very often, but when I do shoot maternity sessions with children, they're a lot of fun to work with. If you're drawing a blank and don't know what to do with them, have them touch their mom's belly. I'll prompt them with "Where's your little brother or sister?" They really enjoy that. Of course, I always warn the mom that her belly is going to be the centerpiece of the shoot!

As far as the dads go, a lot of dads (especially first-time fathers) are excited, but it's often hard for them to show it. I'm very laid-back: I just explain to them that the focus is going to be on the mom and joke with them that they're just there as placeholders. Kidding around like that takes the pressure off.

Gently direct your shots.
One of the first things I do when we begin a session is watch how the mom stands to determine which side she favors (we all favor a side). I'll keep that in mind when I pose her. I'll also find out if she's having any aches or pains; then, when I go to pose her, I'll do it for her first to show her how to sit down or where to stand. She's already feeling uncomfortable and out of place, and it's easy to get confused and flustered. By simply showing what I want her to do, it helps her relax.

One of my favorite tricks, especially for maternity photography, is to tell the mom that I'm going to change my lens and that she should just relax for a few minutes. I don't change my lens, though. I walk over to my bag and continue watching her and shooting her. That's when the majority of the best photographs happen. The mom seems to automatically start rubbing her belly and looking down at it, and I'm able to get a more natural shot.

The same thing happens when the dad is involved. He's more concerned with how she's doing, so when I say I'm going to change my lens, he'll usually ask how she's feeling and rub her belly. That's when I take the shot - I'm able to pull out the dad's protective, caring instinct without forcing him to look that way.

Pick angles that flatter your subject.
I typically shoot down on the moms. Women's feet tend to swell when they're pregnant, and they often gain weight in the chin area, so this technique works well. By shooting from the top down, especially with a lens like the 90mm, I'm able to compress a little of that extra weight and make the image more flattering. I can also cut out the feet if I need to without making it look obvious. I simply focus on the belly.

Keep it natural and comfortable and help the mom look her best.
You can't force maternity photography. I don't think it takes too much to make maternity photography beautiful, but it can be destroyed if you try too hard. For instance, while I do use off-camera flash sometimes as a supplement, I mostly use natural light for my maternity images. When I do use extra lighting in my other photography, I like to get creative with harsher shadows, which doesn't bode well for the soft look you want in your maternity photographs.

I also want my moms to feel comfortable and look their best. When I talk to potential clients, I usually encourage them to book for around the end of their second trimester. You want the belly to be prominent, but you don't want them to be really uncomfortable or insecure in how they look. I'm a mom of three myself, and I know that I blow up like a parade balloon by the third trimester. I tell them that if they feel their best, they're going to look their best.

That said, I do get moms who call me last minute, when the baby is coming in a month. If that's the case, I ask them to wear pants or a long dress - I avoid the feet as much as possible because of the swelling. I also tell them to drink a lot of water and to put their feet up and relax for the majority of the day before they come in for the shoot (I joke that their husbands can wait on them hand and foot). Once they're at the shoot, I try to impress a lot of compliments on them, without it seeming too fake. It's hard to get in front of the camera, especially when you have 50 extra pounds hanging from you. They seem to open up after this and get their glow back.

Incorporate special items into the image.
It's beautiful to show the mom's personality by focusing on certain aspects about her or items that she'll always identify with her pregnancy. For instance, I try to pick up on something special about her, whether it's a tattoo, cherished necklace, or preferred maternity shirt. One of my favorite shots is one I did of a mom-to-be that highlights her tattoos. I'll usually shoot down on the mom in these types of images to accentuate her belly, but it's also about capturing those unique items in the composition, so that when she looks at the picture years later, she'll remember, "Oh, right, I wore that favorite shirt for half the time I was pregnant!"

To see more of Rachel Brenke's work, go to www.rachelbrenke.com.