What exactly is a lifestyle maternity session and how do I pose a pregnant couple? A lot of family photographers shift to incorporating both maternity sessions and lifestyle newborn into their repertoire as their business grows. While maternity sessions with a big sibling can largely feel like a family session…first time pregnant couples are a lot different! I am here to share 10 of my favorite poses from my years of being a Boston maternity photographer.

Boston Maternity Photographer Pose 1: Walk together!

Posing a pregnant couple without a toddler to lighten the mood can feel intimidating at first! Let’s start with an easy pose. Hold hands and walk together. Mama, put your other hand around your bump. Look at each other, look out at the distance, look at your belly.

Walking helps relax your couple and eases them in to more intimate poses as the session continues!

Maternity Photography Pose #2: Nose to Nose

Stand belly to belly, both of you hold the belly. Look at each other, go nose to nose.

From here, you can have them kiss, have the partner kiss mama’s forehead, have them snuggle into each other, get a close up of just the belly….lots of options!

Maternity Pose Idea #3: Look at your shoulder!

A very flattering pose for a pregnant mother is to have her wrap her hands around her belly and look towards her shoulder. You can capture this from the front and from the side! Make sure to snag one close up and a pull-back!

Boston Maternity Pose #4: Pop a Leg!

One of the best things you can do for your client is to have them pop the leg closest to the camera. This makes a beautiful line and accentuates their belly in the best way possible. Make sure you don’t have them popping the leg furthest from you, that has the opposite effect!

Maternity Pose #5: Wrap Arms Around Chest

This pose works really well for couples with a height difference. Have the pregnant partner in front and partner behind. Have partner wrap their arms around mama’s chest. Mama can reach up and hold her partner’s hands with one hand and her bump with the other. From here, prompt them:

Look at the horizon together. Both of you look at your belly. Look at each other. Whisper in her ear.

The Sixth Maternity Photography Pose: Snuggle In From the Side

Pose mom first, bring partner in from the side, like they are giving mama a side hug. Have mama snuggle back into partner’s chest. From here, prompt them:

Both of you close your eyes and relax into each other, look out at the horizon together, look at each other, look at your belly. See if you can make each other laugh!

Challenge yourself to get this shot from different angles. The first is a pullback, the second, I got down low and shot through some of the wildflowers. The third is a close up. My couple never moved positions for any of these, aside from me prompting dad to kiss mom’s forehead.

My 7th Recommended Pose as a Boston Maternity Photographer: Belly Close Ups

Close up shots of mama’s belly can be done in many ways. From above looking down, from the side when they are nose to nose, or from the front when partner is hugging from behind. Incorporating some nature from the season is a great way to highlight a bump shot here. Check out the third photo in this series to see what I mean.

Pose #8: Seated Poses

When we have dry ground, I love doing some seated poses if Mama is comfortable enough to get down to the ground. I start with partner sitting on blanket, spreading their legs open. I tell Mama to get right in there and use partner as a chair! After a few shots, remove the partner and get mama alone.

Pose #9: Hand In Small of Back

This hand arrangement makes a beautiful line on on pregnant body. Have mom put the hand closest to you in the small of her back. Other hand around the belly, gathering as much dress as she can. Don’t forget to pop the leg! Shoot this from the side and the front. Have her look at the sky for more drama!

Last But Not Least, Maternity Photography Pose #10: The Silhouette + The Dress Fluff

I am combining these two because they are location/outfit dependent…but chances are, you’ll be able to incorporate one of them! For a silhouette image, you need a little elevation so that you can get your camera really low to the ground and shoot up towards the sky. Even a tiny hill will work! If you haven’t taken a silhouette photo before, click here for some tips.

If your client has a dress with some volume, try a floating dress photo! To take one, pose mama first. Have her partner come in and throw the dress up. Don’t worry about them running out of the frame, just have them take a step backward. After you get a good dress throw, have them step out of the frame and take a photo (don’t move your feet during this series). Combine the two photos in photoshop!