Want to do a DIY maternity photoshoot? In this post, get the best tips for getting professional-looking maternity photos without a professional photographer.
This post may contain affiliate links which allow this blog to earn money without a cost to you. Many thanks if you use them. Please read my disclosure for more info.
DIY Maternity Photoshoot
Being pregnant is an amazing experience that many people want to memorialize with photos. That being said, hiring a professional photographer can be an expensive endeavor.
If you’re going to do a DIY maternity photoshoot, here are some things to keep in mind to have your photos looking great.
Make a Plan
The first step is to make a plan and prepare everything you’ll need for your DIY maternity photoshoot. Start by looking for inspiration on Pinterest for maternity photos you like (check out this Pinterest board for inspiration). Save the photos you like and note what you like about each photo in the comments section. For example, do you like the pose, but not the outfit, or the outfit but not the location? Once you have a good feel for what kind of maternity photoshoot you want, you’ll make a plan for your photoshoot by considering the following items:
Posing
Unless you’re a model, you may not feel natural posing in front of the camera. Use the examples you found on Pinterest to keep a record of poses you like. You can then copy those poses during your photoshoot.
Picking Your Outfit
Pick an outfit that you feel comfortable and attractive in. Again, you can use your Pinterest examples for a “look” that you like. If you’re trying to stick to a budget, see if you have clothes that will work already in your closet.
If you can’t find something you like that also fits in your closet, you can search the internet or Amazon for some options. For example, I chose this Chiffon Gown that I found on Amazon because I was looking for sexy and romantic DIY maternity photos and I didn’t want to spend a fortune on a new maternity dress.
Pro tip: Steam out all wrinkles if there are any before your photoshoot. Having a wrinkle-free outfit will make a huge difference in how your photos ultimately turn out.
DIY Hair and Makeup
I had a friend that was a hair and makeup artist and photographers would hire her to make her clients’ hair and makeup look on point. The photographers included the makeup artist in the price of their photography packages. Why? Because the better their subject looks and feels the better the photos will come out.
So, figure out how you want your hair and makeup to look in your DIY maternity photoshoot and then invest some time in doing your hair and makeup before the photoshoot. Another option is to ask a friend or family member who does good hair and makeup if they can help you with yours.
Pro tip: Try some fake eyelashes to really make your eyes pop. Fake eyelashes really pop in photos.
Once you have a plan in place and you’ve ordered any necessary items, it’s time to plan where they will take your photos, who will take them, and what they will use to take them with.
Choosing a Location
Locations don’t have to be difficult to find. Keep an eye out while you’re driving around your town. Is there an empty field that has flowers blooming in it? Could your backyard work? You’re looking for a beautiful place that isn’t heavily populated so you can avoid strangers being in your background. You also want shaded areas so there’s no harsh light (more on lighting soon).
For one of my photoshoots, I found an empty field that happened to have weeds that were blooming and the mountains were in the background. For my sexy maternity shoot, I did it in my backyard in front of a vine-covered wall.
Pro tip: The whole area doesn’t have to be picture-perfect, you’re just looking for a few key spots with nice lighting that will make a good background for your photos.
Picking a Camera
When you think of professional photography, you may think you need a fancy DSLR camera. While this could be a good option and there are places where you can rent them, they often come with a steep learning curve. A good smartphone camera (like what’s included with the newest iPhones) can do a great job. The most important thing about the camera you choose is that your photographer knows how to use it.
Finding a Photographer
When you hire a professional photographer they will think about most of the things in this article for you. However, they will charge you for their knowledge and skills. If you can make a plan for the things in this article and coach your photographer as to what you want then (almost) any willing adult will do.
In my case, I chose my husband. While he has many talents, an eye for photography is generally not one of them. Here’s how we worked together to achieve professional results and how you can coach your friend of family member to do the same for you:
Communicate what you’re looking for
Show your “photographer” examples of what you are looking for. Then, have them take a few practice shots and you two can discuss what is good about the shot and what could be improved. For example, if your hair is out of place, point that out and ask them to point that out to you if they notice it.
Take a lot of photos
Plan on taking a lot of photos. With digital cameras, every shot doesn’t have to be perfect, you just need a few good ones. I recommend taking a bunch of photos with slight variations and then you can figure out which ones are the best later.
Giving you a countdown
My husband misunderstood “take a lot of photos” as “take a lot of photos even if I’m not ready”. So, there were a bunch of photos of my fixing my dress, or with my eyes closed. If necessary, you may want to ask your photographer to warn you before they take a photo so you’re ready. This can give you time to slightly change your pose or angle so you have slightly different choices.
Positive energy
At the beginning of our DIY maternity photoshoot, my husband seemed rushed and stressed out. This, in turn, made me feel (and look) frustrated and that was coming out in the pictures. Asking your photographer to go with the flow and bare with you and keep a positive attitude will help make the experience better.
Also, trying to stay calm and collected yourself is helpful. If you don’t love the pictures at first, remind yourself that it’s just the beginning of the shoot, practice makes perfect, you only need a couple of good shots, and editing will help make them better as well.
Talking you up
Along with positive energy, I asked my husband to tell me I looked pretty while he was taking the shots. I could tell it made him feel awkward at first, but honestly, it made a huge difference in how I felt and also how the photos came out. Many women (myself included) do not feel comfortable in their 9-month-pregnant bodies and whatever the photographer can do to make them feel more confident and beautiful will show up in the pictures.
Other Photographer Options
Another option is to hire (and pay) a friend or amateur photographer, someone that has some photography experience (or is learning) but isn’t a professional yet. As a courtesy, you should pay them something, or at least offer, but you may be able to get away with paying them $50-$100 instead of what a professional photographer would charge.
You may also be able to find a friend or family member that enjoys photography that would be willing to do take your photos for free. The plus of this is that if your husband or partner isn’t the photographer then they can be in the photos as well.
Lighting
Good lighting is a huge component of photography! You want to find an area that is well lit. Ideally, you also want to use natural lighting. So, rather than buying or renting professional lighting to use inside, take your photoshoot outdoors. Golden hour is a trick photographers use which is basically the time right after sunrise and right before sunset. Doing your photoshoot around those times will help you get gorgeous lighting and avoid harsh sunlight and shadows on the subject.
Editing
Once you’ve got decent raw photos, the finishing touches are done in the editing room. You don’t need Photoshop or high powered editing software. Again, this is an added expense and it comes with a learning curve. Simple cropping and a little color correcting can go a long way. I used the VSCO app and edited the photos on my iPhone.
Simply start by picking your top 5-10 photos and then play with the features in VSCO. You can also look at your inspiration photos and try to crop and color correct your photos to imitate your inspiration. (Check out this YouTube tutorial for how to use the VSCO app).
DIY Maternity Photoshoot Cost vs. Professional Maternity Photoshoot Cost
All in, using these tips could save you $400 or more! Here’s the breakdown:
| Free Friend or Family Member | Amateur | Pay a Professional | |
| Outfit | $30 | $30 | $30 |
| Photographer | $0 | $100 | $400 |
| Total | $30 | $130 | $430 |
