Q: DIY maternity pics?

Posted Friday, February 22, 2008 4:08 PM

Q: I want maternity photos to memorialize my pregnancy, but I don't want to spend the money for professional pictures. Any tips for taking good ones myself?

Jennifer Loomis: Taking snapshots of your growing belly is a fun way to document the evolution of your pregnancy, especially during the last trimester. No matter who takes the pics, you and baby will be able to appreciate them for years to come. More importantly, use the experience of photography to have some fun with your new body. It won't be like this forever. Capture it.

Enlist help
It’s almost impossible to take a good photo of your own belly. Ask a friend or your partner to help you, both with taking the photos and coming up with creative ideas for them.

Set the stage
Choose your backdrop. If you are at home, find a simple,uncluttered scene, like a wall or a window. Remove distracting elements like plants or other items that won't really add to your photo.

Lighting
Make sure you have adequate lighting. If the room is too dark, then your photos might appear out of focus. Using natural light,such as near a window, is ideal, but be careful to avoid direct sunlight because it creates too much contrast. Use the flash only if you must. But I recommend turning it off if you can and use natural light.

Clothing
When choosing what to wear, remember you want to expose your belly. I recommend form-fitting clothes without any obvious branding or patterns. Or, be a little bolder by wrapping yourself in your wedding veil, a heirloom shawl, cashmere throw, or even pulling out that feather boa that you thought you'd never use – letting your belly show, of course.

Makeup
When applying makeup, focus on evening out your complexion.Don't go too heavy, because on film everything appears darker. Just make a little effort. Even a small amount of makeup will make a difference.

Poses
Experiment with a variety of different poses. Do you practice yoga? Pilates? Try posing with your hands on your belly, but also lift your arms up. Why not include your dog, cat or child in a few frames? Take a risk. Be unique.

Photo Composition
This is your final step. Here is where the photograph is made. It is helpful to answer a few questions. What is the primary subject of the photo? Should the focus just on the belly or the whole person? How is the head angled? How does the chin look? Hide those areas that make you uncomfortable, such as stretch marks (unless you want those to be part of the composition). Putting some thought into composition means that you will get a much better photograph.

Jennifer Loomis is a nationally recognized fine-art maternity photographer who has photographed nearly 2,000 pregnant women during her career. Get more info at www.jenniferloomis.com.

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