The period when a couple is expecting a baby is an exciting time filled with anticipation and excitement. Many couples wish to document this special period when they welcome a newborn baby into their lives. The resulting photographs of a maternity session depend on the skill of the photographer in enhancing the composition by posing the expecting woman in ways that flatter her figure. 

Photographers should take the time to develop a rapport with the couple prior to the photo shoot. Dave Prescott, a leading maternity photographer in Schaumburg, Illinois, offers some posing tips to capture awesome maternity photographs.

Tip#1: Keep Hands On The Belly

One of the best ways to draw attention to the baby bump is by placing hands on the belly. Either the mother or father or both of them can place their hands on the belly. Not only is this a natural posture for the expecting woman, but also provides a comfortable place to rest the hands during the photo session. Make the couple form the shape of a heart on the belly or simply cradle the baby by placing hands on either side. 

Tip#2: Shoot From A Higher Angle

Capture snaps of the pregnant woman from a higher vantage position.. Pictures taken at a higher angle above the subject creates flattering images of the subject and draws attention to the size of the belly. To make it easy to capture images from above, request the expecting woman to lie on a blanket or quilt on the floor.

Tip#3: Choose Natural Postures

The expectant mom should be posed in a natural way.  This will allow her to look and feel uncomfortable during the photo session.  To avoid an unsightly double chin in the  images pay close attention to the way the head is tilted towards the belly. Ask the woman to focus her eyes at a point slightly away from the baby bump and elicit a smile from her. Capture various expressions of the woman and seek the help of the dad to pose the expecting mother. 

Tip#4: Allow Couples To Stand Close

Barry Edgar, an expert maternity photographer in Chicago says that  maternity photo sessions can have the couples stand close together while touching each other at some point. The couple could squeeze their bodies together to create an interesting composition. Capture close up shots, medium and full body shots of the couple, even if the belly is not featured prominently in them.  

Tip#5: Head On Shots

Taking head on shots of the expecting woman can sometimes result in awesome snaps of the maternity period. This is particularly true of those women having larger sized bellies. Posing the woman at 45° angles can result in some amazing snaps. 

Tip#6: Make The Woman Stand

Standing for the some of the snaps can create flattering images of the pregnant woman. Although the standing position can result in good snaps, it is suggested to request the woman to bend a knee or bend the hip to make her feel comfortable during the shoot. 

This article throws light on some handy posing tips for some awesome maternity photographs. We thank Mr. Dave Prescott, an expert photographer at a leading Schaumburg maternity photography studio, for contributing these useful tips to create memorable maternity photographs.