Outdoor Maternity Poses to Make You Feel Like The Queen You Are

 Maternity sessions might just be my favorite thing ever - and there are many reasons why. Here are a few:

They’re a wonderful opportunity to celebrate a pivotal moment in your growing family’s history. These shoots have a whole different energy about them - they. are. magical. 

Not only because there’s a palpable feeling of tremendous joy and love that emanates from the expecting parents; but also due to the fact that you’re taking a moment to truly be with this joy. Relishing in it and creating keepsakes that will last for future generations. 

Ok so maybe not everyone sees it as whimsically as I do, but that’s fine - I don’t want to work with those people. Lol - I want to photograph the parents-to-be that do. 

Another reason I’m kinda obsessed with maternity photos is capturing that DIVINE GLOW radiating from Mom. There’s just no other way to describe it. She is lit up with love - and that’s something worth holding onto.

So I wanted to share some of my favorite outdoor maternity poses to make you feel like the glorious Queen that you are!

Side View poses

The pregnant body is especially beautiful. It's difficult not to marvel at the baby bump and the miracle within it. And what better way to accentuate the wonderful changes in your body than with a side view pose? 

Not a lot of pregnant women are confident when posing from the side but remember that there are many ways to do it! When outdoors, I like to have my mamas pose at an angle where the light catches their face and touches a part of their belly. Then I have them cradle or cup their belly gently. I find that a lot of my pregnant subjects who are hesitant feel confident with this pose because they are not too "exposed". And personally, I love how this captures both facial expressions and the body shapes really well.

Leaning pose

Another way to do a side view pose when outdoors is by leaning on something. You can lean on a tree, on a wall, or even on your partner! Not only is this pose comfortable for pregnant women, it also helps them feel more grounded and secure. Just make sure that you lean on something sturdy!

With your partner

This is probably the most popular side view maternity pose ever -- and for good reason! I find side view poses with the pregnant person's partner kissing or leaning their head on the pregnant belly incredibly sweet and intimate. It's always a great way to capture the couple's anticipation for their bundle of joy.

Walking poses

For some reason, I don't see a lot of maternity pictures with the subjects walking but they are so fun to do and the results can be fantastic. The key to nailing down walking poses is to do it in a place that you love so you can fully enjoy the moment and your photographer can get that in the photo. 

Lying down poses

In any maternity photoshoot, my priority is to keep my pregnant subject comfortable. I could have dozens of ideas for poses but I never make them do anything that would make them feel even remotely uncomfortable or unsafe. Sometimes my clients are quite far along so standing for an extended period of time can tire them out fast. In cases like this, I have the mama-to-be lie down on the ground.

If you're comfortable enough, you can lie down fully on the ground and bend one of your knees, touch your baby bump, and look at the camera. The great thing about this pose is that the photographer can shoot you from above and from the side so you have more photos to choose from just a single pose!

If lying down full isn't comfortable for you, you can have your partner join you in the photo. Similar to the leaning side view pose, you can lean on your partner for support and this also makes for a more intimate portrait!

Face in the sun

Maternity portraits don't have to be always about your belly. Your pregnancy is as much about you as a person as it is about the baby. Ask your photographer for a portrait of you with your face in focus. When outdoors, maximize the natural light and have the sun shine on your already glowing face. Feel the moment and close your eyes. Or express your excitement with a big smile! Later on, you'll be glad that you have this photograph of just you.

Silhouette poses

Silhouette poses in nature are a special kind of something. There's something about the light that makes you a part of the bigger world that surrounds you.

With Something Sheer and Flowy

And if you decide to have your photo taken where there is some wind, don't forget to use it to your advantage! In one of the maternity sessions that I did, I had the mama pose against the setting sun with her sheer, flowy shawl and the end result was breathtaking.