All three maternity sessions published on our site have the partner in the frame. In each of them, the strongest couple frames are the ones where the two people are doing something with each other, holding, leaning, walking, laughing, rather than standing side by side and facing the lens.
That is the short answer to how couple maternity photos work: give each of you a job. One holds and one leans; one walks ahead and one looks back; hands meet on the belly.
Each of the eight ideas below is shown in a photograph from the studio’s own sessions, in the studio or outdoors, with what each person does.
Who leads, who follows
In every pose, the mother sets the pace and the partner adjusts. She stands, sits or turns the way that is comfortable at her stage of pregnancy; the partner moves around her, steps closer, bends a knee to bring the faces level, or drops a hand to the belly.
Partners can freeze up even more than the person they came to support. Most people have no idea what to do with their hands when a camera points at them, and solving that is the photographer’s job, not yours.
In our maternity sessions each setup is demonstrated first, corrected in small details, and photographed quickly, so nobody is left holding a pose. The mother can sit whenever she wants, drink water, and look at the frames as they come in.
Most mothers are photographed between 28 and 34 weeks, earlier with twins, so the session usually falls when standing for an hour is still comfortable.
Eight couple maternity ideas, each from a real session
The hold from behind
The partner stands behind the mother, close enough that the partner’s chest touches her back, and rests one hand on her hip or the side of the belly. She keeps her weight on the back foot and turns her face slightly toward him.
Here the hold happens in a kitchen, around a cup of coffee. An ordinary task gives both of them something to look at besides the camera, which is why the expressions read as real.
Foreheads together
Face to face, foreheads touching, eyes closed or down. The partner can bring a hand to her cheek; she keeps one hand on the belly so the bump stays in the story.
In Juliana’s maternity session, a sheer black gown and a warm set make this one of the calmest frames of the gallery.
The walk
Hand in hand, walking slowly toward the camera, talking or looking at each other. It is the easiest idea for a nervous partner, because walking is something everyone already knows how to do.
The walk from Stefany’s maternity session was shot through tall grass, which frames the couple and hides the shoes.
The kiss that keeps the profile
For a kiss, the mother turns sideways to the camera and leans into the partner, so the curve of the belly stays visible. If she faced him squarely, the bump would disappear between their bodies.
On the floor, dog included
Sitting on the floor side by side, legs loose, with the family dog between you, is the most relaxed idea on this list. It suits couples who feel silly standing, and it gives the dog an obvious place to be.
In Amanda’s maternity session, the couple and their small dog sit against a plain wall on a wood floor, and the same idea appears again on the light gray floor of the studio.
The ultrasound strip
An object that belongs to this pregnancy turns a portrait into a story. The ultrasound printout is the obvious one; a tiny pair of shoes or the first outfit you bought for the baby work too.
In the kitchen frame from Amanda’s session, he holds up the strip of prints and she bursts out laughing. The prop did its job: it gave them something to react to.
The partner in the foreground
The partner stands close to the camera, blurred, looking at her; she stands a few steps back, sharp, holding the belly. The picture becomes his point of view. It works best outdoors, where there is room to put distance between the two of you.
In Stefany’s session, the partner’s shoulder and smile fill one side of the frame, soft, and she stands sharp in the field behind him.
Low light on a dark backdrop
Against black, with a single directional light, a couple becomes shape: her profile, his face at her cheek, two pairs of hands on the belly.
This is a studio idea. Outside, the sky and the trees fight the mood; inside, the light can be pointed exactly where the curve of the belly is.
The same idea in the studio and outdoors
Most ideas above work in both places, but the result changes. In the studio, light and backdrop are chosen for you, the temperature stays comfortable in July and in January, and a summer storm does not cancel anything.
Outdoors, the Lowcountry gives you open fields, oak shade, water and the last hour of daylight; the start time follows the sunset, and a backup date is part of the plan. Humidity on the coast is at its worst in midsummer, and October and the first weeks of spring are much easier on someone standing outside in a long gown.
When the timing allows, a session can start in the studio and finish outside. You can see how both options are planned on our page about maternity photos in Summerville.
Hands on the belly: whose, where and how many
Two hands on the belly look tender; four start to look crowded. A simple rule: one hand from her, one from the partner, the rest elsewhere.
- Her hand goes under the bump or on its side, fingers relaxed, never pressing.
- His hand goes on top of hers or beside it, with the ring finger toward the camera if a ring matters to you.
- Any free hand goes to a waist, a shoulder, a cheek, or holds the other person’s hand.
When a child joins the session
If an older child is coming, photograph the family frames first, while the child is fresh, and save the couple frames for later, once the child has relaxed or gone off with a relative. Juliana’s session has both kinds of frames: some with her son, others with the couple alone.
Leave room in the plan for the child to be a child. A sibling kissing the bump or riding on a parent’s hip is worth more than a perfect lineup.
Dressing as a pair
Coordinate rather than match. The partner looks best in solid colors close in tone to the mother’s outfit: a black gown with a black shirt in Juliana’s session, cream and olive in the field with Stefany, blue denim and a white shirt in the studio with Amanda.
Logos and loud prints pull the eye away from the two of you.
A note for the partner, the night before
You do not need to learn any poses. Wear shoes you can stand in for an hour, bring water for both of you, and plan to follow directions rather than invent them. Your job on the day is to make her laugh and to keep a hand within reach; the rest is the photographer’s work.
If you are already thinking about the baby’s first portraits, say so when you book: holding a newborn date near the due date is much easier than chasing one later. Then plan a maternity session for two with Studio FB USA, and bring your partner, nerves and all.
