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Pregnancy Couple Photoshoot: Natural Outdoor Maternity Photo Ideas
A pregnancy couple photoshoot doesn’t have to mean standing in a long list of poses or knowing exactly what to do in front of the camera. In fact, you don’t need to know how to pose at all.
During my maternity sessions, I give couples simple direction so there is always something to do, but I also leave plenty of space for the moments that happen naturally in between. Walking together, getting close, talking, laughing, holding the bump or simply taking a moment to look at each other often creates photographs that feel much more like you. And although the pregnancy is happening in your body, this chapter belongs to both of you.
A maternity photoshoot can be about your changing body, but it can also be about the two of you waiting for this baby together and remembering what your relationship felt like just before your family changed again.
What is a pregnancy couple photoshoot?
A pregnancy couple photoshoot is a maternity session that includes your partner rather than focusing only on traditional portraits of the mum-to-be. There will still be photographs of you on your own if you would like them, but your partner can be part of the session from the beginning.
You don’t need to recreate somebody else’s maternity photographs or arrive with a Pinterest board full of poses. I would much rather photograph the connection that already exists between you. Sometimes that means a beautiful portrait where everything is quiet and composed. Sometimes it is walking through long grass, laughing because something didn’t quite go to plan, or standing close together with your hands on the bump. The session can have both.
You don't need to know how to pose for maternity photos
This is probably one of the biggest worries people have before a photoshoot. What do we actually do with our hands? Where do we look? Are we going to feel awkward?
You don’t have to work any of that out before you arrive. I don’t expect couples to know how to pose. I will guide you when you need it, including where to stand, where to place your hands or how to move, but I don’t want you holding one perfect position while I take twenty versions of the same photograph. My approach is more about gentle direction than rigid posing.
And yes, we will usually take some more classic portraits too. I may ask you both to look at the camera for a few photographs because I think those images have a place in a family gallery as well. But they are only part of the story.
Natural maternity poses and prompts for couples
If you search for maternity poses for couples, you will find hundreds of ideas. You really don’t need to learn them before your session. These are some of the simple things I use instead.
Walk together
Walking immediately gives your body something natural to do. You can hold hands, walk close together or let your partner put an arm around you. I might ask you to walk towards me, away from me or simply wander through the location while talking to each other. It creates movement in your clothes and hair and often helps people forget about the camera surprisingly quickly.
Get close
Not every photograph needs a complicated pose. Sometimes I will simply bring you closer together. Your partner might stand behind you with their arms around you, you might lean into each other, or I might photograph the two of you very closely so the focus is on hands, your bump and the small details.
Hold the bump
There is a reason hands naturally find their way to the bump during pregnancy. It doesn’t need to be perfectly positioned for every photograph. Sometimes your hands will be there, sometimes your partner’s will, and sometimes nobody needs to touch the bump at all. I want the gallery to feel varied rather than every photograph announcing: look, we’re pregnant.
Look at each other
For many couples, looking at each other feels far easier than looking straight into a camera. I might ask you to talk, move closer or simply stay together for a moment. What happens next is often more interesting than the instruction itself.
Move
A maternity session doesn’t have to be completely still. You can walk, turn, let your dress move, sit together, change position or explore the location. Movement is particularly useful if either of you feels uncomfortable being photographed because there is something to concentrate on other than the camera.
Do couples need to know how to pose for maternity photos?
No. I don’t expect couples to arrive knowing what to do in front of the camera.
I use simple direction and movement throughout the session, while still taking a few more traditional portraits along the way.
MATERNITY PHOTOGRAPHY IN GLASGOW
Want your maternity photos to feel natural rather than posed?
My maternity sessions are gently directed, so you never need to arrive knowing what to do in front of the camera.
I’ll guide you when you need it and leave plenty of room for the natural moments in between.
Why I love outdoor maternity photoshoots
One of the reasons I love photographing pregnancy outdoors is the amount of freedom it gives us. We are not limited to one background or one position. We can walk, move between different areas and use the landscape as part of the photographs. Around Glasgow, that might mean woodland, an open field, a country park or somewhere with a much wider Scottish landscape.
And you don’t need a spectacular location for every photograph. Sometimes a quiet path, a patch of long grass or beautiful light between the trees is enough. The location should give us somewhere to spend time together rather than become more important than the people in the photographs.
What about the Scottish weather?
You definitely don’t need a perfectly sunny evening. Cloudy skies can give us beautiful soft light, and Scotland being Scotland, conditions can change several times during one session. I keep an eye on the forecast before outdoor sessions and we make sensible decisions if the weather really isn’t suitable. Otherwise, we work with what we have.
Wind can bring movement. Clouds can give us beautiful light. And when Scotland does give us one of those gorgeous evenings, we’ll absolutely make the most of it.
What should you wear for an outdoor pregnancy photoshoot?
The most important thing is that you feel comfortable and still recognise yourself. A dress can photograph beautifully because fabric creates movement, but you absolutely don’t have to wear a long flowing maternity gown if that isn’t you. Simple dresses, knitwear, skirts or more casual outfits can all work.
For couples, I recommend coordinating rather than matching exactly. Think about the colours together so that your clothes work as one palette without looking as though you deliberately bought identical outfits.
It is also worth thinking about the location and weather. Shoes that work on uneven or wet ground and an extra layer between photographs can make a Scottish outdoor session considerably more comfortable.
I can help with clothing before the session, and clients can also use pieces from my client wardrobe.
What if my partner hates having photos taken?
This comes up a lot. Usually one person is much more excited about the maternity photoshoot than the other. If your partner isn’t comfortable in front of a camera, I don’t need them to suddenly become good at posing or spend the entire session smiling at me. Giving people something to do makes an enormous difference.
We can walk. Talk. Move. Stand together. Your partner can concentrate on you rather than me. And they don’t necessarily need to be in every photograph. I’ll photograph you on your own as well, and we can move between individual maternity portraits and photographs of you together.
The goal isn’t to perform being an affectionate couple for the camera. It’s to give you enough direction that I can photograph the connection that is already there.
Can older children join a maternity photoshoot?
Absolutely. A maternity session doesn’t have to be just about the couple, particularly when this isn’t your first baby.
Your older child is going through a change too. Soon they will become a big brother or sister, and including them can turn a maternity session into a record of what your family looked and felt like just before that happened.
When children join us, I don’t expect them to participate perfectly for the whole session. We can move between photographs of the whole family, the children with you, the couple together and maternity portraits of you alone. That variety also means children can have breaks rather than feeling as though they have to continuously cooperate for photographs
A spring maternity photoshoot at Seven Lochs Wetland Park
The photographs originally featured in this article were taken during one of my earlier maternity sessions at Seven Lochs Wetland Park in Glasgow. Sylwia and Max were expecting their baby and their daughter Lena joined them for the session.
It was one of my earlier maternity shoots and my way of photographing families has evolved considerably since then. At that time, I relied much more heavily on traditional posing.
Today my sessions include far more movement, interaction and gentle prompts, but I still love the simplicity of photographing a growing family outdoors. And that is probably the part that hasn’t changed. The photographs aren’t only about the bump. They are about this very short period when you know your baby is coming, but haven’t met them yet.
When is the best time for an outdoor maternity photoshoot?
There isn’t one exact week that works for everyone. Generally, you want your bump to be clearly visible while still feeling comfortable enough to walk and move during the session.
For many families, that means planning the photoshoot before the very final weeks of pregnancy. If you’re unsure when to book, you can always get in touch with your due date and I can help you choose a suitable time.
Read more: When Is the Best Time to Do a Maternity Photoshoot? →
Do you need a beautiful sunset for outdoor maternity photos?
No. Golden evening light can be gorgeous, but it isn’t a requirement for beautiful maternity photographs.
The location, season, cloud cover and direction of the light all affect how a session looks. What matters much more is choosing the right place and time for the conditions we have. This is particularly important in Scotland, where waiting for a guaranteed golden sunset would make planning almost impossible.
Your maternity photos don't have to look like anybody else's
There is nothing wrong with looking for pregnancy photoshoot ideas before your session. It can help you understand what kind of photography you are drawn to. But I wouldn’t arrive with a checklist of twenty photographs that we have to recreate.
Your body is different. Your relationship is different. Your family is different. The weather will be different too. I’d rather use ideas as inspiration and then create photographs around what is actually happening between you.
Some will be quiet. Some will be more traditional. Some will have movement. And some of my favourites may come from the few seconds between the photographs we originally intended to take.
YOUR MATERNITY SESSION
Planning a maternity photoshoot in Glasgow or Scotland?
My maternity sessions are relaxed and gently directed, so you don’t need to know how to pose or arrive with a list of photographs to recreate.
I can help you choose a location, plan what to wear and guide you throughout the session, while leaving plenty of room for the two of you, or your whole growing family, to simply be together.