The Art of Pregnancy Photography (9 page)

A connection between the couple speaks volumes to the viewer. The couple here are simply making eye contact, but this simple look tells us so much about their relationship and love.

In this image, the mother’s hand is gently placed on her husband’s head, and his hand reaches up to rest on her forearm. With the couple’s son leaning on the father, the whole image conveys a warm feeling of family togetherness. If you look closely at the image you will also notice a series of triangle patterns through the arms and heads. The repeating patterns give the image a feeling of harmony.

Another favorite pose for couples is an image of the baby-to-be with the father. This pose allows you to showcase the relationship between the father and baby in a way that including a fuller view of the mother does not accomplish. Adding an older sibling or siblings to the daddy-and-tummy pose can also document the family dynamics and show the family members’ sense of joy and anticipation.

While the subject is the pregnancy, evidence of the mother is very important even with the father or siblings in the picture. By having her hands touching her belly or the other subject, you will create a loving and affectionate mood.

Including the children will often make for a cheerful, fun image. However, including kids in any portrait session presents some unique challenges. We’ll review some strategies for working with children later in this chapter.

Coaxing Dad
. Some fathers are resistant to the idea of participating in the session. This is another benefit to conducting the session in the subject’s home, as the father won’t have to be coaxed into going to the studio. Despite their hesitation, fathers surprisingly turn out to be one of the biggest enthusiasts once you get them involved. Start with asking the father to be your “helper,” getting him actively involved in the photographic process before you put him in front of the camera. Fathers can help with everything from getting a pillow to moving furniture to holding reflectors. When the father feels like he is assisting he has a tendency to relax and takes a personal interest in the outcome of the images.

POSING WITH THE CHILDREN

Working with children is always a challenge. With the dynamics of the family changing when a new baby comes, the photographer needs to be sensitive to any anxiety the children may be feeling. Having them participate in the maternity session can be a wonderful way to celebrate this impending change while showing the older children how important they are to the family. Being playful with the children will go a long way toward helping you ensure an enjoyable session.

There are those moments that make it all worthwhile, when everything comes together and the magic happens. Here, in a split second, the child and mother forgot where they were and expressed their love and affection for each other. Only in a relaxed and “safe” place can the client and subject let go and become completely natural. When this happens, the photographer only has to capture that moment.

Your best defense when photographing young subjects with their pregnant mom is to position them close to mom, establish the mother–child connection, and make them feel that they are a critical element in the portrait.

Toddlers and Preschoolers
. Often the session will include a young child (or multiple young siblings). The greatest challenge will be the toddler to preschooler. Letting them feel like they are the most important part of the portrait session will go a long way toward getting them to cooperate. For the younger child, keeping them close to the mother and either embracing her or being embraced by her may be the only means to capture the mother and child in the same frame.

Five- to Seven-Year-Olds
. Take care with little boys, and sometimes girls, around five to seven years old. At this stage they may make silly faces when you ask them to smile. One way to get around this is to ask them to smile without showing their teeth or to give you a soft or little smile. Having the little one lean against his mom’s tummy can also help to make for a calmer, more peaceful subject and great expressions.

Older Children
. When older children are to be included in a family portrait, it is best to handle them as adults. Pose them with the mother similar to how you would pose a spouse. The difficulty lies with having the faces and the center of attention—the expectant mother—all together in one frame.

This family group includes thirteen-year-old triplets—and capturing them with their mother was a challenge. Here the solution was to place all of the subjects as close as possible with the mother sitting down.

POSING GROUPS

One way to really tell a story is to capture the emotion and relationship in a family. With all the complex dynamics that go on in families, an effective photographer is one who can put the subjects at ease and capture the interplay of the different personalities. Taking the above-mentioned steps toward creating a relaxing, calm attitude and environment will go a long way toward helping you capture those precious moments.

Also, by giving individual attention to each subject before and during the session, you will establish a relationship with every family member. Take a few minutes prior to beginning the session to explain what your ideas are and how each individual is critical to the finished artwork. This will produce an attitude of cooperation.

Lots of coaching, talking, and encouragement helped these children relax and elicited joyful, sweet expressions. Sometimes, having a small child anchor his or her head against mom can help calm the young subject and ensure a calm, beautiful expression. Such was the case with the boy in this portrait.

To produce intimate relational images of families, the individuals will have to be positioned closer together than is customary. Explain to your subjects—and show them with your hands—how close they will be, emphasizing how the finished image will look. It’s helpful at this point to joke a little with them to break the ice and help them relax.

GAINING EXPERTISE

Learn from the Masters
. One of the best avenues to gaining an understanding of posing and developing a cache of excellent posing ideas is to study well-known paintings and photographs. Paintings by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and other prominent artists depict the human form with grace. By seeking to replicate a simple tilt of the head or the extension of the hand as seen in a painting, you can learn how to create a pose that will appear natural and flattering. Though posing may not come naturally to you from the outset, as you work with your subjects and experiment, and practice your skills, you’ll find that posing your clients will become almost intuitive.