5 Non-Boring Ideas to Style an At-Home Maternity Photoshoot

"Pregnancy signifies the beautiful start of life, a miracle waiting to be born. There are so many emotions, changes, and experiences, that a woman goes through in the course of her pregnancy, and yet she breezes through it with a smile. That gives us all the more reason to capture and remember this remarkable time of growth and transition. And what more than to capture it from the comfort of your home. Yes, I know that some of you ladies out there would love to go and capture this beautiful milestone, with a professional photographer. But why not style and do a shoot at your home with the help of your family members, in the given circumstances? That in itself will become a beautiful memory to remember. And you can still do those professional shoots! The whole point of shooting at home is being able to do it whenever you want, however, do note that the ideal time to capture your bump would be from the 6th to 8th month depending on how much you are showing," says Amrita Samant, photographer and founder of Mommy Shots.

"The silhouette is my go-to image when doing a maternity shoot. The way it defines the bump, the mom's face, and the whole body is just so breathtaking. To take these shots, position yourself against a very bright light source, in this case, your window (best done when the sun is at its brightest)."

"To get the most defined shot, stand profile, in other words, parallel to the window. A sub-tip here would be to use sheer curtains for your windows. One, the sheer curtains help to diffuse the sunlight entering the house. Two, it adds aesthetic value to the image."

"A common complaint by many while doing shoots at home would be how distracting several elements in their house are. I say, use the chaos to your advantage. Create a storyline using the elements at home and convey it through your image. For example, use the nursery that you specially built for your little one to use. Take some shots to exhibit your excitement, your readiness, and your plan for your little one, all in just one picture. Ensure your bump is prominent in all the shots."

"If you own a bathtub and you like the drama, then this one is for you! First, take all precautions and get additional support while doing this. Once ready, fill 3/4 of your tub with water, followed by 3L of milk and half kg milk powder (to give it a creamy effect). Then, add in decorative elements like fruit slices or natural (avoid artificial ones, as they sink to the bottom) flower petals, sliver dollar ferns, and alike inside the milk bath, increasing the aesthetic value of the image. Lastly, wear a nice fitted (pastel colour) dress and hop in. When submerging yourself into the bathtub, you will notice how the bump surfaces to the water level, naturally highlighting it. These images essentially help to bring out the delicate features of pregnancy into play."

"Bring out the armchair, your favourite throw, and some cute plant decor into the frame, to take some cosy pictures. Always remember to sit on the edge of the chair, with your legs slightly out. You can even bring your husband into the frame, by making him sit on the armrest or stand behind to give you a back hug, making it an instant couple-goals image! You can enhance this setup by adding a chalkboard to inform how far along you are in your pregnancy."

"I love to request pregnant moms to lay down on the bed. An interesting way to take this set up would be to stand on top of the mom, taking the image from the head down. Or another way is for you to kneel down on the bed, looking sideways or ahead."