14 Things Maternity Photographers Should Avoid
Maternity photography holds a special kind of magic. It’s this fleeting moment in a woman’s life where her entire body is shifting, her emotions are deep, and everything is wrapped in anticipation. You’re not just capturing a belly or documenting a stage of pregnancy, you’re stepping into one of the most intimate transitions in a mother’s life. And while the final maternity portraits can look soft, effortless, and beautifully timeless, the truth is that behind the scenes, things can get tricky fast. Really fast.
Maternity sessions come with unique emotional and physical layers that not everyone sees or fully understands. One minute you’re guiding a mama into a pose with flowy fabric that flatters her bump, and the next you’re navigating her discomfort from a gown that suddenly feels too tight or a sudden shift in energy that no one saw coming. When maternity photographers treat these sessions like regular portrait sessions, they risk missing the entire point. The point is to make her feel seen, comfortable, strong, radiant, and safe, whether the look is high-glam fine art or simple and cozy.
These are the 14 things maternity photographers absolutely must not do if they want to create meaningful, elegant, heartwarming maternity portraits their clients will cherish for a lifetime. Some of these mistakes I’ve watched unfold in real time with newer photographers who just didn’t know better yet. Others I’ve learned from over time and through countless sessions.
If you want to be the kind of maternity photographer who consistently creates calm, seamless, one of a kind maternity photography sessions that feel laid back, personal, and soulful, this is your roadmap. Let’s talk about what not to do, so you don’t have to learn the hard way!
Ignoring the Emotional Needs of the Mother
Pregnancy changes everything, physically, mentally, emotionally. Every maternity session walks in the door carrying a story, and sometimes that story includes months of waiting, medical challenges, anxiety, body image struggles, or just plain exhaustion. Even if the mama looks totally glowing and ready, you never really know how she’s feeling unless you’re tuned in.
This isn’t just about showing up, getting your lighting right, and moving her into the next pose on your list. This is about paying attention. Watch her body language. Is she fidgeting? Is she moving slower than expected? Is she making little comments about how she “feels huge today” or “didn’t sleep well”? All of that matters more than your shot list.
It’s also not uncommon for a mom to come into the studio feeling a little unsure, maybe she booked the session because everyone told her she should and now she’s second-guessing everything. Maybe it’s her third baby and this is the first time she’s ever done something for herself. Your job isn’t just to photograph her. Your job is to guide her into feeling at ease.
Tone is everything. You want to speak calmly, gently, and with warmth. Remind her why she booked this session, how this is a milestone worth celebrating. Let her know she’s doing beautifully. Compliment her not just on her appearance but on her strength. These little reminders go a long way in helping her feel confident and relaxed. Once she feels that way, the photos will reflect it.
The entire tone of the maternity photography session shifts when she feels emotionally supported. That’s when she leans into the experience. That’s when her expressions soften, when her hands cradle her bump naturally, when the real magic of motherhood shines through the lens.
Learn How to Read the Room
Every mom who walks in is different. Some want a dreamy, fine art maternity session with dramatic gowns and a touch of glam. Others want something relaxed and neutral, something cozy and simple that just feels like them. The worst mistake a photographer can make is to push their own aesthetic so hard that they stop listening to what the client actually wants.
If she came in asking for something minimal, don’t overwhelm her with props or dramatic setups. If she seems nervous in a glam gown, don’t try to convince her to “just try one more” outfit. If she’s struggling to feel comfortable in a specific pose, let it go. You’re not there to force a vision. You’re there to support her in seeing herself in a beautiful and empowering way.
The best maternity photographers adjust as the session evolves. You might realize that your original plan needs to shift entirely once she’s in front of the camera. That’s not failure. That’s professionalism. Sometimes, simplifying everything, using a soft light setup, pulling back on accessories, inviting her to breathe and just connect with her baby, results in a photo more powerful than anything you had planned.
Posing That Looks Unnatural or Uncomfortable
Pinterest is not a posing guide. That might sound harsh, but it needs to be said. So many new photographers pull inspiration from trendy images online without thinking about how that pose will actually feel for a pregnant woman. What looks graceful on a non-pregnant body might feel stiff, heavy, or even painful when you’re carrying a baby.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of over-posing. You have a shot in mind, and you try to mold her into it, step by step. But what ends up happening is a photo that feels disconnected. You can see it in the shoulders, the fingers, the way her eyes aren’t quite relaxed. A maternity pose should flow naturally, not look like it was forced into place. The second she feels unsure, it shows. And it breaks the emotional thread you’re trying to capture.
Always think about how a pose feels from the inside out. If you ask her to twist too much or hold her hands in an awkward way, her body will tighten. If you’re stacking too many props or overcomplicating the background, her focus will go to everything else instead of settling into her body. The more you simplify and guide her gently, the more she’ll trust you, and the more those portraits will reflect her real beauty.
Work With the Belly, Not Around It
The belly is the center of this entire story. Don’t hide it under layers. Don’t contort her body in ways that distract from it. The goal of maternity photography is to celebrate that curve, not edit it down or hide it in shadows. One of the most flattering things you can do is use soft side light to gently sculpt the shape of the bump, creating that subtle highlight along the roundness that makes it feel sculptural and graceful.
Encourage small movements. Invite her to sway gently, lift her hands to frame her baby bump, or shift her weight from one foot to the other in a way that feels natural. You don’t need elaborate staging. Sometimes the most powerful maternity portraits come from small, intentional shifts that keep her relaxed and in tune with her body. Add a flowy gown to the mix and now you have motion, softness, and shape all working together.
Posing isn’t about perfection, it’s about presence. Let her breathe. Let her settle. Guide her gently, speak with care, and adjust the smallest things: fingertips, chin, the tilt of her shoulders. That’s where the elegance lives. That’s how you photograph pregnancy in a way that feels timeless and connected, instead of stiff and over-directed.
Relying Too Much on Outdoor Locations Without a Backup Plan
There’s this idea that outdoor maternity photography is always going to feel whimsical and natural just because the location is beautiful. And yes, springtime cherry blossoms or golden autumn leaves can be breathtaking. But weather can also ruin everything. If the sky decides to pour, or the wind picks up, or the temperature drops twenty degrees between when you left your house and when you arrive at the location, everything starts to unravel. And it unravels fast.
Moms show up to maternity sessions feeling vulnerable to begin with. Add cold wind, messy hair, soggy ground, and unpredictable light, and suddenly this photo session she was excited about becomes stressful. You can’t control the weather. You just can’t. And thinking you can “make it work” outdoors with no plan B? That’s how you lose trust. That’s how you end up with a mom in full glam, shivering in a wet dress, trying to force a smile while her heels sink into muddy grass.
This is one of the many reasons I shoot exclusively in studio. My maternity photography studio in Los Angeles was designed specifically to make things as smooth and stress-free as possible for every mama who walks through the door. We have a designer wardrobe with carefully selected gowns, curated accessories, flattering lighting, and everything needed to give her a beautiful, warm, and calm experience, no matter what’s happening outside. There’s no scrambling for parking. No wind messing up her hair the second she steps out of the car. No dodging strangers at a public park or rushing because the light is disappearing.
I believe that maternity photography should feel effortless for the mother. She’s doing enough growing this baby. She shouldn’t have to juggle weather forecasts or wonder if the session is going to be rescheduled last minute. Indoor maternity portraits give us full control over the environment, and that’s how I’m able to deliver consistency and quality, every single time.
Communicate the Risks Early
If you’re going to shoot outdoors, you have to be honest with your client ahead of time. This is not something you wait to address the day of. If the weather is in that unpredictable in-between season, where it can rain, hail, and burn hot all within the same afternoon, be real about what could happen. Be upfront. Walk them through the risks.
Don’t gloss over the discomfort that comes with certain locations. Just because a spot looks great in someone else’s session doesn’t mean it’s a practical or comfortable choice for every client. Imagine her in a tight dress on a windy hillside with no place to sit and no shelter nearby. She might be thinking less about glowing in her maternity portraits, and more about how she can’t feel her fingers.
Be the person who’s thought this all through. Offer them the option of studio. Make sure they understand what it means to commit to a location without cover or climate control. I’ve seen photographers get caught up trying to recreate someone else’s outdoor shot and end up knee-deep in mud. It’s just not worth it when there’s a better, easier, more elegant way.
Shooting in Bad Light Just Because You’re in a Pretty Spot
Let’s talk about light. Because no matter how beautiful the background is, if the lighting is wrong, the photograph is going to fall flat. And not just flat, it could be unusable. Think blown highlights, harsh lines across the face, squinty eyes, and completely off skin tones. A field of wildflowers won’t fix it. Neither will a trendy staircase or a backdrop of palm trees. None of it matters if the lighting is working against you.
There’s a reason golden hour is such a big deal in photography. That soft, directional light wraps around your subject, highlights the bump gently, and creates that dreamy, heartwarming tone that new moms love in their maternity portraits. The midday sun, on the other hand, is like a bad spotlight, unflattering and unforgiving. It doesn’t flatter her, and it doesn’t do justice to this beautiful milestone in her motherhood journey.
As a maternity photographer, understanding light should be a priority, not an afterthought. If you’re only looking for pretty locations without thinking about the time of day or the direction of the light, you’re missing the entire foundation of great photography.
When the light is bad, you have two options, move or wait. There’s no getting around it. I’ve watched photographers ignore terrible light because they felt awkward telling the client the spot wasn’t working. And then they go ahead with the photo session and end up with an entire set of unusable maternity photos. That’s not only disappointing, it’s preventable.
Being a professional means speaking up. It means saying, “This spot isn’t working right now, let’s shift,” or “Let’s wait a few minutes for the light to soften.” It’s not about being difficult, it’s about caring enough to protect the quality of her session. Every moment counts in maternity photography, and if the light isn’t working in your favor, everything else suffers.
In studio, you don’t have to wait for the sun to cooperate. you don’t have to reschedule for clouds or golden hour or worry that everything is going to shift the minute she gets into her gown. You have total control. And that kind of reliability matters when you’re documenting something as meaningful as a pregnancy.
Letting the Client Direct Without Guidance
Clients mean well when they bring ideas. They’re excited, and they’ve spent hours scrolling for inspiration. But when someone shows up with a folder full of screenshots, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, or worse, derailed. Many of those images won’t match the lighting, wardrobe, or style you actually offer. Some poses might not even be safe or realistic for a woman at 30+ weeks of pregnancy.
This is where you need to step in. You’re the professional. You know how maternity poses translate in real life. You know what’s going to flatter her body, highlight her bump, and work with the studio space. Letting her call all the creative shots might seem accommodating, but in reality, it can lead to confusion, disappointment, and images that don’t feel authentic.
Being a good maternity photographer means knowing when to gently guide. That doesn’t mean dismissing her ideas. It means listening, then offering alternatives that fit her body, the tone of the session, and your professional experience. Help her understand why certain styles won’t work and suggest what will.
You’re not doing your client any favors by avoiding uncomfortable conversations. If she’s asking for something that doesn’t align with your style or her safety, you have to say no. Kindly, confidently, and with solutions in hand.
Some requests just don’t make sense, like underwater maternity photos when the mom has no experience swimming. That’s not whimsical, it’s dangerous. Or insisting on elaborate posing that could cause strain. These aren’t small things. They matter. It’s your job to protect the integrity of the session, and more importantly, the comfort and wellbeing of the mother.
Offer options that give her the same feeling she’s after, without compromising what’s realistic. Maybe she’s asking for something whimsical and soft, help her get that dreamy tone using a flowy gown, soft lighting, and gentle movement within the safety and comfort of the studio. You can absolutely give her the emotion behind the image she wants, even if you don’t replicate the exact picture she showed you.
Rushing the Session
Maternity photography isn’t the place for a rushed approach. Pregnancy slows things down naturally, and it should. These sessions are a celebration, a quiet moment to capture the beauty of motherhood in a thoughtful, artistic way. Pushing a mama through poses just to stay on schedule robs her of the chance to actually experience the session. You can see the difference in the final photos, when she’s rushed, it shows.
Building in time for her to pause, breathe, and settle into the moment is essential. Whether you’re aiming for a glam look or a soft, minimalist vibe, nothing reads well on camera if the subject is tense. Creating space for her to connect with the moment leads to maternity portraits that feel calm, emotional, and real. It’s not about how many outfits you get through or how fast you shoot. It’s about the quality of the connection being photographed.
Build Time for Transitions
A maternity session needs a flexible flow. It takes time for the mother to change gowns, touch up hair or makeup, and move around the space, especially if she’s in the third trimester. Every transition should feel calm, never rushed. If you’re booking sessions back to back, you’re setting yourself and your client up for stress. You’ll be watching the clock, and she’ll feel it.
When you give each client enough time, you can guide her without pressure. You can adjust lighting or refine a pose without panic. You can pause for water, adjust accessories, and let her catch her breath. These little breaks are what allow her to fully enjoy her session. When she feels like the focus is on her and her baby, not the schedule, the entire vibe is relaxed.
Not Bringing the Right Gear (or Backups)
Batteries, SD Cards, and Backups Are Non-Negotiable
If you walk into a maternity session with one camera body, one battery, and one card, you’re risking everything. This is a big event for your client. She’s prepared, invested, and possibly waited weeks or months for this shoot. If your gear fails, there are no do-overs. You can’t ask a mama at 34 weeks to get her hair and makeup done again, to squeeze back into that gown, to rearrange her entire week so you can reshoot something that could’ve been avoided.
Being a professional maternity photographer means being prepared. Your job is to show up with gear you’ve checked, cleaned, and backed up. Extra batteries, multiple memory cards, and at least one backup camera body aren’t optional, they’re required. That gear is the tool you’re using to document a moment she’ll only live once. You can’t afford to gamble with it.
Be Ready for Anything
Preparation isn’t just about cameras and lenses. It’s also about anticipating the little things that can make or break a photo session. Maybe a gown needs a clip in the back to get the perfect shape. Maybe a client forgot undergarments that work with the look she wants. Having body tape, double-sided fashion tape, safety pins, and clips on hand can solve issues instantly.
Even in studio sessions, comfort matters. Temperature control, clean mirrors, snacks, water, these things seem small but they have a huge impact on the energy of the session. A calm and cared-for mama photographs completely differently than one who feels flustered or uncomfortable.
Forgetting to Capture Connection, Not Just Poses
It’s easy to get caught up in composition, symmetry, and the technical details of maternity photography, but if you’re not looking for emotional connection, the portraits will fall flat. She might have older children with her, or a partner, or she might be doing this session alone. Whatever the circumstance, you’re capturing a woman in the middle of transformation. That deserves to be photographed with sensitivity and care.
Ask questions. Encourage her to talk about the baby. Let her think about the journey she’s on. These conversations help her settle into herself and open up emotionally. When that happens, her expressions shift. Her body softens. And that’s when you’re no longer just taking pictures, you’re documenting a feeling. That connection is what gives maternity portraits their power.
Not Editing With Intention
Don’t Just Slap on a Preset and Call It Done
Editing should never feel like a last-minute step in the process. In maternity photography, it’s where the tone of the entire image is sealed. The way you handle skin tones, highlights, shadows, and color grading all influences how the image is received.
Editing with intention means preserving the natural beauty of the portrait while elevating it. The lighting should still feel warm and flattering, the background should support the focus, and the mother should feel like herself when she sees the final photo. That level of care and attention adds depth and timelessness to the work.
Every Photo Tells a Story
Each frame in a maternity session reflects a specific moment in a woman’s life, a one of a kind milestone in her journey into motherhood. When editing, you’re finishing a visual story that already began the second she stepped into the studio. The choices you make in post-production carry emotional weight. Are you highlighting her glow? Are you letting the softness of her gown and the texture of her skin exist together? Or are you flattening everything into a trendy edit that won’t age well?
A strong maternity photographer approaches editing as a part of the storytelling. You’re not just matching tones or smoothing wrinkles. You’re finalizing the mood that will define how she remembers this session for years to come. That image might sit framed in her home, become a part of her baby’s first memory book, or be shared across generations. That’s the kind of work that deserves thoughtful, purposeful finishing.
Not Taking Control of the Shoot If It Starts Going Sideways
Things don’t always go as planned during a maternity photo session. Dresses sometimes don’t fit the way they should. A toddler may be melting down. A mom might suddenly feel overwhelmed halfway through getting into her third gown. This is where your professionalism shows up. When the mood shifts, you don’t wait to see if someone else is going to fix it. You step in with calm, clear direction and reset the energy.
Being in charge doesn’t mean being forceful. It means being grounded. It means knowing exactly what to do when the room gets tense or when something unexpected breaks the flow. You adjust. You reassure. You reframe the session so that everyone involved feels taken care of. This is especially true in maternity photography, where emotions and physical discomfort can change quickly. What matters is that you stay composed and lead the session forward with confidence.
Clients Want Direction, Not Chaos
Your client came to you for more than just pretty pictures. She booked the session because she trusted you to guide her. The way you respond when things get messy determines whether that trust holds up. If you hesitate or look unsure, it sends a message that you’re unsure of the next step. That creates anxiety. But if you redirect with kindness and decisiveness, it shows her that she’s in good hands.
You set the pace, the tone, and the structure. Your voice becomes the grounding presence in the room. And when that happens, the session finds its rhythm again. Maternity photography is about capturing emotion, beauty, and strength, but none of that happens unless the experience feels steady and intentional from beginning to end.
Not Preparing for the Physical Realities of Pregnancy
Pregnancy changes the body in countless ways, mobility, balance, comfort, endurance. If you ignore those physical shifts, you’re asking for a frustrating experience. Planning poses that require her to sit on the floor without support or walk long distances between setups is careless. And anything that puts strain on her back or makes her stand too long in heels is going to pull focus away from the moment.
Maternity sessions should be designed with comfort in mind at every stage. Everything from where she changes, to how long she’s standing, to how easy it is to move between looks needs to be considered before the session even begins. When you build the shoot around how she’s feeling, not just how you want it to look, you’re creating a space where real connection and emotion can unfold.
Design the Session Around Her Body’s Limits
Creating a thoughtful experience means checking in. A simple question like “How are you feeling physically today?” can give you everything you need to adjust the pace and expectations of the session. If she’s sore, move slower. If she’s tired, trim down the number of setups. If her feet hurt, don’t ask her to stand for another hour. It’s about presence, not pressure.
Having seating nearby, always keep water on hand and offer breaks between wardrobe changes.
Letting the Partner Be an Afterthought
When a partner is included in a maternity session but doesn’t know why they’re there or what to do, it shows. They feel awkward, unneeded, and uncomfortable, and that translates into stiff expressions and photos that feel off. It’s not their fault. It’s yours, if you didn’t take the time to prepare and include them from the start.
The partner’s energy can completely shift the tone of the session. When they feel like a part of the story, when they’re spoken to directly, given a role, and made to feel important, their body language opens up. Suddenly the session isn’t just about documenting a woman’s pregnancy, it becomes a memory for both of them.
Get the Partner Involved From the Start
Start the session by including the partner in your conversation. Look them in the eye, call them by name, give them context. Explain how their involvement adds meaning to the portraits and makes the maternity session more personal. When they understand that their presence matters, they rise to it. That’s when you start capturing genuine emotion, connection, and warmth, moments that feel like family, not just poses.
A maternity session can be a beautiful way for both people to pause and reflect on what’s ahead. When you make space for that, when you invite it in, it changes the depth of what you’re photographing. And that’s where the real art begins.
Oxana Alex – Fashion Photographer Los Angeles
At Oxana Alex Photography, we are open for booking in studio maternity photography, business portraits, fashion photography, family photography and mommy and me photography sessions. Our studio is located at 2100 Sawtelle Blvd UNIT 307 Los Angeles, CA 90025, USA. You can see our photoshoot pricing here & our photography reviews here.
Conclusion
Maternity photography asks more of you than just knowing your camera. It asks for patience, empathy, flexibility, and a deep understanding of the season of life your client is in. This work is emotional. It’s layered. It’s powerful. And yes, it can be challenging. But when you learn how to navigate those challenges with care and clarity, everything starts to shift.
The sessions become smoother. The energy becomes calmer. The mom feels like she’s in trusted hands. And the images? They stop being generic photos and start becoming artwork she will cherish forever.
These 14 mistakes are common, but they’re avoidable. With each one you sidestep, you become more confident in your craft. You step deeper into your role as not just a photographer, but a guide through one of life’s most beautiful milestones. You’re not just photographing a bump, you’re documenting the beginning of a family’s new chapter, the anticipation of a new baby, the celebration of motherhood.
Do this well, and you’re not just delivering a gallery. You’re giving your client something unforgettable. Something that tells her, I saw you. I honored this moment. I captured it with care.
And that’s what makes you a great maternity photographer.
How do I schedule my session?
You can schedule your session by emailing [email protected] or by texting our studio at (310) 854-9695.
