belly up

When Melisa asked me if I had any tips on shooting great pregnant belly shots, I jumped at the chance to share. As you all know, I do like sharing. A lot. And although it seems as if many of my clients have passed the pregnancy stage, big, round robust bellies still remain one of my most favorite subjects.

When I was pregnant the first time around I had only been wielding a camera for a year or so. And believe me when I tell you, hip and cool pregnancy portraits had not yet made an appearance onto the scene. It wasn’t really until Demi Moore hit newsstands that people began rethinking the pregnant body. I don’t have to tell you that amazing photographs of mothers-to-be are everywhere now days. It’s amazing and inspiring to see that we now openly celebrate the planetary curves that carry the future of the world. Even artsy little me viewed my first pregnancy with a shrouded lens (and body). Looking back I am disappointed at how few photos I took or had taken of my largest self. Thankfully, I took off my lens cap (so to speak) when I was pregnant with my second daughter. I had almost 6 more years of experience as a photographer and the world, and my body were entirely new planets. Seemingly literally.

Being stretched to capacity by what feels like an alien—and I mean that in an endearing way of course—doesn’t  happen every day. I clicked the shot above in the mirror of my bathroom less than 24 hours before I went into labor. Yowza. Now, that’s a belly. I’m just glad I had the permission and pride to let it all hang, er, pop out and the gumption and guts to get it on film.

Melisa’s post should be up later today at the new Pregnancy Buzz blog at CaféMom so be sure to check it out later, if it’s not up already. Hopefully you will come away with a few helpful hints if you are so inclined to shoot big beautfiul belly portraits. Please feel free to link to anything you may have that captures an orb-like experience. And if you’ve got any tips on the subject, you can post them at Melisa’s too. Enlighten us!

Comments

[Marcie]

Fantastic image!!!! 20 years ago when I had my babies - no one dared to show their bellies. I only wish I had a visual to remind me of what I was. Pregnancy was among my favorite life passages.Thanks for sharing yours...

[Alli]

I'm 23 weeks pregnant. I finally feel like I "look" pregnant and started taking a few pictures myself.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/crumleydotorg/2928281992/in/set-72157607914125580/

[spencercasa]

i'm 23 weeks pregnant too!!! i took a few self portraits today:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23196640@N03/2961555122/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23196640@N03/2961546818/

[Jen]

I'm 32 weeks pregnant and have been toying with the idea of doing a maternity shoot for myself. Here are a few from the first one I ever did for a client. It was so much fun!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gilbertphotography/2897424382/in/set-72157607565485081/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gilbertphotography/2896582681/in/set-72157607565485081/

[Stacy]

Wonderful shot, Tracey! I wish I was more into photography when I had both my kids. I don't think I would have let 'er hang out with Kai, but with Anya I was pretty comfortable with my body. If I had had my DSLR and remote then I could have gotten some pretty nice keepsakes of my hugeness. :)

[anita]

I recently did my first maternity shoot for a neighbor. Here are a few of the shots.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thrivestyle/2812115887/in/set-72157607033168951/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thrivestyle/2812115807/in/set-72157607033168951/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/thrivestyle/2812115215/in/set-72157607033168951/

[Beer Momma]

Here is a shot I did a few weeks ago of a friend of mine. Got it just in time as she went into labor just a few days after!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52656316@N00/2961779387/

[Rachel Parton]

Nicole Barczak does beautiful work with maternity sessions:
http://www.nbarczak.com/index2.html

[giggletwig (corey)]

Here are a few I took of a friend of mine a few months ago. She had the perfect belly. I had a blast!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/giggletwig/2627257258/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/giggletwig/2626437699/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/giggletwig/2626410497/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/giggletwig/2626410931/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/giggletwig/2627229034/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/giggletwig/2626439213/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/giggletwig/2627228638/

[Marcy]

I had only had my dslr for a couple months when I decided to play around and take some belly shots. I was about 2 weeks away from giving birth at the time:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mightymarce/2208894771/in/set-72157600976262752/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mightymarce/2209699364/in/set-72157600976262752/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mightymarce/2208886549/in/set-72157600976262752/

[indigo2087]

I was trying to get some belly shots of my friend Sharon's about-to-pop belly and her daughter Ronnie decided she had to get in on the act, too, using a football!

[indigo2087]

Ooops, sorry - left the link out!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/indigo2087/2965935853/

[Laura Plouzek]

I'm 20 weeks along with my first baby and we have been taking a photo everyday...in the same lighting/position to piece them all together in the end! I am somewhat of a rcord-keeping-life-recording-junkie.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/smilinglaura/2916248706/

and...my beautiful sister with her second. She asked me to so a shoot with her. I hope that I look this great when I'm almost ready to deliver!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/smilinglaura/339460083/in/photostream/

Thanks for sharing, everyone!