6 POSING TIPS
FOR MATERNITY PHOTOGRAPHERS
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“I ASPIRE FOR MY IMAGES TO
EMBODY THE ESSENCE OF A
WOMAN OF LEISURE—I IMAGINE
A BEAUTIFUL FRENCH WOMAN
DEEPLY ATTUNED TO HER
FEMININITY. SHE LOUNGES
WITH EFFORTLESS GRACE,
ENVELOPED IN LUXURIOUS
LINENS AND ELEGANT ROBES,
GAZING WISTFULLY FROM HER
FRENCH BALCONY ONTO THE
WORLD BELOW.”
LAURA ESMOND
TIP ONE
DANCER HANDS
Pay close attention to the placement of hands and the subtle curl of the fingers. I
often tell my clients to imagine holding an egg—handled delicately, with soft,
gentle fingers to avoid cracking the shell. This visualization naturally creates a sense
of grace and lightness.
If your subject has a background in dance, bring up the concept of ballet hands—
those relaxed, curved fingers that embody poise and elegance.
When a client struggles to relax their hands, I’ll gently step in to help. I might
manually separate their fingers and give them a little jiggle to release tension and
encourage a softer, more natural position.
“TRY GIVING
HER HANDS
SOMEWHERE
TO BE OTHER
THAN THE
BELLY. HER
HAIR. HER
NECK OR
DECOLLETAGE.
HER HIP.”
LAURA ESMOND
TIP TWO
POINT
HER
TOES
One of the simplest ways to evoke
elegance in your maternity photos is
through pointed toes. I often instruct
clients to point their toes when
sitting.
If my clients have good balance (they
are pregnant, after all) I will ask her to
stand on her tippy toes.
TIP THREE
MOVEMENT
As a teenager with my first SLR film camera, I was captivated by the challenge of
capturing life in motion. My early experiments often resulted in blurry, unusable
images, but they sparked a determination to master the art of controlled motion.
Today, I intentionally incorporate movement into my work by lowering my shutter
speed to 1/60th of a second or slower. I pair this with subtle client movements or a
well-placed fan to create dynamic, ethereal images. Shooting at this speed often
requires me to set my ISO to 100 and stop down slightly to achieve the right
exposure and maintain the look I’m after.
In the above photo, I put my camera in manual
focus and then asked my client to move her hand
in an elegant “beckoning” manner back and forth
from her belly to me. I likely took a hundred
photos and landed on a few that evoked the
feeling I desired. Nothing is precisely in focus.
LAURA ESMOND
TIP FOUR
LYING DOWN
Nothing evokes a woman of leisure like lounging images of a woman totally at rest.
When photographing from above like this:
use small pillows to support her head so her neck does not look strained and
you avoid shooting up her nose.
Be sure to arrange her hair in a flattering way.
Circle her so you photograph her from above, shoot down the top of her head
and her profile.
“CREATE
MOMENTS
THAT FEEL
JUST ALITTLE
VOYEURISTIC.”
LAURA ESMOND
TIP FIVE
HAIR
Playing with or adjusting our hair is such an intimate, instinctual gesture, and I love
to capture the effortless beauty of bedhead, messy, windblown hair. I often guide
my clients to pull their hair to one side or gather it on top of their head, as if
casually twisting it into a bun.
When they look down, the hair will naturally fall, often slipping forward to conceal
part of their face—a moment I always capture. Inevitably, they’ll tuck their hair
behind an ear or let it fall again, and I keep shooting through these unguarded,
organic movements. It’s in these in-between moments that true magic often
happens.
TIP SIX
CREATE ALLURE
Some of my favorite images are the ones where my subject’s face is partially or fully
concealed. When shooting, I always guide my clients to look in various directions,
ensuring a few frames where they’re gazing directly away from the lens.
This simple shift transforms the image, creating an elevated sense of intimacy—as
though you’re quietly observing a private moment rather than interrupting it. It’s a
subtle invitation for the viewer to step closer, to feel connected without intruding.
LAURA’S PICKS
MUST HAVE DRESSES
Styling is everything. Here are a few of my favorite dresses that won’t
break the bank, all from Amazon. I typically buy a size Large, but I
have a few in every size to ensure something for every body type.
the bustier is so
BUSTIER TULLE DRESS
flattering!
SHEER GOWN - THE SLEEVES ARE AMAZING!
WHITE TULLE GOWN - CLASSIC!
NOTHING FITS BUT FLORAL
STUNNING FLORAL GOWN
FOR YOUR MODERN CLIENTS
BOHO TULLE GOWN
TRUST ME! THIS PHOTOGRAPHS BEAUTIFULLY!
LACE CAMISOL
MUST HAVE
intimates LACE BRALETTE
THESE ARE A MUST!
THE ABOVE LINKS ARE AFFILIATE LINKS FROM MY AMAZON ACCOUNT.
“SLOW YOUR
SHUTTER. USE
LESS LIGHT.
BACK LIGHT.
LET IT BLUR.
TURN OFF YOUR
AUTOFOCUS.
EXPLORE DOING
EVERYTHING
WRONG.”
LAURA ESMOND
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ABOUT
LAURA ESMOND
I am a coach, photographer, and mother of three darling children. I have been a
photographer in Denver, Colorado since 2001. I focus entirely on creating beauty,
art and connection for my clients no matter the subject: maternity, newborn,
motherhood, children, family or branding. I am a classically trained photographer
who likes to bend the rules I learned in art school.
I have mentored photographers since approximately 2002 when my professors
began bringing their students to my studio. I’ve always enjoyed sharing what I know
and watching the spark it would give another fellow photographer.
Working as a photographer can often feel lonely. My hope through coaching is to
provide a space where there is no silly question, where we can explore what others
are doing while carving our own path in this industry and where we can find solace
in knowing we aren’t alone.
In 2022, I founded Get Rooted to offer portrait photographers a clear and
actionable framework—a blueprint for building a successful business. But more
than that, it’s a guide that leaves space for creativity and individuality, empowering
each photographer to infuse their unique voice into every step of their journey.
