Is it possible to take photos while pregnant without showing you bump? It just might be!
As a blogger or content creator, a lot of what you do revolves around sharing your life updates or photos. But at the same time, pregnancy can be such a delicate journey that sometimes people just want to experience it privately and with close family and bits.
For both of my pregnancies, I didn’t share on social media or the blog until our boys arrived. That first time for me was a lot easier. Although I’d started blogging and growing my Instagram page, I hadn’t fully gotten into sharing photos of myself. So I don’t think anything was overly suspect.
The second time though in 2019/2020 was much trickier. I’d begun to share photos of myself and so as my bump grew I had to get creative. I didn’t want to take a complete break but I also didn’t want to show my baby bump.
So I worked with a few clever ways to take photos and show my face on Instagram without showing the bump.
This is kind of like a portrait. But rather than making it passport like, it’s a good idea to make it an action photo which then becomes the focus of the picture. Putting on lipstick, fixing your hair, looking into a mirror are some ideas that good work.
Creators use lots of prop anyway so this should raise no eyebrows! The photo below was during an event I’d hosted in January 2020 when I was a few days shy of 30 weeks pregnant. Ofcourse everyone at the event knew I was pregnant. But the gift boxes for guests made a nice prop. Other props can include your duvet, pillows, food tray etc.
Back shots are great. We often take photos from the front but these could be a good way to be present on socials without showing the bump. You could be opening up the curtains, reaching for your kitchen cabinets, working on your desk or like the photo below sitting on your dressing table.
Pregnancy might be a good time to take a break from full or half length shots and take more facial photos.
Sitting down can sometimes work great! And if you pair it up with another of the above such as a prop, or back view you would often have a winner!
Well well this is a no brainer and works so well especially in winter when it’s the norm to wear a million layers! Oversize sweaters, jackets, scarves will come in handy… and well no one would wiser about what’s so wonderfully underneath.
The trick is to find one that works. I have to say sometimes you get lucky and sometimes no matter how hard you try, the growing bump would want to be seen. I remember trying to self shoot family Christmas photos in December 2019 and it just wouldn’t work. But then I did get some creative photos in March – one month to my due date. So you win some, you lose some.
Finally, you really don’t have to do any of this if you don’t want to. Pregnancy can be delicate. If your preference is to disappear from social until baby arrives by all means do so. Your audience would wait for you!
And if you don’t need any of these and would prefer to share and the news and photos of your pregnancy early on, by all means do so and give us those bump photos which we love to see!
