Fashion | Beauty, Pregnancy

DIY Maternity Photo Shoot: Styling and Fashion Tips from Filipino Moms

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Modern moms have taken their love for pictures to a whole new level. Now, we have the pregnancy pictorial and many expectant women are so happy that they did it. Here are some style and fashion tips as well as some creative set ups, especially if you are planning to have a DIY maternity photo shoot with your baby bum.

Advantages of a DIY Maternity Photo Shoot

The main advantage of a DIY maternity photo shoot is, of course, being cost-effective. You get the style and effect that you want without spending too much for a stylist. You may also ask a friend or your husband to do the shoot, even with just the use of a good mobile phone camera.

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~ Mommy Kor Garces-Romarate of Cagayan de Oro City did her own styling. She picked up her own props and styled her outfits but she did hire a photographer for her pregnancy pictorial. ~

You may do some tasks yourself, like choosing the outfits, the props, and the venue of the photo shoot. But if you want really nice photos, you may want to invest on the services of a hair and makeup artist as well as a professional photographer. While a private photo shoot will require thousands of pesos, the memories captured will be well worth it.

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~Mommy Mats Gargalicano Tad-y of Bacolod City hired a makeup artist but just went to a photo studio at the mall for the shoot. That makes it cheaper than hiring a professional photographer. A very pretty pregnant mom, she says that “It’s worth it.” ~

But if a pro photographer is still beyond your budget, contact an amateur photographer. There are those who are willing to do pro bono shots in order to build their portfolio. Everything can be done with some arrangements. Then you can have your photos printed, framed, and mounted, such as from Wallpics.com.

Tips on DIY Pregnancy Photo Shoot Styles

Check out the following styles for your maternity pictorial. You can all do these by yourself in order to save some bucks and still get the keepsakes you want about your pregnancy. Here, some moms (and dads, too) share their DIY pregnancy photo shoot ideas.

The Heart Hands.

Mom (or with hubby) holds her hands into the shape of a heart and positions them over the baby bump. If hubby is joining the shoot, he can stand behind mom and put his arms around her and make another heart hands sign on the belly.

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~ Mommy Kor forms a heart hand shape with hubby. ~

The Belly Paint.

Pregnancy belly painting is a new trend. Just remember to use water-based, FDA-approved, non-toxic, and paraben free paints. They are easy to apply and remove. Moreover, you can store unused paints for future use, such as for the kid’ face painting projects.

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~ Mommy Joy Oliva-Galabo of Ormoc City had a simple and safe shoot with her baby bump clad in a linear black dress. ~

Personally, however, I am not comfortable applying colored stuffed on my growing belly. I just don’t want to risk it because if there is something wrong when the baby comes out, I might blame myself for doing such. Remember that our skin is porous and absorbs whatever we put on it. And since the fetus is growing and developing everyday, I wouldn’t want him or her to be exposed to a foreign substance. I would rather stay on the safe side.

The Wood Nymph.

Clad in a flowing, floral frock with a flower crown, the earth mother walks the forest floor. This is a lovely, natural setup with minimal requirements—a just a short road trip perhaps to the nearest forested area. Many moms look good in the wood nymph look, especially if you have long hair.

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~ Instead of a wood nymph, Mommy Elsa of Dubai wore a breezy dress and had a pictorial in a field. She looks like a garden fairy. Photo contributed by her husband, Alfred dela Cruz. ~

The Mermaid.

Since they are already wearing swimsuits with the baby bump showing, many moms-to-be opt to have a maternity photo shoot by the beach. The swimming pool at the local resort works wonderfully as well.

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~ Mommy Rhoda Dejito-Jaud of Canlaon City had a simple DIY pictorial at the beach. Clad in a blue bikini, she proudly displayed her baby bump while the waves washed on her feet. ~

Having a photo shoot outdoors like this doesn’t require much set up and lighting. The scenic view of the waters and nature around you is already enough.

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~ Mommy Joanne Gonzales-Tagros of Bukidnon shares this snap au naturel of her third baby bump while having a dip at the swimming pool. ~

Big sibling bonding.

If the coming angel is not the first, then bring in the older child or children in to the picture. It will become a fun family photo shoot as well.

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~ Daddy Alfred Dela Cruz from Dubai took a photo of his wife, Elsa, who was heavy with their second child. Their eldest daughter, Alexandra, joined in the fun by showing her literal baby bump. ~

Countdown.

You can use a black board, a white board, a light board, or any kind of signage to indicate a countdown for the baby’s arrival. Or you can buy those alpha-numeric characters to display as props.

Black on Black.

Wearing black in front of a black background gives a dramatic effect. Additionally, it gives a slimming look to the expectant mom who has gained weight during the pregnancy.

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~ Mommy Vix Parungao of Malolos, Bulacan with a black on black photo shoot for her 4-month-old baby bump. ~

Bring 2-3 Outfits.

When you hire a photographer, they wouldn’t mind you having a costume change. That way, you have different looks in your photo album and picture frames.

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~ Mommy Joy and Daddy Aga Galabo of Davao are first-time parents and are pretty stoked with the coming of their son. This is Mommy Joy’s second outfit — a breezy green dress. ~

Silhouette.

One of the most famous pregnancy photo shoot styles is the silhouette. The mom usually wears skimpy clothing in order to show her form. This is nicely done in black and white or with some streaks of color, like the sunset.

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~ Mommy Mats’ hubby kissed her baby bump in this intimate and loving silhouette shot. ~

Baby name | Gender Reveal.

If you have already picked a name for baby, you can have a sign that says his or her name. That way, when you and friends look back to the photos, they will instantly know who the baby is inside your tummy, especially if you have several children and photo shoots.

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~ Mommy Crystal Pauline Reyes-Sabido of Bacolod City with hubby Jean Pierre. Both are world champions in taekwondo and poomsae, respectively, so they had this customized onesie made for their little boy. What a brilliant idea for a gender reveal, too. Photo contributed by Bacolod photographer, Jed Alcala. ~

This is also a nice public gender reveal. At least your friend would know what to get you for your baby shower.

With Your Craving.

Another fun photo shoot prop would be your food cravings. You can get creative with the set up, like making a backdrop painting of that particular food, posing at your favorite restaurant, or setting them up on a table beside you.

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~ Mommy Elizabeth Dazo of Bacolod City with her favorite Krispy Kreme Nutella doughnut. She ate this snack most of the time during her pregnancy so she figured that it should be a part of her photo shoot. ~

But the easiest shot would be eating what you like in the picture.

Pets.

Our pets are part of the family. And what better way to celebrate our affectionate relationship with them than during a maternity photo shoot? More often than not, the pet has been with the family or the couple even before pregnancy happened.

All of the Above.

Since this is a DIY maternity photo shoot, you have all the flexibility in your styles. You can mix and match among the styles above or add something else. Creativity knows no bounds.

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~ Show ’em what you got. And the Sabido couple definitely has the looks and physique of models. So they incorporated their interests in this fun shoot. ~

But in order not to spend so much and use the budget for the coming of the new baby, try to use available materials.

What to Keep in Mind

Not all of us are blessed with good looks and form during pregnancy. But if you really want to commemorate the 9 short months you are carrying your baby, keep everything light and simple.

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~ Mommy Chandra Chusuey of Kabankalan didn’t want to show her face in her pregnancy photos. But enjoyed this photo shoot with Hernan Venegas while waiting to pop her eldest son. ~

Remember that these photos are just for your memories so there’s no need to stress yourself. Work with what you have and what you can afford. Have a fun time with your hubby and if you have other kids. Then enjoy, mommy!

Focus on What You Like

While you may like the photo shoot inspirations from the internet, don’t force it if it’s too stressful. Instead, focus more on what you like. Then build on it.

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~ Mommy Elizabeth Dazo of Bacolod City ate a lot of the nutella Krispy Kreme doughnut during her pregnancy. So it starred in her fun pregnancy photo shoot. ~

Why I Didn’t Have a Pregnancy Pictorial

Taking photos of a pregnant mom were not yet very much in vogue during the time that I carried Achi Shawna and Siobe Shane. While I have already seen some works, they were not as common as they are now.

Additionally, I hid myself most of the time when there were picture taking sessions during the time I was pregnant. For example, we would have a family gathering and a photo will be taken for posterity’s sake, I usually partially hid myself behind my husband.

That was because I really ballooned to the largest version of myself when I was pregnant. That’s about 20 lbs from how I weigh now! And although I already lost more than 10 lbs, I am still overweight in my present state. It would be nice to lose 10 to 15 lbs more.

My face also became puffy, eyelids swollen, and my nose grew bigger. Moreover, I noticed some unsightly pigmentation all over my face, neck, and underarms. There were dark patches, too. Ugh! I felt so ugly that I thought I was going to have boys! It’s a belief among the elders that when you become uglier during pregnancy, you are pregnant with a boy. But if you are blooming and radiant, you are having a girl. So I guess, these pregnancy beliefs are not true.

That is why, I don’t really have photographic memories of my two pregnancies. Oh well. I am compensating that with taking lots of pictures of our daughters. They love posing for the camera and the camera loves them, too! Just check out their photo shoot last year. Click here: Flower Child Summer Pictorial in Lantawan View Silay

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~ As a former beauty queen with a Barbie doll figure, Mommy Kor had this life-sized Barbie doll box as a prop for her pregnancy shot. Everything is gorgeous! By the way, isn’t it serendipitous that her husband’s name is also Ken? ~
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15 thoughts on “DIY Maternity Photo Shoot: Styling and Fashion Tips from Filipino Moms

  1. Not all of us are blessed with good “looks and form during pregnancy. But if you really want to commemorate the 9 short months you are carrying your baby, keep everything light and simple.”

    This was missed when I got Pregnant.

  2. Subrang nakakalungkot at hindi ko po na experience ito noong akoy nag buntis.. Last 2007 when I gave birth sa panganay ko at wala po talaga ako remembrance.. Siguro dahil na rin po nasa probinsiya ako at medyo kapos din talaga sa budget.. Wala rin po matino na camera pang capture.. Kaya so sad.. But at least okay naman ang panganganak at healthy si baby. Normal delivery..

    1. Wag na ma sad mommy. Same here, no photos haha I disliked it because I was so ugly during my two pregnancies. But now that I think about it, maybe a good makeup artist would have made me prettier. haha

  3. Never experienced having a maternity photo shoot, not even once out of my 4 pregnancies. Not that I don’t like it though. In fact, I enjoyed browsing thru maternity shoots esp of my favorite celebs. 🙂 Just never had the guts to do it for myself, plus I wasn’t all blooming sunshine whenever I was pregnant.?
    But to moms who would wanna do this, go for it!?

  4. Inggit much sa mga hindi DIY maternity shoot! Haha gusto ko talaga mag hire pero hindi matuloy tuloy! Kaya ayan, sariling sikap. Haha Ganda talaga ng pinsan ko!

  5. Sa tatlong pregnancies ko po wala rin po ako maternity photos kase di ko po alam na nag eexist po pala ito at secondly para sa mga may pera lang po ito. Masaya po siguro ang magpa maternity photo shoot..

  6. Sa first and second pregnancy ko wala man Lang po ako Maternity photoshoot. Wala man Lang po tlaga sa isip ko. Pero SA third pregnancy ko since nauuso na tlaga na nakikita ko sa Facebook at maganda nman camera Ng cellphone ko. Nag DIY photoshoot po ako sa bahay. Hehe. Kaya lang nakakahiya e post public.😂
    Basta po pictures for keeps nlang❤️😍

  7. Ang saya naman nito.Pero never akong nagkaroon ng photoshoot nung buntis ako.feeling ko kasi ampanget ko nun hahaha

  8. This is so beautiful Mommy! 😍 So cute & super memorable talaga pag may Maternity Photoshoot/photos ka. You can look back dun sa mga times na buntis ka. Ang galing ng DIY laking help sa mga ayaw gumastos ng malaki para sa photoshoot.

  9. This is so cute! Iba talaga kapag maparaan ka, di mo kailangan gumastos ng malaki para maternity photoshoot. This is so memorable and hindi talaga dapat mawala kapag buntis ka, mas masarap kasi balik-balikan yung memories na nagbubuntis ka.

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