12 Playful Maternity Photoshoot Ideas With Friends

Looking for unique and fun maternity photoshoot ideas with friends? We have you covered! Maternity photoshoots are a way to capture a transitional period in your life – the lead-up to the birth of a new family member who will enter your life and transform it for the better. A maternity photoshoot that includes your friends, some of the most important people in your life by far, is that much better. Perhaps your friend(s) are also pregnant too, which means you’re going through this transformative experience together!

Either way, keep reading for our list of 12 playful maternity photoshoot ideas with friends, all available to book on Peerspace, the largest online marketplace for hourly venue rentals. All of these ideas make for some seriously lovely photos as well as wonderful bonding experiences with the people you cherish. 

1. Back-to-back photoshoot

Standing back-to-back is a physical, visible demonstration of the situational and emotional support that your friends provide you daily. Their support is especially crucial during the new and sometimes unexpected challenges of pregnancy. Take photos of the two of you standing back-to-back to commemorate their support of you! The symbolism of this maternity photoshoot idea with friends is best emphasized by a simple backdrop, so we’d recommend a nice daylight photo studio like this boho paradise loft studio in Atlanta, Georgia. 

2. Shadow silhouettes photoshoot

Find a sunny spot when the sun is at the right angle and take photos of you and your friends’ baby bump silhouettes! This maternity photoshoot idea with friends really emphasizes the particular shape of your body, which is such a strong signifier of this moment in your life. You can take pictures of your shadows holding hands, standing side by side, with your bellies pressed together, etc. Just play around, have fun, and the photos will come out great!

3. Baby shoes photoshoot

Expectant parents often become especially excited about the changes to come when they get to purchase adorable, incredibly tiny baby clothes. Your friends are likely also very excited about buying you adorable baby clothes, like onesies with funny phrases on them. Itty-bitty shoes are one of the most adorable articles of clothing for new babies. So why not do a photoshoot where you and your friends pose holding the tiny baby shoes you’ve purchased before the birth? This photoshoot would be especially perfect to hold at a comfortable, homey location like this bright, modern home in Austin, Texas.

4. Matching/complementary maternity outfits photoshoot

Emphasize the similarity between your shared, growing baby bumps with outfits in matching or complementary colors and styles! For instance, you can wear the same style of maternity dress, one of you in blue and one in pink. This is a fun, cute photoshoot idea that’ll emphasize your bond as besties.

5. Group picnic photoshoot

You’re eating for two, so you’d probably welcome some delicious and classic picnic foods like pasta salad, lemonade, watermelon, deviled eggs, and so forth. All the better if you’re eating them in a beautiful outdoor location! Wear a comfy sundress, have a picnic with your closest friends, and snap some photos together. If you’d like to find a private outdoor location for this photoshoot, we’d suggest a garden like the one at this historic cottage in Phoenix, Arizona. 

6. Legs up against the wall

Lie down in a row up against a simple wall and all put your legs straight up against the wall, holding your baby bump and looking up at the ceiling. It’s an interesting angle for a shot that’ll look great with multiple friends in a row doing the same pose. Plus, if your feet and ankles are swollen (as tends to be a problem for many during pregnancy), this pose will provide you with some much-needed relief! 

7. Couple friends photoshoot

If you and your friend are both pregnant, get your partners in on the photoshoot by doing a “double date” couples’ photoshoot! There are lots of fun ideas to work with here, but for instance, you can stand facing each other with each of your partners standing behind you and holding your bellies. You’ll want to hold this photoshoot at a comfy location, like at this earthy jungle oasis in Tampa, Florida!

8. Eating pints of ice cream in bed together

We’ve heard that tons of moms-to-be find themselves with intense cravings for ice cream. Why not embrace your cravings and do a photoshoot where each of you has a pint of ice cream in one hand and a spoon in the other, all cozied up in bed? These photos will be so cute and also an accurate representation of what being pregnant together is really like. 

9. Formal pregnancy portraits

A lot of the maternity photoshoot ideas with friends on this list are pretty casual, but you can go in the total opposite direction, too! Dress up in beautiful and more formal maternity outfits, hire a professional portrait photographer, and rent a studio like this bright, spacious, minimal studio in Chicago to take beautiful portraits. For extra drama, have the photographer take some black-and-white photos, too. 

10. Walk in the woods photoshoot

Find a lovely trail through the woods and take a walk with friends (not too long, if you’re not feeling up to it – we totally get it!). The woodland backdrop is hard to beat for visual appeal, and you and your friends will get in some much-needed fresh air. 

11. Nursery decorating photoshoot

We’ll bet that your friends were psyched to help you decorate your nursery in preparation for your baby on the way. They get to share their opinions about how to make everything look perfect while also showing their love and support for you by helping out in a tangible way. Snap photos as you all decorate this special room and have a blast joking around and comparing paint swatches. 

12. Carnival photoshoot

Take a trip to a local amusement park or carnival! Even if you can’t ride the rides, you can walk around, see the sights, eat cotton candy, play carnival games, and so forth. This is a nostalgic photoshoot idea and you can recreate together it with your little ones in years to come!

Find unique photoshoot locations on Peerspace