New photographers and expectant couples may find the idea of attempting a nude to be a daunting prospect, but there are many encouraging aspects to a nude. In a pregnant nude, you are provided with an obvious contrast of curves and lines, providing amazing opportunities to compose your photo. Most maternity nudes are done on a plane backdrop, so the subject is clean, clear and obvious. Another positive aspect of the nude is that you are freed from worrying about wardrobe and all that comes with it.
Even before maternity photography became popular, the pregnant nude was a part of art. From Gustav Klimt's 1908 'Hope' (below) to Imogen Cunningham's 1959 'Pregnant Nude'
Today, as maternity photography has become a popular and inspired way to celebrate pregnancy, many women who would never otherwise consider posing for a nude orsemi-nude photo feel freed by the changes of pregnancy and the temporary aspect of their shape. The external pressures to conform to a certain standard are diminished (though sadly, not eliminated).
Before we begin this section, it will help to define a few parameters about nudes and semi-nudes before continuing.
Nearly everyone who considers doing nude or semi-nude photos will want them to be tasteful. Most will also ask that they be discreet. When proceeding, it is important to remember how subjective the words "tasteful" and "discreet" are. There are people who would consider any sort of maternity portrait to indiscreet, let a alone a nude. There are others who think of tasteful as a matter of artistic presentation. As the photographer, it is your responsibility to keep the photos within the comfort range of your subject and to find out ahead of time what that range is for the subject.
For the purpose of this guide, we will generally stay in the most common range of discreet and tasteful, as it has been my experience over the past ten years. Though it hardly seems necessary to warn you, you should know that this Nude and Semi-Nude section does contain nude and semi-nude images.