Previously, we shared ideas and tips for studio family photo sessions to capture timeless family bonding moments. We also published a blog with adorable ideas for newborn hospital photography to capture life’s first special moments. You can read these two blogs to expand your photography.

However, it’s time to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week and help you fight the stigma by showing some heartwarming professional breastfeeding photography ideas. Capture the depth and beauty of motherhood with these creative breastfeeding photography ideas and tips.

Tender Candid Moments
Capture genuine, unposed interactions that reveal true emotions and connections between subjects.
Mother’s Affectionate Gaze
Focus on capturing the loving look a mother gives her baby, emphasizing the deep emotional bond.
Outdoor Photoshoot
Utilize natural surroundings to create a serene and authentic backdrop for your photography session.
Focus on Details
Zoom in on small, intimate details that tell a larger story and add depth to your photographs.
Indoor Prompts
Use gentle prompts to create natural interactions and authentic moments in an indoor setting.
Outdoor Prompts
Incorporate the natural environment into your prompts to elicit genuine reactions and interactions.
Black and White Photography
Use monochrome to emphasize emotion, contrast, and timelessness in your candid photographs.

1. Tender Candid Moments

Try capturing a moment when the mother and baby are looking at each other. This is the most profound moment of bond you can capture among all the other candid moments. Besides, catching this moment won’t be easy and the baby won’t always make eye contact with the mother. Like the photo below, you can hold the camera until you get this affectionate expression of the mother.

For this creative breastfeeding photography, use a long lens (70-200mm) to maintain a respectful distance, allowing natural moments to unfold, and opt for a wide aperture (f/2.8-f/4) to create a soft background blur while focusing on the subjects.

A mother breastfeeding her baby in a peaceful setting, highlighting the nurturing bond and intimacy in a breastfeeding photography concept.

Image source: ovegetssweeter.co.uk

2. Mother Smiling at the Baby

To offer your client the best album, you must take a few pictures of the mother looking at the baby with an adoring and sweet smile. This should not be hard as a mother looking and smiling at her child occurs quite naturally. The following two pictures provide two different indoor settings that you can consider. You can use natural lighting if you ask the mother to stand or sit beside a window.

For this idea of breastfeeding photoshoot, position yourself at an angle to capture both faces clearly, using a prime lens (50mm or 85mm) for sharpness, and set a medium aperture (f/4-f/5.6) to ensure both the mother’s and baby’s faces are in focus.

Mother breastfeeding her baby on a red couch with a serene expression, showcasing a natural and intimate moment.

Image source: camilaleephotography.com

A mother breastfeeding her baby while smiling, creating a warm, intimate moment in a softly lit room, showcasing a natural and gentle breastfeeding photography idea.

Image source: camilaleephotography.com

3. Outdoor Photoshoot

Since you are looking for professional breastfeeding photography ideas, you can do an outdoor photoshoot, you have endless safe places to utilize. Moreover, this idea offers you the most organic backdrop and abundant natural light for flawless photos.

So, utilize the nearest garden, park, beach, empty street,  and whatnot. You can ask your client for a variety of expressions. Also, you can ask them to sit or stand- whatever seems beautiful to you in a specific scenario or background. The 3 following pictures should give you an idea of how to do it perfectly.

Scout for locations with soft, diffused lighting, ideally during early morning or late afternoon, using a wide aperture (f/2.8) for a beautiful bokeh effect and to isolate the subjects from the background.

A mother breastfeeding her baby in a garden filled with vibrant pink flowers, showcasing a serene and natural breastfeeding photography idea.

Image source: kimberleyasante.com

A mother breastfeeding her baby while sitting on rocky beach with a serene ocean backdrop, showcasing a natural and tranquil moment in breastfeeding photography.

Image source: kimberleyasante.com

Mother breastfeeding her child against a colorful graffiti backdrop, showcasing a creative and urban breastfeeding photography idea.

Image source: kimberleyasante.com

4. Focus on Details

This is another great creative breastfeeding photography idea. To show the bond and highlight the special act of love, this idea will take the photo session to a deeper level!

The first picture here shows how the touches of hands highlight how the mother and child if holding onto each other. Then, the picture is also an amazing click focusing on the eyes of the baby. And the third picture is wonderfully taken considering the indoor setting, and the candid touches of the mother for her child in their cozy bedroom.

For this nursing photoshoot,  a macro lens (100mm) to capture close-up shots of hands, feet, and facial expressions, combined with a wide aperture (f/2.8) to emphasize the details while blurring out distractions.

A mother breastfeeding her baby, capturing a tender moment of connection and nurturing.

Image source: lovegetssweeter.co.uk

Breastfeeding mother holding her child in a tender moment on a cozy red couch.

Image source: camilaleephotography.com

A photograph of a mother breastfeeding her baby in a softly lit bedroom, seen through a slightly open door, with a world map on the wall in the background.

Image source: camilaleephotography.com

5. Using Prompts Indoor

Find the favorite comfy chair of the mother, the side of the sofa, or the bed. Also, you can include a book, knitting- which means the mother is doing her favorite activity while nursing her child. You can ask the mother to pose or you can steal some candid moments as well!

For example, in this picture, the mother is sitting on a comfortable chair. Also, you can see that they are sitting by the fireplace which represents a cozy corner of the household. So these can be more amazing breastfeeding photoshoot ideas for you.

Employ a standard zoom lens (24-70mm) for versatility in confined spaces, set a medium aperture (f/4), and utilize natural light from windows or soft artificial lighting for gentle indoor prompts.

A mother breastfeeding her baby on a stylish chair, wearing a floral dress, in a cozy living room setting.

Image source: kimberleyasante.com

6. Using Prompts Outdoor

This one of unskippable to help you with professional breastfeeding photography ideas. When you plan an outdoor photoshoot the possibilities are endless. As simple as the picture can be, why not beautify the moments with some prompts?

The pictures below contain a swing in a garden, random stairs in the street, and floral tiaras. These are just a few ideas—you can arrange your own prompts of course.

Incorporate a wide-angle lens (24mm) to include the surrounding scenery, opting for a medium to narrow aperture (f/8) to keep both the subjects and the background in focus during outdoor prompts.

A mother breastfeeding her baby while sitting in a cozy wicker chair outdoors, surrounded by soft pillows and lush greenery, capturing a serene and intimate moment.

Image source: gentlegracephotography.com

Mother breastfeeding her child on metal stairs with colorful graffiti background.

Image source: kimberleyasante.com

A woman in a blue dress sits on rocks by the sea, breastfeeding her baby wearing a floral headband, capturing a serene moment in nature.

Image source: kimberleyasante.com

7. Black and White

This is my final creative breastfeeding photography tip for you. As you might know, the color combination is classic and widely loved. Black and white photography is sophisticated containing powerful meaning. So, you can represent motherhood and the bonding even a wonderful way if you make some photos in black and white.

Take a look at the following pictures to think about the ways you can capture them. There are candids, focus on details, indoor settings, and prompts– do explore your creative flair for this special photo session.

Convert to black and white during post-processing or use the monochrome setting on your camera, shooting in RAW format to preserve detail and dynamic range, and focusing on contrasts and textures to emphasize expressions and the emotional connection.

A mother holding her young child close in a cozy room, capturing a tender moment in black and white, ideal for breastfeeding photography ideas.

Image source: lovegetssweeter.co.uk

Black and white photo of a mother breastfeeding a baby while sitting on a couch, capturing an intimate and nurturing moment.

Image source: lovegetssweeter.co.uk

A mother sitting on a couch breastfeeding her baby, creating a warm and nurturing moment for a photography session.

Image source: camilaleephotography.com

Black and white photo of a mother breastfeeding her child by a window, capturing a tender moment.

Image source: camilaleephotography.com

By incorporating these professional breastfeeding photography ideas and techniques, you can create a diverse and emotionally rich portfolio of breastfeeding photography. Remember, the key is to make the mother and baby feel comfortable and natural, ensuring that the resulting photographs truly capture the essence of their bond. For a polished finish, look for a professional retouch service. Retouching can correct minor imperfections, adjust lighting, and bring out the best in each photograph