12 Gender Reveal Photo Ideas for a Thrilling Announcement

Having a gender reveal celebration? Consider hiring a photographer to capture the authentic reactions of friends, family—and even yourselves—as the sex of your impending arrival is revealed! These photos are a unique opportunity for parents-to-be to both celebrate their baby and create a truly unique announcement. Read on for ideas on how to create a beautiful gender reveal experience to share with loved ones.

Table of Contents

• Why capture a gender reveal?
• Magical settings to bring your ideas to life
• Unique gender reveal photo ideas
• Tips for making the most of your photoshoot
• Why choose Peerspace for your gender reveal photoshoot?

Why capture a gender reveal?

Gender reveal events are a major milestone in many pregnancy journeys. The baby’s gender announcement is often on the minds of friends and family as parents-to-be inch closer to learning what they are having. Even if you aren’t planning a party, a photo shoot can be a little celebration with friends and family to unveil the big news. It can also be an intimate event for the expectant parent or parents to capture the moment they learn whether they are expecting a boy or a girl. 

You’ll have the pleasure of reliving these authentic reactions for decades to come with a well-planned gender reveal photo shoot.

Magical settings to bring your ideas to life

The venue where you hold your reveal is as important as the ideas you bring to it. Instead of choosing the closest park, pick the setting that best matches your vision.

Rustic settings with natural light

Rustic environments curate a sense of timeless values, peace, and natural elements. Meadows, barns, forests, and farmhouses are top choices for many photoshoots. As is natural light, which you’ll find plentiful in these spaces.

Work with ideal light inside a studio

Photography studios are a blank canvas awaiting transformation. Colored backdrops, professional lighting, and props are a few of the many amenities they offer. A studio also shields you from bad weather. This is handy when the season isn’t ideal for outdoor photoshoots.

Celebrate your baby with an urban photoshoot

Urban gender reveal photoshoots have a classy and uplifting character. Your options are limitless, but start with these locations:

• City skylines offer a backdrop that’s easy to recognize.
• Trendy neighborhoods with signs and store windows suggest a lifestyle story.
• A bustling background plays up the urban atmosphere.

Each element adds to the narrative you’re sharing about your family’s next chapter. A few more of our favorite urban gender reveal venues include lofts, downtown streets, historic buildings, and rooftop spaces.

Hold your gender reveal photoshoot at home

Some couples prefer a more intimate setting over a festive atmosphere. Invite the photographer into your home for images that radiate coziness and character. You and your partner could lounge on the sofa together for the reveal, or release colored smoke in your own backyard.

Pick a venue with personal meaning

Do you have a more romantic gender reveal photoshoot in mind? Think about places like the park where your partner proposed or the lakeside cabin from your honeymoon. These backdrops are not only beautiful, but also convey a more personal style.

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Pro tip: You don’t have to search far to browse a wide selection of potential gender reveal photo venues. Peerspace has each of these venue options, and more!

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Unique gender reveal photo ideas

Before you commit to a venue, let’s discuss a few gender reveal picture ideas that really stand apart.

Pop balloons and fill the air with color

A burst of colored glitter or confetti in the air is the perfect grand finale for a gender reveal event. Balloons double as decorations for a gender reveal party and as backdrops for portrait photography.

Once you’re ready to announce the baby’s gender, pop the balloons using a thumbtack. Be sure to coordinate with your photographer, as the magic moment happens fast.

Choose outfits to mark the occasion

Your wardrobe offers so much possibility for gender reveal photos. A touch of flair, like a pink tie or sky blue-framed sunglasses, can be a subtle, yet fun approach. Or you could create a gender reveal outfit in one—or both—colors. Plan your photoshoot in advance to allow time for an outfit change. Start the session wearing both colors, and then commit to a single shade for the final reveal. 

Celebrate with confetti cannons

Confetti is fun for any major event. And confetti cannons are the best way to get the news airborne fast. They feel like fireworks yet are safer. Here are a few ways to work confetti into your gender reveal photo ideas:

• Have your guests stand in a circle while you and your partner shoot confetti cannons.
• Give everyone a confetti cannon and have them stand in a row before a coordinated group release.
• Let everyone grab handfuls of confetti and throw it into the air.
• Release balloons alongside the confetti cannons for even more uplifting images.

Use ultrasound images as a backdrop

Ultrasound images offer so much potential. Print a large ultrasound image as a backdrop for photos. Or use the ultrasound images as framed props to hold during the photoshoot. You can even use ultrasound images during a digital gender reveal event.

Light up the sky with colored fireworks

Imagine an evening gender reveal party where you light up the night with pink or blue fireworks! These are an excellent choice for venues with spacious grounds and open skies. 

A firework show can include one or both colors. For example, start with bursts of pink and blue before the grand finale, which will reveal the sex of your baby.

Add even more joy with the baby’s siblings 

Your new baby’s siblings will be thrilled to take part in a gender reveal photoshoot. Capture the magical energy of youth with energetic ideas, like smashing a piñata filled with gender-themed candy or toys. Candy wrapped in colored foil is one of our favorite choices.

Siblings can also hold signs welcoming the new baby, wave colored sparklers, or give extra hugs to Mom and Dad during the photoshoot.

Make your announcement with vibrant smoke bombs

Colored smoke bombs are a classic option. They’re as impressive as confetti or fireworks. Yet there’s less preparation to manage or bits to clean up afterward. 

You can use smoke bombs for both group and individual photo sessions. Try one or more of these classic takes for an upcoming gender reveal photoshoot:

• Kissing while holding a smoke bomb. 
• Swirl the smoke bomb around the two of you.
• Give everyone in your group a smoke bomb to release in sync.
• Create a pink or blue smoke photo backdrop on a windless day.

Make your photos even cuter with pets 

Including pets makes just about any photoshoot better. As cute as they are, a little extra flair goes a long way toward solidifying the gender reveal theme. A colored scarf, balloons tied to the collar, or a little sign set up in front of your companion adds to the fun. 

Check out paint-walking, as well, which dogs are best at. Here, you dip the dog’s foot pads in the chosen color and have them walk on white paper. The moment is photogenic, plus you end up with an amazing keepsake

Hand out colored sparklers to wave

Sparklers are also safer than fireworks, yet still feel thrilling and exciting. An evening or night photoshoot is a great time to try light painting with colored sparklers. Spell out “girl” or “boy” in your chosen color against the night sky for unforgettable images.

Explore intimacy with a romantic couples’ photoshoot

Gender reveal photo ideas can feel joyful with the two of you instead of a large gathering. Your venue options are unlimited since you aren’t planning for a group photoshoot. 

• Choose a scenic yet secluded venue, like a forest, lakeside dock, or mountain meadow.
• Have the photographer’s assistants release confetti or balloons outside of the frame.
• Book more intimate venues, like a photography studio, loft, or lush garden.

Capture your own gender announcement surprise

Don’t rush to open the baby’s gender announcement! Have the photographer on hand to capture your joy in a documentary style instead. You can even make it a creative event with other people’s help.

One creative option is to hand the gender announcement to a baker. Ask them to fill cupcakes or a cake with frosting using that gender’s colors. When you get home, cut the cake or bite down on the cupcakes with the photographer on hand. Right then, you’ve learned your baby’s gender in a creative way while capturing incredible photos of the moment.

Another option is to pick out outfits for both a baby boy and a girl. Head to the checkout line and hand the announcement to a cashier. Explain what’s happening, then turn away while they ring up and gift bag the right outfit. Once you get home, reach into the gift bag and discover your baby’s gender in front of the camera.

Use alternative colors for the baby’s gender

You don’t have to feel locked into pink and blue as your two choices. Some parents opt for non-traditional colors when planning a gender reveal event.  

Gender-neutral colors include green, which symbolizes new beginnings. Orange and yellow emphasize the joy, warmth, and happiness of the occasion. Seasonal colors like pastels or autumn shades add a new dimension to your gender reveal photo idea.

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Pro tip: Are you using confetti, colored smoke, balloons, or other airborne decorations? Think about how the wind speed and direction affect dispersal. That way, you don’t cover areas outside of your event space (like a neighbor’s backyard) with it.

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Tips for making the most of your photoshoot

Once you have your gender reveal photography ideas, think about how to make the most of your limited time. You may only have your photographer for an hour or two, so use these tips to make the most of it!

• If wardrobe changes are part of your plan, know in advance where to change outfits to save time during your shoot.
• Collaborate with your photographer in advance, so the session flows and no time is wasted.
• Bring extra essentials, like smoke bombs or confetti cannons, in case some don’t go off.
• Check the weather forecast the day of your shoot. 
• Rehearse the roles of siblings and pets in advance so they know what to expect.

How do I choose my gender reveal photographer?

First, decide if you want a portrait session for the reveal or if you need a photographer for a full gender reveal event. Portrait and event photographers will both have great ideas to offer on how to make your session a success.

Next, browse their portfolio and see if their style resonates with your ideas. Contact the photographer for more details. Ask if they have location ideas or can match a specific style. 

Connecting with a photographer involves asking the right questions. We make this easy with our resource on the right questions to ask your photographer.

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Pro tip: Capture not only portraits of the two of you, but also detail shots of your props and decorations. For example, get photos of a sign with the baby’s expected due date and colorful balloons attached.

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Why choose Peerspace for your gender reveal photoshoot?

Did you choose a gender reveal photo idea from our list of 12 creative possibilities? Now it’s time to begin the next steps. Let Peerspace help; we’ve already helped thousands of couples create lasting memories together.

Our event venues for photoshoots include urban lofts rich in natural light, rustic country homes, secret gardens, and more. Here’s how to explore them:

• After you enter your activity and city, look at listings based on location, price, and cover images.
• Narrow down the options using specific keywords or use filters like “amenities.”
• View listings for more details. 

Each listing contains a wealth of added information. Discover rates by the hour, policies, sample images of the space, and even reviews from other happy couples. 

Now you’re ready to take the driver’s seat and bring your gender reveal photo idea to life. If you’re planning a gender reveal party, consider using Peerspace to find the perfect venue for your celebration. We can’t wait to see the creative collaboration you and your photographer bring to life!