15 gender reveal photo ideas (and how to catch the moment)

The reveal itself lasts about two seconds, so preparation is everything. Pick your spot in advance, decide who films video and who shoots photos, and use burst mode (swipe the shutter button left and hold) from the countdown until the colour appears. Then turn around and photograph the guests, whose reactions are often the best shots.

The reveal

1. The confetti cannon. Couple side by side, cannons pointed up and away, colour raining down. Shoot from slightly below.

2. The balloon box. Balloons rising out of a big box. Shoot from low so they rise into the sky.

3. The cake cut. Knife in, slice out, colour inside. Close-up at 2x on the slice.

4. The big balloon pop. A black balloon filled with confetti. Burst mode.

5. Coloured powder. Outdoors only, with the wind behind the camera.

6. The sibling reveal. A big sibling opens the box or pops the balloon.

Reactions

7. The couple's faces. Shoot their faces, not the confetti, in the second after.

8. The hug. Right after the reveal.

9. The guests. Turn around and shoot the crowd's reaction.

10. The grandparents. Often the most emotional faces of the day.

Before and after

11. The set-up. The decorated table and the "boy or girl" sign.

12. Team pink vs team blue. Guests holding up their guesses.

13. The bump with both colours. A pink and a blue ribbon around the bump.

14. The aftermath. Confetti all over the lawn and the couple lying in it.

15. The scan. The ultrasound photo with the colour behind it.

How to catch the moment

• Plan the spot. Outdoors, with the sun behind you or to the side, and a clean background.
• Two phones. One for video, one for photos.
• Burst mode. Swipe the shutter button left and hold it from "three" until the colour is fully out. Holding the button without swiping records video.
• Focus first. Tap on the couple before the countdown so the camera does not hunt.
• 1x for the scene, so the confetti and the couple both fit. The Two-Point Vertex guide puts two people on a diagonal.
• Be kind to the planet. Use biodegradable confetti, and avoid fireworks and smoke bombs in dry areas.

Related: baby shower photo ideas.

Frame the reveal

slay overlays composition guides on your live iPhone camera, so you are framed and ready before the countdown starts.

Get slay on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6807513456?utm_source=slaycamera&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=gender-reveal-photo-ideas