The first frame: A camera-less photographic encounter with the foetus.

This article explores the familial, photographic, and political dimensions of 3D and 4D foetal portraits produced through ultrasound technology, situating these camera-less images within photographic history, theory, and practice. Using personal case studies of her nephew and daughter, the author examines how these sonographic images function as intimate family portraits while also engaging with broader reproductive politics, including debates on foetal personhood and women's rights. The article highlights the evolving technological advances from 2D to 5D ultrasound, the commercialization of foetal imaging as a form of family photography, and the ethical complexities surrounding the foetus as a photographic subject who cannot consent. Ultimately, it argues that foetal portraits intertwine scientific data, familial attachment, and political meaning, reflecting both affective experiences and panoptic surveillance within contemporary visual culture.