Do you not love how adorable this family is?
I mean, really!
We were so excited when they got in touch with us to help them remember this season in their family’s life. As you can see, they’re expecting a new little one, and it’s so sweet to see everyone excited about it, even big brother Carter.
Things went so smoothly that day–everyone was thrilled–and that was not by accident. We want to share just a few of the things you’d like to consider when it comes to your own family and maternity session to help make sure the results are as amazing as you are!
1. Timing is Everything.
First, take into consideration how far along you are in your pregnancy. A good rule of thumb is to try to schedule the photo session around week 30 (7 1/2 months). Your baby bump is showing beautifully at that point, and you’re still at a comfortable point in your pregnancy, able to move around relatively easily. Comfort is everything!
Second, the time of day matters. Because we have a little one involved, we want to try and schedule the session around their best time of day. Most of the time, that’s early morning, right after a great breakfast. Since this is Austin, Texas, early mornings are also lovely because they’re the coolest part of the day, which means everyone stays comfortable (see above). Within a few minutes of us finishing up this session, it got pretty hot real quick! The other bonus that tugs at our photographer’s heartstrings is that the light was just, well, luscious at that time of day. It makes for gorgeous results!
2. We want to keep it safe.
This is possibly the biggest reason we love photographing together at these sessions: one of us can keep an eye on a little one so that we can capture images of mom and dad together. Mom and Dad are the starting point of the family’s story, after all, so we want to be sure to honor that. Having a family member help isn’t always possible, so we step up to make sure we can make those images happen.
3. Pick the right spot.
There were several reasons we picked this very park for this family’s session. First, they wanted an outdoorsy location, and this one happened to be near their home. We’ve also worked here before, so we knew that there were areas with great visual interest. We scouted out the park the day before, so we knew where to find the wildflowers. It was fortunate that there were any wildflowers. This session happened mid-summer, a time when Texas wildflowers are usually gone. The tree lines at that park not only helped filter the light in a pretty way but helped us make sure that we had a great shade canopy in case things took longer than expected.
Bonus: once everything was said and done, the park had a great playscape just waiting for Carter! That was part of the plan, too.
4. Keep it close to home.
Literally! The park was close to their home. We wanted to make sure that it was as easy as possible to get to the park. When you’ve got a little toddler or preschooler in tow, keeping them comfortable is essential. A shorter ride usually means a better attention span once they arrive for the session.
5. Bring toys!
Why not? In this case, one of grandma’s cameras became a perfect prop to tell their family’s story. There was nothing like it to bring a big grin to Carter’s face! He enjoyed himself while he took pictures of mom and dad, which made for some enjoyable photographs! Those near-to-their-heart things go a long way towards keeping them entertained and happy. They’re also an important part of their histories, so they’re lovely to include.
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That’s just a few of the many things to consider when planning out your maternity and family session to make sure things go smoothly. These are just some of our favorite images and all the planning was worth it.
Considering your own family and maternity portraits? Get in touch with us! Let’s get you awesome photography to help your family remember such a great season in your lives.
