Maternity sessions do not always have to mean multiple gowns, dramatic setups, and hours in the studio. Sometimes, keeping things simple is exactly what a family needs, especially when a very opinionated two-year-old is coming along for the ride.
The VeeRappan family chose my Simple Maternity Session because they knew they wanted their son included in their portraits before their baby girl arrived. And they did warn me ahead of time that their two-year-old could be a little wild.
I thought I was prepared.
I was, in fact, not fully prepared. 😂
But honestly, he was doing exactly what two-year-olds do. Two-year-olds have their own plans, their own timelines, and absolutely no concern for the carefully crafted plans the adults around them have made. Sometimes they want to cuddle Mom. Sometimes they want to run. Sometimes the exact thing you ask them to do becomes the one thing they suddenly refuse to do.
And that is completely okay.
A Simple Maternity Session With the Whole Family
For her maternity portraits, Mom chose my Cinderella gown from KH Fabric. It is a gorgeous pink tulle gown with layers of ruffles throughout the skirt and a more fitted top that really shows off the baby bump.
Although the Simple Maternity Session allows for a couple of different looks, she loved the Cinderella gown enough that she decided to stay in it for the entire session.
Instead of focusing on outfit changes, we were able to spend our time creating a mixture of portraits of Mom by herself, Mom and Dad together, and, of course, portraits of the three of them as a family.
And that family portion was definitely an adventure.
Photographing a Two-Year-Old on His Own Schedule
During the session, Mom and Dad were understandably a little worried that we were not getting anything usable with their son.
From their perspective, he was moving constantly and not necessarily cooperating in the traditional “stand here, smile at me” kind of way.
But this is one of the reasons I always tell parents not to panic during a session.
What feels chaotic while you are standing inside of it can look completely different through my camera.
We ultimately ended up with three really great family images, one image that perfectly captured a little bit of the craziness, and several other sweet moments throughout their gallery.
And honestly, I love having both.
Of course, we want the beautiful portrait where everyone is looking great and everything comes together perfectly. But sometimes that slightly chaotic image is the photograph that ends up making you laugh years later because it shows exactly who your child was at that age.
That is part of documenting your family too.
Maternity Photos Are About More Than the Baby Bump
One of my favorite things about maternity photography is that these portraits are not only about documenting pregnancy.
They are also about photographing your family exactly as it exists right before everything changes again.
For the VeeRappan family, these images show their son while he is still the baby of the family. Soon, he will have a completely different role.
Big brother.
There is something incredibly special about having photographs from that little in-between chapter, when you are preparing for a new baby but your family has not quite changed yet.
Your toddler will get bigger. Your newborn will grow. The relationship between siblings will develop into something completely their own.
And before long, it can be difficult to remember exactly what this stage looked like.
That is why getting in front of the camera matters, even when your toddler is running in circles, nobody feels perfectly prepared, or you are wondering whether your child is cooperating enough to get good photographs.
Sometimes those sessions end up being the ones that tell the best story.
Waiting to Meet Baby Girl
Now I am just excited for the next chapter.
The VeeRappan family will be coming back to the studio with their baby girl, and I cannot wait to meet her and see how much she looks like her big brother.
One of the best parts of photographing maternity and newborn sessions is getting to see that transition happen. First, I photograph the anticipation and the tiny kicks underneath Mom’s gown. Then, a few weeks later, that same baby is curled up in the studio while everyone tries to decide whether she has Mom’s nose, Dad’s eyes, or looks exactly like her sibling.
Those photographs become part of the same story.
And that story deserves to be documented.
Planning Your Northwest Arkansas Maternity Session?
If you are expecting a baby and wondering whether maternity photos are worth doing, consider this your reminder that you do not need the perfect pregnancy, the perfectly cooperative toddler, or an elaborate plan.
You just need your family as they are right now.
My maternity sessions can include Mom alone, your partner, and your children so that we can create portraits of both your pregnancy and your growing family.
If you are expecting a baby in Northwest Arkansas and would love to document this season before your little one arrives, I would love to photograph it for you.
Reach out to Chylea Denney Photography to learn more about maternity sessions and reserve your session before baby arrives.
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