Mother’s Day Photo Session Ideas To Thrill And Delight

May 7th, 2021
peaceful mother and daughter

Spring is here and with it comes that eternal question; How can you make Mother’s Day incredibly special and memorable for the mommas and mother-figures you love? One gift they will cherish for years to come is a Mother’s Day photo session.

There are so many fun ways to celebrate and honor the women that brought us into the world, or cared for us as their own; shared meals, pampering, doing a favorite activity together…the possibilities are endless! I personally shared so many milestones with my clients, and their journey into motherhood was one of my favorites to photograph. There are so many creative ways to help clients celebrate mother’s day by offering maternity sessions, mom and newborn, mom and child, teen, adult, etc. Whether your photographic style and business lean more toward pampering mom with her own glam photo session or photographing the whole gang with a family photo session, most photography genres can market sessions to create a special memory for moms.

mother with children and rubbing noses with daughter

Not sure where to get started? I’ve compiled some ideas to make mother’s day a great success for all, before, during, and after the holiday!

Before

Offer Gift Certificates to pre-sell your regular or mini-sessions. Most moms are too busy being moms to carve out the time for themselves and treat themselves to something fun. Selling gift certificates that spouses, children, or family friends can buy in advance is an awesome way to pamper that special lady and make her feel like a million bucks! Gifting her a photo session on Mother’s Day will give her something fun to look forward to as you plan for the big photoshoot day together.

During

Celebrate and spoil mom with a pamper photo session! Nothing says “I think you’re awesome” like giving your favorite momma the gift of feeling beautiful and glamorous with her own glamour photo session. Moms are super busy and often neglect self-care routines, or don’t have the time to get all dolled up on the everyday. Offering pamper sessions is a great way to create a unique and memorable gift for mom. The fun doesn’t end the day of the session, because those photos will truly make a stand-out memento that will surely give mom a much-needed boost of confidence. Not to mention it’ll make for a super fun day!

After

“I have plenty of photos of myself with my children.”…said no mom, ever! That’s where we as photographers can help. Read on to hear some ideas for sessions at any stage of Motherhood.

Our Favorite Mothers Day Photo Session Ideas

Celebrate that Baby Bump!

pregnant woman in flower garden
Photo credit: Wild Orchard Studios

Maternity/pregnancy photo sessions can be offered year-round and will make for a cherished keepsake for years to come. Maternity photos are a wonderful way to celebrate a most exciting time in a woman’s life. Baby bump photoshoots can be offered as a solo session for the glowing mom-to-be or can be shared with her partner or even the whole gang if her family is growing.

Once you’ve dazzled the mama-to-be with your work and amazing client experience, she’s also more likely to hire you for a newborn or family session after the birth.

Mommy and Me Photo Session

retro-inspired mother and daughter baking in kitchen
Photo credit: Janette V

Always a fun way to create long-lasting memories whether mom is posing with her newborn, toddler, teen, or adult daughters and/or sons. These sessions are a creative way to share the love and have a blast on Mother’s Day. Some ideas include shooting in similar or matching outfits, engaging in activities mom enjoys doing with her kiddos (storytime, baking, painting, hiking, etc.)

These sessions can be offered in-studio or on-location, giving you endless possibilities to customize the posing, wardrobe, and props to fit your style and thrill your client’s.

Generations Sessions

three generations of women together

Round up all of the generations of moms, one on side of the family or both, in a single Mother’s Day photoshoot and create one of the coolest keepsakes the entire family will hold near to their hearts for more generations to come!

Family Sessions

multi-racial family walking on sidewalk

Offering family sessions to celebrate moms makes for a great reason for folks to get together and do something out of the ordinary. It also creates a fun way to bond and more importantly, for moms to sneak in more time with the ones she loves the most!

Recreate a Vintage Photo

1920's inspired family photo
Photo credit: Janette V

Recreating a family’s vintage portraits of mom, grandma, or great grandma would be a timeless treasure, that can also make for really gorgeous mother/daughter portraits.

Plan ahead by visiting to your local vintage and thrift shops, rent costumes online, or invite clients to pull out grandma’s wedding gown or vintage hats. The sky’s the limit!

Shoot Outdoors!

multi-generation asian family sitting on bench

It’s Spring, after all; let nature be your backdrop! Depending where you live, scout out some great locations that offer awesome lighting opportunities. Be it the beach, in the woods, a park, a botanical garden, or your own backyard. Spring sessions are a great opportunity to get creative among the flowering trees and budding foliage.

Not very “springy” in your area? Buy flowers for your client and invite them to have fun with the fragrant and colorful prop! If studio sessions are your jam, get creative and bring nature inside with a flower installation or artfully placed fresh bouquets. Need more inspiration? We’ve got you covered with our list of portrait photography ideas.

Tips For Mother’s Day Sessions

Need some tips to help you rock your next mother’s day session? Whether shooting in the studio or on-location, one important aspect to consider is that the images you shoot in celebration of mother’s day should evoke feelings of togetherness, joy, and all the love!

Plan the session prior to the shoot date with your client. Just as with any other session, being aware of their names and any restrictions or preferences they may have will ensure you get off on the right foot.

Always arrive early. This allows you time to walk around the shoot location, observe the lighting situation, and finalize your session plan. Once your clients arrive, do your best to make them feel comfortable, especially if this is the first time meeting them.

Take some candid shots throughout the session; when you are “checking the settings” or as you and your clients move between the settings at your location. Magic can happen in these moments!

Find more tips on how to prep and get clients comfortable during a session here.

Contributor

  • Janette V

    Janette has been capturing memorable moments from behind her lens since 2005. Her work has included founding South Florida’s first vintage pin-up photo studio, as well as working with clients like The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, TLC, Chewy.com, and has had work featured in publications like Decibel and Rolling Stone magazines. Janette is currently living in North Carolina and explores new creative outlets in analog photography, videography, and music while providing Customer Support for Zenfolio.

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