Within moments the two little girls have slipped off their shoes and are giggling.

The little boy is scooting around on his bottom and attempting to find all the mischief that he can hold in his tiny hands.

Their mama and I we laugh the knowing laugh that two moms share over the joyous chaos of children.  We bring them all together and capture a gloriously real life image or two. Then decide to give them a moment to burn off their curiosity.

That mischievous little boy shares a special moment just with mama while the girls run barefoot and free to explore.

Littlest girl comes back to her mama, snuggling right into the safety and warm nest of her love.

Oldest girl is a spunky free spirit.  She comes back frequently to share her discoveries with me and mama.  She finds some camellias and tosses petals in the creek.  Little boy he makes his mama laugh.

I ask mama to sing and her little ones flock to her like ducklings, flitting about in the comfortable sound of her voice.

I whisper a secret to oldest girl and tell her what I need from her.  She brings her camellia and snuggles right into mama.

We try once more for that image with all her children.  Success.

This mama and these babies will only be in this season for the present.  This season: it is a present.  We gather together and capture it so that they might remember these stories, these moments, this childhood, and the mother that shapes and treasures it all.

Would you like to have a record of your present with your littles or even your grown up children?  Would you like to wrap your arms around this moment and hold it dear for years?  I’d love to photograph you for Mother’s Day.  Contact me today to book your Greenville SC Mother’s Day Photography Mini Session.

Would you love to have the experience, but you have some hesitations?  Click here to see your hesitations addressed.

A couple weeks ago I whispered my dreams for Greenville SC Mother’s Day Photography.  I shot my first practice session last weekend. 

I told you how I believed mothers could change the story for for women served by a Compassion Child Survival Program just by showing up in pictures of our own motherhood story. 

You can read all of those details by clicking here or just hop over to virtually visit the Compassion CSP in El Salvador that we’ll be partnering with.  My prayer is that together we will raise $500 to bless young moms and their babies.  It’s a crazy God-sized dream.

I can already hear your objections to getting in the photograph with your kids.  You’re whispering, “I’d love to be in the photos and helps moms/children in poverty, but…”

“Maybe next year, when I lose ten (or more) pounds.”

Your kids love you now.  They think you’re beautiful now.  Regularly, my girls cup their hands around my face and whisper “You’re beautiful, mama.”  Let them remember how you loved them.  Let them see you in the strong body that grew your babies inside and the even more beautiful heart that adopted them into your home.

“Do you know how stressful getting all these little kids in one picture is?”

I have three kiddos of my own.  I get it.  Mini sessions of just 20 minutes are short enough to keep the youngest baby or toddler engaged.

I have a whole post on preparing younger toddlers and preschoolers to have their pictures made which you can read here.  These tips will make sure they’re warmed up to me.  In addition, you can share with me over the phone some of your children’s favorite things (books, TV shows, movies, or toys) and I’ll make sure to mention it.

At the session start, I’ll pull your wild and crazy brood aside right before the images and ask them to help me make mama smile.  We’ll do a silly all ready cheer (that I’m sure your ‘tweens and teens will roll their eyes at).  On top of that, I’ll promise them a tasty treat if they cooperate (caramel corn, anyone?).

On top of that, dad can wrangle the others not in a picture… or you could bring your own mom to wrangle them and jump into an image with you!

“But my kids are all grown up…”

That doesn’t mean they don’t want you in the picture!  Your kids, whether just leaving the nest for college or beginning their own families, are beginning to realize your wisdom and just how hard they were to raise. Don’t let their only pictures of you with them be when they were little and when they were married.  They’ll treasure these images for their lifetime.

“We’re busy mother’s day weekend.”

That’s why the Mother’s Day Mini Sessions are occurring the Saturday after Mother’s Day: May 17th.  It also gives you time to make sure your husband knows exactly what gift you’d like for the holiday (wink wink).  If there are more requests than the 5 slots I have open, I’ll schedule a second date the first weekend in June.

“Okay… but really, what do we all wear?”

Mom, pick out your outfit first.  Then pull colors from it and dress everyone else starting with your daughters and ending with the boys.

Or you could pick a color scheme.  How about khaki and grey neutrals with spring colors?  Or navy and grey neutrals with jewel tone colors?  Or black neutrals with bright colors?

And if you’re a visual person, hop right over and check out my Pinterest board on dressing for photos.

But please avoid all black or all white. If mom feels most comfortable in black then make sure she wears some fun colored accessories 🙂

Ready to Book Greenville SC Mother’s Day Photography?

Session Details are here and you can contact me here.