From the archives: Spring, 2019
Maternity photos at Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve
Few things are more beautiful than a woman about to bring new life into the world. It’s pure magic capturing the beauty and power she is imbued with during this special time, especially for first-time mothers-to-be. But that doesn’t mean a subsequent pregnancy isn’t every bit as special and deserving of a beautiful maternity session.
So, when this Momma-to-be asked me about doing another maternity session for her second pregnancy I was over the moon! This time around she wanted to include her 2 ½ year old little boy and wanted to keep it more on the spontaneous and organic side.
Choosing a location was essentially a no-brainer. We knew we just had to take advantage of California’s Super Bloom Poppy Season and do her Maternity photos at Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve. Although we had just missed the peak of the bloom, there was still an abundance of our state's blossom that had me seeing orange for days. Seriously! What a visual feast it was to see such vast oceans of bright orange, almost surreal.
Armed with plenty of water and enough snacks to keep our toddler happy, we were relaxed and ready to just let him be himself and let the day unfold. What a fun and lovely day it was capturing these sweet moments.
Midday Maternity Photo Session
Typically, most types of outdoor portrait photo sessions are intentionally done during 'golden hours', that is within either the one and a half hour period that occurs after sunrise or before sunset. Its during these 'magical' hours that yields what is considered by most portrait photographers to be the most beautiful natural lighting.
Midday, on the other hand, is the most often avoided window of time for taking outdoor portraits. The harsh quality of light during this time of day can make it difficult (but not impossible) to produce flattering portraits, but sometimes that can't be avoided and you have to make the best of it. This was one such session, shot entirely between noon and one o'clock in very windy conditions. Knowing what to do under such circumstances made it possible to capture beautiful portraits. Check out a few of my favorite moments from this sweet session ...
I hope you enjoyed browsing this rather unique maternity session set in the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve during one of California's remarkable super bloom seasons. You might also like this beautiful maternity session in Montecito featuring a few of my best tips for a successful maternity session and this cool Ventura beach maternity session.
As a family, newborn and maternity photographer I’m here to help you achieve your photography goals, whatever they may be. I’d love the opportunity to help you plan your session and answer any questions you might have so please feel free to contact me.
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COMING UP in the next post: Babymoon photoshoot in Santa Barbara
About the Author
Laurie "LoLo" Spencer is a lifestyle and portrait photographer based in Southern California specializing in emotive photography for families, couples, maternity and newborns.