Pregnant mom holds her bellt under the bridge at Historic Yates Mill County Park in Raleigh while her husband and son play with the water.

There is a version of maternity photography that asks families to quiet down, tidy up, and hold still.

And then there is the version that feels like real life.

This Raleigh maternity photo session with the Elmore family at Historic Yates Mill County Park was never going to be about perfection. It was about honoring the season they are actually living in. A third-trimester belly. A toddler with big feelings and fast legs. Parents who are already learning how to love two kids at once.

And honestly, that is my favorite place to photograph from.

Why I Photograph Raleigh Maternity Photos With Movement at the Center

When Jessica told me she chose me because of the way I capture movement, I was genuinely surprised. I have always loved working with busy kids, but I rarely hear families say that part out loud.

I tell expecting parents all the time that I am not the “everyone sit still and smile” type of photographer. My job is not to make your family behave. My job is to tell the truth of who you are in this season in a way that looks beautiful and feels like a natural part of your family’s daily experience.

If your toddler needs to run instead of cuddle, that is not a failure. That is information. That is the story.

A Forehead, a Camera Lens, and the Moment Everything Shifted

We started this session near the old farm buildings at Yates Mill and walked down the cobblestone path. Dean, their son, was slow to warm up, just like his parents had predicted.

Then Alex picked him up and started flying him like an airplane straight toward my lens.

We were both focused on our jobs. Alex flying his kid. Me photographing the joy. Neither of us realized how close Dean had gotten until his forehead gently bumped my camera.

There was a beat of silence.

Two-year-old boy laughs into the camera during a movement-focused maternity session at Yates Mill County Park in Raleigh, NC.

Then Dean laughed. I laughed because he left a smudge on my lens. Alex laughed because he realized nothing bad had happened.

And just like that, the session shifted. Dean was in. The walls were down. The story could finally unfold.

Letting Go Creates the Best Maternity Photo Session

Two-year-old boy plays under mom's dress during a professional maternity photo session at Yates Mill in Raleigh, NC.

There is a moment in this gallery that would never exist if I had tried to control Dean.

Jessica and Alex were standing together, wrapped in each other, sharing a quiet moment about the baby they were about to meet. Dean wanted to run…away.

Instead of bribing him to sit still, I asked him how fast he could run in circles around his parents.

He ran through Jessica’s skirt. He tangled himself in the folds. He laughed so hard he almost fell over.

Those images are some of my favorites from their gallery. They are not perfect. They are true.

Why Yates Mill Is One of My Favorite Locations for Raleigh Maternity Photos

Yates Mill feels like several locations stitched together into one long walk.

Pregnant woman holds her husband's hand and runs after her toddler during a maternity photo session at Historic Yates Mill County Park in Raleigh.

Black and white photo captured at a maternity photoshoot in Raleigh of a pregnant woman laying in the grass with her toddler hugging her belly.

Pregnant woman and her husband lay with toddler son in the grass at Yates Mill County Park during a maternity photo session.

Black and white photo showing a pregnant woman and husband holding an ultrasound photo during a maternity photo session at Yates Mill County Park in Raleigh, NC.

Dad throws toddler in the air while pregnant mom holds belly during a movement-focused maternity photo session at Historic Yates Mill County Park in Raleigh, NC.

You move from historic farm buildings to a cobblestone bridge, under a moody two-lane bridge, past dramatic rock formations, and then into deep paths lined with trees that filter the sun’s golden glow at sunset. I think of it as a visual walking tour.

My personal favorite stop is the rock formation. The height and angles create layers that add so much depth to a gallery, especially when the sun starts to drop behind the trees.

That final stretch is where the magic usually happens.

What Families Should Know Before Choosing Yates Mill

There is one thing I am always very clear about. The rock formation is connected to a waterfall, and parts of it are covered in slick moss. I have seen people slip there.

Safety matters more to me than any epic image.

I would not recommend this location for families with physical limitations or anyone who is uncomfortable walking carefully on uneven surfaces. If that sounds like you, I always suggest alternatives like the ones I shared in my blog post highlighting some of my favorite locations for maternity photos around Raleigh.

How Being a Mom Shapes My Approach To Maternity Photography

I am a mom to three kids, all wildly different humans. Parenting has taught me that one-size-fits-all does not work, in families or in photography.

It is easy to apply blanket rules. It is much harder to get curious about who your child actually is.

That is why I care so deeply about documenting joy and chaos together. Because that is what real life looks like.

If you are a Raleigh mom worried that your toddler is too much for maternity photos, I want you to hear this clearly. They are never too much. Energy, neurodiversity, big feelings, those things are not flaws. They are part of your family’s story. They are beautiful and real.

If you are ready for Raleigh maternity photos that feel honest and alive, I would love to hear from you.

Your family does not need to be quieter or calmer to be worthy of being documented. Sometimes the most beautiful images are the ones that happen while your toddler is running full speed through a summer evening at Yates Mill.