As 2022 comes to a close, I can’t help but reminisce and be thankful for all of the wonderful things that happened this year. Life as a homeschool mom, maternity and newborn photographer, and photography educator is not always easy. But I wouldn’t change a thing!

It is truly the greatest blessing to serve these young families and watch their kiddos grow up. A few years ago I decided to narrow down to offer maternity and newborn portraits exclusively. Since then, I’ve been able to photograph families as they’ve welcomed multiple babies. There is nothing better!

In 2022, I’ve had the privilege of photographing 24 maternity sessions, 41 newborn sessions, and 46 family mini sessions. I added two new educational resources to my Store: the Newborn Photographer Mini-Course and the Ultimate Newborn Photographer Bundle. It’s been incredible seeing hundreds of photographers grow their businesses and improve their lives with the educational programs I offer. Here’s a recap of the best of 2022.

Best Maternity Session Locations

It’s no secret that Arizona is a desert environment. A huge majority of my clients love the desert as much as I do. I love when they want to showcase the beauty of the desert for their maternity portraits! Here’s a breakdown of my favorite maternity session locations in 2022.

Scottsdale Desert

The scenery of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve is like no other. It’s easy to see why I photograph so many sessions at one of the many trailheads. A few of my favorites are Gateway, Brown’s Ranch, and Tom’s Thumb. I highly recommend checking out these locations for beautiful hiking! If you want to utilize these spots for photos, you’ll need a permit, which you can obtain from the City of Scottsdale. At the time of publishing, permits are $50 for a single day or $300 for one year.

Desert at Sunrise

With summer temperatures in the Phoenix area reaching over 110 degrees in the afternoon, I often opt for sunrise sessions during June, July, and August. Some locations can be between 70-80 degrees in the early morning hours, which is much more comfortable and safe for expecting mamas. I’ll often meet my clients at 5:30am to take advantage of the soft morning light. Finding pretty locations close to parking are working quickly are the keys. Once the sun comes up it can be 90 degrees by 6:30am. Another bonus is that clients can head to a breakfast date once their session is done!

Flowers & Greenery

Finding green and/or flowery locations in the desert is actually quite difficult. These types of locations are also heavily dependent on weather, rainfall, and season. Read more about finding desert wildflowers in this blog post.

Water

Believe or not, there are a handful of lakes and small rivers in the Phoenix desert. These are always a popular, and beautiful, choice for maternity portraits. My favorites are Saguaro Lake and the Salt River.

Mountains

What’s not to love about the way the Arizona sun hits the mountains at sunset? It truly is “purple mountain majesties!” There certainly is not shortage of stunning mountain locations here in Scottsdale! Some of my favorite mountain locations include South Mountain, McDowell Sonoran Preserve trailheads, and the Tonto Forest.

Other Maternity Session Locations

Every now and then I’m able to try out a new spot. Maybe it’s a location that’s special to my client or a hidden gem that I’ve spent hours searching and scouting for.

Best Newborn Session Poses

My signature posing process and flow is something I’ve worked so hard to perfect over the last few years. (There’s also an entire module dedicated to posing in my Lifestyle + Posed Newborn Course.) I always want my clients to feel comfortable, have fun, and receive the true BHP luxury experience I’m known for. It’s fun to get my creativity juices flowing and try new poses or put a different spin on a popular pose.

Whole Family

Whether I’m photographing a first baby or fourth baby, connection is the name of the game.

Mom & Dad with the Baby

What does every pose have in common? Comment below when you think you know!

Mom & Baby

She’s beautiful, elegant, natural, powerful, strong, and treasured. Capturing the mama with her newest babe is a top priority for every newborn session.

Dad with Baby

Get ready for Mom’s heart to melt and eyes to tear up. Photos with Dad, Baby, and siblings are always so sweet!

Baby with Siblings

The sibling photos are often the first ones I take during a lifestyle newborn session.

Baby with Pets

The four-legged furry family members are important, too!

Baby Alone

Every one of my newborn sessions ends with individual photos of the baby.

What’s Next

While 2022 was incredible, I’m looking forward to revamping a few things within my business to better serve my portrait clients in 2023. Interested in working with me for your maternity and newborn photos? I would be honored! Please visit this page to learn more and then complete the contact form to get in touch. I can’t wait to hear from you! Who knows, maybe you’ll be featured on my Best of 2023 blog post 😉