In honor of Mother’s Day we’ve rounded up some of our ambassadors’ best photos of moms along with their tips for capturing the essence of motherhood in your own photographs.

We wish all of you mothers out there a very Happy Mother’s Day and encourage you to get in the frame this weekend!

#1 – Capture the TENDERNESS of motherhood.

Melissa of Melissa Klein Photography says,

Motherhood portraiture is something near and dear to my heart.   Most moms are quick to stay out of photos, and I’m trying my hardest to change that.  It’s a beautiful bond that should be celebrated!    When photographing mothers and babies, I try to catch the candid, in-between moments.  Lots of cuddling, playing, and always some laughter.  Those moments where mom is interacting with her little one(s) show the true love between a mother and child.  I do a little directing with where and how to sit, but mothers instinctively know how to hold their babies, and the rest falls into place.

Jessica of Yeah She Snaps Photography says,

Capturing motherhood is so much less about capturing two faces aimed at the camera.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with a great photo for your wall of everyone’s faces, but for me, when I capture motherhood, I want moments, not poses.   I love looking at my baby and early childhood photos, and while the ones of me and my Mom looking at the camera are also cherished, the ones of her interacting with me, loving on me, giving me a meal, a bath, shopping with me, etc., are the ones that I love most.

When I shoot a session that involves a mother and children, I always encourage them to interact.  I let them know “I’m going to back off now”, so that they don’t get nervous thinking I’m going to hover.  I stay close, and just kind of let the magical mommy moments happen. If they need coaching, I’ll use phrases like “give mama a kiss, a hug, etc.” or “be silly, mama’s gonna tickle you!” etc.  A few simple prompts will usually get you great results.

#2 – Capture the BEAUTY of motherhood.

Amy of My Letter Sized Life says,

Whenever I’m taking photos of a family, in the back of my head I’m always looking for that moment where the mother finally drops her guard and is totally in the moment, that is when I think moms are most beautiful. Most women want gorgeous photos of their children to hang on the wall and share with family and friends, but if you can go a step further and show a woman a photo of herself lost in her love for her child, it never fails to make her feel beautiful!

Melissa of Melissa Klein Photography says,

For motherhood photos, I have a large studio wardrobe full of gorgeous tops, dresses, and layering pieces that are available for mothers, babies, and children.  No stress, not a lot of planning.  I try to keep everything as simple as possible to end up with gorgeous photos of mothers and their babies that will be cherished for years to come.

#3 – Capture the REALITY of motherhood.

Kim of Apple of Our Eye Photography says,

Motherhood is one of the most beautiful things on this planet. It’s actually one of my very favorite things to capture. There is nothing quite like a mother’s love for her child. But let’s be honest, there is also a very different side to motherhood that is complete and utter chaos. I was asked to capture a day in the life of motherhood from a friend of mine. Real motherhood. What it often looks like most days. In-home lifestyle sessions have my heart and it’s where I find children to be more relaxed. You get to capture their silly side, their personality, and the relationships between siblings and parents. I also find that I don’t have to give as much direction as I am able to capture more authentic moments. While this is an exaggerated take on a lifestyle session, it’s a reminder that you don’t have to have the perfect magazine ready home. In fact, the realer – the better. For most people, this is real life. Mom life.

#4 – Capture the SPONTANEITY of motherhood.

Dia of Dia Meraz Photography says,

Always have the camera ready! Posed pictures are great, but it’s the moments in between that capture the loving glance, the playful smirk or the reassuring touch of a mother. These are the shots that capture not only the moment, but the essence of who we are.

#5 – Capture the FUN of motherhood.

Meggan of Meggan Harrison Photography says,

As a mom we do a lot of the running around and snapping pictures of our kids. But when you start to look back on pictures you begin to realize the lack of pictures you have with your kids. Don’t be afraid to snap some selfies with your children even if they are silly or you look like a mess. You will cherish them in the future.

Amy of My Letter Sized Life says,

Make sure to capture mom having fun too! Dads seem to be the ones who get ALL the credit for being fun. But I’ll bet the mom in your life has a fun side too-encourage her to explore it when snapping photos of her. That way many years from now when children look back on these photos of their mom they’ll remember she had a playful side too.

#6 – Capture the TIMELESSNESS of motherhood.

Jessica of Yeah She Snaps Photography says,

Don’t forget about older children too!  They still need their mamas just as much if not more, depending on the stages of life they’re going through.

Addy of Chic Planner Girl says, 

The one tip I would give mothers is to get in as many pictures as you possibly can with you kids, because you never know when you may not have that opportunity and because our children grow up so fast.

This is a picture of my sister Esmeralda and her daughter. A few months ago my sister was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer and though she is in remission today, she is so thankful that she had the ability to cherish every moment with her daughter and take these photos for her daughter to cherish when she is older. Today she continues to take pictures with her daughter so that they may cherish their memories together.