Livermore Maternity Photos at Del Valle Regional Park
Christine and Casey booked my before and after package – two photoshoots where we capture pictures of baby in the belly and baby outside the belly. For their maternity photos, we headed to Del Valle Regional Park in Livermore and for their newborns we worked in their home – the space where they brought home their new baby! I love these kind of sessions because I get to really get to know the new parents!
Maternity Photos at Del Valle
When Christine reached out to start planning their maternity photos, we immediately got into discussion on location. I shared with her my location guide on some of my favorite places to photograph in the Bay Area and she quickly informed me that they wanted to do Del Valle. She told me that her and Casey got married in the central valley at a winery, where they have this photo of them on top of the hillsides and Del Valle gave them similar vibes.
We did their maternity photos in October and let me tell you, California is known for staying warm all through November. It’s not until late November and early December that I actually start to worry about rainy photoshoots or it’s just being to cold to work. So when we decided to do October, we planned for almost a warm night, and of course it was colldddd.
But Christine was such a champ, share bared the wind and chill in her gorgeous dresses. Also, we were both laughing about how much wind she was getting – we started to lean into it at one point say that we are just trying to recreate Taylor Swift’s windblown cover for 1989.
I love this location because it’s rolling hills without the hike. Call me a lazy photographer, but I truly want my couples to have beautiful locations with out the hassle. Some people love a huge hike for epic views, but I don’t want to bring all my equipment on a hillside and I don’t want you to worry about your hair, makeup and outfit on a trek. Soooo that’s why I love this location. Epic views, without the hassle.
Plus, during the summer and fall, these are golden rolling hills – but come spring they turn green and it’s such a different experience.
Anyways, enjoy their maternity photos! But keep scrolling because then you’ll get to meet baby Caden.
Meet Baby Caden!
When planning your newborn photos, two things always come up:
- Where should we take these photos?
- How old should our baby be for these photos?
And this is my advice on both situations. When it comes to location, you can chose to do your own home, renting a local studio, or outside. I always try to push everyone to do an indoor session, unless your baby is a few months old. We can just control the environment a lot more indoors and don’t have to worry about rain, the cold or any other unpredictable elements with a newborn.
So often, I get parents asking if they should do a studio or their own home. Time after time, as a photographer, I prefer your home. I know shocking! A lot of photographers will prefer studios because they usually guarantee perfect lighting. BUT, I prefer spaces that are more personal to clients, a space that feels special to them. Plus working in your home enables you to have everything you need for baby there.
Studios are gerat if you really don’t feel like youre tied to your space. Or that you just have no desire to clean up and tidy your space for photos.
Okay, and now, when it comes to timing, I tell people to get their newborn photos between 2-10 weeks for lifestyle shoots. If you are looking for super stylized photos where there’s a lot of baby posing – you’ll wan to work with in 2-10 days. But for lifestyle photos, we focus on photos of you with baby and the connection you have so, we get to work with them a little later.
Now the timing is really up to you! Photos a little later, means that baby will be more awake for images and momma will probably be feeling a little more healed after labor. And if you wanted photos of baby really small, sleep, and swaddled then we will do photos really early on.
For Christne and Casey’s photos, they waited a little longer to do his pictures. For his photos he was 8-9 weeks along. At this point he was bigger, more active and alert!
Check out their newborn photos below that we did in their own home!
Book your Bump, Baby and Beyond Session!
I book maternity and newborn photos year round, because well, babies come year round! I offer just solo maternity photos or solo newborn photos, but a lot of my clients tend to bundle those shoots together to save a little money and also so they don’t have to find separate photographers!
I hope I get to work with you, feel free to reach out to learn more about these sessions
Wedding days end, newborns become toddlers, and parents become grandparents. These moments go by so fast. You deserve to live fully in them, to be present, and then relive them through imagery that tells your story. Photography is more than just a picture, it’s a way to document your history. These are the good old days. Let me help you remember them.
photos that live up to the
memories
I believe every story deserves to be seen, felt & remembered.
"I love the people I photograph. I mean, they're my friends. I've never met most of them or I don't know them at all, yet through my images I live with them."
Words I Live by
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Photographer, dog mom, book hoarder, and Trader Joe’s loyalist. I’m a Pisces, an ENFJ, and an Enneagram 3, which basically means I feel everything, care deeply, and always have a running to-do list (with color coding).
These days, I’m also figuring out life as a new mom — balancing baby snuggles with camera gear and reminding myself to slow down and soak it all in. I’ve built a career out of noticing the details, chasing the light, and turning everyday moments into art.
Wanna know more about the girl behind the photos (and the caffeine habit)?
Then let's connect!
I'm Shannon.
throughout the entire session."
"She has a unique ability to make you feel at ease
and keep you laughing
