Ideas for mother-son photo sessions
Learn how to capture successful mother and son photos and get some ideas to inspire your next photoshoot.
“Mothers are inscrutable beings to their sons, always.” ― A.E. Coppard
Typically, mothers take most family photos so they often don't have a lot of photos of themselves with their children. You can put Mum back in the picture by including a series of mother and son poses during family portrait sessions. It can be even better if you get the opportunity to do a whole photo shoot of a mother with her sons.
Planning the photoshoot
Photographing a mother and son is a great idea at any age, from newborn to adolescence, and even into adulthood and retirement. As you plan the shoot, determine the concept, the location and whether you’ll need props. Inspiration boards are a good way to collect your ideas. You can also share this board with the mum before the session.
Here are some ideas for mother and son photoshoots to get your creative juices flowing:
- Mother holding her newborn in the nursery
- Mum bathing a newborn in the sink
- Mother and toddler story time
- Toddler walking to his mum
- Mum getting her son ready for school
- Mum giving her son a piggyback ride
- Mother and son enjoying a shared activity together
- Strolling together – great for any age
Decide on the best timing for your photoshoot
Because newborns sleep frequently, the timing of these sessions isn't as important as it might be for toddlers. Try not to plan a photoshoot too close to a meal, a nap or bedtime for young children. For adults and teenagers with more flexibility in their schedules, try to schedule your photoshoot during the golden hour.
Communicate with Mum ahead of time, plan the shoot, and find the right lighting, and you'll soon be capturing sweet memories between mother and son.
Create keepsakes from photos
After the photoshoot, turn your photos into keepsakes for the mother (or her son). Using professional photo editing software, like Lightroom and Photoshop will help you perfect your photos, ready to share.