Maternity session Inspiration

Happy Spring from Every Atom Photography! 🌸

Spring is in the air and Sarah and I are filled with excitement here at Every Atom Photography! While we bid farewell to the chilly winter days, we can't help but look back on all the wonderful memories we've captured with our amazing clients.

Winter brought us so many heartwarming opportunities, especially as we witnessed our past brides and grooms embark on their journey into parenthood. The joy of photographing newborns and expecting mothers has truly filled our hearts with positivity and inspiration.

From the amazing "I do" moments to the tentative selection of baby names and beyond, we've been fortunate to be a part of countless families' milestones. As we sit back on this last winter day, we can't help but marvel at the incredible journey we've shared with our clients. Time truly flies, and soon we'll be capturing senior and graduation photos for these little ones!

Life is a beautiful whirlwind of precious moments and we are grateful to be able to freeze these memories in time through our photography. Although we primarily serve the Cincinnati area, if you reside elsewhere and can't book a session with us, we hope our work can serve as inspiration for your future photo sessions with your local photographer.

Without further ado, we present a few of our favorite captures from our last two sessions. 📸✨ Let's embrace the new season and the endless possibilities it holds!

Get everyone together!

Capturing Love in Every Atom: Maternity Sessions

During a maternity session, it's natural to focus on capturing the radiant glow of the mom-to-be. But hey, let's not forget about the other little love bundles eagerly waiting to meet their new sibling! Just like you, they are bursting with joy and anticipation for their upcoming playmate. Including them in the photoshoot will add an extra layer of sweetness and excitement that you'll cherish forever.

Oh, and let's not overlook our furry friends! Pets can bring such warmth and comfort to a maternity session. Their presence reminds us that the arrival of a new baby is a momentous occasion for the whole family, including our beloved four-legged companions.

So, embrace the chaos, the giggles, and the paw prints in your maternity session. Trust us, you won't regret it. These photos will be treasured reminders of the love and anticipation that surrounded the journey to welcoming your newest family member.

Let's delve into the romantic side of things now. Despite the joyous anticipation of starting a family, it's important to cherish the love and passion between you and your special someone that sparked this beautiful journey. Ensure your photographer captures these heartfelt moments and gives dad his well-deserved time in the spotlight during the session. It's all about celebrating love, family, and those tender connections that make your story truly special.

Romantic maternity session in Dayton Ohio

Embracing Winter Vibes!

While some of our clients lean towards cozy studio sessions during winter, others can't resist the allure of the moody, magical outdoor look. Don't shy away from the chill! Bundle up, and let's create unforgettable moments together. You'll love the results, we promise! 📸❄️

Braving the cold for this moody maternity session in Waynesville, Ohio.

Celebrating Our Mom-to-Be

Let's shine the spotlight on our incredible mom-to-be! In the world of maternity sessions, she is truly the star of the show. Capturing her radiance is not only a priority but a joy. It was capturing the beauty of individuals that led me to pursue this career, making this part of the session a personal favorite. And when our mom-to-be arrives in style like Katie with her stunning long green dress, it simply adds that extra touch of magic to the whole experience.

Long Flowing Green Maternity Dress

Effortlessly stylish long green maternity dress for glowing moms-to-be, blending elegance with comfort and natural beauty.

I have found the perfect dress that I absolutely adore on Amazon!

Lifestyle Maternity: Embracing a Casual and Charming Look

Given the scenario of lifestyle maternity photography, the emphasis is on capturing a laid-back and natural aesthetic. The fashion style in this setting leans towards casual outfits that reflect what you would typically wear around the house. This approach adds a unique level of charm and authenticity to the images, embodying a sense of realism and comfort.

Capturing Sweet Beginnings

Infusing your photos with timeless charm is as simple as adding a sprinkle of nostalgia. Props like baby's first shoes, a cuddly teddy bear, a soft blanket, or even an ultrasound photo not only bring delightful pops of color and texture but also weave a heartwarming tale of the beautiful journey that is about to unfold. By incorporating these precious mementos, your images come alive with a touch of sweetness, capturing the essence of a new chapter waiting to be written.

Thank you for checking out our photos and ideas! We hope they bring a smile to your face and give you wonderful memories to cherish for years to come. If you're in our area, Sarah and I would be thrilled to chat with you about planning your next photo session. Just head over to our contact page whenever you're ready. Let us know what type of session catches your eye! God bless and happy spring!

Find a photographer who you resonate with

Yesterday evening Sarah and I had a phone consultation with a woman who had inquired about wedding photography the night before. She was kind and sweet. Most importantly she had taken the time to look through our portfolio, and like I have talked about many times before on this blog, she made sure she had a connection to our work. 

Something about our work resonated with her and her personal taste. In the middle of the consultation while we were going through the wedding day timeline and discussing first looks and family photos etc.. I stopped the conversation and asked a question. I asked her what about our work made her reach out to us over all of the other wedding photographers in Ohio. She mentioned one session in particular that she described in a very interesting way. She Talked about the gallery of Abigail and Peyton. (link below) This session takes place mostly in the forest at Timeless Charm in Camden, Ohio. She said that the bride and groom looked beautiful and that the location was great but she said what really stood out to her was the way that the photographs captured how the bride and groom “ interacted with the environment. ” 

Timeless Charm in Camden, Ohio.

What an interesting way to describe what she sees. A description like that is up for interpretation of course. I take that as a serious complement. It’s a goal that I strive to achieve. Abigail and Peyton look natural and comfortable in the forest. They seem at home there as opposed to looking like a glamorous couple placed in the forest for a photo and then sent back to the ballroom. 

The barebones photography style we use is simple, fun to perform and low stress for the bride and groom. It has always been a goal of ours and over the past 11 years we have it down so well that sometimes we don’t even realize we are using it. In fact, until she had said that I hadn’t realized how well that feeling of simple belonging had soaked into every aspect of our work. When you work as hard as we do and take thousands of photos a year, artistic growth tends to happen without you being conscious of it. Then, when someone points it out to you it brings an unexpected sense of pride and accomplishment. 

This morning that bride and groom officially booked with us for our 2024 wedding season. We are thrilled to have another couple to work with who truly appreciate our vision and we can’t wait to create some beautiful unique wedding photography together.  

You can view the gallery that inspired our new client by clicking the link below! Thank you so much for reading and have an amazing 2024!

 Sarah and I are open for bookings in the Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky area as well as traveling sessions. If you’re interested in possibly booking a session just hop over to the contact page and shoot us an email!

  If you enjoyed this read, please leave a like and consider subscribing for more photo session advice. Follow us on Instagram at the link below to keep up with our most recent photo session samples and reels.

Thanks for reading!

- Jordan Epperson

I Was Born the Family Documentarian

Johnny & Pam in the family cabin.

Hello all and thanks again for reading! I started this blog as a photography advice blog. It still is that but it's grown into so much more. I am enjoying sharing more about myself and my art. It’s been a great way for people to get to know Sarah and I better as well as helping me put things into perspective. When you do photo session after session things start to blur together and at a point you can become lost to your creative development.

Two weeks ago I went to my grandparents Christmas party. I’'ll admit I don’t look forward to every Christmas event, but I am always excited for Christmas at my Grandmother's Cabin.

My grandparents live deep in the woods in a cabin built by my great grandfather. The cabin sits on top of a hill that I think should qualify as a mountain. The drive up is rife with cliffs and gullies and the road starts with a sign stating “ I’d turn back if I were you.” to warn drivers who’s vehicles can’t handle the trip to second guess their choice to venture up.

Grandma is an “outspoken” woman who loves nothing more than Canoeing, fishing, playing her guitar and sitting warm in her cabin by the fire. She was always an inspiration to me and had a huge impact on me as an artist.

My Grandmother Pam Livesay in her cabin.

Grandma Playing her guitar.

Grandpa is a Tennessee native who grew up in a log cabin built by his father with no electricity or plumbing. His childhood cabin is actually in the Appalachian museum today. He served his country as a machinist in the navy on a battleship during Vietnam

Grandpa pictured with his fathers shotgun.

My Grandfather Johnny Livesay pictured with his fathers shotgun.

It’s always a great time hearing about their adventures. Somehow they have traveled the country for almost 50 years together and can tell you the names of every river they have paddled and every town they have taken a pit stop in.

So anyway back to the point. I was sitting in my favorite spot after re-stocking the firewood. looking into the same wood burning stove I have stared at my entire life when I see a shot. A spark of inspiration. I knew my grandfather's knee replacement surgery was going to be taking place in four days and at his age he might be out of commission for months. Especially with a hard winter coming up in Ohio.

So when I was saying my goodbyes I informed them that I would be back in two days to do portraits in the cabin at 11 am. That is when the light coming in from the front window is just right. They knew they didn’t have a choice with me.

That morning I showed up with my equipment and spent an hour photographing my grandparents. These photos show the love they have for each other, and to me they reflect their personalities perfectly. I hope although you don’t know them now, these photos tell you something about them.

After years of being a wedding photographer in Ohio and being overcome with Family, baby, graduation photo sessions etc… It can be easy to forget to use your photography skills to document your own family. I am thrilled to share these photos with you and I know they will be treasured by my family for generations.

 Sarah and I are open for bookings in the Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky area as well as traveling sessions. If you’re interested in possibly booking a session just hop over to the contact page and shoot us an email!

  If you enjoyed this read, please leave a like and consider subscribing for more photo session advice. Follow us on Instagram at the link below to keep up with our most recent photo session samples and reels.

Thanks for reading!

- Jordan Epperson

Should you pick your own location?

A huge part of what we as photographers do involves deciding the best spot for what the client is hoping to get out of their session. But very often we get the request to shoot the session in a place that doesn’t make for the best possible photos.

Just because its sentimental doesn’t mean its going to look good!

So… This is awkward but its true. Your husband may have proposed to you next to a beautiful oak tree in the middle of a grassy field on a gorgeous day. That is a preciouses memory and lives on as a perfect moment. It would be amazing to do your family photos there. What you don’t realize is that the field was surrounded by a sub division in the distance and the natural looking country photo session in your mind will be littered with houses in the backdrop of every photo. Or let’s say you have special memories as a child with your grandparents at a park in Cincinnati and you want to do the shoot there because they are coming to the session. What you might not think of is that it’s largely over crowded and every beautiful spot has a group of people lounging in it or three other family shoots in line before you with other photographers. Most of the session time is spent waiting and a number of the photos that were captured have strangers lurking in the backdrop.

Sarah and I are always happy to hear suggestions from clients and often that’s how we find new favorite spots to shoot. Our clients introduce us to hidden gems frequently.

How do you know if your choice is a good one?

After over a decade of scouting out locations my wife Sarah and I have developed a keen eye for a good environment. Here are a few tips to help you tell if your pick for a photo location is ideal.

Different looks

A good location for any photo session should have more than just one pretty backdrop. a waterfall definitely has potential for some awesome photos but whats next? an hour long photo session can yield dozens of great shots and having diversity between them is what we are looking for. It’s great to have a location with creeks, hiking trails, and an open area for sunset where we can can get that amazing golden light before it falls behind the trees.

Secluded

Your area is great! It has everything you want but you didn’t think about all the other people who might come flocking in with the same idea. If your area is a popular one you might want to make sure you schedule your session on a day when it’s not so busy.

Shade

Like most photographers we schedule our sessions about an hour before sunset. Sunset is the best light of the day but it can take a while for the light to be right. If there isn’t cloud cover the first 20 or so minutes of the session can still have pretty harsh lighting. It’s good to have the option to take the family into a shady spot like woods or a conservatory if available.

Reasonable distance

An hour is a good amount of time to capture fantastic looking photos, however it goes by fast if half of your time is spent walking and talking. Especially if you have small children in your group or God forbid its 95 degrees. When picking a location remember the walking distance between each location should only be a couple of minutes. For example if you have five spots you want to visit in your session and they take just five minutes to travel to that’s 25 minutes of your 1 hour session. Some locations will offer a golf cart or something similar to get from spot to spot.

Has a theme

Finally, ask yourself this question. Does the location have a look that speaks to you? Does it fit your dream idea of how your shoot will look when you receive your gallery? There are thousands of shoots to look through online. Take some time to go down the rabit hole and see which images inspire you. Save them to your device and even send them to your photographer. This will help you get a clear vision of what you want. Like making a dream board.

Sarah and I love collaborating with our client’s and we are always open to ideas and inspiration. If your curious about if your idea for spot is right you can always reach out and ask what we think. Fall is coming up quickly. We are so excited to visit some of our favorite locations as the leaves change and capture some beautiful memories!

Sarah and I are open for bookings in the Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky area. If you’re interested in possibly booking a session just hop over to the contact page and shoot us an email!

If you enjoyed this post please leave a like and consider subscribing for more photo session advice. Follow us on Instagram to keep up with our most recent photo session samples and reels.

Thanks for reading!

- Jordan Epperson