Mother’s Day is approaching and although, in my humble opinion, a mother is a mother every day, the first Sunday in May is the one dedicated (at least in Spain and some other countries) to honoring her. Gifts, details, celebrations, calls, messages and kisses and hugs fly in all corners of the country. We all remember our mothers and grandmothers, on our own initiative or bombarded by the media ;).
Beyond constituting a great opportunity to have a detail with yours, it is also an opportunity to photograph your relationship, or that of other mothers with their daughters or sons. Or you as a mother, why not give yourself the pleasure? I myself have realized, when looking for photos for this article, of the few artistic photos that I have with my mother and my daughter, in fact, none with my mother as an adult (I have to put a remedy on this). That is why I encourage you from here, to take advantage of the occasion to immortalize that bond that unites you, with your mother or with your children, that love that goes beyond any other. To do this, I bring you some inspiring examples.
1. Moms-to-be
A mother is from before giving birth. Waiting is already a moment of unconditional love, even mothers of the heart feel it, those who do not carry the baby in their womb but her happiness is reflected in her face when the moment of adoption approaches. A lifelong memory of the sweet wait.
2. Repeat moms
The portrait of a second pregnancy can win if accompanied by her little brother or sister. Images full of tenderness that will be a precious gift for any mother who repeats motherhood.
3. With your newborn
One of the key moments for every mother is the birth of a child. A vulnerable moment, with revolutionized hormones, physical recovery, fatigue that can overwhelm you, logistics that overwhelm you, advice (not requested) that rains down on you from everywhere and a long list of “side effects”. But there are other moments, those in which you enjoy your baby, the contact with his skin, the unmistakable aroma of a newborn, hugging him asleep, infecting you with his peace and innocence, feeling so much love that you think you will to explode… Those moments, it is a sin not to immortalize them.
In this mega guide on newborn photography you will find tips and tricks for photographing your baby’s very first days.
4. Carrying
Luckily this image is no longer exclusive to certain countries. Contact with the baby is something that many mothers need just as much as their babies and enjoy it through babywearing. A nice gesture to remember through a photograph.
5. Complicity
Children grow and the mother-child bond is enriched every day. Similar tastes, mutual learning, secrets, shared moments, each relationship is different and special. Capturing the gestures, the looks or any sign of complicity between a mother and her son or daughter is a very magical memory, something that time should not erase.
6. The most carefree
With the little ones you can try spontaneous, fun, carefree photos, with a point of rebelliousness that they will surely love in the future.
8. Or full of love
A kiss, a hug, a caress or any other sign of affection is, without a doubt, a tender image, full of emotion and very significant. Who can resist a photo like this?
9. Black and White Mothers
Black and white is so timeless, classic, nostalgic and captivating as much as a mother’s love. The keys to this photograph are the negative space and the black and white that they give to them and to this emotional gesture, all the protagonism (that and Marta Schmidt’s gaze).
10. Backlit
You can use a silhouette to tell a story, portray a common hobby or a special moment for the mother with her children. Sometimes hinting is stronger than showing, this is a good example.
11. laughs
A face to face and an explosion of laughter, guaranteed success. Back to back could also be very interesting. Do you dare to try it?
12. Like drops of water
Those moms who share with their daughters everything from hobbies to clothes, modern and carefree moms, why not portray that fresh image? (Almost as fresh as snow ;P )
13. Love without limits
Because each son is different, each one is special in his own way and he loves all of them with a love that has no limits. A mother does not distinguish, a mother loves diversity each and every one of her children and adores what makes each of them special.
14. Grandma love
A grandmother is doubly a mother. They deserve as much attention on this day from her grandchildren as they do from her children. You can use low key for this occasion or any other where you want to create a more dramatic or expressive effect.
15. His hands
How many times have their hands caressed you, comforted you, held you tight so that you didn’t fall, or so that you got up, or so that you made a mistake knowing that they were by your side, accompanying you. How many will have cured you, fed you, cleaned you? Each of those wrinkles of your mother, your grandmother, is full of memories, experiences and feelings shared with you. Those hands that maybe now need you to be the one to hold them tight.
And as promised is debt, I leave you with a very personal image, I would have liked to include one with my mother (I promise to place the tripod the next time I travel to see her) although I bring you one with my daughter.
I don’t know if it will inspire you or not, and it has many flaws, but what I can assure you is the love it concentrates and how special it is to me. It has become one of my favourites.
Do not give up!
I did it for the article 17 Tricks to Get the Best “Selfie” With Your Little One, which can also be useful for this “feat”, or this other one can also be useful: 10 Tips to Get Magnificent Self-Portraits. That is in the case of wanting to portray yourself with your mother or if you are a mother and want to immortalize yourself with your children. If it is to photograph other families, surely one of these articles on portraiture will help you.
And here’s today’s inspiration. I hope you liked it and, above all, that it made you want to go out and take pictures on such a special day.
If you found it useful, I would appreciate it if you shared it, may the inspiration go a long way! Thank you and… Happy Mother’s Day!