Category Archives: Family Photography

May 03
Ten Mother’s Day Gifts

This week’s list is dedicated to the moms out there. If you haven’t thought of a good present for the mom in your life yet, or, moms, if you just know your loved one has no idea what to get, and you don’t want yet another jug of foul smelling perfume, here are some ideas.

What was your favorite mother’s day gift? Post it as a comment at the end, I would love to hear it!

  1. Photo Books- Some of my clients have wanted to do a photo session because they wanted to send these photos out to their parents out of state, or give them to their spouse to put on their desk at work, such as the one I made (below). There is a variety of places online like Shutterfly or Blurb that could make photo books for you. Their interface is easy to work with to create a wonderful personalized gift.


  2. Photo Mug- If you don’t want to do a book, there are all kinds of ways to put photos on gifts, like a desk organizer, a mouse pad, or, if your mother can’t get started in the morning until her fist cup of coffee, a photo mug would be a perfect gift!

  3. Photo Quilt- For our wedding, Tara, a friend of ours, had a great idea to put out fabric squares for our guests to sign, then make those squares into a quilt. That wonderful and cozy gift has been on my mind recently, and I just found out about printing photos on fabric squares and making those into a quilt. There are many patterns available online for free, or you could work with this site to have them make it.
  4. Photo Lamp- In looking up different photo gifts for you, my dear readers, I came across this site. It looks like such a neat option, and I know I would really enjoy a photo of my loved one who already lights up my life!

  5. Photo Album- Shortly after my wedding last October, I collected about 25 images from our wedding and put them into a small photo album and mailed it back to my mom in Cincinnati for her to show her friends. Many of my recent clients have parents who live several states away, or even out of the country. Just making a small photo book of your spouse and kids, or of you and your mom, or of photos from your childhood would likely make her as happy as my mom was when I sent her my small wedding album.

  6. Photo Gift Box- My mother-in-law is a sweet and bright person. Her smile and her giggles are infectious. She is a great argument for the old axiom of “you are what you eat.” She has always had a huge sweet tooth, the brighter the candy, the sweeter the treats, the better they are! I certainly share her love (for the candy as well as for her daughter!), and if your mom is anything like her, there are all kinds of options for sweet presents. I found a really nice photo gift box here that includes chocolate covered nuts, Ghirardelli truffle squares and mini chocolate covered pretzels. I even found a photo box with a safe in it, for those mothers who have husbands or kids that like to steal her treats!

  7. Paper Flowers- Lorena is a friend of ours whose skills at crafty projects and baking is legendary! She made our wedding cake, and it was delicious! Several months before our wedding, she made my wife an impressive bouquet of paper flowers to pose with when they went dress shopping. I loved it right away, as did my wife. We put it in a vase right inside our front door, where it still resides today. There are many options for making gorgeous paper flowers, such as origami lilies, or Paper Source (I love that place!) has kits here to guide you through the project. To add a personal touch, print out some photos and use them for the petals.


  8. Photo Collage- If you’re not a fan of following directions, or buying a mostly made gift already, a photo collage is a great option. Not much to say about it here, just get some photos and/or some magazines to cut or tear up and paste!

  9. Photo Pendant- For those that like finding old treasures, or have moms who love those treasures, going to antique shops or finding modern takes on these pendants is easy to do.

  10. Frames- For the mom (or mother-in-law) who is hard to shop for, or who has everything they want already, a simple frame would be a great gift. Either give them an empty frame with an invitation to get some photos of her and/or her family this summer, or use it to replace a frame in the house that no longer matches the décor.

Apr 26
Sneak Peek–Jennifer and Brian’s Maternity Session

A few months ago, I asked a friend of mine who is involved in the tattoo subculture if she knew anyone who was tattooed and was expecting a baby soon. She put me in touch with Jenn and Brian, who were very excited at the chance to do a maternity photo session. We went back and forth talking about ideas for the shoot, and I explained how I love to photograph people in their homes because I am most interested in capturing a moment and the memories in their lives. I am less interested in taking photos in a studio because it takes people out of context, placing them in an unfamiliar environment, and sometimes making them uncomfortable. However, she was not as interested in having photos done in her home, so she suggested we do these photos at the tattoo shop where Brian works. What a wonderful idea!
Visually, it was a bright and fun environment, and it fit them and their story (they actually met in a tattoo shop) really well. I am so happy she suggested it!






Mar 02
8 month old Drexel

Drexel is one of the most curious babies I have photographed. Each of the three times I have photographed him and his family, he has spent most of the time watching me, seemingly trying to figure out what I am doing. His curiosity have made for some really engaging photos, and some of my favorites, to be honest.

This time, with a combination of a few raspberries from his mom, some snacks (his teeth are really coming in now!), their dogs vying for attention, and some playing with dad, he was giggling and just didn’t have time to notice me! Seeing him smile and giggle was just wonderful!

I can’t say enough how rewarding photographing families in their homes is. Watching children grow up, helping preserve these memories, and just being in such a loving environment has been so humbling. I look forward to each of these shoots, and am eager to find more families to work with.

To see all the photos from this session, click here





Feb 28
Elora’s First Birthday!!

Elora and her family were some of my first clients; I got to watch her grow and change with photo sessions at three, six, and nine months and most recently at her first birthday party — and this last session proved to be the most fun (but not just because there was cake)!
This was unlike any other first birthday I’d been to. Family and friends from all around the world and all phases of the family’s life were invited — a college roommate, a tennis partner, aunts and uncles, an uncle-to-be, one set of grandparents came in from New Jersey, and even great grandpa came all the way from Romania!
Of course, it wouldn’t be a first birthday party without a bunch of other babies and toddlers running around, too! Elora had a great time playing with with all her friends, but like many one-year-olds she wasn’t quite sure what to make of her birthday cake!
Happy birthday Elora; I hope you’ll have so much fun someday looking back at all of these photo sessions capturing your first year!
To see all the photos from this session, click here






Jan 14
Natanson Family






When I first started photographing families in their homes, Tara and Josh volunteered to let me photograph them. I never used those photos because I was still getting used to how to best photograph families, and Jacob was just too darn fast!

A couple weekends ago, they let me photograph them again, and I am really happy to have gotten another chance!

Check out the whole gallery here


All Photos ©2013 Patrick Rogers Photography