I recently put out a call for moms and babies willing to model in a Dallas styled shoot exploring the beauty of breastfeeding. This sweet mama, with her precious baby boy, perfectly embodied the nurturing, feminine, and self-giving aspects of breastfeeding I was hoping to capture. As a mom of two with one on the way, I know how much love and dedication it takes to breastfeed an infant, how it isn’t always an easy journey. That’s why I wanted a shoot that could capture the inherent beauty in this act of maternal love, a session in which I could showcase motherhood and breastfeeding in an intimate and artistic way.

Styled shoots are a wonderful opportunity for photographers to focus on themes and skills that are important to them. If you’re a lifestyle photographer wondering if a styled shoot is right for you, here are my top three reasons to try one!

Boost Your Portfolio

I’m lucky to have the opportunity to photograph an array of lifestyle sessions in DFW. From maternity, to newborn, to family portraits, to weddings, I love the variety of galleries in my portfolio. Nonetheless, a styled shoot was an opportunity for me to further boost my portfolio with a specific kind of session, one that focused on motherhood and breastfeeding. If you’re just starting out, a styled session can also be really helpful for expanding your portfolio with different types of shoots. This way, too, you get to dictate the appearance of the session by choosing what your models will wear and the location of the shoot. For this styled shoot, I chose pieces from my client wardrobe that were nursing friendly and photographed beautifully in the natural lighting of my downtown Dallas studio.

Explore Skills in A Stress-Free Environment

While I love working with all my clients, this session was really fun for me because it took the pressure off performing specifically for a client’s wants. Instead, I was able to focus on what I wanted to get out of the shoot. Working with the model and her baby, I was able to explore poses, angles, and lighting in a way that was not only fun but also enriching, as I practiced different techniques. Overall, the session was actually really relaxing because I wasn’t worried about satisfying a client’s needs or squeezing every desired image into a limited amount of time. In this styled shoot, I was able to obtain all the images I wanted in a stress-free environment.

Photograph Something Meaningful and New to You 

As I described above, it was really meaningful for me to capture the powerful, innate beauty of motherhood and breastfeeding through these aesthetically intimate photos. While all of the maternity and baby sessions I photograph are meaningful to me, specifically designing a styled shoot allowed me to focus on these ideals in an artistic way. I always strive to produce fine-art photography, but this session felt new and exciting because I was completely guiding the vision for the gallery, somewhat like an artist selecting every color and brushstroke for her canvas. I’m so pleased with how these photos turned out, and beyond thankful to the model and her baby for working with me!

If you’re a motherhood photographer in the Dallas area and are looking for styled shoot opportunities I would love to work with you! Visit my Mentor Page for more information!

Ana Dufreche is a luxury, lifestyle photographer servicing the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex. She specializes in motherhood, family, and newborn photography. Her sessions take place outdoors, in-home, and at her studio. The ADP studio is located in Downtown Dallas!