Outdoor Maternity Portraits At The Carillon, Richmond Virginia
Close up maternity portrait of woman in off the shoulder red dress holding her baby bump
There are maternity sessions, and then there are maternity sessions that take your breath away. This was exactly that.
When this mama to be arrived in her stunning crimson off the shoulder gown, we knew the evening was going to be something special. We spent golden hour moving between two of Richmond’s most beautiful backdrops — the grand stone steps and sweeping architecture of The Carillon in Byrd Park and the beautiful tree lined paths nearby — and the results speak for themselves.
Expecting couple holding hands looking at each other on a grand staircase
The Carillon is one of Richmond’s hidden gems for portrait photography. Its pale limestone facade and sweeping staircase create a timeless, almost European elegance that pairs beautifully with formal gowns. As the sun dipped lower in the sky, the light bounced off those stone walls in the most gorgeous, warm tones, wrapping our mama in a glow that felt almost otherworldly.
We captured her leaning against the curved wall, cradling her bump with such quiet tenderness. We captured her and her partner laughing on the stairs, completely lost in the joy of the moment. And there’s that iconic shot, the long red train of her gown cascading down the stone steps, the whole frame feeling like something out of a fairytale.
Happy expecting couple leaning against a stone wall holding an ultrasound photo
As the session continues, we moved to the park’s tree lined pathways, where towering trunks framed our mama like a cathedral. With a stunning floral crown of red and white blooms woven through her curls, she looked like a woodland queen. These images have such a different, more intimate energy, softer, dreamier, and deeply romantic.
And then, the dress flew. One of my absolute favorite moments to capture is the train toss, and this session delivered something magical. The long red fabric billowed and swept across the path in a perfect arc, and she just beamed. That image is pure joy.
This wasn’t just a solo session, her partner joined for several portraits and the connection between them is palpable in every image. Whether they were holding hands on a brick pathway surrounded by bare winter trees, laughing together on the staircase, or proudly holding their ultrasound photo against the stone wall, you can feel the love and excitement radiating from both of them. That ultrasound shot is one for the baby book.
Pregnancy is such a fleeting, extraordinary season of life. The anticipation, the tenderness, the quiet moments of wonder — these things are worth preserving forever. Maternity photography is about more than just documenting a bump. It’s about honoring the woman stepping into motherhood, and celebrating the family she’s building.
Sessions like this remind me exactly why I do what I do.
