Black and white photo of a mother and baby for The Motherhood Session Investment Guide.


Investing in photographs of this season is not something most people do without thinking twice. That's okay. This guide is here to walk you through everything; what a session looks like, what it costs, and what you'll have when it's over. My hope is that by the end, it feels less like a decision and more like a yes.

A smiling woman in a colorful cardigan stands in a hallway decorated with children's artwork and a paper chain garland.

Welcome! I'm so glad you're here.


Most of us have plenty of quick snapshots. A phone passed back and forth. A rushed smile before heading out the door. But this season holds more than that.


The way your days feel. The pace of them. The small interactions that might seem ordinary now and won’t always be.


Having someone step in to document it thoughtfully means you get to be in it fully.


This chapter of your life deserves to be remembered.



My Approach


Motherhood isn’t a performance. It’s a rhythm.


My work is rooted in slowing down enough to notice it. The way you pull them close without thinking. The chaos of them "helping" with laundry or dishes. The ordinary moments that carry everything.


This is not about creating something picture perfect. It's about documenting what's actually happening - the texture of your everyday life, the dynamic that makes your family yours and nobody else's.


We'll stay in places that hold your story. Your kitchen in the morning light. The yard, the living room floor, the couch you all collapse onto at the end of the day. The spaces that already know you.


These are not staged memories. They're honest ones. The kind that feel small right now and won't always. The kind you'll reach for years from now and feel in your chest.



Here's something I want to be upfront about: I don't work from currated Pinterest boards. When I've tried in the past, I spend the whole session chasing someone else's image instead of finding yours. The art suffers for it. What you're getting when you book me is my perspective -- and that only works if you let me use it.

Black and white photo of a woman in a white dress bending down to help a toddler near a white door indoors.

Process


Before your session, I'll send a short questionnaire to get to know your family, what this season feels like and what is most important to document.


On the day, I arrive and let things settle naturally. Kids warm up at their own pace - I keep things light, never forcing a single moment. I might nudge you toward better light, suggest diving into a favorite activity, or let the kids pull me into their world entirely. It usually unfolds on its own from there. I keep soft music on in the background so nobody's stuck sitting in awkward silence between moments.


The goal is to keep you doing something together - bath time, gardening, a slow morning on the couch. When your family is moving through something real, that's when the best moments happen. That's what I'm there to catch.


Your full gallery is delivered within 45 days, high resolution and ready to download, share, and print.

A mother in a white dress holds her baby in a golden reed field under a blue sky.
Silhouette of a mother tenderly holding her baby against a softly lit wall, creating a moody, intimate shadow portrait.
Silhouette of a person visible through a steamy frosted shower door with warm golden light.

 

Collections

 

The Mother

Person in white lace dress sitting on edge of sunlit bed with white linen, bare feet touching floor.

Two hours that are just for you and whoever you're bringing into the frame - your baby, your kids, or just yourself in this season. Unhurried, real, and completely yours.


• Two-hour session

• Up to two locations

• Outfit change included

• Welcome guide with styling support

• 125 high-resolution images delivered

• Add eight same-day Polaroid images to take home for $80


 

$ 1100

 

Seasons Together

Overhead view of baby reaching toward doormat with shoes while adult holds sneakers and crocs at home entrance.

This is for the mom who wants a fuller picture of this time - not just one afternoon, but a whole year of it. All four sessions are valued at $3,200 -  saving you $300.


• Four seperate one-hour sessions

• One location per session

• One outfit per session

• Welcome guide with styling support

• 60 high-resolution images per session

• Add eight same-day Polaroid images to take home for $80



 

$ 2900

 

The Short Story

A mother and baby lying together on a bed, both dressed in white, sharing a tender close moment.

A little slice of right now - for the mother who's ready to just show up and be.


• One-hour session

• One location

• One outfit

• Welcome guide with styling support

• 60 high-resolution images delivered

• Add eight same-day Polaroid images to take home for $80

 

$ 800

 

Travel Fees


• 31–35 miles from Mills River: $150

• 36–60 miles from Mills River: $250


I do not book sessions beyond 60 miles so I can balance work and family with intention. Thank you for understanding.


Woman in white dress sitting in wicker chair on wooden porch, cradling a baby in soft natural sunlight.
A mother in a white dress interacts with her baby sitting in a wooden playhouse with a yellow slide outdoors.
A mother sits on tiled floor in warm sunlight, lovingly holding her baby close in a cozy home setting.

 

Trusted by families for the past nine years;

 




“Every single photo feels so true to us and who we are as a family. Her work is purposeful yet organic."




“Her talent for capturing candid moments is matched by her professionalism, kindness, and work ethic. Every photo is a joy to see.”




"Not only is she an incredibly talented photographer, but she is wonderful at making everyone feel incredibly comfortable."




"Shannen captured such organic, real and loving photos of our family that we cant wait to cherish for years to come."




"Shannen was the best, don’t think twice just hire her! She gave me a new appreciation for my home and captured moments I will cherish for a lifetime."





More Reviews


A mother tenderly holds her baby near a sunlit window with sheer curtains in a warmly lit room.
A toddler reaches out to hold an adult's hand on a sunny wooden deck near a playhouse.

 

 

Ready to move forward?


Choose your package & get started

 

 

STEP 01

 

Date & Location

We'll find a day that works for your family and talk through where feels most like you - your home, your neighborhood, somewhere that holds your everyday.

STEP 02

 

Contract & Retainer

A signed contract and 30% retainer locks in your date and makes it official.

STEP 03

 

Questionnaire

Before we meet, I'll send over a few questions to get to know you and what this season feels like. This helps me show up to your session with intention.

STEP 04

 

Session & Delivery

With everything taken care of ahead of time, your session day will feel easy and unhurried. Within 45 days, your full gallery will be delivered and ready to download, share, and print.

Woman holding a baby standing in golden grass field under blue sky with clouds, shot from low angle in warm sunlight.
Adult hands on warm sunlit hardwood floor next to a crawling baby in a diaper indoors.
Dense wild grasses and shrubs with golden-brown autumn foliage growing in sandy soil in natural outdoor setting.

It means a lot that you’d consider me to document this part of your life.

Being there with you, in a real and honest way, is something I value deeply.

I’m looking forward to creating images you will hold onto for years.


x

Shan