DIY Maternity & Family Photos at Oak Canyon Nature Center

As our family prepares to welcome a new baby, we wanted to capture this special season of life with a maternity photo session. Instead of hiring a photographer, we decided to do it ourselves, AGAIN! Armed with a DSLR camera, tripod, and remote shutter, we headed to Oak Canyon Nature Center for a relaxed family photo session.

What started as a simple idea turned out better than we expected. The result was a collection of memories that felt genuine, personal, and uniquely ours.

Why We Chose Oak Canyon Nature Center

We wanted a location that felt natural, peaceful, and easy to access with a toddler.

Oak Canyon Nature Center turned out to be the perfect backdrop. The trails, oak trees, wooden bridges, and open spaces created a beautiful setting without requiring a long hike or extensive planning.

It offers a variety of scenery within a relatively small area, making it perfect for families with young children.

Keeping It Simple

The basic idea of our setup was simple:

DSLR camera
tripod
remote shutter
a pre-approved photo permit for the selected location
a little patience

Without another photographer directing us, we were free to move at our own pace and take breaks whenever needed.

The biggest advantage was flexibility. Since we had our toddler with us, being able to stop for snacks, explore the trails, and take photos when she was in a good mood made the experience much less stressful.

Capturing This Chapter of Life

One of the things we love most about maternity photos is that they're not just about the pregnancy. They're also about documenting the family as it is right now.

Watching our toddler run through the trails, hold our hands, and cuddle up beside the growing baby bump made these photos feel especially meaningful.

Family Moments

Some of our favorite photos weren't the perfectly posed ones, and very often our toddler had her own ideas about how the photo session should go.

There was running, exploring, collecting sticks, and plenty of moments that didn't go according to plan. Looking back, those ended up being some of the most meaningful photos.

They captured who she is right now — curious, energetic, and full of personality, and those little interactions ended up telling our story better than any pose could.

A Few Favorite COUPLE Portraits

These are some of our favorite couple photos from the session.

Simple moments together, surrounded by nature, documenting a season we'll always want to remember.

This DIY maternity session ended up being another one of our favorite family projects, the experience itself became a memory. We spent a fun morning together exploring nature, laughing through failed shots, and capturing a chapter of our family's story. Years from now, we will look back at these photos and remember not just how we looked, but how this season of life felt.

See more DIY Maternity Photo Ideas from our previous pregnancy: DIY Maternity Photo Shoot Ideas

Photo Permit Information for Oak Canyon Nature Center HERE