The best time to reserve your session is during your second trimester. Because babies arrive on their own schedule, Melissa only accepts a limited number of expected due dates each month. This ensures calendar flexibility when your baby actually arrives. For first-year milestones and cake smashes, reaching out 4 to 6 weeks in advance is ideal.

Your estimated due date acts as a placeholder on our calendar. Once your baby is born, simply send us an email or text within the first 48 to 72 hours. We will then schedule your exact session date within the optimal 5 to 14-day window.

Yes! We offer a popular Belly-to-Baby combination package that allows expectant parents to bundle an outdoor sunset maternity session with their newborn studio session. Bundling guarantees priority calendar scheduling and provides savings across both sessions.

The ideal timeframe for posed newborn portraits is between 5 and 14 days after birth, when babies are extra sleepy and naturally retain their curled womb poses. If your baby is older (up to 4 to 6 weeks), please still reach out! With over 17 years of experience, Melissa specializes in gentle swaddling and modified posing techniques for older newborns.

Your baby’s safety and comfort are our highest priorities. Melissa has more than 17 years of full-time newborn photography experience, is professionally trained in infant safety, physiological posing, and soothing techniques, is fully vaccinated, and works in a thoroughly sanitized studio.

Never worry about a fussy baby! Sessions are completely baby-led with plenty of time set aside for nursing, bottle breaks, diaper changes, and cuddles. Our private studio is kept at a comfortable, warm temperature and uses continuous white noise to create a calm, soothing environment for every baby.

You don’t need to bring a single prop or outfit! Our Wake Forest portrait studio features a curated collection of organic swaddles, handmade knit bonnets, delicate headbands, wooden bowls, and miniature vintage beds. You only need to bring diapers, wipes, and extra milk or formula.

Yes, absolutely! Capturing the loving connection between parents, older brothers and sisters, and your new baby is an essential part of the experience. We offer packages that include immediate family and sibling portraits alongside individual newborn poses.

Outdoor maternity sessions are best scheduled between 28 and 34 weeks of pregnancy. At this point, your baby bump is beautifully defined and prominent, but you are still comfortable enough to walk and enjoy moving through poses.

Yes! Every maternity client receives full, complimentary access to Melissa’s private client wardrobe. It includes dozens of high-end designer maternity gowns, flattering wrap dresses, and flowing silks in a variety of colors, sizes, and silhouettes.

Maternity sessions are photographed during the dreamy golden hour right before sunset at handpicked nature preserves, open fields, and scenic lakes throughout Raleigh, Wake Forest, Durham, and the Triangle. Once booked, Melissa will recommend the best location to match your vision.

Yes! Spouses, partners, and older children are warmly encouraged to join your maternity photo shoot. We will capture a blend of stunning solo portraits of mom, romantic couple shots, and joyful family interaction.

The three most popular first-year milestones are: 3–4 months (tummy time and social smiles), 6–9 months (the sitter milestone, where baby sits securely on their own), and 12 months (first birthday portraits and optional cake smash).

A Sitter Session is photographed when your baby can sit completely unassisted without wobbling, but isn’t yet walking (usually between 6 and 9 months). It is a favorite stage because babies are full of personality—showing off chunky baby rolls, bright smiles, toe-grabbing, and belly laughs.

First birthday sessions begin with clean, timeless fine-art portraits of your one-year-old. After capturing classic portraits, we bring out the cake for fun, candid smash photos! Melissa collaborates with you on color palette and setup styling to create a cohesive theme.

You are welcome to use our studio wardrobe, which is stocked with vintage knit rompers, bloomer sets, overalls, and delicate headbands in sizes 3 to 12 months. You are also welcome to bring any personal sentimental outfits you love.

Your private, password-protected online proofing gallery is delivered within 1 to 2 weeks after your session. Collections include full-resolution, hand-edited digital files with full personal print rights, plus access to order professional archival prints, canvases, and heirloom albums.