By Nathan Allen

This photo session has a special place in my heart. Not only did it take place in one of the most beautiful destinations in the world, but it also features my lovely wife + our baby-to-be. Also: If you’re thinking about a Yosemite maternity shoot for you or someone you know, get in touch.

So…Surprise – We’re Having a Girl!

Many of you didn’t even know we were expecting. For various reasons, it’s something we wanted to keep a secret. Turns out it’s quite easy to hide a pregnancy when you live deep in the mountains during a pandemic! Haha.

Fall Colors For Our Yosemite Maternity Shoot

We were fortunate to have a warm winter this year. I’ve never seen the gold of autumn last so long into December. We found a nice spot with a boulder and some stunning colors.

We stopped at a scenic stone bridge along El Portal Road. I am the photographer of course, so I set up a tripod in the road to snap this photo. A couple passing cars made this difficult from time to time!

Speaking of stonework, further into the valley we checked out the old LaConte Memorial Lodge. This is a great setting for castle-like photographs.

I think the shot below might be my favorite of all. The patchy, late afternoon light and autumn leaves create beautiful contrast and drama. This was taken near the road to Ahwahnee Lodge.

Related post: Yosemite in the Fall

Into The Snowy Forest…

Again, the great thing about living so close to this National Park is that we could easily make a second trip. Our first one had beautiful colors in the leaves, but no snow.

The second had good snow, but as you can imagine, you have to capture these photos as quickly as possible. Island girls are not used to temperatures like these, especially when you replace a winter jacket with a maternity dress! Haha. She was a trooper, though.

There’s an almost spiritual quality to these Yosemite valley forests. An energy you feel, though is hard to define.

Here’s another favorite of mine. It was taken between two majestic pine trees on the bank of the Merced River.

A Session @ Evergreen Lodge

This toasty campfire was a welcomed sight after a chilly day in the park. We warmed our bones and finished up the shoot in this beautiful cabin-style lobby. It’s technically just outside the park, but worth a visit I think.

Also be sure can check out my extensive Yosemite & Eastern Sierra photography.

Oh, and before I forget…this baby was born! Mamma and baby are healthy and well – how’s this for a perfect ending?

Feel free to share!

Social Media

Have something to add?

The post A Magical Yosemite Valley Maternity Shoot appeared first on I Dreamed Of This.