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Tag: guelph family photographer

parkhill studios

Motherhood Mini Sessions | April 5 | Parkhill Studios, Cambridge Ontario

February 21, 2025 No Comments

There’s something special about in-home sessions

There’s something special about in-home sessions this time of year.
The light is softer, the pace is slower, and everyone just… exhales.

This sweet family spent their afternoon doing what they love most - making pizza together, flour-covered hands, little giggles, and all. And honestly? These are the moments you’ll want to remember years from now. Not the perfectly posed stuff… but the real, sticky, joy-filled pieces of your everyday life.

If the weather is blah, grey, or freezing (hello winter in Ontario), your home becomes the coziest backdrop imaginable. Kids stay comfortable, parents relax, and the photos feel like memories instead of something staged.

This season is fleeting, but the love inside it isn’t - and capturing it now means you’ll never forget the way it felt.

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Can’t believe that just 72 hours ago I was wakin

Can’t believe that just 72 hours ago I was waking up to the sound of howler monkeys in Costa Rica- and today I’m wrestling snowsuits and mittens to get the kids out the door for daycare and school. 🥴

This motherhood bathtub session was an absolute dream come true. I’ve been wanting to capture something this intimate and emotive for ages - and it did not disappoint. The light, the connection, the softness - it was pure magic. ✨

Huge thanks to @kristenborelli_photography for organizing this while we were in Costa Rica, and to @majoarva112 for being such a stunning mama with sweet Baby L. Can’t wait to create more sessions like this soon. 🌿

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There’s nothing quite like those first 48 hours

Don’t stop taking photos just because your kids

Don’t stop taking photos just because your kids are growing up. 🤍🤍🤍

Watching siblings grow from playful chaos into deep, lifelong friendship is something you’ll never regret capturing. These three reminded me that the bond only gets stronger - and the photos only get more meaningful. 🍂

Captured during my Princess Point Fall Minis last month - a perfect reminder that every season of family life deserves to be documented.

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You keep saying you’re “not ready yet” - but

You keep saying you’re “not ready yet” - but what if ready isn’t the goal?
What if showing up before you feel ready is exactly what gets you there?

Every photographer you look up to started exactly where you are: unsure, undercharging, and waiting for permission that never came. The difference? They stopped waiting and started acting.

This is your sign to stop playing small. Step into the version of you who already knows she can do this - because she can.

✨ Ready to stop spinning your wheels and start building a business that actually works?
Let’s get you there - together.

👉 Apply for 1:1 mentorship today.

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Let’s be honest - kids have big feelings, especi

Let’s be honest - kids have big feelings, especially when they’re suddenly standing in a random field with a stranger pointing a camera at them. 😅 At my Burlington fall minis, this sweet little guy was not feeling it at first (and that’s totally okay!).

I know parents sometimes feel that pressure during minis - they’re quick, you’ve planned the outfits, and you just want it to go smoothly. But here’s the thing: your child doesn’t need to “perform” for great photos. While you might see chaos, I see connection - the snuggles, the sideways glances, the comfort only you can bring.

And spoiler alert: we ended up with the most beautiful gallery. 🍂❤️

✨ Real moments > perfect posing. Always.

Thanks to @yasaminphotography for capturing BTS and assisting at my 2025 Burlington Fall Minis

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Golden hour + long golden grass = pure magic. ✨

Golden hour + long golden grass = pure magic. ✨
These two soaked up every ounce of that autumn glow - proof that timing really is everything. 🌅

Pro tip: When planning your maternity session, aim for the last 60–90 minutes before sunset. That’s when the light wraps around you like honey and gives that soft, dreamy glow you see here.

This mama is wearing one of my @reclamationdesigncompany gowns from my size-inclusive client closet - because when you feel amazing, it shows.

Want this kind of golden, heart-tugging magic for your own maternity session? Let’s make it happen. 💛

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Do you ever scroll through your digital gallery an

Do you ever scroll through your digital gallery and think, “I should’ve printed these”? Here’s something interesting: kids actually feel more secure when they see photos of themselves displayed in their home environment - not just on a screen.

‼️According to experts, when children grow up seeing portraits of themselves in their rooms or around the house, it sends a message of belonging, value, and stability.‼️

Digital files are incredible: instant, shareable, easy to store. But prints give your child a daily reminder: “I matter. I belong here.” That emotional anchor is what makes printed photos powerful in a way screens can’t fully match.

🖼️ If we’ve had a session in the last 12 months - let’s get your favourites printed and turn those digital moments into physical treasures you (and your kids) can see, touch, and feel every day.

📸 Let me know which images you’d love to see framed or turned into keepsakes - I’ll help you pick and print them beautifully.

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Ok this one just needed a permanent spot on the gr

Ok this one just needed a permanent spot on the grid.

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There’s something magical about the simple momen

There’s something magical about the simple moments of motherhood - the quiet giggles, the gentle splashes, the way little hands reach for you. This milk bath session was pure poetry in motion - vintage charm, soft florals, and a mama fully present in the moment.

Motherhood doesn’t need to be perfect to be beautiful - it just needs to be real. ✨

Taken at the August Cultivate.Capture.Connection. Content Day hosted by @melissashearerphotography @allwhowanderflowerfarm and @luciayphotography
model: @daarssenstudio @daarssenphotography
Moms dress: @freepeople
Location & set: @allwhowanderflowerfarm

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Melissa Shearer is a Burlington-based maternity, birth, newborn, and family photographer and photography educator, offering inclusive, emotion-filled photography for modern families.

Serving Burlington, Hamilton, Oakville, Milton, Guelph, Cambridge, Brantford, Niagara, and beyond.

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