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A Glowing Franklin Park Maternity Session

By: Vicki Sands

Vicki Sands Photography | Columbus, Ohio Maternity Photographer

There are sessions that stop you mid-edit. Where you're moving through the images and you just have to pause — because the light is doing something extraordinary, and the mother in front of the camera is glowing in a way that has nothing to do with the dress, and everything to do with what she's carrying.

Leslie's maternity session at Franklin Park was one of those.

Franklin Park in Golden Hour

If you haven't photographed in the grove at Franklin Park Conservatory, you're missing one of Columbus's most quietly beautiful settings. Tall, slender trees line a gravel path in two perfect rows, their canopies filtering the morning sun into something soft and golden. When the light hits that path at the right angle, it doesn't just illuminate — it glows.

We timed the session for golden hour, and the light delivered everything I hoped for.

The Dress — Indie Blue's Mint Tulle Gown

Leslie wore a mint green tulle gown from Indie Blue — and if you've been looking for the perfect maternity dress for an outdoor session, take note. The off-shoulder silhouette, the tiered tulle skirt, the way it moves in a breeze — it was made for this kind of light. The soft sage tone complemented the green canopy perfectly without competing with it.

When clients ask me what to wear for their maternity session, I don't just point them to a rack. Every Vicki Sands Photography client receives The Edit — a personalized styling guide built around the feeling they want to achieve and the colors and styles that photograph beautifully on them. Leslie's mint Indie Blue gown wasn't an accident. It was chosen with intention, and you can feel that in every frame.

 

28 Weeks and Already So Much Love

At 28 weeks, Leslie is well into that beautiful third trimester — the bump full and round, the anticipation becoming something tangible. You can feel it in the way she holds herself. The way her hands instinctively cradle her belly in every frame.

There's a particular kind of tenderness that expectant mothers carry. It's in their eyes before the camera ever fires. My job is just to be still enough to catch it.

The Collective Program — Maternity Through First Birthday

Leslie's session is part of the Vicki Sands Photography Collective — a year-long program designed to document the full arc of your first year as a mother.

Here's how it works:

Maternity — like this session. Capturing the anticipation, the bump, the quiet before everything changes.

Newborn — within the first two weeks. The tiny fingers, the sleepy faces, that brand-new smell you'll want to remember forever.

Milestone — somewhere around three to six months, when your baby is finding their smile and you're finding your stride.

First Birthday — the full circle moment. One year of growth, love, and becoming a family.

Four sessions. One continuous story. A body of work that you'll pass down.

Ready to document your first year? Learn more about the Collective →

Franklin Park Has More Than One Story to Tell

One of the things I love most about photographing at Franklin Park is that it never gives you just one image. Around every path there's a new backdrop, a different quality of light, a completely different feeling — and Leslie's session moved through all of it.

The white lattice gazebo is one of those spots that feels like it belongs in a painting. Lush garden beds layer in every direction, soft blooms push into the foreground, and the structure adds architectural romance without ever competing with your subject.

Then the garden opens up into something wilder and more joyful. In the Fountain Court — ivy-covered stone walls, a sculpted bench, colorful blooms tucked into every corner — a quieter, more still moment that felt completely its own. And then deep magenta peonies just beginning to open, dappled light through the trees above, and Leslie turning to the camera with a smile that stopped me mid-shoot.

Franklin Park — Why It's One of My Favorite Columbus Locations

Franklin Park isn't one backdrop — it's an entire world to move through. The grove offers natural architectural symmetry, rows of trees creating a leading line that draws every eye to your subject. The garden areas bring color, texture, and a romantic softness. The Fountain Court adds stillness and structure. And the light across all of it at golden hour does something I never get tired of.

It's a location that photographs beautifully across seasons — lush and green in spring and summer, golden and dramatic in fall. If you're looking for a Columbus maternity session location that feels elevated without requiring travel, this is it.

Book Your Session

If Leslie's session speaks to you — the light, the softness, the feeling of being truly seen in one of the most meaningful seasons of your life — I'd love to talk.

Collective program spots are limited each season. I take on a small number of families to ensure every session gets the attention and time it deserves.

LET'S CONNECT

Vicki Sands Photography is a Columbus, Ohio photographer specializing in maternity, newborn, and family milestone sessions. The Franklin Park grove session was photographed in natural golden hour light. Gown: Indie Blue Collection.

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614.595.4707
vicki@vickisands.com
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