Maternity

Some sessions feel like hanging out with friends you just haven’t met yet. This was absolutely one of them.

Erin and Willie met me at Old Borges Ranch for their Walnut Creek maternity session on a beautiful afternoon and from the moment we started shooting we were laughing. That’s the best kind of session — the kind where the joy is completely genuine and completely effortless, and all I have to do is point the camera at it.

First Time Parents, Golden Hills & a Walnut Creek Maternity Session to Remember

Erin was 28 weeks and absolutely glowing — relaxed, easy going, and completely at ease in front of the camera in a way that not everyone manages, especially for a first time mama. She and Willie had a natural comfort with each other and a shared sense of humor that made the whole session feel light and fun. We chatted between shots about life, work, and the enormous thing that was about to happen to them — and somehow that conversation made the images better. When people are genuinely enjoying themselves it shows up in every frame.

Erin works in tech — something we had in common from my previous career — and there was something easy about that shared language and the way it broke the ice immediately. By the time we were twenty minutes in it felt less like a maternity session and more like a walk with people I already knew.

Old Borges Ranch — A Hidden Gem for Walnut Creek Maternity Photography

Old Borges Ranch sits at the edge of the Shell Ridge Open Space in Walnut Creek and it is genuinely one of the most beautiful and underused photography locations in the East Bay. The golden hills that roll out behind the ranch create a backdrop that feels sweeping and cinematic — particularly in summer when the California hills turn that iconic warm gold that photographs so beautifully against neutral outfits and soft light.

In winter and early spring the hills turn green briefly, offering a completely different and lush backdrop that works beautifully for maternity sessions. It’s the kind of location that changes with the seasons in a way that keeps it feeling fresh every time I visit.

The ranch itself has a sweet, relaxed energy — there are a few animals on the property which makes it a lovely option for families with young children who might need a little entertainment between shots. And the connection to the Shell Ridge trail system means there’s variety built right in — open hillside, shaded trail, ranch backdrop — all within easy walking distance.

For Walnut Creek maternity sessions specifically, the rolling hills and open sky create a sense of space and freedom that is hard to find anywhere else in the East Bay. Erin and Willie against those golden hills at 28 weeks — it was exactly the right setting for exactly the right moment.

28 Weeks — The Sweet Spot for Maternity Photography

Erin’s session is a great example of why I recommend the 28-34 week window for maternity photography. At 28 weeks the bump is beautifully present and visible — unmistakably pregnant — but there’s still enough comfort and energy to move through a session with ease. Erin had no trouble moving through the trails, laughing freely, and being completely present for the whole session. That ease shows up in every image.

If you’re planning your maternity session and wondering when to schedule, the full breakdown is in my Bay Area Maternity Photography Guide.

Walnut Creek Maternity Photographer — Serving the East Bay & Beyond

Old Borges Ranch is one of my favorite Walnut Creek locations for maternity sessions — and the surrounding East Bay has some genuinely beautiful outdoor settings that are worth exploring. The hills, the open space, the variety of backdrops available within a short drive — it’s a part of the Bay Area that photographs beautifully and deserves more attention than it gets.

If you’re looking for a Walnut Creek maternity photographer, I’d love to work with you. I serve expecting mamas throughout the East Bay including Walnut Creek, Danville, Lafayette, Alamo, and beyond. You can read more about maternity sessions on my maternity photography page or explore some additional Bay Area maternity sessions here and here.

The Prenatal Body Care Every Expecting Mama Deserves to Have

Willie being a sports therapist got me thinking about something I feel genuinely passionate about: the physical care that pregnant and postpartum bodies deserve and don’t always get. So I’m going to say it plainly here, from one Bay Area mama to another.

Book your pelvic floor PT in advance. Before you think you need it. Before the waitlist gets longer and it’s hard to get in when you decide you need it. Ask your OB, they will have a suggestion on the best timing for that first postpartum appointment so you can schedule it in advance appropriately.

Pelvic floor physical therapy is one of the most underutilized resources available to pregnant and postpartum women, and I genuinely believe every single person who goes through pregnancy should have access to it. The wait times at many practices in the Bay Area are significant — which is exactly why I’m telling you this at the maternity stage rather than after you’ve had the baby and suddenly need it urgently.

Bay Area Pelvic Floor PT Recommendations

Leah Wylie at UCSF

I saw Leah personally during my own postpartum recovery and cannot recommend her highly enough. She works out of both the San Francisco and Berkeley locations, and she is exceptional.

Level Up PT

Deeply loved by many mamas in the Bay Area community and particularly well-regarded for prenatal and postpartum care. What I find especially wonderful about them: they trained a mama friend of mine who is now a PT at Kaiser, and she speaks about her training there with enormous respect. That kind of professional reputation among peers means a lot.

Bayo Vista PT

Similarly loved by the Bay Area mama community and consistently recommended by new and expecting moms throughout the East Bay. Another practice with a genuinely strong reputation for prenatal and postpartum work.

Prenatal Massage — Another Non-Negotiable

Pregnancy is physically demanding in ways that are hard to fully articulate until you’re in it. A skilled prenatal massage therapist can make an enormous difference — not just for comfort, but for sleep, for anxiety, for the aches that accumulate in the second and third trimester in ways you didn’t anticipate.

My recommendation in the East Bay Area:

Amy Gerard in Alameda. What sets Amy apart is her setup — she has specifically designed her practice to support pregnant and postpartum bodies with the right positioning and support, no matter how far along you are or how recently you gave birth. There is no awkward positioning, no lying flat on your stomach and wondering if that’s okay — she has genuinely thought through every detail of keeping you comfortable. As someone who saw her both while pregnant and postpartum, I can tell you the care she brings to this work is extraordinary. She is also warm, welcoming and a fellow mama herself.

Walnut Creek Maternity Photographer — Serving the East Bay & Beyond

Old Borges Ranch is one of my favorite Walnut Creek locations for maternity sessions, and the surrounding East Bay has some genuinely beautiful outdoor settings worth exploring. The hills, the open space, the variety of backdrops available within a short drive — it’s a part of the Bay Area that photographs beautifully and deserves more attention than it gets.

I serve expecting mamas throughout the East Bay including Walnut Creek, Danville, Lafayette, Alamo, Concord, and throughout the greater Bay Area. If you’re looking for a Walnut Creek maternity photographer who will come to you for newborn sessions and photograph your maternity somewhere genuinely beautiful, I’d love to work with you.

Already thinking ahead to your newborn session? Read the complete guide to Bay Area newborn photography — or ask me about combining both into a Bump to Baby experience.

Ready to Book Your Walnut Creek Maternity Session?

If you’re expecting and dreaming of something relaxed, joyful, and set against the beauty of the East Bay hills, I’d love to document this season for you. Get in touch to check availability.

Rebecca Pattison is a lifestyle family, maternity, and newborn photographer based in Alameda, California, serving the greater Bay Area including the East Bay, San Francisco, Marin County, and the Peninsula.