Melissa Parsons is a Natural light lifestyle photographer specializing in family, birth and newborn photography, serving The Woodlands, Conroe, Cypress, Tomball, Spring, Montgomery, as well as other areas of North Houston.

Smith / The Woodlands Family Photographer

September 23, 2020

Family photos are supposed to be relaxed, but I know for some…they don’t always feel that way. When I visit with you sometime during the week before our session, I always will remind you…I’m here to capture your family having fun.

Pictures will always turn out better if you’re relaxed and enjoying your kids. I also can promise you…your pictures will turn out SO much better if your kids are having fun! That’s why lifestyle photography is so important to me. Nothing needs to feel stiff, awkward or fake. I have so many clients say to me…”oh we’re so awkward”. No you’re not! You only feel awkward when you’re being asked to do something that’s not comfortable and not you. I’ll admit it, sometimes I do say something cheesy or ask a couple to do something that might feel goofy at first, but stick with me. I’m not going for the cheesy response….I’m going for what’s sure to come next, a natural laugh or reaction.

I “coach”, encourage and direct my families a lot. This doesn’t turn into stiff poses…it turns into engaging with each other in pretty light that happens to photograph well. Another thing we do a lot of in a family photo session is PLAY! Kids are usually not excited about having their picture taken (although I do have plenty that love to hamm it up for the camera). They are much more excited about this new friend or fun photographer that’s giving them lots of attention and playing with them! This usually turns into lots of smiles and not the “cheese” kind either!

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Cambridge Row GR / The Woodlands Real Estate & Home Design Photographer

September 15, 2020

I have been giddy with excitement to share this dream home design photo session with you! A friend of mine, who happens to be an unbelievably talented designer, asked me to take photos of her most recently completed project out near Hockley, TX. Lauren, owns Cambridge Row, and it is on my bucket list to someday get to hire her design genius. In the meantime, I get to share this gorgeous home with you what was such a dream to photograph!

Cambridge Row is actually now based in Birmingham, AL. However, Laurin still continues to take on Houston clients since her and her family recently relocated from here. I’m only giving you a sampling of all of the goodness we captured during this session, but you are in for such a treat!

There were so many “chin hit the floor” parts to this home. As you scroll through, be sure to take in the gorgeous wood beams, antique doors, lighting, finishes, wine area, dog suite (yes..they have their own special room with shower), golf simulator, coffee bar, master retreat and GORGEOUS master bathroom. Also, the laundry room is so beautiful, I think I might actually look forward to laundry!

Interiors: Cambridge Row

Builder: William David Co

Drawings: Wyrick Residential Design

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Teagan / The Woodlands TX Birth Photographer

September 10, 2020

Hospital birth photography has unfortunately been a casualty of COVID for now. Thankfully, we are fortunate enough to have the most amazing birth center here in The Woodlands that welcomes it.

The Addice has allowed a few of my clients a beautiful space where they can welcome their little one with family (including siblings!), and have a birth photographer like me there to document. I’m so grateful. It’s one of the most sacred honors to be asked to do this.

Clarissa contacted me several months ago regarding birth photography. We had already worked together for both big brother’s maternity and newborn session. I was overjoyed at being able to document the birth of this new little sibling!

I had checked my calendar to make sure I would be in town and available the weeks surrounding the due date, which happened to be early August. The last weekend in July, my family had an opportunity to join friends for a long weekend in the hill country. Knowing it was so close to the due date, I obviously stayed at home in The Woodlands…just in case.

Sure enough, as I was getting ready to head to another photo session Friday morning, I received a text from Clarissa saying that she was in early labor. I asked whether she felt like it was ok to go on to my session or just meet her at the birth center. She assured me that things wouldn’t move that fast and it was not necessary.

I went to the family photo session and texted her shortly after to let her know I was at home and waiting. A few minutes later, she texted me back saying her labor was getting more intense and they were going to head to the birth center. I told her I would be there in 20-30 minutes. She said, “Ok, no rush…we’re just loading up.”

About thirty minutes later I walked into a very quiet and dark birthing center. There was nobody around, so I waited a few minutes before going outside to take a quick picture from the outside….I always like to include that somewhere in the gallery. I thought that I might actually meet Clarissa and her husband outside as they were arriving.

After taking the picture I walked back inside to hear VERY loud labor sounds coming from a back room. Not wanting to burst in on an unsuspecting family in the throws of labor, I looked around for anyone to confirm. Seconds later I heard….”It’s a GIRL!!!” I ran into the room and immediately started shooting my camera off to capture those first few moments of Clarissa holding her baby girl.

Babies come whenever they want to. Even though things progressed SOO much faster than anyone expected (Clarissa had only arrived 10 minutes before Teagan made her debut!), I was able to get some many of those moments that otherwise would have been a blur. I ended up staying a few hours afterwards so we could also get big brother meeting his little sister…and cutting the cord!

So much to share from this beautiful day!

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Earhart / Tomball Family Photographer

September 9, 2020

I’ve worked with this family several times over the last few years. It’s been such a joy to watch them grow. When we first started working together, they were a family of four, and now I get to catch up with them as a family of six!

Our original session was scheduled back in March. It happened to fall right around the time everything was shutting down for COVID. We pushed it back a few months, and I was glad we were gifted an actual cool weather night in May for our photo session.

Amy told me about a location she thought might work located right in their neighborhood. I love when a family has a location in mind! Usually, it’s a place that’s special to them and their family spends time at. Since I’m a family lifestyle photographer, this is the best! I want to capture families in their happy place! It’s also fun to creatively explore a new place with my camera. Even though I have several locations I like to use in and around The Woodlands, I LOVE finding new places!

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Brooks / Newborn Photographer in The Woodlands, TX

September 8, 2020

One of the fun things about being a newborn photographer in The Woodlands is that I get to see a lot of cool nurseries. I love seeing how each family incorporates their own style and special items into this sweet little space for their little one.

I remember thinking how beautiful my daughter’s pink and brown nursery was in 2005 (and I’m sure at the time, it was), but now I also kind of want a re-do! It’s so interesting to see how the trends change and evolve, and how some families buck the trends completely to create their own little creative space. Brooks nursery was so beautiful! You will have to scroll down through my overshare of pictures to see the most amazing accent wall. You will probably be as shocked as I was that it was hand painted!

By the time we ended this lifestyle newborn photo shoot, it was almost an-time for big sister as well. So, of course we got some pictures of her sweet space and story time with daddy. That’s why in home lifestyle photo sessions are the best!! We are putting this sweet stage of life in a little time capsule so you remember those moments that may seem so routine now. Believe me, having just dropped my own daughter off for her first morning of junior high…it goes all too quickly!

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Nicolas / The Woodlands In Home Newborn Session

September 3, 2020

This in home newborn session was pure perfection! I have worked with this family for a while now. In fact, I have known them since before big brother was born. You really should check out our maternity session before they welcomed Baby Nico too! Since our last session, they moved into their new gorgeous home, so it was really fun to use as the backdrop for little brother’s newborn photo session.

I always ask clients to show me where they hang out as a family. We almost always incorporate the master bedroom and nursery into our session, but it’s also fun to capture some more areas where they typically spend their time. I love that at the end of this session, we got to incorporate their gorgeous kitchen. You will have to scroll down towards the bottom to see those!

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Thomas family / Family photographer in The Woodlands

August 31, 2020

It’s always a lot of fun when friends trust me to photograph their family. We don’t get to see these guys that often because even though we both live in “Houston”….we live over 70 miles apart. So getting to do this fall family session was a lot of fun because I actually got to see them outside of Facebook!

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Herrera / Fall Family Photographer in The Woodlands

August 27, 2020

I know it’s August, and it’s approximately 1 million degrees outside in Houston, but several of my clients are already thinking about and planning for their fall family photo session. In fact, my fall calendar is almost full, so if you are wanting to book a session, please reach out to me as soon as possible.

Taking pictures of tweens is sometimes challenging. I would know…I have two of my own at home. The same prompts and interactions that you do with younger families aren’t going to work…in fact, they may get you some weird looks real fast. I would snap my shutter at those too if I’m being honest because I like the real stuff. The real smirks, laughs…even eye rolls.

Life isn’t about cheese smiles. That’s why I’m talking and shooting constantly with my families. I encourage them to be themselves, rib on each other, rib on me! Whatever gets the REAL stuff. That’s what I’m there to uncover.

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Simpson Maternity / The Woodlands TX Maternity & Newborn Photographer

August 24, 2020

I’m still playing catch up on the blog and for this family maternity session, I’m taking it a ways back. This family has shown up quite a bit on my blog over the years. I am so grateful they entrusted me to shoot all three of their maternity and newborn photo sessions!

We tried a different location for this maternity turned family sessions and it worked out beautifully.

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Miles / The Woodlands TX Baby Photographer

August 18, 2020

Listen. Outdoor photo sessions in this part of Texas for about 6 months of the year can be tricky (read: prepare to sweat a little). Morning sessions…especially in these hottest months can be the way to go.

It’s usually about 15 degrees or so cooler in the morning (Hallelujah!). Younger kiddos are sometimes in much better moods in the morning…..witching hour is not for the faint of heart! We also usually finish by 8:30 or 9am so everyone can go about their day!

Another thing I love about my morning sessions is that I have some particular locations that just are better fit for that beautiful east morning light. This location is one of them! It lent us the perfect backdrop for this sweet boy’s milestone photo session!