A Movie Theater Maternity Session at the Historic Lyric Theater

Some ideas sit with you for years. This was one of mine, and I really have so many ideas that get left on the table too often. So we finally made this one happen.

For a long time I’ve pictured a maternity session inside an old movie theater, with rows of red seats, striped popcorn boxes, and that hush right before the film starts when everyone is waiting for the story to begin. Isn’t that exactly what pregnancy feels like? The lights dim, everyone leans in, and something new is about to unfold.

When it finally came together, it was even more meaningful than I’d imagined, because the family in those seats was my own. My brother Hunter, my sister-in-law Keylen, and my niece Lainey Bell stepped into the historic Lyric Theater with me to tell the beginning of their next chapter.

A tour from the man who knows every light

When we arrived, we were welcomed by Tony, the theater’s lighting expert, who has spent more than 35 years working in theater. Before we took a single photo, he walked us through the building and shared the history of the Lyric: the shows it has hosted, the people who have passed through its doors, and the stories tucked into every corner.

You could hear how much this place means to him. It’s the kind of love that only comes from decades of showing up, adjusting lights, and helping other people’s stories shine. Hearing him talk set the tone for the whole session. We weren’t just borrowing a pretty backdrop. We were stepping into a place with a real heartbeat, and it felt like an honor to add one more story to its history.

Thank you, Tony, for opening the doors and sharing your theater with us.

Movie night, styled like a film still

I’ve always approached my work more like a film director than a portrait photographer, and the Lyric gave me the perfect set. We leaned all the way into retro movie night: classic red-and-blue 3D glasses, striped popcorn boxes, and an armful of candy straight from the concession stand.

The session became a mix of two moods. In the quieter frames, the dim theater, deep red seats, and teal walls created a cinematic, moody feel, like a still pulled from an old film. Then I switched to direct flash for bold, editorial portraits with saturated color, grain, and a little attitude. One of my favorites is Keylen at the concession counter, shot with a fisheye lens, peeking over her 3D glasses with popcorn in hand. It feels like a vintage movie poster and a magazine spread all at once.

That contrast is what made this session feel so alive. The moody frames hold the tenderness of waiting for a new baby, and the flash frames capture the fun and personality of a family who doesn’t take themselves too seriously.

A hybrid approach, made to last

This session blended my hybrid film and digital approach with on-camera flash. Film brought warmth and texture to the slower moments, while flash froze the energy of the night with editorial punch. Together, they tell the whole story: the stillness and the celebration.

The star of the show

If anyone owned that theater, it was Lainey Bell.

From the moment we walked in, she was in full performance mode. She danced across the stage like the house was packed, putting on a show even with nobody in the seats. She joked around the whole time, played with the snacks and props, and kept all of us laughing between frames. Then, the second we sat down for the family portrait, she slid on her 3D glasses and gave the camera the most perfectly serious, deadpan look, matching her parents exactly.

That’s what I love about photographing families. The plan is never the whole story. Some of my favorite images are the in-between ones: Lainey Bell spinning under the stage lights, Hunter and Keylen laughing at her antics, a big sister-to-be completely in her element. This new chapter isn’t just about the baby on the way. It’s about the whole family growing together, and Lainey Bell is clearly ready for her starring role as big sister.

There’s something different about photographing people you love. You know their laugh before it happens. You know when your brother is about to crack a joke and when your sister-in-law is about to soften. I didn’t have to coax any of it. I just had to be ready.

For the families who want something different

If you’re dreaming of a maternity session that feels less like a standard portrait and more like a scene from your favorite film, this is exactly the kind of work I love creating. As a creative film maternity photographer serving Arkansas and Missouri, I’m always looking for unexpected settings with history and heart: old theaters, diners, train depots, and family homes full of stories.

Your story deserves its own opening scene. If you’d like to create something cinematic for your growing family, [reach out here] and let’s plan it together.