Maternity, Newborn, Cake Smash Photography in Tampa Bay

Newborn

Photography in Tampa, FL

MATERNITY

Photography in Tampa, FL

CAKE SMASH

Photography in Tampa, FL

As a Certified Professional Photographer in Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg & Clearwater, I specialize in newborn, maternity, milestone, cake smash and family sessions. Each session is thoughtfully tailored from styling and props to safe newborn posing crafted to create custom heirloom artwork, not just images.

As a Certified Professional Photographer in Tampa Bay, St. Petersburg & Clearwater, I specialize in newborn, maternity, milestone, cake smash and family sessions. Offering Modern, Custom, Heirloom Portraits

Tampa Bay Newborn & Maternity Photographer

MINI SESSIONS

Newborn

Booking a newborn session means you will enjoy a fully customized experience tailored to your family’s unique style and preferences. I provide all the props, backdrops, and outfits, but we can also incorporate personal touches that reflect your journey. Whether it’s a special blanket, a cherished toy, or specific colors that resonate with you, I will work with you to create a setup that feels just right. This way, every image we capture will be a true reflection of your family’s story. You can relax and soak in the moment while I handle the details, ensuring a beautiful and personalized session that you will treasure forever! I’m proud to serve families across Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater and surrounding areas.

View Newborn Gallery

Milestone

Booking a baby milestone photography session is incredibly important especially during your baby’s first year, when they grow and change so quickly. As a professional Tampa baby photographer, I capture these unforgettable stages at 3 months (eye contact, tummy time, and first smiles) and again at 6 months (sitting unassisted, grabbing toes, and playful curiosity). These sitter milestone sessions beautifully document your baby’s development and personality, preserving timeless memories for families across Tampa, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg.

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Cake Smash

Celebrate your baby’s first birthday with a custom cake smash photography session in Tampa Bay. These playful and professionally styled shoots are a favorite among families in Tampa, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg designed to capture your little one’s joy, curiosity, and personality. Whether you envision a whimsical theme, bright colors, or a classic minimalist look, each setup is customized to match your vision. From backdrops to props and cake coordination, every detail is planned to create vibrant, unforgettable images of this exciting milestone.

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Maternity

Your maternity session is a beautiful celebration of life and a significant milestone in your family’s journey. Whether you’re welcoming your first child or you’re a seasoned mama preparing to embrace the joys of motherhood once again, this is a moment worth capturing. I invite you to immerse yourself in this experience and express the love and excitement that fills your heart as you await the arrival of your precious baby.

To make this session even more special, I provide a selection of stunning gowns for you to choose from, allowing you to indulge in a little dress-up magic. Imagine twirling in luxurious fabrics that enhance your natural glow, creating images that reflect the deep bond you share and the dreams you hold for your growing family. This is truly a time to cherish, and together, we can document the anticipation and joy that envelop you as you embark on this incredible new chapter.

View Maternity Gallery

Family

They say ‘family is everything’ and it’s true. Join me for an unforgettable experience celebrating the beauty of your family and highlighting the importance of it. Whether it’s a special occasion or an annual shoot to catalog your family’s growth over the years, we can customize a session that’s right for you. Choose settings outside in nature, or find a theme inside the studio. Whatever you decide, we will meet your needs so that you will have memories to pass down to future generations.

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Hi, I'm Dakota

I’m a Mom to two beautiful babies with a passion for capturing life’s most treasured moments. I learned while watching my own two kids grow that time is fleeting. Our babies change in front of our eyes and those milestones are easily lost in the busiest of days.

My mission is to capture all those sweet connections between you and your babies so that you will have them to treasure for years to come.

More About Me

Kind Words

“The pictures came out even better than imagined.”

First off, if you stumbled upon her website, her work speaks for itself! My husband and I booked her for both our Newborn and First Birthday/Cake smash pictures. Each interaction with Dakota is amazing because she takes all the stress out of professional photos. She outlines a step by step guide to prepare for newborn shots and makes everything seamless and stress-free (especially with a newborn). Our first birthday cake smash was amazing because 1. her studio is prepped with anything and everything to make your photos and experience heightened. 2. She is fun and my baby girl just loved her; Dakota definitely has a spark that makes you super comfortable and makes you have FUN. She is worth every single penny and her artistry and skill is above all, seriously. Her photos are beautiful memories that I will cherish forever and hung proudly all over my home. I have referred her to many friends and family members, and they too, have found a photographer that is just different from the rest.

— Vianca D.

“What else can I say then she is the absolute best!!!”

“Dakota was highly recommended to us from a fellow photographer for her work with newborns and little kids. We looked into her and immediately fell in love with her photos from Modern Newborn Photography on Instagram and decided we needed her to do our newborn’s photo shoot. It was the best decision we made! She was so friendly, kind hearted, and made you feel very comfortable with the process! The way she works with kids and newborns is wonderful! I couldn’t be more thankful for the amazing photos and memories that she captured for us!”

— Kristine R.

“She was professional and moved like a magician!

“Dakota is wonderful! I have been following her for a few years as acquaintances had used her before, and as soon as I knew I was pregnant with my first boy, I booked her! She was professional and moved like a magician! I swear she is a baby whisperer. She fed him, changed his diaper, and his clothes like it was nothing, at 7 days old! She got the most perfect shots of our family and our boy was even smiling in a lot of them. This photo shoot was worth every penny. The variety of outfits and back drops were unbelievable! She took into account what my mom and I requested from her previous social media photo shoots. We now have photos hanging up in every room at my home and his grandparents home. Everyone is obsessed! They were perfection. I would definitely return! Thank you so much for the beautiful memories!”

— Monica L.

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Let's Be Insta-Friends

  
     Excellent rating  
 Based on 190 reviews 
     
  
 
 
      Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Dakota did an amazing job. She made boudoir an empowering experience!
     
   Giselle Lopez 
 
 
 
 
 
    Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Dakota is an incredible photographer! Gorgeous photos.
     
   C A 
 
 
 
 
 
    Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Dakota was wonderful, accommodating, and made the whole experience so comfortable. I did a milk bath maternity session with her and my toddler, and the photos turned out amazing. I wanted something simple and natural, and she captured it perfectly. I’m so pleased with how everything came out and would highly recommend her!
     
   Olta Gjeci 
 
 
 
 
 
    Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We had such an amazing experience with Dakota for my daughter’s two-year-old photos! From the moment we arrived, Dakota was warm, patient, and incredibly professional. Photographing a toddler isn’t always easy, but she made the entire session feel fun and stress-free.
She captured my daughter’s personality so beautifully—every smile, little expression, and candid moment felt so genuine. The photos turned out absolutely stunning, and they’re something we’ll treasure forever.
I highly recommend Dakota to anyone looking for a talented photographer, especially for little ones. We couldn’t be happier with the results!
     
   Disney Amoedo 
 
 
 
 
 
    Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I found Dakota after spending hours searching for the right newborn photographer, and I’m so thankful I did. From the moment I saw her work, I knew she had a special touch but meeting her in person showed me it’s more than talent. It’s love.

We brought our daughter, Emilia, to Dakota when she was just two weeks old for the first session of the First Year Collective. Watching Dakota work with her was incredible. She moved with such calm, gentle confidence, and somehow Emilia seemed completely at peace the entire time. Every detail, from the temperature of the room to the way Dakota adjusted each pose and wrap, was handled with care and intuition. You can tell she genuinely loves what she does and has a gift for it.

We also went back recently for one of her holiday mini sessions, and it was just as wonderful. We’re already looking forward to the next sessions in the package, knowing each one will capture a new stage of Emilia’s growth.

As a new mom, these photos mean everything to me. We didn’t get a chance to take maternity photos, but Dakota has helped fill that void in such a meaningful way. Her images aren’t just pictures, they’re memories that we’ll treasure forever.

For anyone searching for someone who truly understands newborn photography, someone who will handle your baby with care, artistry, and love Dakota is that person. I couldn’t imagine entrusting these moments to anyone else!
     
   M B 
 
 
 
 
 
    Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. As someone who values mastery in any field, I can say without hesitation that Dakota, the owner and operator of Modern Newborn Photography, operates at the highest level of her craft. She’s not just taking photographs — she’s capturing brief and beautiful moments in time with precision, empathy, and intention.

My fiancée and I brought our newborn daughter, Emilia, to Dakota when she was just two weeks old for the first session of her First Year Collective package. We later returned for one of her pop-up holiday mini sessions, and both experiences reinforced what we already felt after that first visit — that we had found someone exceptional.

Dakota’s professionalism, discipline, creative brilliance, and attention to every detail create an environment where you feel instantly confident that your child is not only in the best hands, but that the memory of that stage will be perfectly immortalized through her work. All you have to do is relax and follow her lead. She has a calm command of her craft that comes only from genuine passion and years of refinement. Watching her effortlessly guide the session while maintaining such care and precision made it clear we were working with someone truly world-class.

Our only regret is that we didn’t find Dakota sooner. We sadly missed the chance to take maternity photos due to the chaos of life, and I can’t help but wish she had been part of that prelude to this beautiful chapter — I know she would have made that moment easy, seamless, and extraordinary. That said, seeing the caliber of our newborn session, Dakota, through her artistry, helped us make up for that in a way I didn’t expect — she gave us something lasting. Her work doesn’t just record time; it preserves feeling. And knowing we’ll have this same level of artistry capturing Emilia’s growth throughout the rest of the year brings a real sense of peace and gratitude.

Dakota doesn’t just document time — she preserves emotion. What she creates are not simply photographs, but heirlooms that carry the feeling of these moments forward.

For any parents searching for a photographer who embodies both technical mastery and heart, I can say this without exaggeration — you won’t find anyone better. Dakota is in a class of her own.
     
   Justin Nichols 
 
 
 
 
 
    Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We love working with Dakota! She did our maternity photos and now our Christmas pictures — both turned out amazing. Always such a fun, easy experience and the photos are gorgeous every time!
     
   Olivia D'Ambrosio 
 
 
 
 
 
    Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I cannot recommend Dakota enough! She took my 2 week old’s newborn photos and he did not make it easy for her! However, Dakota was so patient and knew exactly how to calm him down and get him in the poses that we were aiming for. This new mama even learned some new tips and tricks from her and I cannot wait to use her again for milestone and family pictures in the future. The photos turned out better than I could ever imagine.
     
   Kayla Payne 
 
 
 
 
 
    Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dakota was awesome! So fast, super patient, and really easy to work with. She knows her stuff and the photos came out amazing!
     
   Fernando Camaraza