One of my sole reasons for being a photographer, and something I’m crazy passionate about, is giving moms the gift of beautiful photos.

Moms are so rarely in front of the camera, and even more rarely in a way that is flattering, so when you do find a way to give the moms in your life the gift of their memories preserved forever in physical form, it’s ALWAYS worth it.

Photos and photo products are my go-to custom gifts for moms on Mother’s Day, birthdays and Christmas. I’ve given my mom, my mother-in-law and my grandma various items from this list over the years and they are always the biggest hit. So let’s dive into the best photos gifts for mom!

1. Framed Print- These vary in price, but if you are going to go this route, I would highly recommend using a high quality printer. Lower quality printers like the drugstore or Coscto change the colors in your photos. Mpix is the consumer arm for my print lab that I use for professional photos and it’s always been stellar. You can get as fancy as you want on frames, but I often use Amazon, Target, Michaels (always look for frame sales!), or my local thrift store. A flat white mat is going to elevate the framed look. You could also do an all glass frame that is see-through and add something special in between the glass plates like her favorite dried flower or a polaroid of yourselves over the main picture.

2. Novelty Gifts- From blankets, to mugs, to keychains, you name it, you can slap a photo on it. I’ve done lots of these in the past, but my favorite has been the photo puzzle. It’s so fun to figure out what photo you chose and a good way to get the whole family involved in the gift.

3. Professional Products- While novelty gifts are on the lower quality end, professional products are on the luxury end. Many photographers offer physical products and while that varies drastically from photographer to photographer, the ones I love, and personal offer for my families in Marin County and San Francisco when they have their photos taken with me are a wood print box, fine art prints, and of course, albums. Albums are incredibly special and I have given them as gifts every year since i started buying gifts on my own for my own mom. Reach out to your photographer to see what options they offer. If you are booking a session with me, you can add these on before your session when booking or after.

Now that we’ve come to the end of this list, I have to give the biggest endorsment to my most recommended gift for moms- photos of them and their kids.

So many photographers offer mini sessions around Mother’s Day to just photograph mom and her kids. If you are in the San Francisco Bay Area and need a photographer, I’m your girl. These sessions can happen at a set location or in-studio, but they are the perfect way to celebrate mom in a way that makes her feel loved, appreciated, and beautiful.

In addition to Mother’s Day minis, I offer year-round studio family minis which would be perfect to gift for any occasion, from Mother’s Day to birthdays to Christmas. As a mother, I never get tired of seeing myself in beautiful light, in an outfit I love, smiling and loving on my kids and I can never get enough professional photos.