booking studio & outdoor motherhood experiences
Welcome! Booking a session with me means partnering with someone who is deeply committed to capturing and preserving this moment for you. My passion lies in ensuring you have timeless, beautiful images that you'll treasure more and more as the years pass by. With over ten years of experience in maternity, newborn , and family photography in the Toledo, Ohio area, I focus on creating beautiful, lasting images for families like yours. You'll receive genuine, heartwarming photos that capture real connections and joy, all crafted with care and expertise. My passion is to make sure these images become cherished keepsakes for you and your family. Keep scrolling to learn more!
Imagine looking back at your photos and feeling the joy, the love, and the connection all over again. that's what I aim to capture—the real, candid moments that make life beautiful, but with a touch of romance, magic, and fun. Your photos will do more than capture a moment; they'll unlock the love you feel, evoking all the emotions you experience about your family each time you look at them.
"a game changer"
"One of the most unexpected (and appreciated) parts of the experience was the styling consultation. We’ve never had a photographer offer that before, and it was such a relief not to have to stress over what to wear. Cynthia made sure we looked amazing in every shot, and her thoughtful guidance brought out the best in our family photos.
She’s also fantastic with kids! While she clearly has a plan, she’s so flexible and knows exactly how to adapt to how everyone is feeling, which made the session feel relaxed and fun. Her photos are simply stunning—she made us look more beautiful than we ever imagined.
We highly recommend Cynthia to anyone looking for a photographer who goes above and beyond. We’ll definitely be booking with her again and again!
G Family
When you work with me, you receive more than just beautiful photos—you get a completely stress-free experience. And we both know that planning your wardrobe for photos can be so stressful.
That's why I offer a complimentary one-on-one styling service that ensures you have beautifully coordinated outfits tailored to your vision. I’ll pull together pieces that match the season, location, and your personal style, whether from your own wardrobe, new items, or my curated client closet. You’ll receive a selection of looks that not only photograph beautifully but also make you feel confident and radiant.
During our styling call, we’ll discuss the different options and finalize everything, so you don’t have to worry about last-minute outfit decisions.
This way, you can relax leading up to your session, knowing everything is taken care of. On the day of your session, you can simply enjoy the time with your family, stress-free, and focus on making the most of the moments spent with them.
"she made me feel beautiful"
"I can't thank Cynthia enough for my maternity session. She made me feel truly beautiful, which is something I haven’t felt in a long time. The entire experience was so special—taking time to do something just for me was exactly what I needed. Cynthia has such a gift for making you feel comfortable and confident in front of the camera, and I’ll cherish these photos forever. I highly recommend her to any mom looking to capture this important time in a way that feels both empowering and meaningful."
H Family
My love for photography grew when my daughter Ava was diagnosed with a brain tumor. I wanted to capture her every moment and have a way for her to always be with me. Looking at those photographs now helps our family in so many ways. Without our photos of her, the pain of losing her would hurt even more.
Ava taught me so much about life in her short five years and one of those things was the value of photography. It is something we don't think about until the years have passed and the moments that we are living today are nothing more than memories.
I have been given a gift to share with you that allows me to capture everything about your family you want to always hold on to. If you want photographs that highlight your family's love, connection, and the beautiful details of your children that will soon change, then I am the photographer for you!
Learn more about my photography journey and The Gold Hope Project , a non-profit that we founded in Ava's memory here.
featured sessions
"no forced poses—just natural images"
"Cynthia was incredibly easy to work with! I loved that we didn’t have to force a lot of poses—she guided us naturally and let everything flow, which made our family portraits turn out AMAZING. Her styling for the session was even better than I imagined, and she worked with me to explore alternatives, helping bring our vision to life. I highly recommend Cynthia to anyone looking for a photographer who truly captures the heart of your family."
S Family
what would you like to do next?
Cynthia Dawson Photography is a Toledo Ohio Newborn, Maternity, and Family Photographer. She serves the Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan areas including Toledo, Sylvania, Maumee, Holland, Perrysburg, and Oregon with high-quality, heirloom newborn, maternity, and family portrait sessions. Get the details about a session with her here.
