Little Kids Archives - Page 3 of 7 - Crystal Freemon Photography

Family of Five Portraits at Harlinsdale Farms

April 29, 2021April 29, 2021Posted in Big Kids, Family, Little Kids, Portrait Sessions, The Park at Harlinsdale FarmsLeave a comment

Family of 5 Portrait Session in Franklin TN

One of my favorite parts of photographing family portraits is getting to see the same beautiful families year after year. I always love hanging out with these girls. As I was shooting this session, I thought about the first time I photographed this family, back in 2017. Before that first session, mom had let me know that one of the girls was shy and may take a while to warm up to me. That portrait session seems so long ago. There was not a hint of shyness at this session…just lots of giggling, sunshine, and dandelions. Three of my favorite things.

This is the first time that I have photographed this family at the Park at Harlinsdale Farms, which is one of my favorite portrait session spots. Just in case you don’t know, you can browse my session blog posts by location by clicking “More Blog Posts” and then “Session Locations” at the top of my blog. This is a great way to help you decide where you would like to have your family portrait session.

I am a photographer serving families in Spring Hill, Franklin, and Columbia in Middle Tennessee. I photograph families at all stages, from newborn to seniors. See my website for more information or to book a session from my online calendar. I would love it if you would consider following me on Facebook and/or Instagram.

Spring Family Portrait Session at Winstead Park

March 9, 2021March 9, 2021Posted in Family, Little Kids, Portrait Sessions, Winstead Hill ParkTagged brothers, Franklin Family Photographer, Franklin TN, spring, Winstead Hill ParkLeave a comment

Franklin Family Photographer Session at Winstead Hill Park

It was such a gorgeous day for this family portrait session at Winstead Hill Park in Franklin, TN. I have been photographing this family since little brother was a baby, and this week he is turning three. I love being able to see my clients grow. It’s one of my favorite parts of being a family photographer.

In case you missed it, I am offering a Spring Mini Session date for Family Portraits because the Fall Mini Sessions were so much fun! Only one spot is left, so if you are interested, don’t wait to book! The sessions will be 25 minutes long and will include your choice of 30 full-size digital images from the session gallery, with the option to purchase more digital images and/or print products. The cost of the mini-session is $300.

The sessions will be at the Park at Harlinsdale Farms in Franklin. Before you decide to book, please read about whether or not mini-sessions are right for you. If you have a large family or a little one who may take some time to warm up, I ask that you consider booking a full family portrait session instead.

5 things Toddlers can teach us about life | Franklin TN Family Photographer

February 15, 2021February 15, 2021Posted in Little Kids, Portrait Sessions, The Park at Harlinsdale Farms, UncategorizedTagged "The Park at Harlinsdale Farms", cold, Franklin Portrait Photographer, Life Lessons, Motherhood, Nashville Family Photographer, Spring Hill Children's Photographer, toddler, winter, Winter Portrait Session, WonderLeave a comment

As a family photographer I've observed many things we can learn from toddlers

I love photographing families of all ages, but if you’ve followed me long, you know that my true passion is photographing toddlers. One of my favorite things about being a family photographer is what I have learned through really observing two year olds.

You see, I think it’s the two-year-olds who really have everything figured out. And somehow as we age, we lose all of that wisdom. Here are a few things I think we could learn about life from toddlers.

Assertiveness

Toddlers are really finding their voice, and they are not afraid to let you know what they need. Whether that’s a snack or a hug or they are “all done,” they aren’t afraid to let their person know. Often times, we adults are too afraid to let people know what we need. We aren’t always very quick to take care of ourselves and our own needs. A lot of our problems could be taken care of if we just learned to let others know what we desire like toddlers do.

Wonder

As a family photographer, this is probably the characteristic of toddlers that I love the most. They have not yet lost their fascination with the world around them. Everything is new and exciting and beautiful. The dog in the park, the pretty rock they just found, the snowflakes falling – all these things are a miracle to the toddler’s eyes. If only we could all hold on to that childlike wonder and be more aware of the awesomeness around us.

Only those who look with the eyes of children can lose themselves in the object of wonder.”
– Eberhard Arnold

Mindfulness

How much time do you spend regretting things that happened in the past or worrying about what might happen in the future? I don’t think Toddlers do this. They are the masters of mindfulness. Whatever upset them a moment ago is long forgotten with the current moment’s distraction. They live in the here and now, fully present always. We have a lot to learn from that.

Authenticity

This is another reason I love to photograph toddlers. They only know how to be themselves and no one else. Authenticity means “true to one’s own personality, spirit, or character.” This is something I strive to capture in my photographs. I am trying to get authentic, natural expressions from every child. I want photos that really reveal who they are at that moment in time. Not fake cheesy smiles. This is easier with toddlers because they are always, always being true to themselves. I love capturing all of who they are. Whether that is a sweet apprehensive expression when they first meet me, complete joy when we are being silly or a thoughtful expression when the notice something new.

As early as 6 or 7, I find that kids have already put up a mask and I have to work harder to photograph their authentic selves. That makes me sad.

Love

Is there anything better in this life than the pure love one gets from a toddler? There is no judgment there, no conditions or holding back. Whether it be with hugs & kisses, holding your hand or maybe even sharing a like of their sucker with you, toddlers know how to love their people.

I am now booking Spring Family Portrait sessions, or as you can see above, am happy to book you now for a winter photo session. See my website for more information or to book a session from my online calendar. I would love it if you would consider following me on Facebook and/or Instagram.

Click here to read post I wrote about what you can expect from a Lifestyle Family Photography Session.

Spring Hill Family Photographer – Perfect Session to finish the Season

December 15, 2020December 15, 2020Posted in Big Kids, Family, Home Sessions, Little Kids, Portrait SessionsTagged 2020, Christmas, cousins, extended family, Large groups, Red, siblings, Spring Hill TN Family PhotographerLeave a comment

Spring Hill TN Family Photographer extended family session

I am so happy that we FINALLY got to shoot this beautiful family portrait session. This family is one of my favorite clients. It had been way too long since I’d seen them. We had originally scheduled this Spring Hill Family photo session for last fall. I don’t even remember why we had to reschedule. I think someone was sick. Take two was supposed to be in the Spring, but then COVID happened and everything was shut down. We decided to reschedule for this fall, which then turned to winter. But I think things turned out for the best because I am in love with the portrait session we finally ended up shooting.

Nana and Pop Pop’s backyard was a perfect spot for the photo session. I LOVE the pops of red in the clothing. It was so festive and colorful. And the sun set just behind their backyard, which was the perfect backdrop. To me, light is always the most important part of a photo location, and the light here was beautiful. But more than anything, I loved capturing the sweet interactions between family members. Aren’t these cousins just the cutest?

This was the perfect way to end the portrait season. I absolutely love my job, but I am honestly ready for a break, particularly from the constant editing that comes with the fall photographer busy season. This was the perfect family session to end that season.

For those of you who have been asking, I am sorry but I am all done with Santa Mini Sessions this year. I did love doing them outside, so I will be thinking about what to do next year. Also, I am ready to start booking 2021 photo sessions, so contact me if you are interested. If you are concerned about booking a winter session, please know that I’m quite flexible in the winter. So if were to book a session in January for example, and it turns out to be really cold and unbearable, I can usually reschedule. You know how the weather is in Tennessee – if you don’t like it, just wait a few days and it could change.

I would love it if you could follow me on Instagram. That’s a great place to keep up to date on future openings. Also, you can book a session directly from my online booking calendar, or contact me if you have questions.

Family of Four Portrait Session in Franklin, TN

December 2, 2020December 2, 2020Posted in Family, Little Kids, Portrait Sessions, The Park at Harlinsdale FarmsTagged "The Park at Harlinsdale Farms", 2020, fall, family of 4, Franklin Portrait Photographer, preschooler, siblings, toddlerLeave a comment

Franklin TN Family Photographer at the Park at Harlinsdale Farms

It was so great to see my old friend Mona and her beautiful family at their outdoor family portrait session at the Park at Harlinsdale Farms in Franklin.

I wanted to let you know that this session started out a little rough for the kiddos, both of whom had fallen asleep on their drive to the photo session after a busy, fun-filled holiday weekend. When they first arrived, they were groggy and apprehensive about being there and having their photos taken.

The only reason I point this out is that I want you to notice that you can’t tell from the photos. Within about 10 minutes of when we started the portrait session, they both warmed up to me and we had tons of fun. I wanted to point that out because it can be something that stresses parents out, but always turns out fine. We had so much fun running and playing and enjoying the beautiful day.

Santa Photos Mini Sessions- FAQ

December 1, 2020December 1, 2020Posted in Little Kids, Portrait Sessions, Sarah Benson Park, (formerly known as Thompson's Station Park)Leave a comment

Santa Photos in Thompson Station, TN Covid safe

Nashville Santa and I still have a few spots open for Santa Photos this Friday, December 4. Williamson County kids are having an asynchronous day, so it’s a great chance to take a quick break from schooling and see Santa. The sessions are 15 minutes long and are $175. They include all the full-size digital images from your session, with a print release.

You can book a session at this link.

I’ve had a few questions about the sessions, so I thought I’d answer them now. We actually did one session yesterday, and it provides a good sample for you.

How many photos will I get?

I don’t know, but I’m a notorious over-shooter and have never been able to limit myself to x number of photos. 15 minutes is a pretty long time. If you’ve been to my indoor Santa sessions before at the schools, as a comparison, the average time for those was about 2 minutes.

How long before I get the photos back?

I know people want these for Christmas cards, so I’m going to try my absolute best to get them edited within a week or so.

Can we get a family photo?

Sure. Whatever you want for the 15 minutes. Just keep in mind what your priorities are and let me know. We don’t want to spend too much time on a family pic if what you really want are the kids interacting with Santa.

Can you make it snow on Friday?

OK, full disclosure here. It actually WAS SNOWING yesterday when I took these. But I did help it along a bit with my editing. I can do the same on Friday, even if Santa doesn’t bring me real snow twice in one week.

What will we wear?

Well this is totally up to you, but my biggest suggestion is to dress warm. The easiest thing for a last-minute, cute Santa session would be to have kids in cute coats (peacoats, maybe?) and cute hats and scarves. I LOVE Fallon’s hat below…adorable. You can often get hats and scarves overnight from Amazon if you don’t already have something you love.

Where are the photo sessions?

The Mini Sessions are at Sarah Benson Park (formerly known as Thompson Station Park.)

What are your COVID precautions?

The biggest coronavirus safety precaution is our decision to have this outside. There is no indoor backup plan so let’s hope it doesn’t rain. Also, the 15 minute time slots ensure there are not lots of families waiting together. We ask that you wait in your car until it’s your turn.

For Santa’s safety, the children will not be sitting on his lap. As you can see below, I have some stools they can sit on. If you’d like them to sit farther away from Santa than shown below, just let us know. Whatever you are comfortable with is fine. I will have Clorox wipes to wipe the stools down between each family.

You can’t see me in the photos obviously, but please know that I always wear a mask to work (and I’m currently only working outdoors, as is Santa). Santa is happy to wear a mask if you prefer it. He also changes gloves between each family.

If you have a high-risk person in your family and don’t feel comfortable doing photos, Nashville Santa is doing Zoom calls. I got one for my niece in North Carolina and it was stinking adorable. Just message him on his Facebook page to set it up.

What if I can’t do this Friday?

We can possibly do another time, but that will require a higher price, and the scheduling might be difficult.

Fall Family Photo Session in Franklin TN

November 18, 2020November 17, 2020Posted in Family, Little Kids, Portrait Sessions, The Park at Harlinsdale FarmsTagged "The Park at Harlinsdale Farms", 2020, fall, Fall color, Fall in Tennessee, familly portraits, family of 4, Franklin Portrait Photographer, sisters, toddlersLeave a comment

Fall Family Photos in Franklin by Crystal Freemon Photography

On Tuesday, I shot a Senior Portrait Session at the Park at Harlinsdale Farms in Franklin. It was an absolutely perfect fall day. The autumn color was in full glory and all the trees were spectacular. On Sunday, I returned for a family photo session and almost all the leaves were gone.

I did, however, find this one perfect tree that had not lost it’s leave and was a gorgeous red orange color.

There were droves of photographers at the park that afternoon. It is one of the busiest portrait weekends of the year. I arrived early, as I always do, to stake out the location and look around at the light. These two sessions are a perfect example of why I do that. Even though I know this location well, and had been there just a few days before, it looked completely different.

When I found my tree, the light was coming through it in just the right way. I’m obsessed with light and this is one of my favorite kinds. I don’t normally shoot in that direction because there is an ugly parking lot behind the tree. But I figured it was far enough away to not be much of a problem. I knew I wanted to start the family photos at the tree because the light could move and not be at just the right spot if I waited. So I stopped roaming and just stood and staked out my spot like a dog hoping it didn’t get overrun with other photographers before my session started.

The funny thing is, I never saw another photographer go near the tree. It just goes to show that you can have 100 photographers photograph a subject, and everyone of them will see it differently and execute a different vision.

And isn’t this just the most beautiful family? Gah, those giggles are the best.

Santa Photos Mini Session | Nashville Family Photographer

November 15, 2020November 15, 2020Posted in Little Kids, Portrait SessionsLeave a comment

Spring Hill Thompson Station Santa Photos 2020

My Fall Mini Sessions are over, and family sessions are pretty booked for the rest of the year, but Santa Photos offer one last chance for Christmas Card pictures!

I did not plan on doing Santa photos this year because of the pandemic. But Nashville Santa and I have both gotten a lot of requests from people to find some way to make it happen. So we have put together a Santa Mini Session for Friday, December 4. The kids are doing asynchronous learning that day, so they can take a quick break to do photos.

Different this year

These are different from the Santa photos I’ve done the past few years at Spring Station Middle School (and before that, Chapman’s Retreat Elementary).

First of all, they are 15 minute long sessions instead of the two minutes or so that was typical of those school Santa pics. This is quite a bit of time for photos, and expect there will be more images per family than in previous years. All photos from the session will be available in a gallery for full-size digital downloads with a print release. If you’d like to also get a family pic, that’s fine too.

Second, and most importantly, we want to do our best to be a COVID safe option for everyone.

COVID Safety Precautions

SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY. It will be a little different this year as kids will not be sitting on Santa’s lap. They will either stand next to Santa or sit on a stool next to Santa. I’ll be masked. You may choose whether you’d like Santa to be masked. The session is outdoors only so if there is rain we will make an attempt to reschedule but may have to cancel.

We are trying are best to be contactless, but as you can see from the one picture of sweet Hadley below, social distancing is hard, especially for three year olds. Another safety note – Santa changes gloves between each family. Please feel free to let us know if you need extra precautions.

Santa’s got the Moves!

This session with Harper & Hadley was in their backyard, so it will look a little different from the December 4 sessions. The lighting was a bit tough because the sun was bright and there wasn’t a lot of shade. Thompson Station Park (now Sarah Benson Park) will offer more shade. Also, the chair Santa is sitting on belonged to the family. I will have the stools, along with a shorter stool for Santa, along with a buffalo plaid blanket, at the park session.

I think my favorite pics are the ones of Harper & Hadley dancing with Santa. We will make sure he brings those snazzy moves with him to the park.

Book Today

Teachers & First Responders: Please use coupon code “THANKS” for 20% off your Santa Session. (Please share with a teacher or first responder who might be interested.)

You can book your 15 minute Santa Session on my website. Spots are limited, so don’t wait!

Christmas Mini Sessions #2 at Country Cove Farm

November 10, 2020November 10, 2020Posted in Big Kids, Family, Little Kids, Portrait SessionsTagged 2020, Christmas, Country Cove Christmas Tree Farm, family, Holiday Mini Sessions, Murfreesboro, Nashville Family Photographer, outdoorsLeave a comment

Family Portrait Mini Sessions at Country Cove Christmas Tree Farm by Crystal Freemon Photography

During my last holiday marathon mini portrait session at Country Cove Christmas Farms in Murfreesboro, I wrote about how to decide if Mini Sessions are right for your family photos. This past weekend, I had the opportunity to photograph four more beautiful families who were all a great fit for a shorter portrait session.

To be honest, I was a little less excited about this second Mini Session today because of the time of day I needed to book the farm. I am passionate about magic hour lighting for portrait sessions. That’s the hour before sunset. My last Christmas Tree farm session was in the evening around magic hour. But because I waited too long to book, I wasn’t able to find another evening session that worked. So this one was in the morning. But it actually turned out to be wonderful. The sunlight was just coming through the tall trees on the farm and led to lovely lighting. And the weather was gorgeous…though my clients may have argued they were quite hot in their winter clothing.

This was the last of my Mini-Sessions for this year, and my family sessions are pretty much all full. But I do have one more opportunity for photos to tell you about.

I did not plan on doing Santa sessions this year because of the pandemic. But Nashville Santa and I have both gotten a lot of requests from people to find some way to make it happen. So we have put together a Santa Mini Session for Friday, December 4. The kids are doing asynchronous learning that day, so they can take a quick break to do photos.

Sessions are 15 minutes long, so if you want to get a quick family shot in too, there should be time.

Teachers & First Responders: Please use coupon code “THANKS” for 20% off your Santa Session. (Please share a teacher or first responder who might be interested.)

You can book your 15 minute Santa Session on my website. Spots are limited, so don’t wait.

Family of Four Photo Session at Henry Horton State Park

November 3, 2020November 3, 2020Posted in Big Kids, Family, Henry Horton State Park, Little Kids, Portrait SessionsTagged 2020, boys, brothers, Fall Family Photos, family of 4, Family photography, Henry Horton State Park, joy, Spring Hill TN PhotographerLeave a comment

Photo Session at Henry Horton State Park with Crystal Freemon Photography

It’s been about two years since I last photographed this beautiful family, and I was so glad to see them again for a photo session at Henry Horton State Park. The boys have gotten so big since I last saw them. One of my favorite parts of my job is getting to see children grow over the years.

I have been loving Henry Horton State Park for family photo sessions lately because of the beautiful light. This session was no exception. I also love the tall grasses that can be found in the park. I do wish there were more colorful trees to be found though. The day was a bit chilly, but I will take that over a super hot fall session like I had a couple weeks ago. The boys weathered the cold like champs and we had lots of fun playing and exploring.

This is my favorite kind of family photo session….one with lots of giggles, hugs and love.

Beautiful Blended Family Portrait Session | Spring Hill TN

November 2, 2020November 2, 2020Posted in Chapmans Retreat Walking Trail, Family, Little Kids, Portrait Sessions, Seniors & TeensLeave a comment

I had so much fun photographing this gorgeous family at their fall family portrait session in Spring Hill, Tennessee. I’ve known Jen for years and years, but this is the first time I’d gotten to meet her entire beautiful family. With seven kids, there were a lot of people to photograph, but that was made easier with the fact that almost everyone was old enough to easily take direction. And little Sawyer was never ever without a big sibling to love on him or keep him entertained.

I loved observing the relationships between the children and the friendships they clearly share. And how perfect are the colors they chose to wear for the portrat session? I especially love the pops of yellow. They all look so great with the colorful fall leaves in the background.

Large Blended Family outdoor portrait session in Spring Hill TN

Are Mini Sessions Right for You? | Nashville Family Photographer

October 26, 2020October 26, 2020Posted in Big Kids, Family, Little KidsTagged Big Kids, Country Cove Christmas Tree Farm, family, Holiday Mini Sessions, little kids, Murfreesboro, Nashville Family Photographer, Teens2 Comments

Crystal Freemon Photography Spring Hill TN Mini Sessions

I avoided mini sessions for the longest time, preferring to stick with full-length family portrait sessions. I finally caved this year and began offering some 25-minute mini sessions at the Country Cove Christmas tree farm in Murfreesboro.

Reasons I didn’t want to offer Mini Sessions

I pride myself on capturing images of clients being relaxed and carefree. Sometimes that takes a while and I don’t like feeling rushed. I like to get to know families at a portrait session. I strive to take photographs that capture who they are and how they relate as a family at this point in their lives.

Sometimes, a child or teen, or an adult shows up at a session feeling apprehensive and self-conscious. Maybe a child feels shy at first. Or Dad has been conditioned by studio portraits to be flashing me an uncomfortable smile constantly. Maybe mom is super stressed because they were running late or someone spit-up on the drive over.

By after about 30 minutes of chatting, playing, and being goofy, I find that most people become relaxed and start acting more like themselves. Shy toddlers warm up to me. Dad gets it that I want him to play and interact with the kids. The stress has drained out of mom’s face as things seem to be going better than she expected. All this means that the second half of a one-hour session often holds my favorite images from a family portrait session.

Even more than that, a lot of my favorite images from photo sessions come after we are officially done. When we are chatting and strolling back to our cars. Often, this is when everyone lets their guard down and I notice something special and click a quick “last” photo that becomes one of my favorites. If I’m rushing from session to session, then this relaxed last photo doesn’t get to happen.

Why I decided to offer Mini Sessions Anyway

The biggest reason I decided to give in and offer mini sessions this year are because it had gotten to the point that I couldn’t handle October. Everyone wants photos in October and there are only so many hours in the day.

Mini sessions not only allow me to shoot the sessions in a shorter time, but also it cuts down on editing. I’m importing the photos all at once, culling them in one swipe, and blogging them all at once. Editing is the task I spend by far the most amount of time on. So while I still have to edit a lot of photos, the process is streamlined.

I’m able to shoot more clients and turn fewer people away during the fall portrait season. Also, I am able to offer them at a price that is easier on the client’s budget.

Mini Sessions are not for Everyone

I’ve decided that mini sessions work well for certain clients. Others should stick to full-size portrait sessions, at least at first. The four sessions I photographed this week give a good example of what kind of families are best suited to mini sessions. I will explain why each of them was a good fit.

Family of Three with toddler

Toddlers are my favorite. One of the reasons why they are my favorite is because they are so unpredictable and full of energy. I love that, but also it can mean it can take a while to get all the photos I’d like for a session. Nolan was full of energy at this session. But because it was just him, I feel like I was able to get enough photos that I’m happy with during the mini session. If there had been multiple children, I may have had a hard time getting the appropriate group shots in the short 25 minute time frame. I was able to focus primarily on him and didn’t have to divide my time between multiple kids. Also, I have worked with this family before, which helps a lot as I will discuss more below.

So a family of three is perfect for a mini session. Aren’t they the cutest? And I love the color of his shirt. Perfect.

Country Cove Christmas Tree Farm Mini Portrait Sessions

Family well suited to being photographed

OK, I just hinted that mini sessions might not be the best if you have two young children. And now I’m showing you two young girls (ages 6 and 3) who knocked it out of the park. But they had a few advantages that I think helped. First of all, mom stated in her survey that the girls were pretty happy having their picture taken. I found that to be true.

Also, I had photographed this family before. One can argue that it doesn’t count because it was years ago when Rowan was just a toddler and Caroline had not been born. Clearly, the girls did not remember having a session with me. But the person who usually most benefits from knowing what to expect at a session is dad. James jumped right into this session being silly and playful and fun, and that makes all the difference in the world.

From now on if people have trouble decided what to wear for a session, I’m sending them to Elizabeth. ❤️

Crystal Freemon Photography Holiday Mini Sessions

Family who has grown up with me as their photographer

This one was a no-brainer. When Margaret signed up for one of the mini-sessions I was immediately happy and knew it would be a great fit. I’ve photographed these two kids their entire lives, including Grayson’s birth. I have lost track of how many sessions that has been. There is no “get to know you” time needed. As always, we had a great time. Though I was sad it was only for 25 minutes.

Nashville Family Photography Christmas Tree Farm Sessions

Family with older kids / teens who I can relate to

This family had a definite advantage in that all the kids were old enough to stand and do whatever I told them to do. However, I wouldn’t automatically assume a min session is a good fit for teens or tweens. Some kids that age can take quite a bit of time to warm up to having their photo taken and may need the entire hour.

I had never met this family before really (other than maybe in passing at school events), but I felt a connection to them already. In the past few months, Leslie and I have become “internet friends”. We have a lot of common and are in some of the same groups. Because of the pandemic, we haven’t had the chance to get together and hang out in real life, but I do feel like I’ve gotten to know her a little. And my oldest daughter is friends with one of the boys and was in drama with him. I believe all that helps in having clients start to feel at ease at a session, and helps everyone to relax quicker than if we had no connection at all and they were meeting a complete stranger.

That’s the most words I’ve put into a blog post in a long time, but it was a four in one. I guess the big question is will I do min sessions again? Yes, I think I will, and now I will be able to point clients to this blog post to help them decide if mini sessions are a good fit for their family. Maybe I can offer them other times of the year as well. I’ve been thinking about summer sunflower field sessions maybe?

Are you following me on Instagram? That’s a great place to keep up to date on future openings. I have a couple spots left for my Holiday Family Mini Sessions. Or are you looking for a senior photographer? Either way, you can book a session directly from my online booking calendar, or contact me if you have questions.

Spring Hill TN Fall Family Portrait Session

October 19, 2020October 19, 2020Posted in Chapmans Retreat Walking Trail, Family, Little Kids, Portrait SessionsTagged blue, brothers, Chapman's Retreat Walking Trail, CRES, fall, family of 4, Nashville Family Photographer, outdoors, Spring Hill TN PhotographerLeave a comment

Spring Hill TN Family Photographer, Fall 2020

I wrote an entire blog post just a few days ago, and I think that is my limit for this very busy week. So for this beautiful family portrait session in Spring Hill, I think I will let the photos speak for themselves. These sweet boys are getting so big. Happy fifth birthday, Ty!

My Adventures in Video | Nashville Family Photographer

October 1, 2020October 2, 2020Posted in Family, Home Sessions, Little Kids, Newborns & Babies, Portrait SessionsTagged 2020, baby, baby boy, fall, family of 4, home, Nashville Family Photographer, outdoors, pets, siblings, toddler girl, videoLeave a comment

Nashville Family Photographer - family of four

When Ashley first contacted me about this at-home family portrait session, she said that she had found me just by googling Nashville Family Photographer, and liked the work on my website. But she wanted to know if I could shoot a session at their home. My answer was “absolutely”! I love photographing families in places that mean something to them.

Ashely wanted a daytime session that would work for baby Jack’s schedule. Her back yard was the perfect spot and offered plenty of shade for a morning session. The trees were absolutely gorgeous and I fell in love with Emilia’s tree swing. It looked like something you would find in a fairy garden.

So for a while, I’ve wanted to try adding video to my services, but I don’t have much experience in doing it. For some time, I’d wanted to try to add a few videos to a session, but needed to find the right opportunity. First, I didn’t want to feel like I was in a race with the light, and since this was a daytime session, I felt I had a little more wiggle room on the time, so I could take a little extra time at each spot to get the photos I normally would, and then take a video or two.

Second, I needed it to be a small family with young children. I have done a few bigger families and extended sessions lately and definitely didn’t feel confident adding something extra to those. But with a small family, there is usually more time during a session since there are not lots of combinations of people to include in the shots. I wanted young children because those sessions are just naturally more active and a good fit for capturing movement.

So anyway, I didn’t tell the family I was shooting video because I wasn’t sure how it would turn out or if I would even include it. But I played around with them today and think they turned out OK. I definitely want to practice more and maybe eventually add this on as an additional option for clients.

Are these not the cutest kids ever? The session was so much fun and I love reliving that fun through the videos. Emelia’s laugh is just the most beautiful music.

In case the video moved to quickly for you, here are some of the images in my usual format:

New help choosing what to wear for Family Portrait Sessions

September 28, 2020September 28, 2020Posted in Big Kids, Family, Little Kids, Portrait Sessions, The Park at Harlinsdale Farms, UncategorizedTagged "The Park at Harlinsdale Farms", 2020, fall, Family of 5, Franklin TN, Nashville Family Photographer, Style & Select, Wardrobe, What to wearLeave a comment

If you followed my blog for long, you probably recognize my friend Christy and her beautiful family in this family portrait session I shot yesterday. Christy had never had family portraits shot at the Park at Harlansdale Farms, and it was a perfect choice for this fall portrait session. The weather and the light were perfect and the girls had so much fun roaming around the farm. Christy and I have been friends for years, so I’ve known Haley since she was a toddler, and Hannah & Emily since birth. I actually photographed Emily being born. They are some of the easiest children I ever photograph and we always have so much fun.

Since Christy is often my guinea pig for trying new things, I was excited to have her be the first to try out a new service I’m offering to my clients to help them decide what to wear for their family portrait sessions. I don’t know about you, but for me, deciding what to wear is probably the most stressful part of planning a portrait session. I’ve never felt particularly good at it, even as the photographer. I often have an idea in my mind what I want, but actually finding the pieces in all the correct colors and sizes to purchase never seems to be easy. So I wanted to find a way to make that process easier on my portrait clients. I’m happy to announce that every client will now have access to the Style & Select tool. Style & Select is an interactive style guide and outfit coordinator on the web.

When you book a portrait session with me, you will be sent a link to the Style & Select questionnaire and a password to use the service. You will then fill out the survey based upon the needs of your family. The questionnaire will ask you the number of people being photographed, their ages, and your styling preferences along with what color scheme you would like to choose for your portrait session wardrobe.

The quick results page will show you photo-approved clothing pieces for each family member and you can view outfits side-by-side while favoriting items. You can play around with it until you have selected the perfect outfit combo! Click the email button to send yourself the selected items or shop for the clothes right away by clicking the shopping cart buttons. You don’t have to purchase the items recommended. You can also use them as inspiration for shopping at your favorite store, on Amazon, or even in your own closet.

Christy’s thoughts on using the Style & Select Tool

“The Style & Select tool was an easy way to get coordinated outfits in the style and colors I like. I was able to come up with several family outfit selections without spending a ton of time scrolling online or actually shopping! I love that it offered several price points and at stores I frequently use (aka Amazon). I was even able to upload a couple of dresses we already had to make sure it all coordinated. I just love how everything came together. It was so easy to use and fun too!”

And I am just thrilled with the results. Emmy’s dress, recommended by Style & Select, is one of my favorites. They look so gorgeous and coordinated without being too matchy. I’m very pleased with the first session to use the service and hope that all my clients find it to be a helpful tool to make planning portrait sessions less stressful.

Family of Five portrait Session at Harlinsdale Farms in Franklin TN

If you haven’t booked Fall Family portraits yet for your family, I still have a few spots left, so book yours today! I also have two spots left for Holiday Mini Sessions at Country Cove Farm on October 11. The Mini Sessions are great for small families, older kids or kids who are used to working with me. If you have a large group or think it may take some time for the kids to warm up to me, you may want to book a full session.

The Models I made myself | Country Cove Christmas Tree Farms

September 16, 2020September 16, 2020Posted in Big Kids, Family, Little Kids, Portrait SessionsTagged 2020, Christmas, Christmas Card Photos, Country Cove Christmas Tree Farm, Holiday Mini Sessions, sisters, winterLeave a comment

As I told you last week, I am excited to be offering some Holiday Mini Sessions this year at Country Cove Farms in Murfreesboro. The sessions will be 25 minutes long and will include your choice of 30 full-size digital images from the session gallery, with the option to purchase more digital images and/or print products. The cost of the mini-session is $300.

The original spots I offered are all booked up, but because of a scheduling change, I was able to add a couple more spots on October 11.

I almost missed my chance to preview Country Cove Farms, like I have every year. I booked the promotional spot at the last minute. I was prepared to just do the promo shoot with the models I grew myself, but was very happy my friend Christy was able to bring her family as well, so I had some variety. But I am so happy that Kayla and Megan agreed to let me take their photos too because they are truly my favorite subjects, even though they are getting to be such young women.

Holiday Mini Sessions at Country Cove Christmas Tree Farm

September 9, 2020September 10, 2020Posted in Big Kids, Family, Little Kids, Portrait SessionsTagged 2020, Christmas, Christmas Card Photos, Country Cove Christmas Tree Farm, Family of 5, Holiday Mini Sessions, sisters, winter1 Comment

Holiday Mini Sessions with Crystal Freemon Photography at Country Cove Farms

I’m excited to be offering some Holiday Mini Sessions this year at Country Cove Farms in Murfreesboro. The sessions will be 25 minutes long and will include your choice of 30 full-size digital images from the session gallery, with the option to purchase more digital images and/or print products. The cost of the mini-session is $300.

I’ve had a lot of people ask about the status of the Holiday Marketplace event at Spring Station Middle School where I normally do Santa Photos. I’m just not sure at this point if that event will happen or not due to COVID. So these Holiday Mini-Sessions are a perfect way to make sure you still get beautiful holiday themed photos for your Christmas Cards.

This is the first time I’d ever been to Country Cove, and I’m so sad that I hadn’t taken the time to check it out before, because it is a beautiful location. Everything is fairly close together so there is not lots of walking. I had a 30 minute photographer’s promo session, and was able to get plenty of shots of my beautiful model family, shown here, along with some other shots of my own daughter’s, which I will blog in another post.

These mini-sessions are best for families of six or less and are ideal kids who are used to working with me, are older, or are generally pretty agreeable for photo sessions. If you have a larger group or feel that your children may need extra time to warm up to having their photo taken, then a full session might be a better choice for your family.

I’m offering two dates for the mini sessions, but one is almost sold out already so don’t wait to book your spot.

The rain dates for these sessions in case they are postponed for bad weather are October 30 for the first one, and November 14 for the second one. Your rain date time would be the same time slot as your originally scheduled session.

Family of 5 Portraits at Harlinsdale Farms | Franklin Family Photographer

September 9, 2020September 9, 2020Posted in Big Kids, Family, Little Kids, Portrait Sessions, The Park at Harlinsdale FarmsTagged "The Park at Harlinsdale Farms", barns, blue, Family of 5, Franklin Portrait Photographer, Franklin TN, Magic Hour, Nashville Family Photographer, siblings, sunsetLeave a comment

Franklin Tn Family Photographer at Harlinsdale Farms

This family of five portrait session at the Park at Harlinsdale Farms in Franklin was such a joy to photograph. Sometimes at a family photo session, kids can be a little shy at first, so I take things a little slow. As a photographer, you learn to adapt to the vibe of the kids you are working with. But shyness was definitely not a trait of these kids. They got right out of the car full of personality and questions. I just love their energy and excitement.

One thing I love about being a family photographer is that each one is beautifully unique. I could photograph a hundred families on the same day at the same location (if there was time), and no two of them would be the same. Some kids wanna be still, cuddled up to mom. Some kids want to run and play and be silly. Some are serious, some are goofy. They are all beautiful.

My goal is to capture something about who they are right now, as a family, and as individuals, in my photographs. I hope that I’ve accomplished that. I certainly enjoyed getting to know each of them.

If you haven’t booked Fall Family portraits yet for your family, I still have a few spots left, so book yours today! I also have one spot left for Holiday Mini Sessions at Country Cove Farm on October 23 and will probably be adding another date later today. The Mini Sessions are great for small families, older kids or kids who are used to working with me. If you have a large group or think it may take some time for the kids to warm up to me, you may want to book a full session.

In case you missed it: Last month I wrote about the challenges of photographing my own family.

Summer Family Portrait Session by the Creek | Spring Hill, TN Photographer

July 27, 2020July 27, 2020Posted in Big Kids, Family, Little Kids, Portrait Sessions, Seniors & TeensTagged boys, cousins, creek, extended family, outdoors, sisters, Spring Hill TN Photographer, summer, TeensLeave a comment

“Then followed that beautiful season… Summer…. Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape. Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood.”
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I had so much fun at this family portrait session in Spring Hill last night. There is something about summer photos that I find magical, despite the heat. I think the quote from Longfellow above sums up why….I love the magical light and the wonder of childhood that you don’t get in the other seasons.

Backyard Portrait Session with Grandparents | Franklin Family Photographer

June 24, 2020June 24, 2020Posted in Big Kids, Family, Home Sessions, Little Kids, Portrait SessionsTagged "extended family", cousins, family, Franklin Portrait Photographer, grandparents, outdoors, pool, siblings, summerLeave a comment

Little boy sliding on pool slide in Nashville

Memories are being made in this backyard. Summer fun with cousins splashing in the pool, jumping on the trampoline, and creating art with chalk…is there anything better? I love being able to photograph families in locations that are special to them, and this home is certainly special and full of love.

It’s been five years since I first photographed this beautiful family as they gathered together for summer fun. I last photographed them around this time three years ago. It was so great to see them again and see how much the kids had grown.

Just like at their very first family session, we started out with more formal portraits, but then let the kids play in the back yard as I shot fun lifestyle pictures. Then they got to change to have fun in the pool. I even brought my GoPro along for a few underwater shots.