Category: Winstead Hill Park

Winstead Hill Senior Session & Best Timing for Senior Pictures

Posted in Seniors & Teens, Winstead Hill ParkTagged , , , , , , , , Leave a comment
Senior portraits at Winstead Hill park in Franklin TN

Well it’s been a crazy weather week in Middle Tennessee. This was actually the second session in just a few days where we had to navigate around rain clouds, but I’m so glad we persisted. One of the things I enjoy most about photographing seniors is getting to know these teens as individuals. This particular session was special because we incorporated this senior’s love of reading and the outdoors. Including his favorite book in the photos added a personal touch, and as a book lover myself, it’s one of my favorite props to include in sessions. Despite the weather challenges, we found breaks in the rain to create some great shots in the natural setting he was hoping for.

Timing Options for Senior Portraits

As the Class of 2025 begins their last few weeks of school, this seems like a good time to address questions about senior portrait timing. There’s no single “best” season—each time of year offers different advantages depending on your senior’s schedule and preferences.

Summer

Summer sessions offer a wonderfully low-stress option before the whirlwind of senior year activities begins. With more flexible schedules, we can easily work around family vacations and summer jobs. Plus, that summer glow can make for radiant portraits! Don’t let concerns about heat deter you—early mornings or evenings provide beautiful light and comfortable temperatures.

Fall

The rich colors of autumn create a stunning backdrop, which is why fall becomes my busiest season. If you’re dreaming of those golden-hour portraits with colorful leaves, book well in advance! These slots fill quickly every year, sometimes months ahead.

Winter

Winter sessions yield some of my most unique and striking senior portraits. The dramatic bare trees and soft, diffused winter light can create distinctive, striking images. Success with winter sessions comes down to flexibility—we may need to reschedule if temperatures drop too low, but the results are worth the extra coordination.

Spring

There’s something poetic about spring sessions that capture seniors right on the cusp of graduation. The blooming flowers and fresh greenery symbolize new beginnings perfectly. However, this time of year often coincides with the peak of senior activities, sports competitions, and academic commitments, which can make scheduling and potential reschedules more challenging. That said, for athletes with fall or winter seasons or students with particularly demanding extracurricular schedules, spring might be the only practical option.

Consider All Options

Many people rule out winter and summer because of weather concerns, but I encourage you to consider these seasons as they might be less stressful and perfect for your senior’s schedule. Any time can work great depending on your specific situation.

What matters most is capturing this milestone authentically, regardless of the season. Sometimes the less obvious choice ends up being the best fit for your senior’s schedule and personality.

Just like this week’s session that worked out despite weather challenges, flexibility often leads to great results.

Simple Parks and Gorgeous Sunshine: A Perfect Family Session at Winstead Park

Posted in Family, Portrait Sessions, Seniors & Teens, Winstead Hill ParkLeave a comment

When clients choose a location for their portrait session, they often think it needs to be elaborate and picturesque. However, some of my favorite sessions are held in simple, serene parks with the perfect touch of sunshine. This was exactly the case with a recent family session at Winstead Park in Franklin.

I had so much fun getting to know this beautiful family at Winstead Park. I am also glad the weather worked out for us, as it’s hard to have a backup date when shooting sessions for families with young adult children. But the weather was gorgeous and not even that hot for June in Middle Tennessee. The simplicity of the park combined with the gorgeous summer sunshine created a magical atmosphere that highlighted their genuine connections and joy.

We started the session in the open fields, where the golden light filtered through the trees, creating a warm and inviting backdrop. The natural smiles and laughter of the family made for some truly candid and heartwarming moments. Capturing these unposed interactions is one of my favorite aspects of family photography.

This session was a wonderful reminder that sometimes the most straightforward locations can provide the most stunning results. The combination of a simple park and beautiful sunshine created a perfect setting for capturing this beautiful family.

If you’re considering a location for your next family photoshoot, remember that sometimes less is more. A simple park with beautiful light can be all you need to create unforgettable memories.

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

Summer Family Portrait Session at Winstead Hill Park

Posted in Family, Portrait Sessions, Seniors & Teens, Winstead Hill ParkTagged , , , , , Leave a comment
Family Portraits at Winstead Hill Park

This beautiful family braved the heat to fit a family portrait session in before the youngest went off to college in a couple of weeks. It was such a joy to spend some time getting to know them, and really the weather was tolerable for July in Tennessee.

To all the parents sending off for the first time, hugs to you. I’ll be there myself in one short year and I still can’t imagine it. But I am excited for all the adventures they are about to have and new seasons beginning for both kids and parents.

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

Family of Four Photo Session at Winstead Hill in Franklin

Posted in Family, Little Kids, Newborns & Babies, Portrait Sessions, Winstead Hill ParkTagged , , , , , , , , Leave a comment
Siblings at Family Portrait Session at Winstead Hill Park

I love seeing my favorite repeat clients yearly for their annual family portrait session. But I especially love it when the kids reach my favorite ages for photographing. Kids ages one to four have always been my favorite to capture, and this family portrait session shows why.

Young children are so authentic and true to their own feelings. They are filled with wonder about the world around them. Even a leaf on the ground becomes fascinating, and a hike through a park is an adventure. Photo sessions with young children involve a playfulness that I love to capture.

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

Childhood Portraits at Winstead Park

Posted in Big Kids, Portrait Sessions, Winstead Hill ParkTagged , , , , , , Leave a comment
Family Portraits at Winstead Hill Park

 “And one day she discovered that she was fierce, and strong, and full of fire, and that not even she could hold herself back because her passion burned brighter than her fears.”

Mark Anthony

Family Portrait Session at Winstead Park – capturing the love & joy of Emerson in photos.

Family Portraits with Newborn at Winstead Hill Park

Posted in Little Kids, Newborns & Babies, Portrait Sessions, Winstead Hill ParkTagged , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment
Outdoor newborn portrait with big brother

This outdoor newborn/family session was a lesson in being flexible. These are wonderful repeat family portrait clients of mine. I was looking forward to meeting the newest addition to the family, a baby sister who is one month old. Mom wanted more of an outdoor family session than a traditional at-home newborn. Her original request was to have the photos taken at the Park at Harlinsdale Farms. We had not done a session for them there yet and she liked the location.

That sounded like a great idea until I realized that the session was scheduled for the same day as the Pilgrimage Festival. So I gave them the option of moving the session to another day, or keeping the date and moving to another location far far away from Harlinsdale and the crowds.

It turns out, a weekday morning session worked just great for the new family of four. Little ones are often happier in the morning and it worked for their schedules, so we changed the date.

But then Thursday morning I showed up at Harlinsdale about an hour early (because that’s me…your Enneagram 1 photographer). They were already setting up for Pilgrimage. Oops! I guess it should have occurred to me that they would need several days to set up for such a large festival. They wouldn’t let me in, and even if they had, there were giant white tents everywhere.

This is where my being obsessively early coming in handy. I was able to call the clients before they had left home, and we adapted. I gave a few options and they chose Winstead Hill Park. That worked out nicely because Winstead has plenty of shade, which is needed for a mid-morning photo session, and was somewhere they hadn’t done pictures before.

Isn’t that sweet baby girl just perfection? Big brother had a great time exploring a new park.

Outdoor newborn portrait with big brother

Looking for a photographer in Spring Hill, Franklin, and Columbia in Middle Tennessee? I photograph families at all stages, from newborns 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

Posted in Family, Little Kids, Portrait Sessions, Winstead Hill ParkTagged , , , , Leave 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.

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.

Family of Four Fall Photo Session in Franklin TN

Posted in Big Kids, Family, Portrait Sessions, Winstead Hill ParkLeave a comment
Family portraits in Franklin TN - Spring Hill Children's Photographer

Saturday was just a gorgeous day to spend with one of my favorite families doing a fall portrait session at Winstead Hill Park, in Franklin, TN.

There are no more spots for Fall portraits, but soon I will be booking for 2021 winter and spring. Or, there are still spots left for Santa Minis on December 4.

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 Portrait Session For Hometown Friends

Posted in Big Kids, Family, Portrait Sessions, Winstead Hill ParkTagged , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

This gorgeous family traveled from my hometown, Elizabethton TN, for their family portrait session, and I am so glad they did! Whitney is the best friend of my amazing sister-in-law, which kind of makes her like extended family. You might recognize sweet Zoe from photos I’ve taken at my niece’s birthday parties and other such events.

But this is the first time I’ve been able to do an actual family portrait session for them. They combined our session with a weekend family getaway to the Opryland hotel, which I thought was a fantastic idea. They were able to visit the ICE! at Gaylord Opryland and all the holiday fun at the hotel. Then, before returning to East Tennessee, they met me at Winstead Hill Park in Franklin for a fun fall family portrait session.

The weather was gorgeous, which was my one fear… I wasn’t sure how we would reschedule if the weather didn’t cooperate, considering the 5 1/2 hours they traveled to get here. But we couldn’t have asked for a better day, and they were so much fun to photograph. Zoe is a natural in front of the camera and so much fun to be around. As a side-note, I love the rose pink color of your outfit and think it worked perfectly for fall photos.

Family Portraits at Winstead Park with Epic One-Year birthday Watermelon “Smash”

Posted in Family, Little Kids, Newborns & Babies, Portrait Sessions, Winstead Hill ParkTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment
Family of 5 Portrait Session at Winstead Hill Park in Franklin TN

“The laughter, the fun, the hand-holding, the love.”

Things get pretty boring and lonely for a mostly outdoor family portrait photographer in the south in the month of July. For some reason, most people don’t think first of July as the best time to book family portrait sessions.  I get it.  It’s hot.  SO HOT.  And there are only so many clothes you can take off before it’s a different kind of photography all together.  But it was perfect for this family session combined with a One-Year Cake Smash birthday session. ☀️😉


But this portrait session shows how perfect a July photo session can be, and I am so excited about sharing it with you.  I generally love all my sessions, but once in a while, I get one that just feels like magic. 


If you’ve followed me for a while, you can probably guess that those sessions almost always involve young children.  It’s no secret that the 1 – 6-year-old crowd is my favorite to photograph and this beautiful family had an (almost) one-year-old, a four-year-old and a six-year-old. I had taken their photo with Santa last year at Spring Station Middle School’s Holiday Marketplace, and they loved the Santa photos so they booked a family session. (Yes, Santa and I plan to be back at Holiday Market this year.)  July was chosen in order to celebrate sweet baby Reya’s first birthday with One-Year Cake Smash photos.


It is so important for me to get to know my clients because taking photos is such a personal thing for me.  The first step of getting to know a client is an online questionnaire they fill out when they book a session with me. Casey did a fantastic job of giving me a head start in getting to know her beautiful family. The answers don’t have to be too long…just enough information to give me a feel for each family member and to help me envision how to capture them for who they are. 
Before each session, I study those answers and make notes for myself as I plan out the session in my head. I note things like the fact that Monroe is very outgoing and loves soccer and dancing, while Everly can be shy and loves unicorns and all things pink and glittery.  These little things may not sound like a lot, but they help me get a feel for the girls, and to guide how I connect with them at the session. 


But the thing I loved the most about Casey’s answers, is that when asked what she wants to remember about her family right now, she said “the laughter, the fun, the hand-holding, the love.”  I wrote that at the top of my notes because it just seemed to perfectly sum up my desire for every family session. I hope that she can see all those things in the photos below. ❤️

Watermelon instead of cake for a one-year cake smash? Yes, Please!


Oh, and I just LOVE Watermelon as a replacement for a one-year cake smash.  Reya seemed to dig it too because she was LOVING every single bite of it.  There is just nothing cuter than a naked baby eating watermelon.  I enjoyed getting big sisters in on the watermelon eating fun as well.  Do you think it would be weird to bring along a cooler full of watermelon to every summer family session from now on and hand them out instead of my usual suckers? 🍉  

If you’d like to schedule your own summer fun family session, you can book online now (and feel free to bring watermelon!!).  I can usually fit in a summer session pretty last minute.  But please note, if you are like the other hundreds of people that really want Fall instead, those are selling out fast so don’t wait toFamily Portrait Session at Winstead Park with Epic One-Year birthday Watermelon “Smash”If you’d like to schedule your own summer fun family session, you can book online now (and feel free to bring watermelon!!).  I can usually fit in a summer session pretty last minute.  But please note, if you are like the other hundreds of people that really want Fall instead, those are selling out fast so don’t wait to