Tag: Spring Hill Photographer

Finding Beauty in the Unexpected: A Photographer’s Perspective

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Eastern Caribbean Cruise Vacation - San Juan Puerto Rico

I just got back from a week-long Royal Carribean Independence of the Seas cruise with some of my favorite people, and I’m still thinking about all the moments I captured. We ended up having to leave a day earlier than planned because of the snow storm heading our way, but it all worked out in the end—and honestly, it reminded me that some of the best experiences come from embracing the unexpected. Leaving early meant we had an extra day in Miami, so we explored Little Havana, and I’m so glad we did.

On past trips, I was limited to my phone because I didn’t want to bring my big DSLR, but this past year I bought a Fujifilm X100T and was really excited to try it out. My friend Christy said something that stuck with me. She told me she loved seeing my photos because even though we were there together, I noticed things she completely missed. A weathered door painted the most incredible shade of turquoise. Two older ladies excitedly examining a map. The way late afternoon light hit the colorful buildings in Old San Juan, creating these perfect pockets of shadow and warmth.

That’s the thing about photography that I love most—it pushes me to actually see things I might otherwise walk right past.

I’ll be honest, shooting strangers felt a little awkward at first. I’m so used to the comfortable, playful energy of family sessions where everyone knows I’m there to capture them. But I kept finding myself drawn to images with people in them. Which makes sense, really—I’ve always considered myself a photographer of people first. Even when I’m photographing a gorgeous beach or the view from the ship, it’s the human moments that pull me in.

The landscapes were beautiful. The beaches were stunning. But Little Havana’s vibrant murals and Puerto Rico’s colorful architecture? That’s where my camera came alive. And it reminded me exactly why I do what I do—helping people notice and preserve the moments that make life beautiful, even the ones we might otherwise miss.

We got to experience Puerto Rico just days before the Super Bowl halftime show, which was fun timing.

Here are some of my favorites from the trip:

These are all from Little Havana in Miami. Domino Park was cool to see, and I loved all the colorful murals. The woman in the red dress caught my eye, balanced with the bright taxi beside her, but after I took it, I also loved the orange palm tree sign above her and the arrow pointing to the welcome center.

Here are all the photos I took in San Juan, Puerto Rico. What an absolutely beautiful city.

And here are various photos I took from the ship, at CocoCay (Royal Caribbean’s Private Island), and St. Thomas.

Last, but not least. Here are my amazing friends. This was our fourth annual vacation together, and I am so glad we started doing this. It’s a lot of work and planning to get it done, but the memories will last forever.

Senior Guy Session at McEwan Northside | Franklin TN Senior Photographer

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Senior Guy Session at McEwan Northside Jenis Ice Cream

I absolutely love when seniors choose locations that actually mean something to them, and this session at McEwan Northside in Franklin was exactly that. When I learned this was where he and his friends hang out after school – especially at Jeni’s Ice Cream – I knew we’d capture something authentic.

I’d never shot at McEwan Northside before, but I knew it would work beautifully. I’m always up for considering a new location when clients suggest it, but I do sometimes worry if the lighting will be OK. But I knew this location had lots of taller buildings, creating open shade and opportunities for the sun to peek around corners or reflect off windows. I could already envision the variety of lighting we’d get to play with.

This place is a photographer’s playground – modern architecture with clean lines, vibrant murals that add instant personality to any shot, and thoughtful landscaping that softens all those urban edges. The only real challenge was trying to focus while the smell of North Italia’s kitchen kept wafting over. I’m definitely planning a dinner date there soon because those aromas were torture!

We centered several shots around Jeni’s since that’s where he spends the most time, and I couldn’t help but get excited at how perfectly his Tennessee orange coordinated with their branding. The murals were another unexpected bonus – that vibrant artwork gave us such dynamic backgrounds to work with.

There’s something about photographing someone in their element that just works. The modern vibe of McEwan Northside paired with the golden hour light created exactly the look we were going for. Between the architecture, the murals, and that perfect afternoon light, these images were so much fun to create.

I’m already excited to come back to McEwan Northside with future clients. It’s got everything I look for in an urban session spot, plus that bonus of actually meaning something to the local seniors who spend time there.

Ready to book your senior session at a location that’s meaningful to you? I’d love to capture your story! Contact me to get started.

Fall Mini Sessions at Sarah Benson Park: Why the Right Clients Make All the Difference

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2025 Fall Mini Sessions at Sarah Benson Park with Crystal Freemon Photography

Wanna know a secret? I still get nervous before sessions, even after 10 years. I always worry about doing a good job and really want clients to love their images. It’s definitely less so than in the beginning, but I find myself especially nervous before mini sessions.

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I don’t love mini sessions, but I acknowledge they’re a great choice for certain families. I just hate that I’m not able to chat more with clients at a mini—it’s very hurried so there isn’t that same time to leisurely get to know everyone. My favorite photos have always been the more “messy” ones that show emotion. You might think those are easier to get than more posed photos, but I’ve found we’re all preconditioned to pose for photos, so it takes time to get people to relax enough to capture those genuine moments.

Also, I have just never been one for small galleries. I know I over-deliver on the number of photos and I can’t help it. I’m just never going to be the photographer who delivers 5-10 mini session images—it’s just not who I am. I think the biggest problem I have with minis is I’ve never been able to accept that they’re supposed to include fewer photos, less variety, etc. So I get extra nervous going into minis worried if I can still give clients everything I think they deserve in that shorter timeline.

A big part of whether or not I succeed is if the right clients are the ones booking minis. These are not, for example, for the family of five with three children under five. Please don’t do that to me. LOL.

Another reason minis are challenging is that it’s really complicated when the weather doesn’t cooperate. I had set a rain date for this session for Sunday, November 9th. As of early Saturday morning, there was a pretty decent chance we might have been rained out yesterday, but also a pretty good chance the rain would be gone by afternoon. I wasn’t sure what to do because I know it can be really stressful for clients to wait and see what happens with the weather. Some are fine waiting until the last minute, and others really aren’t. I don’t want photos to be a stressful experience, so I gave clients the option to either switch to next week’s rain date or wait it out. One client chose to wait until next week, which I totally understand. The weather turned out to be lovely, but it’s never wrong to make the best decision for your family given the information available.

The great news for anyone who wanted Fall Minis but didn’t get booked in time is that I’m going to open up some last-minute mini spots along with the client who rescheduled for Sunday, November 9th, with the caveat that I don’t have a rain day planned, so if we do get rained out, we’ll have to figure out another option.

Now, let me tell you about these families and why they were perfect choices for a mini session.

The first family was one I photographed several years back—I don’t even remember how long it’s been, but at that time the children were quite young, and we had a lovely full session at Yanahli Park. So they were a perfect fit for minis because we had worked together before and I knew them, but now they were much older so a mini was exactly what they needed.

The second family of five was new to me, but all teenagers, and as mom said, “no one is shy.” They were quick to warm to the camera and easy to photograph. Mom wanted family photos but also wanted some senior shots of the oldest daughter, so I focused on getting more individuals of her than the rest. This can be a good choice for seniors as long as you’re okay with no outfit changes, not choosing your location, and generally having less variety of poses and backdrops. Though I do feel like Sarah Benson allows us to get decent variety all in one little area. I’m pleased with how they turned out and hope mom was able to get everything she wanted.

These photos of the third family might be some of my top favorites of all time, but I feel like it needs a very big disclaimer. I think it’s fair to say that almost no one should bring three dogs to a mini session. 😂 (Though I absolutely welcome all your dogs, cooperative or not, to a full family session. We will make it work…they are family.) That being said, this isn’t a normal family and these dogs are just the most amazing professionals. And I knew that already because I follow them on Instagram. This mom is actually a fellow photographer who I admire and have become colleagues with—we exchange discussions on locations, Lightroom errors, etc. So these children and dogs are literally professional subjects. She also knew exactly what to expect from a mini session. I actually didn’t take any individual photos of the girls because that’s something they already had plenty of. The focus was on family photos with the dogs, because that’s just too darn hard to get with a tripod and timer.

The last family is one of my closest friends, who has two teen boys. So another perfect choice for minis—older kids who know what they’re doing and a mom who gets it.

All of these sessions reminded me why having the right clients for mini sessions makes such a difference. When families understand what minis are about and come prepared, it really can work beautifully.

2025 Fall Mini Sessions at Sarah Benson Park with Crystal Freemon Photography

If you’re interested in those last-minute mini spots for November 9th, message me! Just remember—no rain backup plan, so we’ll be crossing our fingers for good weather.

Yahnali Park Family Session with Dramatic Skies

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Family pics at Yahnali Park

There’s something really special about photographing families year after year. This family has been coming back to me for their sessions for a while now, and I always look forward to seeing how much has changed.

Yahnali Park gave us some incredible light to work with. Those dramatic clouds rolling in created this beautiful, moody backdrop that kept changing throughout the session. The shifting light gave us so much variety – from soft and even to those gorgeous dramatic moments when the clouds broke just right. It’s the kind of weather that makes a session feel dynamic and interesting.

Working with return clients is honestly one of my favorite parts of this job. There’s an ease to the session because we’ve done this before. No one’s nervous, everyone knows what to expect, and we can just focus on getting great images.

I loved editing this gallery and I’m excited to share a few favorites from their session.

Ready to book your family session? Contact me to schedule yours!

Family pics at Yahnali Park

Nashville Golden Hour | Class of 2026 Senior Session at the Parthenon

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Nashville Senior Pictures of girl sitting on steps of the Parthenon

I don’t often make the drive to Nashville for sessions since I live on the south side of Spring Hill and charge extra for the distance. But when this senior asked about shooting at the Parthenon, I was super excited because I knew it would be a fabulous spot for senior pictures.

This is my first senior from the Class of 2026, which I’m not completely prepared for because my youngest baby girl is also Class of 2026. We’re beginning my last year of a child at home, which is just crazy. #dontblink

The timing worked out perfectly for golden hour, and the Parthenon delivered exactly what I hoped it would. First, I found this beautiful little flower garden for the first part of the session. Then the architecture of the building itself gives you so many options – those massive columns create incredible leading lines, and the light filtering through them was just beautiful. We moved around the entire structure, finding different angles and perspectives that kept the session feeling fresh.

I love how locations like this seem to bring out something special in seniors. Maybe it’s the grandeur of the setting, but she just owned every pose and seemed completely at ease in front of the camera. The variety we captured was impressive – everything from dramatic wide shots that show the full scale of the building to more intimate portraits tucked between the columns.

As I’m working through these images, I keep thinking about how this kicks off my Class of 2026 sessions. If this is any indication of what’s coming, it’s going to be a great senior season. There’s something about this particular moment in their lives that I find so compelling to capture – they’re right on the edge of everything changing.

I’m grateful this family was up for the Nashville adventure and trusted me to document this important time. Sometimes stepping outside your usual routine leads to the best sessions.

Interested in planning your senior session? I’d love to talk about your ideas and help create something special for this milestone. Get in touch to start planning!

Downtown Franklin Senior Session: Timing is Everything

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Senior pics in Downtown Franklin, close up of Senior guy with chin in his hand.

Sometimes the best photo sessions happen because of a last-minute save! I was all set for a senior guy session in downtown Franklin this past weekend when my friend Chelsea casually mentioned the Franklin Main Street Festival. Cue the immediate panic! I had no idea this was happening, and trying to navigate senior portraits in the middle of festival crowds definitely wasn’t the plan.

The festival was scheduled to end at 6 PM with our session starting at 6:30, but I was still nervous about the lingering crowds, vendors packing up, and general chaos. Downtown Franklin was really what this senior wanted for his location, and I was determined to make it work for him.

Luckily, he was super flexible (something I always appreciate in clients!) and easily moved the session to Monday instead. And what a perfect decision that turned out to be – we had gorgeous weather, empty-ish streets, and and a perfect night for pictures.

This session reminded me that sometimes the backup plan turns out even better than the original. Monday evening in downtown Franklin offered us quieter streets and more flexibility to use different spots without navigating around festival cleanup. We even managed to grab a few shots by the theater marquee, which would have been impossible during the festival.

If you’re a senior (or parent of a senior) looking for portraits that capture this important milestone with a natural, relaxed approach, I’d love to chat about creating images that truly represent who you are. Your session doesn’t have to be downtown – we can find the perfect location that tells your unique story!

[Contact me here to start planning your senior session]

Why Rush? The Benefits of Booking Your Senior Session Early

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Senior Guy Photos on a road at Yahnali Park in Columbia TN

I spent yesterday evening with this amazing senior guy at Yahanali Park in Columbia – one of my absolute favorite natural spots for senior pictures. The park put on quite a show for us with these gorgeous patches of yellow and red wildflowers (weeds? I don’t know, but I love them anyway) creating the perfect natural backdrop. And that newly paved road? What used to be a quiet gravel drive has transformed into what looks like a major highway with fresh paint and all. It made for some surprisingly cool and unique backdrops that really pop in his images!

This session was extra special because we also captured a few shots of his little sister during our time together. This is something I’m always happy to accommodate! Sometimes I even combine senior sessions with full family sessions – it’s really up to you how you want to use your session time. These moments of siblings together during such a milestone year are often some of the most treasured images from the session.

This past week has been filled with senior sessions, and my calendar for next week is just as packed, even though we’re already into May and just weeks away from graduation day. All these families had perfectly good reasons for scheduling their sessions this late in the year, and the photos are turning out beautifully, but I’m noticing something too – there’s definitely an added layer of stress when we’re working this close to the wire.

The biggest challenge? Weather. Since my sessions are exclusively outdoors, we sometimes need to reschedule for rain or storms. This is normally no big deal, but when you’re already down to your last few weeks before announcement orders need to go in, having to reschedule can create some serious stress. Plus, these seniors have so much happening right now – prom, awards banquets, final exams, graduation preparations – finding another time slot that works can be like solving a complex puzzle!

While spring senior sessions are absolutely beautiful and I’m happy to accommodate them, I want to make a gentle case to those of you with rising seniors (yes, parents of juniors, I’m talking to you!): Summer is actually the perfect low-stress time for senior portraits.

I know what you’re thinking – “But Crystal, it’s so hot in Tennessee summers!” And you’re absolutely right. But here’s my promise: I’m completely open to rescheduling for extreme heat within reason. We won’t be shooting on those 100-degree days, and we schedule for evenings when the light is magical and the temperatures are more bearable.

Booking your senior’s session in the summer means:

  • No competition with busy school schedules
  • Plenty of time for any weather reschedules
  • Zero stress about meeting announcement deadlines
  • More flexibility with dates and times
  • A relaxed experience rather than one more thing on an already-packed senior year to-do list

When your teen comes back from their summer session with me, they’ll have their entire senior year to enjoy their images, share them with friends, and you’ll have all the time you need to thoughtfully select announcement photos without rushing.

While I’m absolutely loving these May sessions (those spring blooms are worth it!), I just want to plant that seed for those of you with juniors at home. Let’s make your senior’s portrait experience as stress-free as possible by planning ahead!

And now, I can’t wait to share some of my favorite images from this recent Yahanali Park session.

Smith Park Senior Session: Thoughts on Photography and Privacy

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Senior Pics at Marcelle Vivretee Smith Park - Senior Guy in Cap & Gown on tree lined path

What a relief when the rain finally stopped just in time for our senior session at Marcelle Vivrette Smith Park! The ground was still wet, but we made it work with a step stool for sitting poses.

This park is perfect for spring sessions with its tree-lined path, small pond, and stone springhouse. We got so many different looks without having to trek all over the place.

During our time together, we talked about how I handle privacy on social media. I wanted to share my approach since it might not be obvious to everyone.

First and foremost, I completely respect when clients prefer not to have their photos shared at all. While I do appreciate the opportunity to showcase my work (it’s how future clients find me!), your comfort is always the priority. I actually include a question about sharing on socials in my client questionnaire. But especially with teens, I try to remember to ask them directly too, not just their parents. Their comfort with being featured on my business page matters just as much to me, and they possibly have different preferences than their parents expect.

For the clients who do allow me to share their images, I’ve developed some personal guidelines that I follow consistently. The big one is that I don’t tag clients or use their names in my posts. This isn’t because I’m not proud of the amazing people I photograph – quite the opposite! It’s simply my way of giving clients control over their online presence. You’re absolutely welcome to tag yourself, share the images, and tell the world about your experience if you choose to, but I wanted that decision to remain firmly in your hands.

It’s especially important to me when photographing young people that their full names aren’t directly connected to their images in a way that makes them easily searchable. I want my posts to focus on the artistry of the photography and the genuine moments we captured, rather than creating a digital footprint someone might not want down the road.

I’m not sure if this is common practice among photographers, but it’s the approach that feels right to me. It’s just one small way I try to balance sharing my work with respecting the privacy of the amazing people who trust me to capture their memories.

If you’re interested in booking your own spring session at this beautiful location (or any other spot around Spring Hill), I’d love to hear from you!

Finding the Magic in Simplicity: Santa Minis

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Every year, Santa Minis remind me of the beauty of simplicity and connection. Writing this blog post is my way of reminding myself to stay true to my style and vision as a photographer.

I’ve never been someone who gravitates toward elaborate props or highly stylized backgrounds. Give me sunshine and a field of weeds, and I’m in my element. For me, the focus of any session is always the people—their personalities, connections, and stories.

Now, to clarify: when I say “props,” I mean objects that are solely decorative and don’t hold personal meaning to the people in the photo. Items like cherished toys, musical instruments, or “lovies” are different—they’re part of the story and help tell who my subjects are.

I’ve embraced this minimalist approach for most of the year. I admire the creative sets and adorable props other photographers use, but they’re just not my style. That said, there’s something about Christmas that makes me second-guess myself when it comes to Santa Minis. I start to wonder, Should I add more Christmasy elements? Do I need props to make these sessions special?

This year, I decided to keep it simple with just a single wrapped gift and a lantern next to Santa. That plan lasted for about half of the first session. I quickly found myself moving them out of the way—they felt like distractions when I zoomed in on my subjects. I realized (again!) that simplicity is what feels most authentic to me.

By keeping the focus on the kids and their interactions with Santa, I’m able to capture moments that feel timeless and genuine. My favorite shots are often the unscripted ones: Santa walking hand-in-hand with a little one, or the quiet moments of a child deep in conversation with him. These photos pull at my heartstrings every time.

And, as always, Nashville Santa did not disappoint—he’s truly the real deal.

One of the things I love most about these sessions is the tradition. Every single family who booked this year was a repeat client. I’ve watched these kids grow over the years, and it’s so special to see how their relationships with Santa evolve. We’ve gone from Santa reading The Night Before Christmas to little ones, to older kids reading the book to Santa.

This year also brought new additions—babies born to families who’ve attended for years. While the first six sessions were miraculously tear-free, the littlest ones in the last two sessions brought some (adorable) tears. When that happens, I try to capture them from a distance, with Santa in the background. It’s not about forcing smiles; it’s about honoring the moment for what it is.

What I’ve learned is this: I don’t need elaborate sets or staged perfection to create meaningful photos. My goal is to document the magic of childhood and family in a way that feels real and unposed. And giving kids room to explore and roam during these sessions only adds to that magic.

For me, Santa Minis mark the start of the holiday season, and this year was no exception. I feel so grateful to be a part of this tradition for so many families, and I can’t wait to see what next year brings.

Save Your Spot for 2025!

If you’re interested in booking next year’s Santa Minis, make sure to follow me on Facebook and Instagram, and subscribe to my newsletter for early booking announcements. These sessions fill up quickly, and I’d love to see your family there.

A Unique Senior Session at Hidden Seed Plant Co. and Fischer Park

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This senior session was such a treat! When this senior mentioned her love for Hidden Seed Plant Co. and asked if we could do part of her session there, I thought it was a great idea. Hidden Seed is this cozy little shop tucked away near Duplex and Main Street, right behind Groove Life. The owner was kind enough to let us take some photos in the shop, which made for a beautiful and unique backdrop.

I actually have a plant from Hidden Seed myself—a gift from friends for my birthday in August. I’m notorious for having a brown thumb, but three months later, it’s still alive and thriving, so I’m convinced this shop is a little bit magical. If you haven’t been there, you really should check it out!

For the second half of the session, we headed over to Fischer Park. It’s a place I know well, since it’s close to home, and we often walk our dog Mars there. While Fischer Park is mostly known for the playground, splash pad, and paved walking track, there’s a lovely little weeded area along the trail and even a hidden path down to the creek. I’d been wanting to try it as a photo spot for a while.

The path down to the creek is pretty steep—I usually slide down it on my bum—so I’d been hesitant to take families there. But I knew this senior was up for an adventure. She came prepared with sneakers to help her navigate the slope, and once we got down there, the setting was perfect. I’m so glad she was game because the photos turned out beautifully.

If you’re local to Spring Hill, I can’t recommend checking out these two spots enough. Hidden Seed is a fantastic little business to support, and Fischer Park is perfect for a walk or some fresh air. It was a pleasure to incorporate both places into this session, and I’m thrilled with how everything turned out!

Winter sessions can be a beautiful and unique way to capture your senior year! I’m offering a special discount for January and February bookings (use coupon code ‘WINTER” when booking), so if you’re ready to create something unforgettable, let’s chat!

A Cloudy Day at South 40 Farm

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Last night, I had the pleasure of photographing a wonderful family of four with two energetic kiddos at South 40 Farm. We ended up moving our session a day earlier to try to beat the rain, and while the sky was overcast, I personally love the soft, diffused light that comes with cloudy days. It created a beautiful contrast that really made the colors pop!

South 40 Farm is a favorite spot of mine, especially for its vibrant flowers. While I’ve typically shot senior sessions here, where we drive from location to location around the farm, I decided to take a different approach with this family. With two active little ones, I didn’t want to lose their attention, so we stuck to one primary area. And it worked out perfectly!

It was a joy to capture the laughter, love, and playful moments between the family, all against the backdrop of those gorgeous farm flowers. These kinds of sessions remind me why I love what I do—capturing natural, joy-filled moments for families to treasure forever.

Ready to book your family session? I’d love to help capture these moments! South 40 Farm is a beautiful location, though they charge a $75 location fee if you choose to shoot there. Reach out to book today—spots are limited!

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook for updates and sneak peeks!

Haley’s 11th birthday, plus my photographic vision

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So I went from celebrating Lincoln’s 5th birthday with photos on Thursday, to Haley’s 11th birthday yesterday. Isn’t she just gorgeous? I love, love, love the red shirt on her. It’s perfect with her eyes. I enjoy photographing this pre-teen age group. I think it’s an often over-looked age group when it comes to professional photos. We always photograph our babies and little kids, and then again when they are Seniors in high school, but often the middle years are less documented.

A few weeks ago, I went to a photography conference in Atlanta. One of the workshops I took was specifically on capturing tweens and teens. The photographer who taught the class, Neely Ker-fox, had a specific package in her business that focused on photographing this age group at home, focusing on the connection with their parents. I thought it was beautiful and very inspiring.

Another class I took at the Click Away conference was called “Your Voice, Your Vision” with Caroline Jenson. For that class, we had to submit 3 of our favorite photos to the instructor before the class. During the workshop we reviewed each others photos and talked about how the photos we picked gave some clues as to our photographic vision…things that we were drawn to in photography, whether we realized it or not.

Some of the things that the instructor and my classmates said about my images were that I was drawn to bold, colorful images and strong black and white edits. That was no surprise to me. But one thing that the instructor said that stood out to me is that all the photos I chose had at least two people in them. I guess I kind of new that, but it was interesting to have it pointed out. I do very much prefer photos that show a connection between two or more people.

I thought about that as I edited these photos I took for Haley’s birthday. Even though I love the photos of just Haley, who is gorgeous, all of my favorite photos were of Haley and Christy together. This is true for me even when you can’t see a lot of Christy in the photo, but she’s there…I love the way Haley is looking at her mom instead of at the camera. You can just see the love there.

When to book Family Portraits if you Want Fall Color

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As I sit here on the super cold morning, I miss the perfect Fall day we had just two days ago. I wanted to take the chance to talk about when to book a family portrait session if including fall colors on the trees is important to you. I wrote about this last year, and none of that information has changed, but if bears repeating. I still have many clients who assume October is the best choice for Fall color.

First of all, I want to say that any time of year is perfect for a family portrait session. The important thing is to get them done, and to do it regularly, preferably at least once a year as our littles ones grow so fast and are constantly changing.  Beautiful memories can be captured any time of year. I’m now booking January photo sessions, and those can be absolutely beautiful (you just need to dress warmly!)

With that being said, lots of my clients really want that gorgeous fall color, and ask me when they should schedule family portrait sessions to get that color.  I always hesitate to answer because mother nature is unpredictable and I cannot promise you we will get beautiful fall color at all.  Sometimes, an early freeze or drought conditions or other things can put a damper on that beautiful autumn color.  

But I can tell you, after some experience and actual forecasts, when to schedule your session to get the best chance of gorgeous color, and that is the first or second weekend of November (the last weekend in October is a good second choice).  That’s when our fall colors peak here in Middle Tennessee.  I find a lot of clients who assume it happens a lot earlier than that, and that’s probably because it does up north. Our friends in Michigan saw their autumn peak several weeks ago (and now they are getting snow!). 

I said all of that same information last year, and here, as further proof, is one of my sessions from Sunday, November 10. I adore this family and loved getting to hang out with them again. I’m thrilled they were able to book this session and indeed did get gorgeous fall color.

Happy Veterans Day!

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To our men and women in uniform, past, present, and future, God bless you and thank you.

How fitting that I’m sitting here writing this blog post on Veterans Day. Jennifer wanted to schedule this session because her husband will soon be leaving for military training for six months. She wrote “I would just love some memorable family pictures that my girls and myself can look at while he is gone and just have a fond memory and smile.”

She snagged a spot that had opened up fairly last minute because I had a client that needed to change to a different date. I’m so glad she did. I had photographed the family a couple years ago and it was so great to see these sweet girls, and how much they had grown.

The day could not had been more perfect, and we had a blast exploring and playing in the leaves. I love their energy so much. I couldn’t help but smile while I edited these pictures of their sweet family, and hope that they will be able to look upon them with fond memories during their time a part.

To all of those who serve our country, and to their families who support them, thank you for your service. 🇺🇸

Why I Pick the Location for Weekend Fall Family Portrait Sessions

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If you book a family portrait session with me most times of year, one of the questions on your booking paperwork will ask you where you’d like to shoot the photo session. I have a page on my website that will tell you about locations I frequently use, and I’m here to help you if you want it.

But you may notice that if you book a session for a weekend in October or November, that I’ve already chose a portrait session location.

The reason for this is that in the busy season, I generally book 3 back to back sessions on the weekend, with only about 15 minutes between them. This is just enough time for me to switch memory cards, so I don’t have time to drive to another location between sessions.

I used to let the first client who booked a particular date choose the location, and then those who booked the date after that would have to agree to that spot. But this complicated the booking process.

Also, I have more requirements for long shooting days than I have for just magic hour sessions. For the rest of the year, most of my sessions are scheduled for the hour before sunset…known in photographer lingo as “magic hour”. Magic hour lighting is pretty great anywhere. But when I am booking sessions earlier in the day, then I have to be sure that a location has some shade available, because the sometimes harsh sunlight of earlier in the day is not ideal for photos. But the proper location can allow a shaded spot from which the sun comes through the trees beautifully.

But for this session and the two before it, the bright sun wasn’t a big concern because it was a nice overcast day.

These two sweet brothers did an amazing job for their session. Those eyes! How can you not smile from looking at them?

Fall Family Photos in Spring Hill TN with Margot and Mia

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The last time I blogged about this beautiful family for their Fall family portrait session, I left out some information. Mallory had told me before her session that she was in the early stages of pregnancy. I wasn’t sure if that was public knowledge or not, so I didn’t’ mention it in the blog post.

But here we are, not quite a year later, and this lovely family has an adorable new addition. I’d been following baby Mia and big sister Margot on Instagram, and was so excited to be able to finally meet her. (If you aren’t following me on Instagram, please do! I’d love to interact with you there.)

These girls were just the sweetest and did a great job at their photo session. We ran into a little trouble with my location being over-crowded but we moved around a little and made it work.

Last year, Margo had brought her baby doll and carried her for the entire session, which was perfectly fine with me. This year, she brought a different doll…Rapunzel to our session. For me, if a beloved toy helps a child to be more comfortable at a session, then I say let them bring it. My favorite part was when Margot broke into songs from Frozen. I’m also a big fan of Elsa. ❄️

If you haven’t booked your Fall family portrait session yet, please don’t wait. I have a couple of openings for November but they won’t last long. One fantastic spot just opened up because a client needed to reschedule for December. Book your session today!

Here are Some Pretty Pictures.

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Y’all, I’m editing my booty off, and I’m running out of words to put in my blog previews of my family photo sessions.

It’s the height of peak season. We were gone all weekend to my beautiful nieces birthday party in Ohio. But someone I still managed to shoot 5 sessions in the past week, with one more tomorrow, and another three on Sunday (please pray it doesn’t rain on me.)

I’m keeping up, but if you need to find me, I’m probably at my computer. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I know it sounds cheesy, but I really love being a part of shooting these moments for families, especially when I get to see the same ones year after year.

For example, It makes me smile to think about how much little Jace has grown since I first started photographing his family three or so years ago. I love meeting and photographing new families too, but I especially look forward to seeing repeat clients each year. ❤️

If you are a procrastinator, I do have two November spots open…once just recently opened up because a family needed to move their session to December…it’s a magic hour session too! You can book your portrait session online from my scheduling calendar or contact me if you have questions!

What it’s really like photographing preschool children – Spring Hill TN Family Photographer

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Photographing young children is something that I do regularly. If I had to choose one genre or age group of photographs to take, it would be families with pre-school age children for sure. It’s where I am most comfortable. It’s the age group that I am most passionate about shooting (though I still love taking pictures of people of all ages).

I have to remind myself that my clients do not do this regularly. This might be the first time they’ve been to a photo session like mine, and at the very least, it’s the first time they’ve done family photos with a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old (or whatever the case may be.)

Because of that, I try to reassure my clients throughout a session that this is normal. I swear. Listen, photo sessions with multiple pre-school age children is by nature, a little bit of organized chaos. One client I had once called it a beautiful mess, and I love that term. Your kids are doing great. Really, they are.  

I think one thing that makes parents nervous is when I start asking small children to do things, and maybe (probably) they don’t do what I ask. Please believe me when I tell you that I have NEVER met a two-year-old who did everything I asked. Never. Expecting them to follow all my instructions is not age-appropriate or realistic. Also, it doesn’t bother me one bit if they aren’t interested in something I suggest. 

There are three main reasons it doesn’t bother me:

  1.  I have LOTS of tricks up my sleeve. Some kids like racing, some like flying, or Ring around the Roses. Some want to talk. Quite a few like to talk about farts (though I let them initiate that in case mom and dad don’t approve). Others want to interact only with mommy and daddy. That’s all OK.  
  2. I take a LOT of photos. I will delete tons, particularly at a session with small children. But I’m always left with plenty of keepers. 
  3. The only thing I want from your kids is for them to be authentic. Two-year-olds don’t know any other way to be, so whatever happens, we are winning. 

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but sometimes an image doesn’t tell the whole story. Today I want to talk through what happens at pretty much every session with small children ever, using photos from a family portrait session. So you can read what was happening in real life, and see the resulting image. I’m hoping this will prevent any future anxiety when you think “my kids aren’t cooperating.” I promise you; they are doing exactly what I want them to do.  

Me: “Hold hands and run together.” Sisters: 👀 Result: Adorable.
Me: “You wanna sit on this crate together?” *Baby sister sits down for 2 milliseconds then jumps up to play*. Result: I got it. It only takes a millisecond.
Me: “Wanna sit in daddy’s lap?” Toddler: “No.” Me: “OK how about attack him with hugs?” Result: Precious
Me: “Run under this blanket together.” Result: We never quite achieved “together” but I love these anyway.
Me: “Let’s play Simon says.” Sisters: “Let’s pick flowers instead.” Result: Perfect
Me: “Hold hands and run together. Sisters: Still no, but closer. Result: Still adorable.
Me: “Very gently, hug your sister. Result: Close enough. 🙂
Me: “Wanna go sit on the blanket?” Toddler: “Shhhh, we are looking for squirrels.” Result: I love a girl who knows what she wants. She’s perfection.
Me: “Sit in mommy and daddy’s lap and I’ll give you a sucker. Result: Suckers always work.
Mom: “Take a big lick of your sucker, like this.” Toddler: Licks imaginary sucker like mom did, instead of actual sucker in her other hand. Result: Hilarious.
I offered the suckers a little earlier in the session than I normally do because i really wanted to get the family shot I posted earlier. So there are suckers in several pics after that point. Result: Photos of happy kids with suckers are still beautiful.
Me: “Hold hands.” Result: The third time’s a charm.
Me: “Show me how you dance.” Result: These kids are flipping fantastic.
Me: “Give your sister a kiss on the cheek.” Result: Well, kiss…lick, same thing.”
These wonder-filled little girls are exactly everything I love about photographing children. They are perfection.

So as you can see, these two beautiful sweet girls did an amazing job. They did exactly what I wanted them to do….to be wild and free and full of wonder. Because that’s the way it should be. Here are a few more photos from their session.

How to Prep your husband for a Family Portrait Session

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When many moms come to me to book a family portrait session, their first concern is if their young children will “behave” for a portrait session. I want to make a deal with you….if you properly prepare your husband or significant other for the portrait session, then I promise I will handle the children. (Also, “behaving” is overrated. I want your babies to be wild and free and real.)  

Things Dads Misunderstand About a Portrait Session:

Think about it for a minute: generally, 100% of my interactions before a portrait session have been with Mom.  (This isn’t ALWAYS the case. I have had dads do the booking, but usually it’s mom.) It’s likely that mom was the one following me on social media, and mom was the one who picked me.  Dad’s probably not read my blog.  He’s also not the one reading all the emails from me preparing you for what to expect at the session.  

Dad may have no idea about my candid style, or the fact that a photo session with me is meant to be playful and fun.  Maybe, in his head, he’s expecting the studio type portrait session of his youth, where everyone had to stand at attention on a tiny black dot and stare unblinkingly at the camera. 

Another misconception dads sometimes have is that we are trying to get “one good picture.”  I try to get what I refer to as the “Grandma shot” early in the session.  That’s the one where everyone is looking at the camera and smiling. It’s the one to send to Grandma…the more traditional look.  But my real goal is to get you a gallery FULL of beautiful, candid images of your family that showcase their personalities and their love for each other.  That takes more than 5 minutes.  

Things Dads do wrong because they aren’t informed:

It’s not their fault.  They are trying to help. But because they don’t know what to expect, or what the desired outcome is, they aren’t being as helpful as they could be.  Here are some things they do because they don’t know better:

  • Telling the kids to “hurry up and behave and we will get this over faster.”  (First, this is gonna be fun.  We don’t want to behave as if it’s a chore.  Also, we want to get lots of fun and candid images.  This is not over after the first good photo.)
  • Telling the kids to “stop goofing off.”  (Sometimes, I’m encouraging them to be goofy because it helps them relax and be real. Don’t worry, not all the images I give you will include that silly monster face.)
  • Staring at my camera the entire session with a clenched teeth smile that clearly says “my wife made me do this.”  

What I want from Dads to make the Photo Session a Success:

Relax.  Be silly.  Play games.  Have tickle fights.  Spin the kids around in circles.  Wrestle.  Tell dad jokes. Kiss your wife.  Hold hands.  Throw the baby in the air (safely).  Misbehave.  

How you can help prepare dad for the photo session:

The biggest thing you can do before a session to make it successful is just to let dad know what to expect.  Make sure he knows it will take about an hour, that we want lots of fun candid images, and that we aren’t trying to get studio-like posed portraits.  Before each session, I send out an email on how parents can help make a portrait session successful.  Share that with dad so he knows what to expect too.  You can even show him the type of photos that you love from my family portfolio so he understands that not every photo needs to be of everyone smiling and looking at the camera.  If dad is informed and knows what to expect, then he can help make the session fun and memorable, which is exactly what we want.

A perfect example:

I chose this session to talk about how to prep dads for family photos, because I think Brian has always done exactly what i wanted him to do at sessions.  I’ve been photographing these two amazing kids since Grayson was in the womb and I shot a maternity session for their family. These kids embody everything I love about photographing young children, and I often have written about how easy it is to photograph them.

But one thing that makes it so easy to photograph them, is that their parents behave exactly the way I want parents to behave at a session. They don’t stress and let the session unfold naturally. They play and interact with the kids, and encourage silliness.

My case in point: Grayson’s pants were a little big around the waist and were sagging down. Brian made a joke that Grayson needed to keep his “booty in his pants.” That somehow evolved into a little silly song that Grayson and Alys both thought was hilarious. It kept him giggling for half the session.

Yes!! That’s the way it should be. That’s what I need from all my dads out there…less telling the kids to “behave” and more “keep your booty in your pants.”