I had the most wonderful time with this couple who wanted family photos with their baby. They came with the most fantastic attitudes, changes of clothing, props, and the cutest baby ever! And to make the session even better, I was able to bring along my oldest daughter to help out. It’s still one of my favorite family sessions.

Country setting in Redmond

For the perfect autumn look!

Our goal for these family photos was to give them a rustic, fall look. It was the middle of summer so I wanted to find a location that would give an autumn vibe. We chose a lovely park in Redmond for their photos. Evans Creek Preserve has over 213 acres of park to wander and huge choice of background options. From one side you can enter from Sammamish, and the other is located closer to Redmond. I wanted to make sure that our little walk was an easy one since the parents would be carrying a one year old, outfit changes, and a few props. We entered from the lower Redmond area and walked across a little wood bridge to a wonderful meadow area. There are wonderful trees, tall grasses, and an amazing old fence. It was the perfect look for what we were hoping to achieve.

Keeping it light with baby

This was a first family portrait session for this couple with their adorable little guy. I like to keep family sessions light, fun, and full of movement. Especially when they have young ones! We kept things relaxed and just rolled with whatever worked for their baby. When he was happy to be held, we did the more formal portrait with all three of them. As he got more impatient, we moved into some play. Dad tossed him in the air, mom peeked over dad’s shoulder, they cuddled and played with him on a blanket I brought, mom and dad swung him between them. We kept things moving along and the result was a happy baby and adorable photos!

Props and outfits

The family had brought a few wonderful props and changes of clothes along. The dad and baby had a couple of shirts they changed out and mom was able to shed her sweater to change up her look. They kept it quick and easy which is a fantastic idea with a little one in tow. Along with fresh clothes, they had an old family suitcase filled with a couple of old toys. We used the suitcase as a great prop for baby to sit on and the toys made for some fun photos as well.

Making time for couple photos

I always love to get a few shots of mom and dad together as a couple. This pair hadn’t had their picture taken together by a photographer since their wedding. They were so happy to add that into the session and the images are so sweet of the two of them. Whenever possible, I like to have another person along with me to help with family portrait sessions. I find this so helpful with families that have young kids. This time my daughter was able to join me and she was a huge help. She made silly faces, got the baby’s attention, and helped me sneak even more smiles out of the darling boy. For the photos of the couple, I asked if it was okay if my daughter held the baby (she is 18 and experienced with babies). Mom and dad were okay with that and we were able to get our wonderful couples photos.

Family portraits can be fun, relaxed, and full of smiles. They should be a joyful memory! Don’t let time pass before you capture this season of your life. If you are interested in scheduling a family portrait session, get in touch. I am always happy to help. Click the links below to find out more or inquire.

Thanks for reading!

XO, Janelle