Laura Richards Photography | Charottesville family photographer

Family photos you can feel in your soul and

hold in your hands

Welcome! I'm Laura Richards

Hello, friend! I'm a Charlottesville, Virginia, photographer creating family imagery that you can feel in your soul and hold in your hands. In other words, I make authentic, feel-good images — and then deliver them to you in the form of custom-designed heirloom albums, conversation-starting wall art, and luxurious Fine Art Prints. If you honor tangible, storytelling family photos, we're a match made in heaven!

Black and white portrait of a woman with short hair, wearing a floral-patterned top. She is smiling softly at the camera.

Full-service family photography in Charlottesville, Virginia

A complete photography experience

Before our session

I'll get to know your family's needs, special relationships, and overall desire for the session. I'll guide you through outfit planning, location options/which rooms in your home will be best.

Session Day!

This is the time to leave any stress behind and just love on your family while I create the magic. I'll work to make sure everyone feels comfortable — and trust me, I have lots of tricks up my sleeve for shy or wild kiddos!

Post-session

Once your images have been hand-edited to perfection, you'll view your photos through an online proofing gallery and decide how you'd like to preserve your favorites. Most clients invest in an album or a collection of luxury prints.

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At-Home Family Sessions

Home is where my work and your relationships feel most authentic. Home is where you and your kids are most comfortable, a place where you're surrounded by the warmth you know so well. A mix of tender and playful, digital and film, all light-soaked and love-filled — that's what you'll enjoy with an at-home family session.

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Newborn & Maternity Sessions

I'm a Charlottesville newborn photographer, and I believe your home is the perfect place for your baby's first photos! At-home newborn sessions are relaxed and stress-free. There's lots of snuggling and kissing, all while making sure baby and mom have exactly what they need. I create imagery using both digital and film, as well as natural, dynamic window light.

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Outdoor Family Sessions

If an in-home session just isn't your thing, we'll take the fun outside! I'll help you select a location around Charlottesville that works best for your family. A few favorites include McIntire Park, Preddy Creek, and the trails at Martha Jefferson Hospital. We'll laugh, play, dance, and snuggle our way through a beautiful evening or sunrise!

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A peek at the print art

How will you preserve the magic we create during your session? Digital photos alone won’t do it — you’ll need something tangible, high-quality, and beautifully designed to seal the deal.

The photos we'll create go deeper than that smiling-at-the-camera shot you post onto your social media feeds (though we can definitely take one of those!). When you work with me, you'll want your treasured images transformed into heirloom-quality albums, handcrafted frames, and archival prints — pieces worthy of the images themselves.

This year, say yes to living on in print — and to having someone else do all the work!

THE MATHESON FAMILY

“Working with Laura Richards Photography was a dream come true! She captured us and our connections to each other and ended up with a huge portfolio of the most beautiful and real photos that I have ever seen. I cried when we viewed the slideshow. I had to purchase them all in an album, which is the best quality and a worthy heirloom."

Ready to preserve your family's magic?

Hearing from you would be the biggest honor. Looking forward to talking with you soon!