It seems like just yesterday that JoAnn and I were hanging out in a gorgeous, spring-hued field for her mother-daughter styled session. At that time, she was just a few months pregnant with her baby boy. 

Now fast forward seven months and one Thanksgiving in the hospital...

We traded in green fields for JoAnn and Tim's beautiful home, lit by soft morning light and the Christmas tree.

We swapped mother-daughter sweetness for big sister snuggles and a new family of four. And we went from a barely noticeable baby bump to a 6-pound, wide-awake boy.

I have so many favorites from this morning together, especially those staircase portraits (which I hadn't planned on doing, but on our way downstairs from the nursery, I noticed the prettiest light coming in through their front door).

And once again, I'm grateful that my littlest subject decided to stay up with us for most of the morning. Isn't it incredible how deep and emotional a baby's stare can look at just a few days old?? 

Laura Richards is a fine art family, newborn and maternity photographer in Charlottesville, Virginia. She specializes in authentic, feel-good photographer that tells "the story of you" for decades. Learn all about what makes her different from other photographers in the Charlottesville area here.

This session brings me so much joy.

I could stop right there, and you would totally understand by looking at the highlights below. The evening light during our Chisholm Vineyards session was magical. Their fall outfits were perfect. Their boys' sweet faces could make anyone smile.

All the ingredients for beautiful images are there.

But I'll go on to say that the joy comes because of this family. Their love and affection for each other made my job easy. They relish in their kids, and receive adoration in return. They are kind and down-to-earth, which I think just shines in their photos.

You might remember seeing their boys in my Kids' Portrait Event recap back in October. They ended up being the winners of the family session giveaway, and I'm so grateful I was able to document them again as a whole family. Kids are always cute, but to see and capture them with their parents is really something meaningful.

Hope these highlights make you smile — and keep scrolling to see how the Ashleys will display their new family photos in their home!

The Ashley’s print art: On the left, a collection of six Luxury Matted Prints, which will create a beautiful wall collage; on right, Premium Prints of more favorite images.

It was about this time last year — I was sitting on the couch, in front of the tree, wondering where we would be spending our next Christmas. 

Tyler and I had been itching to start house-hunting again, and we knew that come spring, he would graduate and (hopefully) land a job he loved. 

Fast forward 12 months, and I’m realizing that everything and not much at all has changed. 

In July, we said goodbye to our little home in Roanoke, and hello to a new adventure in Charlottesville. It was so hard to leave the place that held our first memories as a family of three.

And while I still remember the creak of those floors, the grooves in the kitchen counters, the smell of the radiator heat, and the slam of the screen door, I'm learning to love things like that here, too.

The weeks following our move, I barely picked up my camera. Partly out of exhaustion, partly because I felt like this house hadn’t earned that honor yet, like I was betraying our first home by documenting life in this one.

But then I started seeing the same kind of beautiful moments happening here that made me fall in love with our life in Roanoke. 

Evening summertime walks. Watching Tucker splash in the backyard and finger-paint on a towel. His first jump into a leaf pile. His last night in his baby bed. Carving pumpkins. Helping Tyler bake brownies. Dancing to Christmas music on the kitchen floor — all an endless string of magic that has carried me from crying in an empty house to sitting here in front of the Christmas tree once again.

So this year, I take comfort in knowing that, really, we’re exactly where we were last year: together. And I’ll let that carry me into the new year, and all the years to come.

If you ask the Kaisers, they might say their session at the University of Virginia didn't go as planned. Their usually happy, silly twins were having a hard afternoon. There were tears and meltdowns, and I know mom and dad left wondering if we had captured anything good. 

But if you ask me, it was totally normal.

Session day isn't always the kids' day — and that's okay. Because where you see tears, I see the way you hold them close. Where you see a tantrum, I see the moment your silly songs make them smile again. (And when those don't work, I have some tricks up my own sleeve.)

Just like life, sessions are often about the in-between moments. They might only last a few seconds, but they always add up to a beautiful memory.

When I met with the Kaisers again for our Reveal Session, they were so in love with the final images. They couldn't believe these were from the same evening! 

And that's really all I want as a family photographer — to show you that there's beauty even in chaotic moments, even through tears and hard times. 

For a laundry list of reasons, I have never hosted a big back-to-back portrait event. But as a new name in a big town, I felt like it was time to meet lots of families at once!

Cue my Limited Edition Kids' Portrait Event, held at the beautiful Chisholm Vineyards (Adventure Farm), just outside of Charlottesville in Earlysville.

Over the course of two dates this month, I had the honor of photographing so many adorable kids of all different ages. It was a whirlwind, but I am IN LOVE with how each of these 5-minute sessions turned out. 

Not only did I meet several new Charlottesville families, but I had a past LRP client travel 3 HOURS to attend — and also some friends from Richmond! 

To each family who came out: A giant THANK YOU for trusting the new girl in town. I couldn't have asked for a better group of sweet, funny, polite (and stylish) kids. Hope to see you all again!

And to Andrea at Chisholm Vineyards: Thank you for letting me use your stunning slice of heaven. It was the perfect backdrop to a magical evening.

Ok, so I would safely say all my sessions are fun (that's the secret, after all, to authentic images), but this one had an extra-playful feel that I totally adore.

It's been a couple of years since I photographed the Kitts family, so I was excited when Tristin mentioned a fall session. I had just announced my move to Charlottesville, but jumped at an excuse to come back home to Roanoke!).

Their beautiful little girl was just 4 months old during our last session, so at freshly 2, Emerson had lots more energy – and lots more to say! My favorite? "Hey, boo."

Our October session couldn't have been more perfect. We ran. We laughed. We raced. We danced. We flew. We played peek-a-boo and sneak attack. We made some magic happen — magic that will live on in print for years and years to come.

I like to think of Chisholm Vineyards as my neighborhood vineyard. It's less than 10 minutes from my house, on the most stunning piece of land I've ever seen. And even as a Charlottesville newbie, I still always see a familiar face or two every time I go.

On Friday nights, the place becomes alive — the thumping rhythm of a live band; the smell of fresh, local food wafting from the visiting food truck; a group of kids chasing a giant beach ball through the sunset-drenched lawn; and at least one group of friends celebrating a birthday with clinking glasses and homemade charcuterie boards.

Since moving to Charlottesville, Chisholm has been one of the first places to give me that warm, homey feeling.

So to partner with Andrea, who has managed the vineyard and farm since 2013, has been so incredible! Andrea grew up on the land and moved back in 1991 when her grandfather was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

In 2007, Andrea's grandmother started the vineyard, with the first wine produced in 2012 — a Gigi Red Blend and Chardonnay. Two years later came the tasting room, and as Andrea says, "the rest is history!"

Which Chisholm wines are you most proud of?
I love our darker style Rosé, made with Chambourcin, and so do our customers. The perception has been that lighter Rosés are more appealing, but the trend is toward darker versions with more flavor and less intervention. Our signature wines are our Gigi Red Blend and Farmer’s Reserve. Both are unique and showcase our high-quality fruit.

What's one thing most people don't know about you?
Most customers are shocked to know I have six children! It is my balancing fate, since I was an only child. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Family is everything to me. 

What's your favorite thing about Charlottesville?
It is my home and such a beautiful place to live. I feel blessed every single day and would not trade it for the world. Although I love traveling and have a long list of places to visit, I will always come back to my home.

Who inspires you?
My grandparents have been my biggest inspiration. I spent so much time with my grandfather on the farm and remember so many of his antidotes and soaked up his approach to life. It would be a long book to write about his wisdom and how I try to embody that spirit on a daily basis. My grandmother is 93, and her ongoing will and strength keeps me focused. She has always been there for me and is the centerpiece of our life here today.

What does a typical day look like for you?
A typical day starts early, a homemade bulletproof coffee and then to work, usually at my computer. I do my best work in the first part of the day. In the afternoons, I go out and take care of business. There are breaks for children and eating, but the farm and the wine business are always on my mind. If it's not football or basketball season, I am watching shows about food and wine or reading anything I can about wine around the world. The more I learn, the less I know. I dream about it all, too. My family jokes about a t-shirt I wear that reads, “Never not working,” but the reality is that it really isn’t work at all. It is living and I love it. 

What's in store for Chisholm in the near future?
With the winemaking team at Early Mountain Vineyard, we aim to make wines with minimal intervention that are true to the terroir. In 2020, we will have a new “orange” wine or skin-contact Chardonnay that we are super excited about. This is an ancient method that leaves the skins on and allows for more depth and tannins. We would like to experiment with kegged wine that could be served on tap and purchased with reusable growlers. There is also a trend for simple packaging like cans, and I like the idea of keeping up with the desires of the customers. ​

While we wait for their stunning heirloom album and matted prints to arrive, I couldn't resist sharing some highlights from the Sink family's lovely session.

I knew their images would be gorgeous (cute family + amazing style + all the love), but I didn't expect our 88-degree, early-September session to look like such an autumn dream. The leaves around us had already crisped and fallen, and the glowy sunset had cast the trees in the background the perfect shade of golden yellow. I love when Mother Nature pulls through for me!

It was such an honor to spend time with this family and witness just how much they adore their sweet, beautiful girl (who, by the way, was SO sweet during our session, even though it was past her bedtime!). 

Rose and Caley, thank you so much for trusting me to document this moment in your lives and create an album worthy to pass down to your daughter one day.

I'm so excited to share this session, because it marks my first one as a Charlottesville photographer!​ Our session took place just a few days after we moved in, and I'll be honest, taking a break from unpacking boxes to photograph an at-home newborn session was just what I needed. Spending time with a newborn makes everything better!

Emily and Jake, thank you SO much for making me feel at home in a new city. You created the perfect baby boy, and I'm so honored I got to document all his newborn sweetness and the love you share for each other. 

Earlier this month, I announced that I'll be teaming up with Chisholm Vineyards at Adventure Farm for a unique Portrait Event on select dates in October. If you've been thinking about booking, here's everything you'll need to know. Can't wait to see you there!

When and where are the sessions being held? Oct. 5 and Oct. 19 from 5-6 p.m. at Chisholm Vineyards in Earlysville (Charlottesville), Virginia. 

How much does it cost? $50 per session (plus admission to the farm).

What will I receive? 2-3 custom-edited digitals, a trick-or-treat bag for the kids, and 1 entry to win a free full session (a $175 value) with a $100 print credit (my biggest giveaway yet!). 

How long will each session last? About 5 minutes. This is plenty of time to capture adorable images of your child — and then you can get back to the pumpkin patch fun!

Does my child need to be a certain age? Not really. Sitters and up will probably do best, but I'm more than happy to photograph younger — they will just need to lie down on the blanket.

How many children can be in one session? 1-2. If you have more than two children and want individual portraits of each, I recommend booking two sessions back-to-back (yes, this means you'll receive 4-6 images total and will earn 2 entries for a free full session).

What will the setup look like? A vintage quilt with gorgeous fall hues and a wooden stool for those old enough. I like to keep things simple and classic! 

What should my child wear? Their fall best or Halloween costume.

Do I need to pay admission to the pumpkin patch? Yes. Chisholm Vineyards has been so kind to include me in their pumpkin patch festivities, and you will need to pay admission to the farm, even if you are only coming to the Portrait Event.

What other activities will there be? Pick-your-own pumpkins, live music, food trucks, hay rides, a corn maze, and of course, amazing wine!

Sign me up! How do I book? Here's the link! Booking and payment are required prior to the event.