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Meet my very last session of 2020. It was a good one, you guys. Like good-for-my-soul good. To witness the bond between this beautiful mama and her three boys was so magical that I actually came home and told my husband, “I’d have 10 more boys if they were like the ones I photographed tonight.” The kindness, joy, and love were OVERFLOWING, and it shines so brightly in their images. This session was the second of two families I chose for my recent Model Call in Charlottesville. I was craving a couple of last-minute, last-hurrah sessions before baby No. 2 made his arrival (as I write this, he should be here ANY day). Just like the first session — also a lifestyle motherhood session — this one took place on the prettiest December evening. Jenna and her boys traveled from Richmond to make the session, and I'm so honored! For this one, too, mom is styled in an eye-popping burnt-orange dress from my Client Closet. All my clients are treated to this styling option. Our time together was so laid-back and fun. We danced, played games, and gave lots of hugs and kisses. The older boys adore their baby brother, and of course, all three LOVE their mama! At the end of session, the boys gave me hands-down the best client review: “That was a lot of FUN!” Boys — one on the verge of teenage-hood and the other not too far behind — had FUN spending an evening taking photos. My work here is done, friends. "Laura could not have made my momma-son session more magical! Her clear communication ... and creative vision put me at rest to simply show up & enjoy the moment. Because I was at ease, my boys felt completely free to be themselves & enjoy the moment, too. I knew going into our session that we would be receiving beautiful photos of treasured memories — what I was so pleasantly surprised by was Laura’s equally talented ability to create the perfect environment to capture our pure, unfiltered joy. Laura will not only capture your bond so beautifully, she will create a memorable experience for you to cherish in photos worth 1,000 words!"                  Laura Richards is a family photographer and filmmaker based in Charlottesville, Virginia. She specializes in lifestyle and documentary sessions and heirloom print art. Check out 7 reasons you'll love your own LRP experience here.
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A Lifestyle Motherhood Session in Charlottesville, Virginia | Charlottesville Family Photographer1/5/2021 Last month, I put out a last-minute model call for a motherhood photography session in Charlottesville. I really wanted one last, beautiful hurrah before my baby boy makes his arrival. I was so surprised at the response that I ended up picking two mamas! I knew I was taking a risk planning sessions in December, but both evenings turned out to be about 60 degrees and basked in gorgeous sunset light. I was extra-thankful for the warm weather, too, because I had planned for both women to wear dresses from my Client Closet. This first session with Ngoc and her four kids was so fun and energetic. I love that their laughter, movement, and love shine through in each image — it's truly how every session should be! "The session was relaxed and she really encouraged us just to play and not worry about the camera. She really focuses on capturing the moment and capturing the feeling in a photograph. I also appreciate her patience and sweet, kind nature!"                  Laura Richards is a family photographer and filmmaker based in Charlottesville, Virginia. She specializes in lifestyle and documentary sessions and heirloom print art. Check out 7 reasons you'll love your own LRP experience here.
"I could not be happier with the film that Laura created for us. I have probably watched it a hundred times already. She is so kind and so talented. You should book her. You really should. [These films] are unlike anything I've ever seen offered before, and it's such a special gift, as a mama, to be able to look back and watch our babies."
Brett's session was a dream come true, overflowing with love, laughter, and amazing light.
For the most part, I just documented them hanging out — no prompting, no posing. Just a mom loving on her babies and vice versa — and that's exactly how these special sessions should be. I was so excited that Brett chose to take advantage of my Client Closet. That golden, mustard-colored dress looked incredible and provided the prettiest pop to her film and images. For her voice overlay, Brett recorded a reading of Ella Wheeler Wilcox's poem "A Song of Life" — her wish for her children. I paired it with Tim Halperin's instrumental version of "Light and Wilderness." Make sure your sound is on to hear how well they paired! Keepsake Motherhood Film sessions are becoming a quick favorite of mine, and I can't wait to create more in 2021. We all know moms are so often left out of the photographs (because they're the ones taking them), but I find that we're especially absent from the videos. If you're craving your own Motherhood Film, learn more here. I'm now booking for April 2021 and beyond! It's never too early to start planning for Mother's Day ;) 
Laura Richards is a family photographer based in Charlottesville, Virginia. She specializes in lifestyle and documentary sessions, family films, and heirloom print art. Learn more about Keepsake Motherhood Films here.
It's hard to believe this incredible session took place almost a year ago. I've been holding off on blogging it, though, because it only felt right to feature their Heirloom Album along with it. It's been absolutely worth the wait, and I'm so excited to show it off to you now! I still remember every second of this sunset-drenched family session, taken on their sprawling property in Earlysville, Virginia. With all six kids home for the holidays, it was the perfect opportunity to make some magic. I'm so honored I was able to document this fun family and their relationships with one another — and then to preserve those memories in an Heirloom Album was the icing on the cake. Their album is handcrafted from distressed Italian leather and thick archival pages. The cover features a custom debossing design with their blended family's nickname. As with all my albums, my hope is that it inspires countless stories and that with each passing year, it brings the family together for another look. “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."                           Laura Richards is a family photographer based in Charlottesville, Virginia. She specializes in authentic family sessions and heirloom print art. Check out 7 reasons you'll love your own LRP experience here.
A dreamy summer evening in Charlottesville with the Rodgers Family | Virginia Family Photographer7/31/2020 Cotton-candy skies, golden evening light, belly laughs, and a little bit of magic ... if you ask me, this Charlottesville family session is what childhood summer dreams are made of. When Angela reached out to me about photos, she and her family were preparing for a cross-state move. En route, they'd be stopping in Charlottesville and wanted photos with mountain views. So we made it happen! In true Virginia summer fashion, session day brought 90-degree temperatures — but you'd never know it from these photos. The Rodgers had also been traveling all day — but you'd never know that, either. The stress of the day, of the pandemic, of their move, and even the heat all seemed to melt away, leaving only light, fun, dreamy memories of one summer evening in Charlottesville. I was so excited to design an heirloom album for the Rodgers, to tell their story for decades and generations to come. It's going to be STUNNING — so stay tuned! In the meantime, enjoy their beautiful session highlights...                                 Laura Richards is a family photographer based in Charlottesville, Virginia. She specializes in authentic family sessions and heirloom print art. Check out 7 reasons you'll love your own LRP experience here.
A mother-son session at Chisholm Vineyards/Adventure Farm | Charlottesville Family Photographer5/12/2020 There are really only two things you need for a gorgeous family session: a little light and a lot of love. A dreamy background also helps, but isn't required. Luckily for this special mother-son portrait session, we had all three! My sister-in-law and nephew brought the love, while Chisholm Vineyards provided the stunning backdrop. We made our way around the property, including the wisteria-laden tasting patio. This feature is an amazing sight to behold — and the smell! I wish you could experience the sweet fragrance in these images. I can't imagine a better place in Charlottesville to sip wine. Hope you enjoy these highlights from their session! And for more sessions at Chisholm Vineyards, check out the Ashley Family's blog post and the recap for my Kids' Portrait Event.             Laura Richards is a fine art lifestyle & documentary photographer based in Charlottesville, Virginia. She specializes in authentic, feel-good photography that tells "the story of you" for decades. See what makes her different from other photographers in the Charlottesville area here.
I'm a sentimental sucker for the "lasts" — especially when I can turn them into something magical. For the past three years, I've made it a priority to spend the evening before Tucker's birthday to take some photos. For the past three years, it's just so happened to be a beautiful day drenched in golden-hour light. Apart from the sentimentally of these little sessions, I love that they allow the following day to be more relaxing. I don't have to worry about keeping cake smears off clothes or interrupting the flow of birthday celebrations for photos that I have (unreasonably) high expectations for. If you know our sweet Tuck, I hope you enjoy seeing his beautiful smile during this time of quarantine. If you don't, I hope you'll imagine your own kids having photos like these and reach out when togetherness is once again resumed.               Laura Richards is a fine art family, newborn and maternity photographer based in Charlottesville, Virginia. She specializes in authentic, feel-good photography that tells "the story of you" for decades. Learn all about what makes her different from other photographers in the Charlottesville area here.
The Ashleys: A sunset-soaked session at Chisholm Vineyards | Charlottesville Family Photographer12/17/2019 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.  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.
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. "She captured our family beautifully and was incredibly patient and flexible in her approach. We are so grateful for her talent, and the sweet pictures she captured are now hanging in our home. The candid pictures make our house a home."                  Laura Richards is a 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.
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.                         Laura Richards is a 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.
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Hello!Welcome to the blog! I'm Laura, and I specialize in authentic, natural-light photography and heirloom print art. Hope you'll explore my little online home and reach out if you have any questions! Archives
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