A light-filled at-home family session, Part 2: Digital! | Charlottesville Family Photographer1/29/2024 Welcome to part two of my Model Call for an at-home family session: the digital portion! If you missed Part 1 — the film images — catch up later here! This marks the first time I made FEWER digital images than film during a session, which feels like such a giant step in my artistry. Nevertheless, I'm still in love with these images! As you can see, this session was filled with lots of giggles, playfulness, and gorgeous winter morning light streaming into their Charlottesville farm house. (At-home sessions are particularly wonderful in the winter months, because the lack of leaves on the tress allows more light to pour through.) I hope you enjoy these images, but picture them with your own family, too! At-home sessions aren't about perfect homes — they're about documenting the love you share in them. Laura Richards is a family and newborn photographer and filmmaker in Charlottesville, Virginia. She specializes in at-home, outdoor, and film (analog) photography, and heirloom print art. Start planning your own dream session here.
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A light-filled at-home family session, Part 1: Film! | Charlottesville Family Photographer1/27/2024 Welcome to part one of my recent Model Call for an at-home family session! I shot a ton of 35 film during this session (Portra 400 for color stock and 400TX for black-and-white), so this blog post is just the film portion! What a dream they turned out to be! In fact, this entire session felt like a dream. A mix of tender and playful, but all light-soaked and joyful — a stark contrast to the below-freezing temperature and snow outside. Why did I want to do an at-home session? Simply put, home is where my work feels most authentic. Toward the end of last year, I started feeling an enormous tug to shift my work from mostly outdoor to mostly at-home. It's where you and your kids are most comfortable — a place where you're surrounded by the warmth you know so well. The family I chose for the session lives in an old farm house in Charlottesville, full of its own quirks and imperfections. It's not the family's forever home, but their memories there will live with them forever; I wanted to capture the essence of those memories. The warmth, the light, and the joy of living in the moment as a young family. I can't wait to weave more at-home sessions into my work this year, and I hope you'll come along for the fun! Stay tuned for the digital portion! Laura Richards is a family and newborn photographer and filmmaker in Charlottesville, Virginia. She specializes in at-home, outdoor, and film (analog) photography, and heirloom print art. Start planning your own dream session here.
I've been dreaming of doing an at-home maternity session for YEARS, and it finally happened this weekend — thanks to a sweet Charlottesville family waiting for baby number two. I love that we were able to create beautiful, intimate images in the comfort of their home (especially because it was freezing outside!). They were barefoot, relaxed, and up for all of my creative ideas — which I appreciate so very much! Our session felt especially meaningful, because their daughter arrived in the throes of the pandemic, and they weren't able to capture any professional maternity or newborn photos. To document the look and feel of this second pregnancy was really important to me, particularly the bond between mom and daughter. I would love to see this year bring more at-home maternity sessions. They're wonderful for families with young children, because they can play, snack, or run around when they aren't being photographed (and, they simply feel more comfortable at home!). They're also a great option if you have a fall or spring due date and would be taking your maternity photos in the hottest part of the summer or coldest part of the winter (hello, AC and heat!) Please reach out if an at-home maternity session sounds like a good fit for you!
Jayme is one of the clients I have the honor of working with multiple times a year. When she first reached out to me, she knew she wanted to document her kids during each season and preserve all her favorites from each session in a yearly album. I can't begin to tell you how much I love this idea! There is no wrong time to start a project like this — your children can be any age! Even in just two sessions, I've gotten to know these kids, what they're into, and what makes them smile. For L, it's her friends and the fun things they do at sleepovers (like starting a homemade slime business at 4 a.m.!). For E, it's jokes about guts and farts (which make me laugh, too). Big sister loves her turn front of the camera, while little brother isn't always enthusiastic about it (which is perfectly fine and normal). And yes, they do taunt each other and fight like siblings do. We embrace all this, go with the flow, and find all the little moments of love along the way. I can't wait to see these guys again — we're keeping our fingers crossed for a snow session soon!
A sunrise family session in Charlottesville, Virginia | Charlottesville Family Photographer1/5/2023 I don't consider myself a morning person, but I will happily wake up early for sunrise sessions. Sunrise sessions are so magical and dreamy — I'd consider it one of the best ways to start your day! Seriously. Dedicating one of the first hours of your morning to loving on your family in a stunning, inspiring setting sets the tone for the entire day. I am so thankful to this sweet little family for not only waking up early, but for traveling to Charlottesville from Richmond! Their dedication paid off ten-fold. Just look at the glow in their images — both from the rising sun and their love for each other. All the benefits of a sunrise session:
A winter Motherhood Session in Charlottesville, Virginia | Charlottesville Family Photographer1/4/2023 This beautiful Motherhood Session marked my third session with Jenna and her kids. The first time we met was in 2020, before her daughter was even a thought! Fast-forward two years, and her little boy is a big kid and little Anne Paige is a walking adventurer! We lucked out on a not-too-cold winter evening with a sunset that turned from partly cloudy to completely glowing. I chose this location in north Charlottesville for its long, golden grass, which I knew would add warmth to an otherwise bare backdrop — something that's so important for outdoor winter family sessions! We spent our hour together jumping, spinning, snuggling, hugging, and giving mom LOTS of love — which is pretty much how every session should go!
Fall is a beautiful time of year to schedule your family's annual photos, especially here in Charlottesville, but it can also mean photographing during a really chilly morning or evening. Don't let that deter you from the magic these sessions offer! Here are my top 5 ways to keep warm during our (golden) hour together:
Personal: Celebrating our first year as a family of four | Charlottesville Family Photographer1/24/2022 It's safe to say I've put more thought into the photos surrounding Oliver's first birthday than I have his birthday party — but hey, that's second-kid-pandemic life for ya, right? I've also learned that creating the memories is more important than stressing over a perfect party. In this post, there are two collections of images. The first is a little family session I did myself (with the help of my husband Tyler and our 4-year-old Tuck). Yes, I could hire a photographer like myself to take these for me (and certainly do from time to time). But to be honest, I love the idea of using my talent and art to give my family tangible memories. (I also did our own newborn session, if you want to take a look afterward.) I chose an evening that wasn't too cold and a location right in our own neighborhood. It was beautiful, and the lingering snow and frozen lake made it feel a bit more magical. The second set of images is something special I wanted to do with just Oliver and me, in a cozy little window-lit corner in our home. He and I have spent nearly every hour together since his birth, and I wanted to honor that with something that felt more intimate. Thank you, Tyler, for always being up for taking the camera. Now, let's go stress a little about that party...
A Sunrise Family Film Session Celebrating Baby's First Year | Charlottesville Family Filmmaker12/17/2021
I looked out the window the morning of their session as a scary thought crossed my mind: "Did I tell them the wrong time?" It was pitch-dark, no sign of a sunrise in sight, and my sleepy mom-brain was second-guessing itself again.
But by the time I reached our gorgeous Charlottesville location, my worries had subsided; a golden sunrise was on its way. The hour that followed was a joyful celebration of Eleanor's first year of life — a year that, for her parents, represented so much light during a time of darkness. We laughed, played, and explored. I was able to capture the sweetest baby babble. The final product is a moving, 3-minute testament to the love Eleanor's parents have for her, and the realization that even in her young life, their daughter has taught them so much. To Mary Shea and Nick — thank you so much for trusting me to capture this season of life for you guys. I know Eleanor will treasure your messages to her forever and ever.
Laura Richards is a family filmmaker and photographer in Charlottesville, Virginia. Reach out to book your own session for 2022!
The Ultimate Fall Family Session with Cotton-Candy Skies | Charlottesville Family Photographer12/1/2021 I'm skipping ahead in my to-blog list to feature the beautiful Sullivan family! When she first reached out, Brittany told me she was dying to update their family photos. I think this is such a common feeling when you have middle school-aged children — gone are the days of documenting every milestone, smile, and cute thing they do. They begin to have schedules and lives of their own, and the day-to-day starts to feel a little more hectic. I'm so happy the Sullivans decided to take an evening to just be together — to laugh, dance, play, and snuggle. No matter what age your children are, that's what family sessions are all about! Laura Richards is a newborn and 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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Hello!Welcome to the blog! I'm Laura, a Charlottesville-area photographer specializing 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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