Scene: Red Maple
Family: Jessie & Hannah, Sahara, Skylah, Beckett, Emerson, Paxton
Time of day: Morning
Season: Fall
Atmosphere: Loud and happy, good-natured
As fall sets in, I often want to settle onto the cuddler portion of our huge couch with a mug of cocoa and a few homeschooling ideas. Snuggling my warm little kids under a cozy blanket and in view of a crackling fire is one of my pleasures. But there’s a wealth of warmth still ahead of us, and I plan to make a point of enjoying the abundant beauty of our land—even as I’m keenly aware of the dwindling warm days.
Whether visiting or living on the Eagle Ridge acreage . . . enjoy the peace of still waters. Or rustling leaves in the orchard. Or a breeze whispering through the Wildwood evergreens. With 4.5 acres to explore, your family will find something to cherish. Our land and history rival the gorgeous parks other photographers have taken you to, so the search for an all-encompassing portrait experience ends here.
Bold Color: Family Portraits Under the Maple
Jessie and Hannah visited us in October for fall portraits under the red maple tree just outside the orchard. The catalyst for their visit was actually pumpkins, but since we let the kids play with pumpkins under the maple, we got the best of both worlds.
Already familiar with the atmosphere of a family session, Jessie told us stories of his mom’s work as a photographer. Hannah’s added details expanded what we knew of Jessie after only a few minutes together: Jessie’s easy to be around. Between Jessie’s easy-going demeanor and Hannah’s obvious pleasure with her family, our time together was filled with candid conversation and the incomparable privilege of delighting in young children.
One would think a family session involving five kids under five years old would require a fair amount of chasing down the wanderers, but Jessie and Hannah’s kids cheerfully stayed in the shadow of the maple. Sahara and Skylah regaled us with stories of pumpkins they’d seen elsewhere, as well as their favorite things to do with pumpkins at home. When I brought Jessie and Hannah near the orchard for portraits of just the two of them, Nate lingered by our photo booth and illustrated the simple sweetness of two girls enamored by mini pumpkins.
Attitudes & Outfits
By Hannah’s design, the family’s outfits all drew inspiration from Hannah’s dress. The girls’ dresses pulled in complementary bright colors, while Jessie and the boys incorporated similar colors and neutrals. Paired with the bright and changing leaves cascading down from the top of the red maple overhead, Jessie and Hannah’s session was quintessentially fall.
Kids as young as theirs often need a few extra minutes—and a few extra snuggles—to warm up to new situations and people. In place of a plethora of large-group portraits, Nate and I let the little ones explore and focused primarily on Jessie and Hannah. Jessie’s familiarity with the expectations of a portrait session prompted him to wrap his arms around his wife and whisper jokes in her ear. To this day, we have no idea what he told her, but her delight and his charm are obvious.
As the kids saw we weren’t looming over them with instructions to smile, they quickly shed their caution and became active and curious. Always under the red maple tree, Beckett delivered mini pumpkins to twins Emerson and Paxton, then meandered around the straw bale building pumpkin towers. Meanwhile, Sahara and Skylah climbed onto the ledge of the photo booth and inspected the pumpkins they could reach, each proclaiming a favorite and laying out the reasons why.
In the end, we pulled together a collection of images honoring the relationship Jessie and Hannah have cultivated, and highlighting the sweet face of each child.
Photographer’s Favorite
While “alone” by the orchard (only about 15 feet away from the kids, but far enough removed from the maple for everyone to have a little independence), Jessie’s pursuit of Hannah with snuggles and stories had giggles bubbling out of her. In our eyes, there’s little better than witnessing the affection between a husband and wife, especially in light of the five growing kids who are fortunate enough to enjoy that security at home.
Red Maple Highlights: Portraits on the Wall
Yes, the young entourage needs its own home on the wall (read: you must have portraits of your kids displayed somewhere), but a striking acrylic statement piece above the bed is a great reminder to love kids well. A strong marriage isn’t only for Mom and Dad. It’s for the kids.
