Oh, this session… so near and dear to my heart! The beach has always been such a special place to me and so many of my childhood memories involve our summer trips to the beach. Something about sitting on the beach at dusk watching the sun set and listening to the waves crash- it’s humbling to say the least. So when this beautiful backdrop collided with photographing this joyful and stunning family, magic happened! It was such an honor photographing Olga and her family and capturing such a sweet season of their lives.

Shot with Contax 645 + Zeiss 80mm / Kodak Portra 400 / Scanned by PhotoVision Prints

Rachel is a family photographer in Birmingham, AL. If you are interested in a family, maternity, or newborn session, please reach out! I would love to chat more about photographing your family. I visit the 30A area a few times a year and would love to photograph your family while I’m there!

It’s always a little nerve-wracking walking into someone’s home for the first time to photograph their newly growing family. This sweet family put me at ease as soon as I walked through their door, and their little boy even walked up to me and gave me a kiss! I know a lot of people are nervous that their children won’t cooperate for an hour long photo session, and let me tell you: they probably wouldn’t! Ha! But fortunately I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve to get those sweet, candid moments. You’re certainly not going to hear me say “Smile and look at the camera!”. The best way to ensure your session goes smoothly is to just relax and enjoy your session (…easier said that done, right?), and that’s exactly what this family did!

We had an overcast, drizzly day in February but I didn’t want that to stop us from getting bright and airy photographs! I loved the outfits Melanie chose for herself and the children. The simplicity of color and style kept the focus on the connection between family members, as well as kept the images clean and bright.

Rachel is a family photographer in Birmingham, AL. If you are interested in a family, maternity, or newborn session, please reach out! I would love to chat more about photographing your family.

This session came together beautifully, and I was so pleased with the final gallery. I met Deanna about a year ago, and have photographed her and her beautiful family three times since! I get to know them a little better each time and am convinced they are some of the most genuine, kind people! Deanna and I talked over email and text during the weeks leading up to the session. Since this session was shot in February, we wanted to be intentional about the location since very few things were blooming and most trees were still without leaves. During the winter months, I look for locations that will provide some texture and interest. I love shooting at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens since there is almost always something in bloom, plus so many interesting architectural elements that can be incorporated into the photos.

Deanna had such a great vision as she was pulling together their wardrobe! I absolutely love the dress she chose for herself. I am a big fan of long dresses for photo sessions- they photograph beautifully by adding movement and interest to your photos, plus they are flattering from various angles. (See more of my favorite Spring dresses here!)

In addition to taking photographs, I also shot video during this session which I will share below. From choosing the perfect song to capturing the littlest details, I have loved being able to offer video as an add-on to my sessions. We both decided that video really captures your children’s personalities in a way that photographs can’t!

Here is the final video: