At Home Family Photography Session in East Nashville

The Story Behind These At-Home Family Photos

Some sessions stay with me long after the gallery is delivered, and this at-home family photography session in Nashville is one of them. Alex and Ally welcomed their son Zachary, and instead of booking a newborn session in those first two weeks, they waited. They waited until he was three months old, and they asked me to come to their house instead of meeting me at a studio.

Both of those choices were intentional. Both of them made the photos better.

I also have a soft spot for this family that goes back further than Zachary. I photographed Alex and Ally’s wedding years ago, and getting the message that they were ready for baby photos was one of those moments that reminds me why I do this work.

Why Alex and Ally Waited Until Zachary Was Three Months Old

They originally came to me wanting a newborn session. That is usually a two-week window, sometimes a little longer, and those photos are beautiful in their own quiet way.

But Alex and Ally decided to hold off. They wanted to wait until Zachary’s personality had a chance to show up.

Three months is a different baby than three days. At three months, you get eye contact. You get expressions that are actually his. You get a little person who reacts to his parents’ voices instead of sleeping through the entire session.

If you are a Nashville parent reading this and quietly panicking because your baby is already past the newborn window, please hear me: you did not miss anything. You will still get beautiful images of your growing family!

What Three Months Gives You That Two Weeks Cannot

Waiting a few months changes what the camera can catch. Instead of a curled-up newborn, you get a baby who is present in the room with you. Instead of posing, you get reactions.

It also gives parents time. Three months in, Alex and Ally were settled into their family rhythm. They were not in the fog of week two. That shows up in photos more than people expect.

Again, this is entirely up to you as a parent, but knowing Alex and Ally, this fit their personality very well, and they were more at ease during the family session!

Choosing Home Over a Studio

The second decision they made was to keep everything at their house.

They wanted the session to be unique to them. Not a pretty backdrop that could belong to any family in Middle Tennessee, but their actual space, with their actual things in it.

I love a studio session, and I book plenty of them. But an at-home family photography session in Nashville does something a studio cannot do. It documents where your family actually lives. The couch you sit on every night. The corner where the baby gear has taken over. The light that comes through your own windows in the morning.

Ten years from now, that context is the part you will not be able to recreate.

Dale’s Disco

Alex and Ally have a corner of their home called Dale’s Disco, marked by a hot pink neon sign.

Dale was their dog. They adopted him, and he was a huge part of their lives long before Zachary came along. They wanted a little corner of the house that belonged to him, so they made one.

Rest in peace, sweet boy (seriously, he was the sweetest boy ever!!!)

Including that space in their family photos was not a small thing. It was Alex and Ally saying that Dale is still part of this family’s story, even as a new chapter starts with Zachary. That is exactly the kind of detail a studio session would never capture, and it is why I am such a fan of photographing families in their own homes.

Photographing a Couple I First Met on Their Wedding Day

I photographed Alex and Ally’s wedding years ago (yeah, did you all know I used to photograph weddings back in the day? I now primarily photograph families, but before I started having my own family, I used to photograph weddings!) 

Walking back into their life for baby photos was an honor. There is no other word for it. I have watched them go from two people standing at an altar to two people figuring out how to keep a three-month-old happy for an afternoon, and they have handled every version of it with the same joy.

They are a genuinely wonderful couple. Fun, warm, easy to be around. Watching them become parents to Zachary was the best part of this whole session for me.

This is the part of my business I did not fully understand when I started. I thought I was booking sessions. What I was actually doing was building long relationships with families across Nashville, and getting invited back for the milestones that matter.

What to Expect From an At-Home Family Photography Session

If you are considering an in-home session for your family, here is how I approach it.

Your House Does Not Need to Be Perfect

I promise you I am not looking at your baseboards. We work with the rooms that have the best natural light, and we can absolutely move a laundry basket out of frame. Nobody has ever lost photos over a messy house. I normally have you (the parent) choose up to 2 rooms you want to feature for your family session!

We Work Around Your Baby, Not the Other Way Around

Feeding breaks, diaper changes, a full outfit change because of a blowout. All of it is normal, and all of it is built into how I run these sessions. Babies set the pace, and I follow it. Also, this is why I bake in alot of time for family sessions!

The Meaningful Spots Are Usually Yours, Not Mine

The nursery. The kitchen. Dale’s Disco. When I photograph in your home, you get to tell me which corners of it actually mean something to your family, and we build the session around those.

Is an At-Home Session Right for Your Family?

An at-home family photography session in Nashville tends to be a good fit if:

• You have a baby or toddler who does better in a familiar space
• You want photos that feel specific to your family instead of interchangeable
• There is a room, a piece of furniture, or a corner of your house you want documented before life changes again
• You would rather not pack up a whole diaper bag and drive across town with a newborn

If your home doesn’t have great natural light, or you want a more polished, styled look, a studio session might be a better fit. I am always happy to talk through both options before you book.

Book Your At-Home Family Photography Session in Nashville

If Alex and Ally’s session made you think about your own family and the spaces that matter in your home, I would love to hear from you.

I photograph families all over Nashville and the surrounding areas, and in-home lifestyle sessions like this one are some of my very favorite work.

Reach out here and tell me about your family.

Meet Your Friendly Nashville Family & Motherhood Photographer