Summer Family Photos at The Nashville Ellington Agricultural Center
Summer family portraits at the Nashville Ellington Agricultural Center featuring the Mullins family.
As a Nashville family photographer, I have the joy of working with so many wonderful families, but every now and then a session comes along that feels especially meaningful. Earlier this summer, I had the honor of photographing the Mullins family at the Ellington Agricultural Center here in Nashville, Tennessee — and their session was filled with joy, laughter, and the beautiful chaos that comes with parenting a one-year-old.
Not only did I want to share some of my favorite portraits from this summer’s family session, but I also wanted to highlight something even more meaningful: Reggie and Caroline’s reflections on parenting their sweet son, Micah.
Parenthood is such a gift. While I know it comes with long days, little sleep, and constant learning, it is truly one of God’s greatest blessings. Every family I photograph teaches me something new, and I’m always so encouraged by the wisdom parents are willing to share. My hope is that this post encourages you — wherever you are in your parenting journey — to slow down and savor the fleeting, beautiful stages of family life.
A Joyful Summer Family Session in Nashville
The Ellington Agricultural Center is one of my favorite locations for summer family photos in Nashville. With its open green spaces, tree-lined paths, and soft natural light, it’s perfect for families with young children who love to explore.
Micah did exactly that. Whether he was walking, laughing, or soaking in his parents’ attention, his personality truly shined. Sessions like this remind me why I focus so deeply on connection over perfection, especially when photographing toddlers.
Parenting Reflections from the Mullins Family
One of my favorite parts of this session was learning more about Reggie and Caroline’s hearts for their family. I asked them a few questions about life with a one-year-old, and their answers were such a gift.
What is your favorite thing about your child at this current stage?
“Our favorite thing about Micah is his larger-than-life personality. He loves to get a laugh or make us proud. He definitely knows how to use his charm. He is such a sweet boy.”
What is your son’s favorite activity?
“Micah loves to be outside.”
What do you love to do together as a family?
“We love to go for walks. We watch movies together and dance. We also love to watch the Tennessee Vols!”
How do you prioritize family time in a busy world?
“We both work from home, so when work is done, it’s family time. We eat dinner together and play together every evening.”
Dreaming Big as a Family
With an unlimited budget, where would your dream family vacation be?
“Reggie and I can’t wait to take Micah to Disney World. We’d probably do that for a week and then head to the beach.”
What about your child’s dream vacation?
“Micah would probably just be happy to leave the house!”
That answer made me laugh — and it’s such a perfect reminder of how little ones find joy in the simplest things.
The Joy of Celebrating the Little Wins
What’s the funniest or most amazing thing your child has done recently?
“Micah LOVES to be cheered for, no matter how minor the accomplishment. Whether it’s putting a basketball in his Little Tikes hoop or placing his sippy cup in the cup holder on his high-chair tray, you had better watch and you better cheer.
Once the cheering starts, he celebrates too. Our favorite is when he runs with excitement and throws his arms straight back behind him. He looks like a soccer player who just scored a goal. It’s hilarious. He is proud, and we are too.”
This is why I love photographing families with toddlers: this right here. These stages are fleeting, and capturing them now allows you to remember not just what life looked like — but what it felt like.
Life Lessons from a One-Year-Old
What has your child taught you about life?
“Micah has taught us to slow down and appreciate the joy of simple things.”
What do you love most about being a parent?
“I love watching him learn and how quickly he picks things up.”
What advice would you give to your past selves as brand-new parents?
“Give yourself some grace. We are all learning.”
Such a powerful reminder for every parent reading this.
Micah has taught us to slow down and appreciate the joy of simple things.
I love watching him learn and how quickly he picks things up.
Their Experience with Dolly DeLong Photography
What was your favorite part of your session?
“You are so flexible and understanding. When Micah was done, you completely understood. Even though it had only been 30 minutes, you were able to get some incredible shots.”
As a mom and a photographer, this means so much to me. Little ones set the pace, and my goal is always to create a stress-free, grace-filled experience — no matter how long the session lasts.
Final Thoughts
Thank you again, Mullins family, for trusting me to capture this season of your lives and for sharing your hearts so openly. It was truly a joy to serve you.
And if you would like to see more family photography sessions at the Nashville Ellington Ag Center, here you go:
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Meet Your Friendly Nashville Family Photographer
Dolly DeLong is a Nashville-based family & branding photographer AND a creative business owner who educates other family photographers (aka creative business owners) on systems, SOPs, workflows, and marketing (aka how to run the backend of your own family photography business as a one-woman show)! Dolly loves serving families with her bold, elevated, and radiant photography. She also loves educating other creative business owners on how to set up systems and workflows to help them save time in their businesses. Dolly produces weekly blog posts, podcast episodes on The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast, and weekly YouTube Episodes.
Dolly shares her expertise in Marketing, Email Marketing, and Business Systems with family photographers in an encouraging, supportive way, because she believes anyone can find joy in systems, workflows, and intentional SOPs! Plus, BONUS: Systems are where the magic happens! You can streamline and automate the backend of your creative business with ease!
Dolly’s faith and love for her family motivate her to help other business owners find the joy and freedom she’s seen in running a successful small business.
Whenever she has a spare moment, she enjoys watching TV, loves eating way too many sweets, and listens to podcasts while running or walking. Fill out her contact form to work with Dolly DeLong Photography for a family photography session.
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