Family Photographer in Charlottesville

Charlottesville families photographed: 500+
local school photography partners: 9
years photographing families: 20

Featured in

newborn photos in charlottesville around the kitchen table with 2 siblings

Family photos that look like your actual family

Honest, unhurried, and artful family photos in Charlottesville, VA

It's storytelling without the staging in the places you feel most like yourselves.

leah o'connell, charlottesville family photographer

Meet the photographer

I’m one of the first to meet your newborn baby, the one who won't judge your clothes baskets and unmade beds, and the one who can preserve the way your husband looks at you with a twinkle in his eye after 12 years of marriage. My life's work is about honoring people and telling stories.

I believe art has the power to light up the world in dark places, starting at home.

I'm a mom of 3 who loves mornings and words. I rely heavily on black coffee and a sense of humor.

Leah

Learn more about Leah O'Connell

People talk about finding their forever home. I have officially found our forever photographer.
When we look at some of the photos Leah has captured of us throughout these years, I just can't help getting the feeling "If I live to be 80, this picture, this one right here, is going to transport me back to those early years of raising our children, and all the magic within them."
Not only is Leah's work absolutely phenomenal, she's also wonderful to work with throughout the whole process.

samantha

maternity photography in charlottesville, virginia

For the season you're in.

Sometimes, the gold is hard to see but easy to feel. I can help you hold it.

Maybe there's a new baby on the way, or a house you won't live in forever, or just a stretch of life that feels especially full right now. You're looking around at your people and thinking —

I want to remember this version of us.

We’ll meet in the places you feel most happy and your people are most themselves, whether that’s home or the baseball field or your favorite creek to splash and stomp. We’re not looking to smooth the edges and make it look perfect - we're here for the parts that are a little unraveled with a whole lotta love.

You'll walk away with images that capture the feeling of this season, the details that disappear, and proof of the beauty for the hard days, slow days, and the future days.

family session details

Session offerings

Family sharing pancakes for breakfast at the kitchen table, overhead view

Client notes

Leah is an absolute joy to work with. We've asked her to capture photos annually from our first newborn session to our son's third birthday. These photos are some of the most treasured items in our home, and the session experience has always been easy and lighthearted. I couldn't recommend her more.
Elizabeth
How does she do it! With 3 kids and a very pregnant self, you cross your fingers a picture or 2 turns out — and here we are having trouble picking favorites. Thank you for perfectly capturing my family in this season of our life.
Brianne
Leah came recommended by multiple other families who hired her for family photos and they were so right! She has an incredible talent of capturing a child's true personality. When we got the gallery of pictures back, we were floored to find so much emotion and expression.
colin