Over the past 10 years, I’ve photographed families all over the Shenandoah Valley, but these are some of my top favorite locations for family photos in Charlottesville.
Locations are always one of the first and biggest decisions to make when planning your session, and many families are surprised to learn that there’s a lot more that goes into choosing this spot than some pretty scenery!
Other things to consider for your family photo location:
Timing:
When shooting in public places, I recommend early morning or sunset sessions to avoid crowds and bystanders. Also, it goes without saying that light is key and those are prime times for flattering light. (There are always exceptions though, like in this mid-morning session at Chiles Peach Orchard!) and home sessions that can happen any time of day!
Accessibility
It’s important to keep in mind things like close parking and safety, especially for families with young kids. Nobody enjoys dragging kids (or a pregnant mama) for a mile to get to a secluded spot. I also opt to stay away from overlooks or rocky hills that may be scenic but are not friendly environments for playing.
We both want your photos to be awesome, but in my opinion, that doesn’t necessarily mean epic.
Awesome can exist right on your kitchen floor or your kids’ bedrooms, too. I always encourage families to choose locations that offer lots of flexibility and feel natural to them.
Here’s a rundown of some of my favorite locations for family photos in Charlottesville:
Your home!
- Vibe: Casual, intimate, and personalized to your style!
- Great for: ANYONE, but especially families with kids 2 and under
- Features: not restricted to golden hour for lighting, comfortable, no travel time, best for incorporating pets, not weather-dependent, easy access to snacks 🙂
- Prime seasons: any time
- Cons: If you hate your home, let’s get outside instead. But every home style and size can work for family photos – trust me.
Ivy Creek Nature Area
- Vibe: Rustic, diverse, and very open
- Great for: families with little kids, seniors, and large families… basically anyone.
- Features: Large open field, wooded trails, white barn, creeks and bridges, and even a peek at the blue ridge mountains.
- Prime seasons: spring, summer, fall
- Cons: no pets allowed!
See more variety from this locaton in a family session feature taken at Ivy Creek here.
Beaver Creek
Vibe: Scenic, natural
Great for: outdoorsy families
Features: view of the mountains, dock and lake
Prime seasons: all seasons!
Cons: It’s pretty crucial to stick to golden hour here due to lack of open shade. If you have little kids, choose a late fall or winter session here in order to hit an earlier sunset!
Downtown
- Vibe: Urban, funky, fun
- Greate for: families who are moving and want to capture a piece of their city, families with kids 3 and older, high school seniors
- Features: Variety, texture, bold colors – I love suggesting an ice cream stop or sweet treat break to incorporate into a shoot here to fully embrace the family fun
- Prime seasons: A great choice for winter sessions, but an option year round!
- Cons: Must be willing to work around the crowds or schedule for outside of peak mealtime hours
UVA
- Vibe: Classic, traditional, potential for a more formal look if that’s what you’re after
- Great for: alumni or military families who want to capture of a piece of their story through location
- Features: private gardens, rotunda and lawn, brick walkways, columns,
- Prime seasons: any!
- Cons: It can be crowded in the fall on weekends because of students and football game traffic, but we can generally work around it by utilizing more private spots around grounds.
McIntire Park
- Vibe: simple, natural, elements of urban-vibes for variety like the iron bridge and skate park (please please someone ask for a skate park session 😍)
- Great for: families who want room to roam and variety, outdoorsy but not rustic
- Features: tall grasses, gorgeous large trees, a fun log and iron sculpture, iron bridge over railroad tracks, mountain views in the distance, easily accessible in mid-town Charlottesville
- Prime seasons: any (but especially fall!)
- Cons: none
These are just a few of my top favorite locations for family sessions, but of course, the best locations are ones that mean something to you and I’m always open to trying new ones!
Interested in taking an adventure with me for some fun and natural family photos this year?? Reach out here so we can get started planning!
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