Leah O'Connell PhotographyCharlottesville, VA
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It is the greatest privilege to coexist in the home with a new baby. Besides their fresh presence, everyone’s stories about how they came to parenthood are winding, difficult, and unique as well. I feel truly honored every time I’m asked to come into that story and capture a piece of it. It was the
This outdoor family session with 3 kids under 5 was full of energy and absurdity as only you could expect. I’ve worked with this family since their oldest was one, and each season they add more kids and our sessions get a little more wild. We’ve shot in winter, summer, and fall, in their home
I’ve come to adore sessions with older kids for their unique energy and opportunity to try different things, play with style, and incorporate family elements. Parents with older kids may feel nervous about family photos because they’re afraid of it feeling forced or cheesy. But these 3 tips are a great place to start for
In Virginia, when we think fall, we think apple orchards. Charlottesville has some of the most gorgeous orchards, so it’s hard to not want a family session there. It was a cloudy fall day for this apple orchard family session, but I loved the depth it added to an otherwise standard fall family photo location.
client tips, families, Featured sessions
I photographed this family of three at home when their daughter was first born, but with the gorgeous fall weather in Charlottesville, we decided to meet at a park down the road from their house instead. They often come here to play or walk their dog, and it felt like the perfect way to celebrate
From the second I read the inquiry form from this family for a home session with their four year old and triplet 2 year olds, I thought – “oh my gosh I have to work with them.” The parents approached the whole thing with a desire to capture the beautiful but wild reality of their
The first time I worked with this family, they were local to me in Charlottesville. But when they reached out to see if I would make the drive for an urban in-home session at their new place in Baltimore, I couldn’t resist. They are so much fun and I knew that photographing them in their
families, favorites, Featured sessions
I’ve had the joy of capturing this family through several special milestones. But as they’ve settled into a new home and started to sink into their family dynamic, it was a real treat to make family photos at home… and at their chicken coop. Along with their two kids, they raise 19 chickens, four bunnies,
favorites, Featured sessions, newborns
The phrase “beautifully imperfect” rubs me the wrong way. “Imperfect” somehow implies there is a “perfect” to begin with. It implies something is wrong, even if it’s accepted. I don’t believe in perfect – a perfect session, a perfect home, perfect light, or perfectly behaved kids. I believe in the hard, beautiful work of family.
Before this session, the mom and I chatted on the phone to iron out the details. We talked about letting the kids have input about their outfits, choosing things they already loved from their closets, and about her biggest concern – the light. She was worried about their crew of 6 doing family photos in
This crew invited me to their home on a bright summer day for a family session to celebrate baby boy turning one. While many families will choose to have lifestyle newborn photos at home, I met this little guy when he was just hours old for a Fresh 48 session in the hospital. This made
Many photographers shudder at the thought of extended family photos, but to me, they’re a thrill. There are so many different personalities and so much potential for spontaneity and honest delight. All it takes is the right prep and energy to set the tone. Take these sessions to the backyard of a home where the