A Recap of My Charlottesville Summer Mini Sessions
Back in July, I opened just 8 spots for summer mini sessions at one of my favorite tucked-away spots in Charlottesville—a public reserve that feels secluded, calm, and easy for families of all ages to enjoy. Each session was just 20 minutes long, but those minutes were packed with laughter, connection, and colorful summer energy.
The weather gave us the full spectrum of Virginia summer—bright sun one day, deep clouds the next, and even some rain that threw in a few reschedules. But ALWAYS, there was that humid summer heat. Honestly, no one really wants to be outside more than 20 minutes on those days unless you’re in the water or eating popsicles. So that what we did!
Family Photos with a Popsicle Finish!
One of the highlights of these summer mini sessions was the popsicle break at the end. I brought along a cooler full of rainbow popsicles for families to enjoy during the last 10 minutes of our time, and they were a huge hit! The smiles (and sticky fingers) that followed added a playful, colorful layer and gave families an activity that everyone could immediately buy into.
While his family shared their popsicles on a blanket in the field, one dad even said “This was the best idea ever.” High praise coming from a dad in a photo shoot!
The popsicles helped everyone cool down and relax, creating a lead-in to some of the most candid, joy-filled moments.
Different families, same experience, different photos
What I loved most about these Charlottesville summer mini sessions was the variety of families who joined me and just how different the results were from each session. Even though some of the logistics like location, time of year, time of day, and structure of the shoot – the people always make the shoot.
We had toddlers exploring their independence to preteens leaning into laughter with their parents to kiddos with special needs leaning into one another and the new experience.
Each family brought their own rhythm and energy. The nature reserve gave us room to move, play, and settle into moments that felt natural and unforced. Because the time constraints for mini sessions was so short, we didn’t explore multiple locations around the park, but still, there was plenty of variety simply from the games and poses we tried.
Every gallery tells a different story, but they all paint a picture of love and soaking in the summer as a family.
If you missed out this year, don’t worry—I’d love to have you join me next time I do summer mini sessions! I usually only offer mini sessions ONCE a year, either in the spring or summer, so make sure you’re on my email list to be the first to hear about any Charlottesville mini sessions in the future. Spots are always super limited and tend to go quickly, so this is the best way to stay in touch!
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Don’t Control It, Embrace it! (Charlottesville family photos with a family of 6)
