Moody Mid-Morning Family Session in Birmingham, Alabama

Winter Family Photos in the Rolling Hills of Alabama

Meet the McClendons. This is actually the second time that I've gotten to document family photos for them. They are an easy-going bunch, a family that prefers a more go-with-the-flow style. And there's nothing I love more than family sessions that just "let it all be." It was brutally cold, windy, and sprinkling. Even though the weather wasn’t ideal, they went right along with me. The brush was a thicker than I anticipated, but they didn’t seem to mind. They even hiked up the far side of the hill for a few wide shots. Wind blown hair, blades of grass stuck to pants, crusty noses, snuggles. There was light conversation, a little guidance/posing at times, but mostly just me following them as they walked around.

True story - when I was 15 years old, I spotted this location from the highway. It's a little north of Birmingham, mixed in a stretch of plains and hills that run all the way to Mississippi. I didn’t even own a DSLR camera yet, but I had my Sony Cybershot and remember thinking how pretty this place was every time we’d pass it on our drive to the river. Almost 16 years later, here I am shooting family photos of my clients on it. There are a lot of logistical reasons I had not shot here prior to this, but it felt like the right move for the feel of this session. That decision did not disappoint and my heart could explode just seeing something I only imagined actually come to life. It felt like a creative weight lifted off of my chest & I know that I'll be back here again very soon. In the meantime, my mama heart will just soak in how grateful I am to capture days like these.