family
The Carolinas are notorious for feeling like summer when the calendar says it’s fall. The good news is it doesn’t have to feel like fall to look like fall. Just grab a pumpkin spice latte, put on some deep jewel tones like this family, and think cool thoughts! I have found some beautiful little spots to photograph families with hints of Fall foliage and pine. Take a look at this sweet family and their little ones on the move!
What do you love most about a Carolina Fall?
Evan doesn’t like to touch the pumpkin guts but he doesn’t mind getting a little paint on his hands! So we got to do all of the dirty work this year and he just threw a candle inside at the end (literally!). I ended up just drawing a simple face myself instead of something more elaborate with a pattern to trace. Scroll down and let me know how I did!
While it may not always feel like it here in Charlotte, it’s beginning to look like Fall!. The trees are lush, leaves are beginning to turn and fall underfoot—it’s beautiful!
Speaking of beautiful, can you even handle this family? I have been photographing them from the NICU to milestones and family portraits. They styled their family perfectly for fall family portraits with deep, warmer tones and hints of denim. I love that they’re coordinated, and not too matchy matchy.
What really makes these photos are the radiant smiles and the easygoing energy of these four. Not everyone is super comfortable in front of the camera, but there’s so much beauty in normal, minimally posed family moments. From little kisses to children exploring their surroundings, I love to photograph the essence of a family instead of a cookie cutter posed snapshot that may or may not resemble their true spirit.
Enjoy and capture each season, and print your pictures because time is a thief, y’all!
Pumpkin picking at it’s finest! We took a trip to the pumpkin stand to grab a few pumpkins to carve. This stand is where I found our beautiful pumpkins with muted tones last year. There weren’t as many of those this year, but we were able to find a few to decorate our front porch with.
Scroll through to check out what we didn’t bring home ◡̈ Evan chose something that we just couldn’t bring ourselves to buy. Sometimes if you love something, you let it go… right?! Enjoy!
Our first annual fall apple picking trip did not disappoint. Sky Top Orchard is nestled just above Flat Rock, North Carolina. The property is HUGE and so are the crowds, but we managed to sneak in right at opening. When we left, the cars were parked and in line for over a mile away from the entrance. We were glad to wake up a little early instead of sitting for hours with a 2 year old!
Here is a little glimpse into a tradition I hope to continue in the years to come! I forgot to photograph the BEST two parts of our apple adventure… the apple cider donuts and the apple cannon!!
Sky Top’s donuts are the most delicious donuts I’ve ever tasted and I have been dreaming about them ever since! I love anything with cinnamon sugar, so of course I had to try a few - or a dozen. Our other favorite part of the day was the apple cannon. It is new this year and I got a few photos on my phone, but didn’t get out the big camera because was a popular attraction with a lot of people around. We got a basket of 20 apples to shoot out of the cannon, and I was the only one out of the three of us to hit a target and earn an extra apple to shoot. Girl power!
We are into traditions that we can share with Evan, and this is one fall experience that I’d love to repeat next year. There is so much to do at the orchard, which makes Sky Top a perfect day trip with a toddler. What a fun way to kick off fall!
Just as his parents were preparing for his baby shower, Tristin surprised them with a speedy arrival much earlier than they had anticipated. Since he was about 10 weeks early, he earned himself a stay in the NICU to do some more growing and to develop a few more skills before leaving the hospital and heading home. Since his NICU admission he has proven to be quite a little fighter and is making great strides in his development—no longer needing an IV and breathing mostly without support. The snuggles and skin-to-skin time are surely helping both Tristin and parents to adjust and to thrive. Just look at those smiles!
“I found out I was pregnant when I was 5 weeks (in June). I had just graduated from the University of South Carolina and just received a job here in Charlotte at Charlotte Latin School. I was terrified and had no clue what I was going to do. I had no other choice but to make the most of my situation and my pregnancy. Fast forward to December, I was preparing for my baby shower to be on December 7th. On December 1st, at about 3:30 am, I began having sharp pains in my stomach. I honestly thought I had food poisoning from Thanksgiving. I could not sleep and was in excruciating pain. I finally decided to go to the hospital around 7 because I hadn’t felt a lot of movement along with my stomach pain. I got there and they told me I was 4 cm dilated. They gave me medicine to stop it, however, the meds did not work. Next thing you know, they told me I was 7-8 cm dilated and my baby was coming right then. My boyfriend and I looked at each other and didn’t know what to do. Tristin Joshua Lewis was born on 12/1/19 at 9:16 am. He weighed 3 pounds 4 ounces. All I could do was cry because he was so small. He was transported to Novant Presbyterian right after he was born. He is now 3 pounds 6.7 ounces. He is breathing on his own (room air trials) for 18 hours of the day. He had is picc line removed and he is done with all fluids he was receiving. He is a fighter! He’s doing everything he’s supposed to be doing and I couldn’t be more proud of my little trooper. Being a young parent is not easy. Being a parent already is not easy, but I wouldn’t trade this feeling for the world. Tristin lights up my world and never fails to put a smile on my face. He is my SONshine! Babies are blessings. I am beyond thankful to have Tristin in my life!”
And then there were four—four girls, that is. Mallory is the newest addition to this crew of little ladies. I adore this family. It’s been a blessing to photograph all four of these girls and to capture each of their individual personalities. I know I am in for a fun time when they book a session, and I really appreciate how they trust my vision for each of their sessions. I must add—it is such a treat when I see that they’ve printed and displayed my images all around their home! Mallory’s youngest older sister did a Baby Plan with me, so I’ve been able to photograph each one of these girls in her milestone photos. There’s something so special about getting to know families through photographing them over time.
Look at how well these girls love their newest little sister!
This little lady with the captivating smile and full head of hair is Ava! Is she not the cutest thing you’ve ever seen? Also, I don’t blame you if you’re currently searching online for her outfit in your size—can you say timeless elegance?! While we are just starting Ava’s baby plan, I’ve gotten to know her family a bit already because Miles, one of her two big brothers was also on a Baby Plan of his own! Let me tell you, this family is so much fun! They are easygoing and just wonderful in front of the camera.
Their mama is not only sweet as pie and raising some serious cuties, but she is also Dr. Haberle from Metrolina Dermatology. If you’re looking for a comprehensive dermatology practice in the Charlotte area, I cannot recommend one more highly than Metrolina. Just take a peek at Dr. Haberle’s accolades and I bet you won’t disagree with me! From skin cancer screenings and Mohs procedures to microdermabrasion and chemical peels, this office can handle all of your dermatological needs.
Okay, back to sweet baby Ava. This session was all about baby girl. It was so much fun to focus on Ava and all things girly and sweet during this session. Pearls, bows, and lace all made an appearance in her portraits. Every girl likes to play a little dress up now and again, right?
If you know me, you’ve probably figured out that I’m far from traditional! I love to stray outside the lines of what’s normal and comfortable. So it’s no surprise that I enjoyed this Easter holiday despite the strangeness of this pandemic!
Easter weekend was filled with family time with just the three of us. Evan did his first Easter egg hunt and ate way too many M&Ms and Skittles! He loved searching for his eggs. He just put them in a little bucket from one of my baby showers from before he was born. Why, you ask? Well, because his Easter basket was already packed and ready to put out on Easter morning. Do people still put out an empty basket on Easter Eve to have the Easter Bunny fill it? Well we didn’t stick with that tradition - oops!
That evening, we put 5 carrots out on the porch for the Easter Bunny. Evan was a little disappointed because he thought the bunny was actually going to be out there right when he opened the door! We explained that he would come in the night and he seemed to be satisfied with that response. The next morning, he ran to the front door to see how many carrots were left. Surprisingly, there was only one!
On Easter morning, we read Easter books and watched church online (thanks David Chadwick and Moments of Hope Church!) Evan doesn’t quite understand what watching church means, especially since he doesn’t watch a ton of television. He’s used to seeing other children so watching people sing songs was pretty fun to him. He really enjoyed the music but he got restless during the sermon.
We had pizza for lunch and hung out around the house the rest of the day. That night, we blew up an air mattress and put it in the den to watch a movie. Evan sat through the entire thing! We watched Monster’s Inc on Disney+ and were both hoping he’d fall asleep…but that definitely did not happen! I was thrilled that he was able to watch the whole movie, though!
While we thoroughly enjoyed our out of the ordinary Easter, we are ready to see our friends and family again!
Here’s a little video of our Easter weekend!
There are so many options when it comes to booking a photography session. Some things that factor into your choices are timing, finances, weather, utilization of the images. The list goes on. One great opportunity for both photographers and families is booking mini sessions. There are a number of reasons to choose to book a mini session, but below are three main reasons many families choose to book this particular type of session.
Mini sessions can be a great opportunity to try on your photographer for fit without a huge commitment. You want to ensure you and the photographer are comfortable with one another—if not, the discomfort can lead to images that aren’t of great quality photos that simply don’t feel genuine.
Once you’ve determined the relationship between yourself and your photographer, you will want to examine your budget. If finances are a little tight but you really want to prioritize photos, you can book a mini session, which is typically a less expensive option. Photographers tend to book back-to-back sessions in order to accomodate more families on a particular day. The session will be shorter (around 15 to 30 minutes) and usually does not allow for outfit changes. So they are quick and painless!
Finally, sometimes you’re just not looking for an abundance of images. You may even have a very specific image (e.g., special announcement, Christmas card, pregnancy announcement) that you are looking to capture and you don’t need a gallery of 100+ images. These special situations lend themselves perfectly to mini sessions because they usually yield fewer images in the final gallery.
This sweet girl definitely made the most of her mini session! What kinds of mini sessions would you like to see from me this year?! I have a few ideas in mind but I want to hear from you!
Charlotte, North Carolina has been upping their art game over the past decade! I love seeing new murals popping up around the city… and of course I love it even more if it’s easy to get to and as beautiful as Evelyn Henson’s Confetti Hearts Wall in South End - and it doesn’t hurt when it’s beside Jeni’s!
I had blast photographing families, couples, and children last year for my first annual Valentine’s Heart Wall portraits! I couldn’t let this year go by without taking the opportunity to have new families strike a pose in front of this wall.
Evan was my first subject and he didn’t disappoint! I got some cute smiles and he had fun standing on the red box! Each year, I try to keep these sessions simple, without a lot of props. I don’t want to distract from the heart wall’s fun colors and design, or from you!
Comment below and tell me your favorite images from this year’s sessions!
Confetti Hearts Wall
1930 Camden Rd, Charlotte, NC 28203
Scarlett is quite the little fighter. She came into this world under one pound! Her story began as one of four quadruplets. She is the only one earth side, but her siblings—Oliver, Amelia, and Vivian—still remain a beautiful part of her family’s story. Recently, the peanut you see below has gained ‘big sister’ status to her little brother Christian, who has already had his newborn session as part of his Baby Plan membership.
Despite the hardships of a pregnancy with quadruplets that ended in preterm deliveries and spending quite some time in the NICU, Scarlett’s parents have a great sense of humor—I always enjoy my time with them. Below, Scarlett’s mother, a nurse, details her family’s journey through a pregnancy with multiples and their time in the NICU.
“We knew we would have trouble conceiving. I have PCOS as well as a bicornuate uterus. We did three rounds of IUI. Our last was successful and we were pregnant with quads. We found out we were pregnant in May. The pregnancy was moving along very easily. My husband and I were so excited, and our family and friends couldn’t even believe there were four. At my 21 week MFM appointment my water broke and the immediately sent me to the maternity unit where I stayed until the babies were delivered. It was a roller coaster from that point forward. I went into early labor and had to deliver one baby who we named Oliver. He passed away during the laboring process. We knew God had a bigger plan for him. We call him his sisters’ hero, he held on long enough to buy his sisters more time. The other three were able to hang on for another week. I ended up getting septic and had to have an emergency c-section to deliver the other three babies at 22 weeks and 2 days. One little girl we named Amelia passed away and his hanging out with her brother Oliver. The other two we named Scarlett and Vivian— sassy and feisty little girls keeping the nurses on their toes. This is not how we pictured this adventure in our lives going but we couldn’t have been in a better place. Everyone from the nurses, doctors, and support staff [were] the kindest most compassionate people we could have asked to have care for our family through this time.”
Below is a glimpse into Scarlett’s time in the NICU, on a ventilator. You also get to see a sweet moment of kangaroo care with her mother and some hand hugs with mom and dad.
Scarlett’s newborn session after NICU graduation—look how much she’s grown!
Scarlett’s spring session with the peach blossoms at Springs Farm — Scarlett is a big sister!
Scarlett turns ONE!
Baby brother Christian snoozes through his newborn session.
A trip to see Santa is such a quintessential childhood experience; the visit brings such joy to little ones and their families. While Santa is pure magic for kids, there are so many factors of visiting Santa in a mall or larger setting that can make the experience less than ideal for families.
A private Santa portrait provides a special, individualized experience for each and every child. Families can plan around nap times and other activities and skip the long lines in order to enjoy a moment of togetherness and to soak in the holiday spirit.
Not only are the little ones able to see Santa; they are also able to visit with his better half—Mrs. Claus! This is an experience that is not offered very frequently, and it really brings the entire Santa experience to life.
Private sessions also allow for all kinds of special considerations. For example, a private setting can be more manageable for children with sensory processing challenges. Also, for children with weakened immune systems (like all of those sweet preemies I photograph) the private settings create a cleaner environment with fewer chances to leave Santa with any unwanted ‘gifts’. Even children on home ventilators are welcome, as I am comfortable working with all kinds of medical equipment.
My private Santa sessions begins with coffee, hot chocolate, and some sweet holiday treats. The aroma of WoodWick’s Frasier Fir candle fills my home studio, and creates a relaxing space for families to dwell while the children craft their wish lists. When Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive, the little ones can jump right up—the shy littles are allowed plenty of time to warm up before sharing their wish list. All of these factors add up to create relaxed, authentic photographs for each family.
Below is a sneak peek of a few 2019 private sessions with Santa and Mrs. Claus! Tell me in the comments why you would choose a private Santa session over a visit to the mall! I’m interested to hear your thoughts!
Can you imagine your family running through a lush green field of brightly colored sunflowers? If not, scroll through this beautiful session to see the magical images we made together. These mini sessions are perfect for toddlers or little ones… They only last up to 15 minutes, which is about the max that you can get out of kids this age! They are just too curious and busy to sit still for long periods of time.
Find yourself daydreaming about your family out in the sunflower field? Meet me in Fort Mill, South Carolina next week! Head over to the store to book your spot on my calendar. Very limited spaces so don’t wait.
I met up with this sweet family of three in the park in Ballantyne, North Carolina. Looking at these photos, you’d never know that we were in the middle of a corporate park. This has been one of my favorite locations for a few years now, and I’m so glad I found it. It’s beautiful, convenient, and has so many great settings within a relatively small space. Once the leaves start changing, it’s the ideal place for a fall family session!
This family styled their session perfectly for the fall weather, even though the leaves haven’t truly started changing. The navy and blue palette is the perfect combination for this fun outdoor family session. Everyone looked comfortable and casual, and we had a great time making these beautiful images together. The lighting was perfect and I couldn’t have asked for a better family to photograph!
What a location! This sweet family wanted something different for Avayah’s 1 year session. Cake smashes aren’t for everyone, and boy am I glad they decided to go against the grain and do a fun urban session like this one! Avayah had a blast at her session at Camp North End, and I love the relaxed look these images give. It’s the perfect depiction of this family’s personalities! I love the urban look - it’s definitely something I’m not used to but it was fun to think outside of my normal “box.”
Baby Plan Members have the opportunity to customize their sessions, allowing them to get many different looks throughout their membership. So far, we have gone to different outdoor locations for each milestone session of Avayah’s Baby Plan. I love trying new places like this one - I will definitely be back!
By the way, you might recognize Avayah from when she was a teeny little preemie! Check out her NICU portraits! So so sweet!
These family portraits are some you don't want to miss! If you've been following me for even a minute, you've probably seen sweet Brooklyn. She's the sweetest little red head who is now turning blonder by the moment, and growing up right before our eyes!
The McKees are sweet friends of mine, and I'm so appreciative for their continued support of my business, and that they have chose to grow with me as their family grows. I work with Amy at the hospital before she had Brooklyn and we were fast friends. She's the sweetest, most genuine person. I'm so glad to call her my friend! Not only is she a great friend, she's so patient with Brooklyn, and she's a wonderful NICU nurse.
These family portraits were taken at one of my new favorite locations for a family session. It's located in Ballantyne, so it's not too far outside of Charlotte. The McKees are always willing to drive to great locations to create beautiful images like these. We hit the park at the PERFECT time of day for lighting - that golden hour, though!
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for a sweet little [big] announcement!
Meet this sweet family of 4! I was so grateful for the opportunity to photograph this family again this year. I met Ashley in nursing school and later found out that we were both from the same hometown! She allowed me to photograph her family last year at Glencairn Gardens in Rock Hill, South Carolina. This year I met up with them at Falls Park in Greenville, South Carolina when I was in town visiting a friend. Their boys have grown so much - a lot can happen in a year! Take a look at this beautiful family and make sure to check out the surroundings. This park is the perfect location for a fall family session!
The Krista Gantt Photography Fall Special 2016 is now open for booking! Summer has come and fall is on its way! You may have heard by now that I'm offering a *special* this fall!
Dates, times, and locations are limited and are based on availability. For family sessions, I'll photograph up to 5 people. Additional family members are $25 per person. Seniors, couples, and children are also welcome to jump in on this special!
These fall portrait sessions are in addition to my regular newborn sessions and full time work as a nurse. Therefore, I decided to go all digital and not include prints in the package. This provides more flexibility and enables clients to add on additional items if desired.
Well, what are you waiting for?! If you're ready, I'm ready! Don't wait because based on the feedback I've been getting, these sessions will sell out. This offer may not happen again, so check your calendars and book your session today!
Each location has different settings and little hidden surprises, but they all photograph beautifully in the fall! You really can't go wrong!
NOTE: This post and these photos are over 2 years old! My photography skills have drastically improved and this family has grown by one baby girl! :)
This family is very near and dear to my heart. Brooke and I met through a mutual friend, and later lived together at Clemson. After graduation, she moved away to Utah and I moved to Missouri - and now we're both reunited and living in Charlotte! I'm so thankful for her friendship and am so glad we've been able to explore Charlotte together. She is a wonderful role model, and always so positive and encouraging.
This session was at Jetton Park in Cornelius, North Carolina on a beautiful fall day. I was thankful that my husband, Michael was able to come along to keep Eli smiling behind me with bubbles and squeaker toys. Eli was such a trooper - and so photogenic! Clint's elephant impressions also helped add laughter and cheer to the session, for all of us! I would have loved to see a video of all of us trying to get Eli to smile! We were quite entertaining I'm sure!
