Leah O'Connell PhotographyCharlottesville, VA
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Family, newborn, brand, and school photography stories from Leah O'Connell.
client tips, families, Featured sessions
If you’ve been thinking about booking a family session but the idea of a scenic overlook, a color-coordinated outfit, and a stranger telling you where to stand makes you want to close the tab – this one’s for you. The Home Sweet Home session exists for exactly that feeling. It’s built around your actual home,
There are some collaborations that make immediate sense, and brand photos with children’s shoe brand Common Tread was one of them. Common Tread makes barefoot shoes for kids that are designed by an occupational therapist and engineer, handcrafted in South Africa, and made for the way children actually move. They’ve recently brought their brand stateside,
Sometimes, the only setup for the session you need is getting everyone there. Summer extended family sessions often work like this. It’s such an effort to coordinate family from all over the country to get together, but once you’re there, it’s undeniably special. This session took place on a small private lake, a cloudy summer
When your family scatters across states and schedules, finding a window where everyone lands in the same place is its own kind of miracle. Last summer, a family made that happen at Wintergreen resort in Virginia and reached out about making some relaxed extended family photos while they were all together. Because reunions are scheduled
client tips, Featured sessions
They’d Been Stopping at this Spot for Weeks. She Had No Idea. There’s a particular kind of secret that’s almost impossible to keep. The kind where you love someone so much you can barely stand not telling them what’s coming. Ricky knew the spot the moment they stumbled across it together: a Blue Ridge Parkway
If you google “best locations for spring family photos in Charlottesville,” you’ll get a pretty predictable list. Scenic overlooks. Blooming gardens. The kind of locations that look incredible in a single frame but don’t always allow for much natural play, variety, or realness. I’ve been photographing families here for almost 20 years and the locations
I’ve been photographing this family since they were expecting their first baby — a boy who is now ten years old and, understandably, a little too cool for me. Over the years, I’ve watched them grow from first-time parents into a family with depth, grief, and resilience. Returning to their home for newborn photos with
Hazel had a rocky start. She spent 14 days in the NICU after surprise complications led to a last-minute c-section and days without holding her, hoping she would breathe on her own. Those days were filled with worry and hope alongside caring doctors and nurses. She finally came home on the day before Christmas Eve,
There’s always something uniquely meaningful about gathering extended family in one place—but especially when the year has been marked by both extreme joy and immense heartbreak. In this session, I spent an afternoon with a family who had traveled from all over the East Coast to meet for the holidays. One of the couples was
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
Fall in Charlottesville is magical. With the Blue Ridge Mountains as our backdrop and the University of Virginia’s stunning grounds framing our neighborhoods, there’s no shortage of gorgeous locations for Charlottesville fall family photos. But after years of the same golden field sessions, many families crave something fresh. As a photographer who’s lived in Charlottesville
If fall is your favorite season of all, join the club! Family photos are the most popular in the fall around Charlottesville because it’s just so dang beautiful. Families revel in all the fun things to do together that make it even better. Unfortunately, this means lots of favorite family spots are too crowded to