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Leah O'Connellphotographer based in charlottesville, va
Reach out
Reach out
A barefoot girl twirls hand-in-hand with a friend across the backyard grass near the garden shed.

FamiliesCharlottesville, VARelaxed family photos at home in Charlottesville, Crozet, and surrounding areas

The home sweet home session

Home is a character in your family story. From the front porch swing to the backyard firepit, the bunk beds to the messy playroom - it's where life happens and where you're most at home. These sessions are simple and sweet, not overly curated or planned. They are an honest but intentional and artful reflection of your people, highlighting the warmth of doing life together.

Reserve a session

Details

Home is in your heart.

I've photographed families for 20 years from mall studios to Hawaiian beaches, and I can say with confidence that nothing compares to home. These sessions allow us the balance of flexibility and comfort. We will make timeless portraits on the front porch and capture silly, in-between moments on the couch - the spaces you do life together.

Some families choose to stick to outdoor spaces like backyards and porches, while others choose to embrace whatever state their home is in with a loving gaze. The child's race-car bedroom with socks strewn around, the hand-drawn art on the walls - it is all part of the story we walk by every day. But when it's captured in a photograph, it brings a sense of gratitude and peace that stays.

Through a brief questionnaire and some conversation beforehand, we'll develop a loose plan for our time together, including any activities you want to include. Within 2 weeks or less, you'll receive a proof gallery with all the final images we created to view and the opportunity to choose your favorite 25 images as digital downloads. If you love all of them and want to upgrade to the full gallery, you'll have that option, too, along with access to my curated print shop to get those heart-melting moments in print.

$850

What you get

  • 60 minutes at home - inside and/or outside
  • Session prep guide
  • Proof gallery of 60 final edited images
  • Your choice of 25 final images to download
  • Access to the fine art print shop
Book a session

Featured images

  • winter family photos in the snow, charlottesville va photographer
  • Two kids pile onto a sunlit bed with the family cat, framed by a bright window.
  • A blurred father watches his son take a batting stance in the driveway under blazing orange fall trees.
  • A Charlottesville family photographer captures a mom leaning through an open window to kiss her girl on a tricycle.
  • Seen from behind, a couple embraces in an open doorway, looking out at the green garden beyond.
  • Three kids jump together on a trampoline, hands linked, mid-air and laughing.
  • On a backyard patio, a dad feeds his son a slice of apple while a girl snacks nearby.
  • A Charlottesville family photographer catches a mother and baby laughing together on a living room rug.
  • A mother and her three kids walk a wooded path with their golden retriever past a backyard playset.
  • A mother holding her newborn watches her son crouch on a skateboard, hillside view behind them.
  • home photos in dark bedroom with mom and son by charlottesville photographer

How it works

  1. // 1.

    Once you reach out with a little more context about your family, I can answer any lingering questions and we'll set a date. You'll complete a brief questionnaire to help me get to know you and suggest final logistics for your session plan.

  2. // 2.

    We'll meet at your home to create photographs - but it will feel more like a family playdate. I'll make everyone feel relaxed and direct the flow of our time for a healthy mix of variety, including portraits and lots of candid moments, movement, and little delights for you to treasure.

  3. // 3.

    In 2 weeks or less, you'll receive your final gallery with a slideshow set to music. Sink in and enjoy the fruit of this beautiful life you're building. You'll have a week to choose your favorite 25 images to download, or upgrade for the full collection of digital files if you prefer. Enjoy unlimited access to the print shop to bring your favorite images to life, and my support the whole way.

Get started
A family of three piles onto the couch, laughing as they cradle their new puppy.

The pictures are even more incredible than I could have hoped.

Leah was fun, kind, and easy to work with and just went with the flow of our home to capture this moment in time. I already know these will be added to the images we will treasure for years to come. If you’re on the fence about whether you need family photos done, you do, and Leah’s style turns them into memory time capsules instead of stuffy portraits. Cannot recommend her highly enough.

Kelsey

Other sessions

  1. 01Story Session
  2. 02Field Session
  3. 03Narrative Session
  4. All family sessions

Reach out to get started

Let's make photos that move you.

Fill out this short form to get the ball rolling. I'll answer all your questions and we'll choose a date from there. You don't have to have it all figured out - I'm here to walk you through and make this a beautiful experience from start to finish.

Let's do it