Max Patch Family Photos in the Summertime
Family Photos at Max Patch in the Summer
Have you ever been to Max Patch? It’s a gorgeous mountaintop with a 360 degree view of the Blue Ridge Mountains about halfway to Asheville from Knoxville. I’ve done several engagement & couple shoots at Max Patch before, (here’s one from summer, fall, or winter), but I had my first family photoshoot up there and it was SUCH a great experience with this family of 6 and their 4 young kids!
This summer family session with the Eaton Family was joyful, fun, and sentimental. The Eatons booked a session with me at Max Patch while home visiting the States to see family for the first time since they had their 4th baby girl. They made the forever long journey from Thailand, where they currently live and work. How cool? The resulting photos from this session illustrate the love & happiness & chaos & fun of this family of 6 and the season they are in!
If you like my photographic style or my editing style in the photos throughout this blog, you might enjoy my online course, Digital Photography 101, or my Lightroom editing presets for enhancing the photos on your phone!
All in the Details
When I asked Alexa (mom) what she wanted to remember most about this season of life, she said, “I want to remember the details of my kids, their curly blonde hair, blue eyes and chubby little faces. The sweetness of their sibling relations. I want to remember their willingness to cuddle and be close to us and the beautiful chaos, the noise, laughter and movement.” How beautiful is that? That’s the amazing thing about intentional photos with your loved ones, you get to hold on to and remember all the sweet details.
Want to capture the details of your family? Look no further.
Why Max Patch?
The location of a session can factor into the overall feel of the photos. For this session, Alexa was going for a more relaxed, fun feel. A location like Max Patch, somewhere open and natural, is ideal for a shoot like this because it allows for fewer distractions and more candid interaction between the people. The result is photos with a more natural, lifestyle look that capture the true essence of this family!
3 Tips for Choosing a Photoshoot Location
Even if you don’t want to make the drive (and tiny hike) up to Max Patch for a photoshoot, here are 3 things I think we can learn from a location like Max Patch & why a location like this might be a good option for your next family photoshoot.
It’s a safe place for your kids to explore. Wide open spaces. No busy streets. They can run & play yards away from you and you’ll likely still be able to see them.
This in turn creates great opportunities for candid photos of your kids… just being kids. If you love more “lifestyle-esque” photos of your kids in motion, exploring, & playing, the location of your photoshoot can either provide a great opportunity, or be a hindrance to that.
A beautiful view everywhere you turn. No distracting people or objects in the background. Just beautiful natural scenery everywhere you look. Which means less restrictions for your kids & a happier, more natural photography experience.
So, what might some other locations like this be? Friend, this could be right in your backyard! Consider (1) safe spaces (2) where your children love to play that are also (3) beautiful. Voila!
We recently had a family video taken at Cherokee Farms while all of the yellow flowers were in bloom for that very reason. Wide open spaces where our girls (and dog) love to play, ride their bike, pick flowers, etc. and it was a beautiful backdrop, too! That is a win-win.
Love to Laugh
The Eaton Family was filled with unmistakable feelings of joy and love. Being able to capture the bonds in a family, the playfulness of siblings, and the happiness and laughter, is what makes these sessions so rewarding!
Whether on top of a mountain, your backyard, in your home, or in a studio, having photos with your family to look back on is such a treasure.
So, are you ready to invest in photos with your family?
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I had so much fun photographing this JOYFUL family of four in my studio!