A Playful Family Session | Waynesboro VA Coyner Springs Park

Some of my favorite sessions start with a family I already feel like I know. This one did. We had been circling the same group of mutual friends for years, and a family session at Coyner Springs Park in Waynesboro, Virginia finally gave us the perfect excuse to meet for the first time, officially.

I'd heard so much about them. Within about five minutes of walking the trail, I understood why.

Starting on the trail

We began on the shaded, pine-needle path at Coyner Springs, where the light came in low and soft through the trees. Mom wore a cream dress and tan cowboy boots, Dad a brown knit sweater, and their son matched Mom with his own cream cable-knit and boots. Their little girl topped it off in a plaid dress with ribbon pigtails and bow shoes. I could not have styled it better if I tried.

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The littlest one had opinions about everything, and I loved every single one of them. Hand on hip, ribbons bouncing, she made it very clear who was in charge of this session.

Letting the kids roam free

Here is what I loved most about this session: I barely had to direct anyone. Once the kids realized there was room to run, they ran. Big brother kept a protective eye on his little sister, and I got to simply follow along.

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Some of my favorite family photos happen in the in-between moments, when no one is looking at the camera and everyone is looking at each other.

Mom and Dad, fully in it

These two are the kind of parents every photographer hopes to meet: playful, loving and attentive. Dad tossed his son into the air (more than once, because of course the answer was "again!"). Mom scooped up her daughter and kissed her cheeks while the mountains stretched out behind them.

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And in between the chaos, they never stopped finding each other.

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If you want a family session where the kids are just allowed to be kids and you are just allowed to enjoy them, this is what it looks like.

Golden grass and soft blankets

As the evening went on, we moved into the open grass, where everything turned gold. A knit blanket came out for the kids, and the wind did what wind does to toddler hair.

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Black and white, because some moments just call for it

I always go back through a gallery and ask which images are better without color. These four made the cut. They are less about the outfits and the sunset and more about the feeling: laughter, closeness, and a family that is simply happy to be together.

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Planning a family session at Coyner Springs Park

If you are thinking about a family session in Waynesboro, Coyner Springs Park gives you a lot to work with: shaded wooded trails, open grassy areas, and views of the Blue Ridge, all within a few minutes of each other. That variety means we can start somewhere calm and shaded, then move to open light when the kids need to burn off some energy. Park entry is free and open from dawn til dusk.

A few tips from this session:

• Plan for the hour before sunset, when the light is softest and the kids still have energy.

• Let coordinating outfits do the work. Neutrals with one or two pops of pattern photograph beautifully outdoors.

• Bring a blanket. It doubles as a prop, a cuddle spot and a snack zone.

• Expect to move. The best images of kids come from letting them run, not from making them hold still.

Thank you, friends

Thank you for trusting me with your family, and for being just as warm in person as I had always heard you were. I am so glad we finally met.

If you are in the Waynesboro, Staunton, Charlottesville or greater Shenandoah Valley area and are thinking about a family session of your own, I would love to hear from you. You can book here!