Crystal Freemon Photography: Blog

5 Reasons to get photos of your younger teen or tween

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Fri, 26 Jul 2019 22:08:44 GMT

A few years ago, my friend Stephanie from college hired me to do a portrait session for her oldest daughter Logan as she was about to start middle school. She wanted the session to focus on Logan as she made the transition from elementary to middle school, and I thought it was a great idea. We do milestones sessions all the time for babies, and then again when kids are seniors in high school, but those middle years often get left out. We need to document the lives of our tweens and younger teens too.

This year, Stephanie contacted me again, and this time it was a big year for both of her daughters. Logan is about to start high school, and her little sister Molly is about to start middle school. So she wanted a session for both of them to document this transitional time period in their lives, and I was super excited to get to hang out with both of them. They are really fantastic young women and we had the best time. They are both gorgeous and were so easy to photograph.

I couldn’t get over what fantastic weather we had for this late July session. I was a bit worried it would be insanely hot, like it typically is this time of year, but we got so lucky with a beautiful mild evening. Preservation park has definitely become one of my favorite places to photograph sessions. My only complaint is that it’s quite a bit of walking (and up a giant hill) to get to the spots I really like to shoot at.

Since we do’t often think of doing a special photo session for younger teens or tweens, so I wanted to outline a couple reasons why you might want to consider one.

They are changing so fast. We typically book lots of photo sessions for our babies and toddlers because “they are changing so fast” and we want to document all those seasons and changes. Well, that’s happening now too. It seems like you look a way for a moment, and when you look back, your baby is gone and somehow a young woman is standing in her place. #dontblink
Even if they don’t admit it, they enjoy the extra attention. I don’t actually know this for sure and it’s probably not true for every kid, but I think most of them welcome the opportunity to be made a fuss over just a little bit. Especially when they figure out that my sessions are pretty laid back and casual and we are just gonna hang out and chat.
They are really becoming amazing, unique human beings and a session is a chance to get to know them better. We joke a lot about how tough it is to parent teens, and believe me, it is. But also, it’s so freaking cool to be able to have these real, meaningful conversations with these amazing people that you MADE. A photo session is an opportunity to stand back, take a deep breath, and appreciate your beautiful creation.
Maybe the photos will help them to see what amazing humans they are, if they don’t already know it. As tough as it is to parent a teen, it’s probably even tougher to be one. Maybe the photos will help them see how beautifully made they are, if they don’t know it already.
Before you know it, it will be time for that Senior Portrait session. As my friend Michelle always says, “the days are long but the years are short.” Before you know it, this season will be over, and you’ll wish you had documented it.

So there you have it…5 reasons to either pick up the camera and get photos of your “big kids”, or hire a professional for either a family portrait session or a session of just your older kids. Did I miss any?

Point Mallard Water Park - Perfect day trip from Spring Hill

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Tue, 23 Jul 2019 15:10:14 GMT

I'm going to start this off by saying I can't believe I've never been to this place. I had some friends go last summer, but I couldn't make it. After going there, I don't understand why it hasn't been a place that we go several times each summer. I've heard a few people talking about it, but in general, it feels like one of the best-kept secrets for a day trip from Spring Hill. Or possibly maybe I haven't been paying attention and am the last one to figure this out. Either way, I am really glad my friend Christy decided we should go yesterday, despite the iffy chances of rain. (Note: Megan isn't really into waterparks and had the option to spend the day with her daddy alone, so it was just Kayla and I and our friends.)

So where is it?

The water park is in Decatur, Alabama....which is sort of Huntsville. Our plan for if a downpour began and ruined our waterpark adventures was to go to the Space & Rocket Center instead. It takes about an hour and a half from Spring Hill. Christy picked Kayla and me up around 8 and we stopped for gas and for breakfast and still got there about 15 minutes before they opened at 10 am.

How much?

This is the really cool part. Admission is generally $20 for adults (12 and over) and $15 for kids. But Monday - Thursdays (excluding holidays) are half-price days. So it was only $10 per adult and $7.50 per child. (Please check their website before going to double-check prices and half-price days.) Just as a comparison, Nashville Shores is generally $36.99 for adults and $28.99 for kids, though you can sometimes get deals for tickets for $24.99. That's a big difference. And spoiler alert, I liked Point Mallard better than Nashville Shores.

What we liked:

The park was clean and updated. I was shocked when my husband said he used to go to Point Mallard as a kid. The place did not seem old to me at all.
It wasn't super huge, but had pretty much everything you'd want in a waterpark...a wave pool, lazy river, kids play zone and multiple water slides.
The park is situated on a gorgeous lake. It's a really beautiful spot, and they even have a little sandy beach on the lake.
It was not crowded at all. Since this was my first time there, I'm not sure if that's what it's always like on a weekday (we were there on a Monday) or if the threat of rain kept the crowd down. Either way, it was awesome. The girls never waited to get on a waterslide, and we never felt crowded.
There were several options for food. There was a pizza place, a barbecue place (which I'm not sure was open when we were there) and a place with all your standard park foods. I had a hamburger and fries and Kayla had chicken nuggets. It was nothing special but good enough. We also bought ice cream cones and I remember thinking that the $2 a scoop price was reasonably priced for a place like that.
You can bring your own floats. I didn't actually know this before we went and I told Kayla she had to leave her banana float at home, but I had I known it was allowed, this would have been a bonus for her.

What we didn't like:

There are two sections to the park and they were kinda spread out pretty far. This is probably good when it's crowded so it doesn't seem so cramped, but the first time we walked between the two sections, we did so barefooted and I regretted it. The ground was really hot and there were also sections where the road was gravel and my tender feet did not appreciate it. Then we left out of the exit in the second section and had kind of a long awkward walk back to our car near the first section. Next time we would probably park closer to that second section near the wave pool.
You could only use goggles that didn't cover your nose. This wasn't a big deal and I'm sure there is some safety reason I don't fully understand, but it annoyed Kayla slightly. It was also clearly stated on their website which I didn't read before we went.
You have to rent wave pool floats. At waterparks I've been to in the past, the big innertube floats for the wave pool are just available for anyone to grab. At Point Mallard you have to rent them for $5. One of Kayla's favorite things to do is to ride on the float in the wave pool so I rented her a float.

In Summary

We all had a great time at Point Mallard. The ride didn't seem that long and I thought it was a better park overall than Nashville Shores. We are definitely adding this day trip to our normal rotation.

10 Tips for Photographing your child's birthday party

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Mon, 22 Jul 2019 13:30:00 GMT

I know not everyone agrees with me, but I've always enjoyed throwing birthday parties for my children. They've run the gamut between elaborately themed parties that I've worked on for months, and more simple ones, and I've enjoyed them all. This 10th birthday party of Kayla's was one of the simple ones. We rented a room at Above All in Franklin. Kayla actually wanted a S'mores Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory as her birthday cake. The mommy's at the party thought her selection was perfect, but as expected, not all the children agreed. Good thing we also bought a cookie cake for her friends.

Whether it's a simple party or an elaborate one, it's important to capture those memories in photographs so we can enjoy them for years to come. Here are 10 tips for photographing your own child's birthday party.

Consider hiring a professional photographer to capture the event. This will allow you to enjoy the party without having to worry about capturing pictures. Plus an experienced photographer will be able to capture moments that you will treasure for a lifetime. If you don’t have the budget for a professional, consider designating a close friend or family member as the event photographer so you can focus on your guests.
If it’s a surprise party, be sure to have guests in location ahead of time so that you can capture some photos of them waiting on the guest of honor. Make sure you know when and where the birthday child will enter the party location so you can capture that first moment of surprise. If there is a performer or entertainer, be sure to be in a position to capture the children’s reactions when they arrive or perform.
Remember to capture little details of the party decor and food. It’s likely you spent lots of time and Pinterest research on all of these little detail so don’t forget to capture them. Some of this can be done before the party begins. (I didn't spend any time researching this Cheesecake, but I'm glad I have a photo of it anyway. LOL) 10 Tips for Photographing your child's birthday Party - Cake
Don’t photograph little kids from your grown-up height…get down to their eye level for better images. This isn't too hard when you are short like me.
But also, think of unique perspectives that will allow for interesting ways to photograph the party. Getting up high or down low can make some fun images. 10 Tips for Photographing your child's birthday Party - Capturing the Fun
Make a rule that no one gets cupcakes or cake until you get a group photograph. This is a great way to encourage everyone’s prompt participation. You will love having a picture of all your child’s guests in one shot. 10 Tips for Photographing your child's birthday Party - Group Photo
Put some thought into where the birthday child will sit for special moments like blowing out the candles. Think about which seat has the best lighting (light coming in through a window is beautiful). Also, think about where the person taking the pictures will sit or stand so as to be able to get pictures of the birthday girl without being blocked by other photo guests.
If you have a numbered candle, make sure it is facing the photographer and not the child. This may seem picky, but it’s great to have the number readable in the image - especially years from now when the grown child may not remember how old he/she was in the photographs. We didn't have any numbered candles for Kayla's S'mores cake, so that wasn't a concern at this party, but all my friends know I want the number facing me. I've taught them well. LOL
Be sure to get a few family pictures. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the party and forget, but you will appreciate having these milestone pictures of your family each year. If the party is not a surprise, its a good idea to get these family pictures a few minutes before guests start to arrive. Apparently, I didn't follow my own rule here, so big photographer fail. For some reason, I find that harder to remember to do when we are at a place for the party with a scheduled time, and not at home. So I will have to work on that for next time.
Get into the middle of the action and keep your eyes open for authentic moments. The focus is obviously the guest of honor, but don’t forget to capture reactions from party guests and family members as well.

So that's it...a few simple tips and you are ready to photograph your child's birthday party. But if you'd rather leave the photos to a professional, contact me today to schedule an event session for your party.

Wanderlust: Our St Louis Family Vacation (3 years ago)

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Wed, 17 Jul 2019 21:47:57 GMT

St Louis Vacation from Nashville for family of four with 2 young kids.

Ok, so why am I writing this now?

So I intended to write this blog post 3 years ago. At the time, I had decided that blogging our adventures would be something useful that I could share with my followers. As an ENTJ / Enneagram 1 / Type A personality, planning is something I'm really good at. I love researching vacations in-depth and for me, the planning is a big part of the fun. I know that not everyone feels that way (I have a good friend who practically has a panic attack at the idea of a Disney vacation because of the planning involved), so I had every intention of blogging our trips so that others could learn from my intensive research if they liked. It just never happened. And I always felt like I should do it right after a trip. Like if I waited too long, then it was too late.

But recently, a friend decided to take her family to St. Louis and started asking me about all the details of our trip. I started thinking about how much easier it would be if I had blogged the trip, to share my information with her. Then I thought, why not just go ahead and blog it? Most, if not all, of the information is still relevant and useful. Who cares if it was three years ago? So here you go. I plan to do more if people seem interested. I know I often get asked about our Disney and Universal planning as well.

Why St. Louis?

I had wanted to go to St. Louis all my life, so much so that it had become a running joke between my husband and I with me whining about how he’s never taken me to St. Louis. When I was a kid, I had an assignment to do a report on a state. We did not get to pick the state, but it was assigned to us. All my friends got "cool" states like Florida, Hawaii, and California. I was so bummed to have gotten Missouri. This was back in the olden times, and there was no internet to help us do the report, so we had to call the chamber of commerce for the states we got and ask them to SNAIL mail us travel brochures. (Kids, can you even imagine??) For reasons I don't completely remember, I became fascinated with St. Louis, and in the Arch in particular.

So in 2016, I finally took matters into my own hands and decided that we were going to St. Louis on vacation. I’m not sure why it took us so long. It’s a perfect choice. It’s only about a five-hour drive from Spring Hill / Nashville and there are tons of free or almost free things for a family to do. Our trip was during the week of July 4, chosen only because that was when my husband was on vacation for shutdown. As a point of reference, my girls at the time were 8 and 10 years old.

An Overview of Our Itinerary:

HOTEL Selection:

We stayed at the Courtyard Marriott in a suburb called Creve Coeur. We knew that we wanted to stay at a Marriott because that’s where my husband stays when he travels for work and we collect reward points from there. One of my clients tagged a friend of hers from St. Louis in my post asking for suggestions and she ended up messaging me and being so super helpful. She suggested a couple of different Marriotts that would be fairly close to activities we would want to do.

We knew we wanted a pool, and also preferred a suite with a separate living area from the bedroom, so this is the hotel we chose from her suggestions. It was perfect. Nothing fancy, but the room was nice and big and allowed Kayla to go to bed before everyone else, and had an indoor pool and hot tub for the girls to play in. There was a mini-fridge and microwave that enabled us to bring our own food for breakfast. There was a bistro that served food and the staff was very nice…especially when Megan smashed her finger in the hinge part of the public bathroom door near the pool. She screamed bloody murder and half the hotel staff came running to help us and bring us ice. (She was fine…just bruised.)

Courtyard Marriott in Creve Coeur near St. Louis, Missouri

Sunday: Driving to St. Louis and Magic House

As I said, it’s only a five-hour drive, so we left early, stopped for lunch, and then drove straight to The Magic House - St. Louis Children’s Museum. Admission was $10 a person (now $12 a person). So while the Magic House was really cool, on the day we were there (July 3, so everyone in the world was probably on vacation), it was SOOOO crowded. It’s in this really neat old house with lots of small rooms and hallways so it was not fun with so many people. That being said, my kids loved it. I wasn’t sure they would because it seemed to be aimed at a slightly younger demographic, and there was a big room they weren’t even allowed in because they were not under eight years old, but they seemed to find plenty to keep them occupied.

There was this one exhibit where they had to follow all the clues to see who committed a crime, that even had detective costumes for them to wear. They spent FOREVER playing at that exhibit. They also had this temporary Art & Technology exhibit that Megan (my artist) really loved. She decorated a coloring page with a bus on it, then they put it in a scanner and her bus became part of this 3-D neon digital world that was being projected onto a big wall. She got to watch the bus she designed to travel through the digital town full of buses, houses, and airplanes that other children had designed.

After Magic House, we checked into our hotel, had dinner at the hotel Bistro there and then let the kids play in the pool until bedtime.

Driving to St. Louis for our Family Vacation - only about 5.5 hours from Nashville Magic House St. Louis

Monday: St. Louis Science Museum and Independence Day with Fair St. Louis

My husband is not a big fan of huge events with lots of people…especially the driving/parking part of all of that, so this item on my itinerary took a little persuading, careful planning, and a little luck because I wasn’t 100% sure it would work.

Fair St. Louis is a huge Fourth of July event that included a concert by FloRida (who my 10-year-old at the time loved) and fireworks (which I love). It started at 1:00 at Forest Park. So my plan was to go to the St. Louis Science Center and Planetarium in the morning, which is also at Forest Park, and then leave our car there for the Fair St. Louis event. In my mind, the Science center was really close to Fair St Louis but I underestimated how big Forest Park is. I also wasn’t 100% sure we would be able to leave our car at the Science Center, but we got lucky. They did allow us to leave our car there, and there were buses that took us from the Science Center right to the Fair location.

I had not-so-great point and shoot with me for most of these photos, and wasn't trying very hard, so please forgive the crummy pics.

Outside on our way to Science Center St Louis Science Center

The concert was fun. There was soooo much mud, and we couldn't help but laugh at people (mostly drunk) slipping down the hill in it. People were absolutely covered in it. It was sort of Woostock-ish. The kids probably got a little too much exposure to misbehaving adults, but all in all, it was pretty good for their first concert, and the fireworks were AMAZING.
Fair St. Louis Fourth of July Fair St. Louis Fourth of July Fair St. Louis Fourth of July

Tuesday: City Museum, Crown Candy Kitchen & St. Louis Arch

The City Museum is one of the neatest places I've ever seen. Of all the museums we visited, this was our favorite. It's a hundred-year-old warehouse in downtown St. Louis in which artists have repurposed the pieces of old cities to build miles of tunnels, slides, climbers, bridges, and castles. It's really neat and easy to spend a lot of time in there. It's $21 a person for admission. I would call this a can't miss attraction if you are visiting St. Louis!

I especially love the photo of Kayla throwing a tantrum in the "Odditorium." #memories

City Museum, St. Louis Missouri City Museum, St. Louis Missouri City Museum, St. Louis Missouri City Museum, St. Louis Missouri Crown Candy Kitchen was a place that everyone kept recommending for us to eat, and they were not wrong. So, so good. I'm pretty sure my husband was in heaven with his "Heart-Stopping BLT."

Crown Candy Kitchen, St. Louis Missouri

After dinner, we took an impromptu walk along the St. Louis Riverfront trail - a 12-mile paved trail along the Mississippi River, between the Gateway Arch and the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge.

St Louis Riverfront Trail

So, a note about the Gateway Arch: I had mentioned in the intro that I had always wanted to see the Arch. You can probably guess that my main interest was in photographing it. I wouldn't be opposed to also going up in it, but we happen to have two family members who are pretty afraid of heights. Not to mention any names, but to go up in it, it would have been Megan and I alone. I made the decision before we got there that going was not as important to me as finding a place to view it properly.

According to the internet, that meant going to the Malcom W. Martin Memorial Park. It was a perfect spot to get photos of the arch.

St Louis Gateway Arch St Louis Gateway Arch

Wednesday: History & Art Museums

Wednesday was our museum day. I also had tentatively planned to go to the Botanical Gardens, but it didn't happen because everyone was tired and ready to go back to the hotel. The Art Museum and History Museum were both free, which is one of the really cool things about St. Louis - a lot of the activities are free or not very expensive.

Three of us enjoyed the Art Museum. One of us did not. 😂 My only regret was that she didn't throw her 2nd tantrum of the week in front of a more recognizable piece of art. It's probably good for me to note that the Art Museum would not be a top choice for any small child, but you know...sometimes grown-ups want to see stuff too.

St. Louis Art Museum She enjoyed the History Museum quite a bit more, primarily because they had a section called the "History Clubhouse" that was a hands-on learning play place for kids. If you are choosing between the Art and History Museum for little kids, choose the History museum.

Missouri History Museum

Thursday: St. Louis Zoo

It was raining when we first got to the zoo, but that wasn't a big deal because they have a lot of indoor exhibits. The Zoo is a really awesome one, and the most awesome thing is that admission is free! There were some things we paid for though, such as feeding the stingrays, carousel rides, and riding the railroad train...which you will want to do because it's a big place. We got the Adventure Pass to cover all the extras for about $12 a person.

This was Kayla's happy place and made up for the Art Museum.

St Louis Zoo St Louis Zoo One of the girl's favorite things was playing in a mister fan at the zoo. It's the little things I guess.

Playing in the Misting Fan

Friday: More Gateway Arch, Citygarden Budweiser Plant & Dinner at the Biergarten

So my husband loves me so much that he suggested a second stop by Malcom W. Martin Memorial Park to get more photos of the Arch, and I'm glad he did because it was completely different in the morning light than the first photos I took.

St. Louis Gateway Arch St. Louis Gateway Arch

Citygarden is a really neat park in Downtown St. Louis with a fountain the kids can play in. They absolutely loved it. It was a lot of fun and also free, and Bruce and I really enjoyed just relaxing and watching them play. We brought them a change of clothes for afterward so we could head to the Budweiser Plant.

St, Louis Citygarden Budweiser offers a free tour of their plant in St Louis which was neat, but the real attraction for the kids, of course, were the Clydesdales. After the tour and hanging with the horses, we had dinner at the Biergarten.

Budweiser Plant Tour in St Louis Missouri

Saturday: Grants Farm & then Drive Home

Usually, on a road trip, I feel like we waste two days of the trip driving. The great thing about St. Louis being so close to Nashville was that we were still able to fit activities in our travel days without being too rushed or tired. So before we hit the road for Nashville, we went to Grant's Farm. Grant's Farm is the ancestral home of the Busch family (as in Anheiser Busch) and has lots of fun activities for kids. Admission is free (yay, St. Louis!), but there are a few extras you can buy, such as feeding the parakeets, which was a favorite for my girls.

Grant's Farm St Louis Missouri

So was that useful information?

I would love to hear whether or not you found that to be useful information and would like to see more blog posts on our adventures. If so, please post a comment below!

Family Portrait Session at Winstead Park with Epic One-Year birthday Watermelon "Smash"

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Wed, 03 Jul 2019 13:48:18 GMT

"The laughter, the fun, the hand-holding, the love."

Things get pretty boring and lonely for a mostly outdoor family portrait photographer in the south in the month of July. For some reason, most people don't think first of July as the best time to book family portrait sessions. I get it. It's hot. SO HOT. And there are only so many clothes you can take off before it's a different kind of photography all together. ☀️😉

But this portrait session shows how perfect a July photo session can be, and I am so excited about sharing it with you. I generally love all my sessions, but once in awhile, I get one that just feels like magic.

If you've followed me for a while, you can probably guess that those sessions almost always involve young children. It's no secret that the 1 - 6-year-old crowd is my favorite to photograph and this beautiful family had a (almost) one-year-old, a four-year-old and a six-year-old. I had taken their photo with Santa last year at Spring Station Middle School's Holiday Marketplace, and they loved the Santa photos so they booked a family session. (Yes, Santa and I plan to be back at Holiday Market this year.) July was chosen in order to celebrate sweet baby Reya's first birthday with photos.

It is so important for me to get to know my clients because taking photos is such a personal thing for me. The first step of getting to know a client is an online questionnaire they fill out when they book a session with me. Casey did a fantastic job of giving me a head start in getting to know her beautiful family. The answers don't have to be too long...just enough information to give me a feel for each family member and to help me envision how to capture them for who they are.

Before each session, I study those answers and make notes for myself as I plan out the session in my head. I note things like the fact that Monroe is very outgoing and loves soccer and dancing, while Everly can be shy and loves unicorns and all things pink and glittery. These little things may not sound like a lot, but they help me get a feel for the girls, and to guide how I connect with them at the session.

But the thing I loved the most about Casey's answers, is that when asked what she wants to remember about her family right now, she said "the laughter, the fun, the hand-holding, the love." I wrote that at the top of my notes because it just seemed to perfectly sum up my desire for every family session. I hope that she can see all those things in the photos below. ❤️

Oh, and I just LOVE Watermelon as a replacement for a cake-smash. Reya seemed to dig it too because she was LOVING every single bite of it. There is just nothing cuter than a naked baby eating watermelon. I enjoyed getting big sisters in on the watermelon eating fun as well. Do you think it would be weird to bring along a cooler full of watermelon to every summer family session from now on and hand them out instead of my usual suckers? 🍉

If you'd like to schedule your own summer fun family session, you can book online now (and feel free to bring watermelon!!). I can usually fit in a summer session pretty last minute. But please note, if you are like the other hundreds of people that really want Fall instead, those are selling out fast so don't wait to book a session.

Four-year old and six-year old sisters hugging with beautiful sunlight behind them. What is stopping you from booking a family portrait session?

Click here to learn about how I can help with your fears.

50 years together, a celebration of the Asbells

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Tue, 04 Jun 2019 14:44:10 GMT

I cannot imagine a more beautiful celebration of 50 years together in marriage than I had the honor of being a part of on Sunday. Graystone Quarry was an absolutely stunning venue that handled all the details for the family and did an amazing job with everything. I have been photographing this family for many years, so it was very special to be included in such a celebration of all they have built together over the past 50 years.

The flowers, the food, and the beautiful event barn were all perfection and the Graystone Quarry staff did a wonderful job managing every little detail of the party. But the best thing about the event was all the friends and family who had come to celebrate the couple's many years together. The day was filled with love and reminiscing about beautiful memories.

The venue itself was absolutely stunning, and the floral decorations enhanced it's beauty even more. The yellow flowers and lemons were a nod to the couple's original color scheme from 1969.

To me, an anniversary is not just about celebrating the couple, but about stopping to be thankful for the family they created together.

The large cake on the left was made by the caterers at Graystone Quarry, Catering by Suzette. The Gluten-free cake on the right was made by the Dotted Lime in Columbia, TN.
50th Anniversary Party at Graystone Quarry in Franklin, TNThe large cake on the left was made by the caterers at Graystone Quarry, Catering by Suzette . The Gluten free cake on the right was made by the Dotted Lime in Columbia, TN. I caught these two having a little dance together before the party started. ❤️
A moment before the partyI caught these two having a little dance together before the party started. ❤️

There were friends at the party from many different parts of the couple's past who had come from all over to celebrate the special day with them. The guys on the top right in the photo below served in the navy 50 years ago, and this is their first time back together.
Many years of friendshipThe guys on the top right served in the navy 50 years ago, and this is their first time back together.

The florist from Graystone Quarry recreated the bride's bouquet from 50 years ago using old photos. They are admiring her work and the gorgeous cakes.
50th Anniversary Party at Graystone Quarry in Franklin, TNThe florist from Graystone Quarry recreated the bride's bouquet from 50 years ago using old photos. They are admiring her work. My favorite moments to capture are the ones where no one realizes I'm watching.
Enjoying the grand-kidsMy favorite moments to capture are the ones where no one realizes I'm watching. Jan & George's daughters, Tori & Whitney, gave a beautiful tribute to the couple's life together over the past 50 years.
A toast to the happy couple.Jan & George's daughters, Tori & Whitney, gave a beautiful tribute to the couple's life together over the past 50 years. One of my favorite parts of the celebration was all the photos and mementos from their original wedding day that were on display.
Photos from the original dayOne of my favorite parts of the celebration was all the photos and mementos from their original wedding day that were on display. Unfortunately, the original flower girl could not make it to the party, but granddaughter Peanut was happy to fill in for this recreation photo.
Recreating the pastUnfortunately, the original flower girl could not make it to the party, but granddaughter Peanut was happy to fill in for this recreation photo. Here is the beautiful bouquet that the florist recreated based upon photos from the original wedding 50 years ago. Isn't it stunning?
50th Anniversary Party Bouquet copied from the original wedding bouquetHere is the beautiful bouquet that the florist recreated based upon photos from the original wedding 50 years ago. Isn't it stunning?

As teenagers, Whitney & Tori wanted to give their parents the gift of a night at the Opryland Hotel. Unfortunately, they could not afford the gift, so they instead gave them HALF a night's stay at the hotel. The gift was appreciated but never redeemed, because how do you stay for half a night at a hotel? So for their 50th-anniversary gift, the girls presented their parents with a FULL night's stay at Opryland Hotel.

Love these pictures? I would love it if you would leave a comment below!

Please take a minute to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested!

Contact me now to book a session to capture your own family's beautiful moments.

A Christmas Gift to Last a Lifetime - Photo Session for Mom

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Fri, 17 May 2019 15:17:51 GMT

Isn't it funny how a smell can take you back to a time 30 years ago? That's how I felt at this session at Aspen Grove Park in Franklin, TN this week when I arrived early (like I always do) to take a walk before my clients arrived. It was an absolutely perfect spring day, and as I walked down the trail, I was overwhemed with the scent of honeysuckle. Honeysuckle is one of my favorite smells (I even use this in my kitchen), and it takes me back to my childhood in the mountains of East Tennessee when me and a neighborhood friend use to spend hours and hours walking through the hollows and back roads just talking and enjoying the sunshine.

It was the perfect day for a family session for this handsome family. Dad had purchased the session as a gift for mom this past Christmas, after she had hinted strongly that what she wanted was to capture her families special memories in a portrait session. This was especially important now, because her oldest, Porter, is graduating from high school this week.

We all know how quickly time flies. A portrait session gift certificate is a perfect gift for moms who want to freeze time forever, if only in photographs.

Love these pictures? I would love it if you would leave a comment below!

Please take a minute to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested!

Contact me now to book a session to capture your own family's beautiful moments.

Baby Evie & Capturing the Uniqueness of Each Family

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Thu, 02 May 2019 20:35:17 GMT

Every client is unique, and it's important to me to capture that uniqueness in my portrait sessions.

If you've ever booked a session with me, and you're the type of person who actually does read a contract before you signed it, you may have noticed this paragraph in my client agreement:

Each session is as different and unique as the beautiful families being photographed and I do not aim to copy or recreate Pinterest images. Before booking a session with me, I want to make sure that you are familiar with my style, and that my style is what you are wanting for your images.

This statement isn't just arbitrarily in my contract. It's there because I want you to understand that our goal with a session is not to recreate some scene that you saw on Pinterest, or even to copy a photo you saw on my website that I took. Our goal is to create images that are as unique and beautiful as your family.

Finding what makes families special and unique is especially fun when I get to photograph clients in their home. Details like a baby's nursery, knick-knacks or books displayed throughout the house, cherished toys, and a family's pets are all items that can be photographed that tell part of a family's story. I look for those types of things as I am photographing. For example, both of Evie's parents are Chemistry professors at Vanderbilt. So when I saw a set of Science Board Books sitting on the nursery table, I knew I wanted to include one in the photos. Mom and Dad said "Quantum Physics for Babies" was their family favorite, so I asked them to read to baby Evie for a few shots.

Other things I made sure to include in photos were the cat and dog (who Lauren had said were a huge part of the family), a blanket made by Grandma, & the stuffed Bunny Evie got for her first Easter.

And I'm convinced that in 20 years when families look back on these photos, they will be glad to have those details captured instead of someone else's idea of a pretty Pinterest scene. 😍

Love these pictures? I would love it if you would leave a comment below!

Please take a minute to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested!

Contact me now to book a session to capture your own family's beautiful moments.

Yes, Bring the Dogs

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Wed, 01 May 2019 19:40:06 GMT

I welcome clients including their pets in family portrait sessions. After all, they are a part of the family too.

Robin & Miles wanted to include their dogs Harley & Cassie in their portrait session, and the Park at Harlinsdale Farms was the perfect spot for including pets. Robin is originally from Kentucky and wanted a location with a rustic feel, so Harlinsdale was perfect and a welcome spot to bring dogs.

One reason I love to include dogs in a session, is I think it helps the clients to feel more relaxed. It's easier to capture candid moments when there are sweet doggies to play with during the session. Some clients worry that the dogs will be a distraction. I haven't really found this to be an issue. Assuming the dogs are friendly, I am generally able to include photos both with and without the dogs. For this session, my 10-year-old "assistant" actually joined me at the shoot was able to help with the dogs when they were not being included in photos. If you would like to include your family dogs in a session, just let me know ahead of time and we can choose an appropriate place, and I can even bring my young assistant if you think that will be helpful.

Harley and Cassie were the sweetest dogs and I really enjoyed getting to know them and their lovely owners on this gorgeous day.

Love these pictures? I would love it if you would leave a comment below!

Please take a minute to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested!

Contact me now to book a session to capture your own family's beautiful moments.

Haley's Magical Dress Session

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Tue, 30 Apr 2019 16:20:37 GMT

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I'm going to be honest and say that I booked a lot of sessions this past week and have tons of editing to do, so instead of spending lots of time writing this post, I'm just going to let these gorgeous photos of Haley speak for themselves.

Haley's Magic Dress Portrait Session Haley's Magic Dress Portrait Session Haley's Magic Dress Portrait Session Haley's Magic Dress Portrait Session Haley's Magic Dress Portrait Session Haley's Magic Dress Portrait Session Haley's Magic Dress Portrait Session Haley's Magic Dress Portrait Session Haley's Magic Dress Portrait Session Haley's Magic Dress Portrait Session Haley's Magic Dress Portrait Session Haley's Magic Dress Portrait Session Haley's Magic Dress Portrait Session Haley's Magic Dress Portrait Session Haley's Magic Dress Portrait Session Haley's Magic Dress Portrait Session Haley's Magic Dress Portrait Session Haley's Magic Dress Portrait Session Haley's Magic Dress Portrait Session

Love these pictures? I would love it if you would leave a comment below!

Please take a minute to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested!

Contact me now to book a session to capture your own family's beautiful moments.

Let's talk about aspect ratio and cropping photos

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Mon, 29 Apr 2019 21:27:07 GMT

You all know that I pretty often get excited about beautiful light or a gorgeous sunset, but I have to say that this is the first time that a rainbow has shown up for a photo session, and it couldn't have happened to a more beautiful family. My friend Christy and I had planned a combination family session with Hannah's First Communion Photos, which I blogged yesterday. We had just finished up inside the church and let Hannah change out of her Communion dress when it started to sprinkle. I was a bit concerned at first, afraid it would start to rain hard and ruin our family portraits. But it only rained for a few minutes and then suddenly the girls noticed a rainbow nearby. How lucky can we get? It was only there for about 45 seconds, but that was enough time to get a few pictures. 🌈

I thought I would take Christy's session preview as a chance to talk about a slight change I think I'm making in my photography, and why I'm making it.

Christy has been one of my closest friends for like eight or nine years now, and I'm in her house fairly often. Her home (which is gorgeous, btw) is filled with many photos I've taken. One thing I really love about her is that she appreciates photos and she does a fantastic job of getting them printed. However, my one complaint (and I can say this cause she already knows it and loves me anyway) is that in several of the photos she's printed there are feet cut off in the print. And it's not just her. Most of my friends have sad, chopped off limbs in their printed photos that I've taken. *cue sad music here*

Many of you are probably thinking 'so what?'. Well, as a photographer, one of the cardinal sins is to chop off limbs in a weird way. Photographers put a lot of thought into composing photos in a pleasing way, and none of those ways includes people floating on stumps without feet.

But I don't blame Christy or my other friends for the floating people. I blame whoever decided that standard print sizes would be a different aspect ratio than most camera's shoot in.

You see, my camera (and most others) takes photos in a 2 x 3-inch ratio (same as a 4 x 6 ratio). That means if you take the image as it was shot, and print it as a 4x6 inch print, you get the entire picture as it was taken in the camera. But 4x6 prints are where it ends as far as getting exactly what you see in a print.

It seems that the most common size photo that people print and frame is an 8x10 (4x5 ratio). That is significantly more square than a 4 x 6. So if you can imagine trying to make a very rectangular image into more of a square, you definitely end up chopping off a decent portion of the image on each end. And that's how the prints end up missing feet...because it did not crop well as an 8x10.

So I've been thinking, perhaps it's just easier on clients (and on myself since I'm admittedly a bit of a control freak) if I just go ahead and make them 8x10s myself before delivering the gallery to you. That way, you don't have to worry about having to crop the images for the sizes you print most often. This means that if you print an 8x10, a 16 x 20 or a 20 x 24, there will be no cropping required. 5x7's and 11x14's will still need to be cropped a bit, but much less so and I believe you are less likely to destroy feet in the process.

If you wanted 4x6 prints, that will require more cropping, which it did not originally. But you know what? You can get 4 x 5 prints that I think are really cute and won't require cropping from this new aspect ratio.

So what do you think? Will this be helpful to you or do you prefer the original aspect ratio of 4x6 in your galleries? I'd love to hear your feedback.

Love these pictures? I would love it if you would leave a comment below!

Please take a minute to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested!

Contact me now to book a session to capture your own family's beautiful moments.

Hannah's First Communion Portrait Session at Catholic Church of the Nativity

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Sun, 28 Apr 2019 19:52:35 GMT

Two years ago, I shot Haley's First Communion Photos. This time, it was middle sister Hannah's turn.

It's always emotional for me to photograph special milestones for children I've known all their lives. But for Hannah, it felt especially so. I started this journey to becoming a professional photographer by photographing sessions for friends of mine who would ask. It just so happens that Hannah was the very first newborn I ever photographed. Honestly, I had no idea what I was doing and if I were able to shoot it over again today, I imagine the photos would look very different (and I hope much better). But most of all, I remember how it felt.

I remember a moment where Hannah's dad was sitting on a bench and holding her on his lap and talking to her as I photographed. She looked up at him with such wide, loving eyes and it was the sweetest moment. Later, Brian said that he felt that was the moment he really bonded with her. And I was able to be there and capture it in photos. It was really a milestone in my journey to becoming a photographer because it was the first time that I really felt like I was a part of something special, and not just taking snapshots.

That was almost eight years ago, and now here she is looking like a young lady and celebrating her First Communion. I just can't. Before I know it, I'll be shooting her prom /graduation/wedding photos. How do we slow down time?

But also, isn't she absolutely stunning? 💕

Love these pictures? I would love it if you would leave a comment below!

Please take a minute to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested!

Contact me now to book a session to capture your own family's beautiful moments.

Combination Family & Senior Portrait Session in Thompson Station TN

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Mon, 08 Apr 2019 20:49:15 GMT

A few times, I've been approached by a mom who needs to book a senior session for her child (or in this case, children) for graduation announcements and all that fun stuff. But then she'll also say that it's been a long time since they've had family portraits done and that she'd like to get a few photos with everyone in them.

I'm sure that other photographers may disagree with my approach to this, but I am 100% OK with combining a senior session with a family session. I charge a set fee for a one-hour photo session for up to 6 people, so it is really up to the client on how they would like me to prioritize that hour. I always do individual shots of each child at a family portrait session, so it is pretty easy to combine the two types of photo sessions.

Combining sessions might not be the best option for you if your senior is very shy and maybe might take a while to relax at a session, allowing me to get natural images. But that wasn't the case for Sarah and Jacob. It also might not be best if your other children are very young toddlers and may need extra time for getting family shots. But Eli was just old enough to be pretty easy to work with, so this was an excellent option for their family. I feel that we easily got enough photos for the twin's senior portrait needs, and also the typical family sessions shots.

Beth had let me know that she had these adorable shirts that she wanted to get a photo of the kids in at the beginning of the session. So we planned to get these in first and then let them change for the family session. Aren't these just so cute?

Two all done and one just getting started.Beth had let me know that she had these adorable shirts that she wanted to get a photo of the kids in at the beginning of the session. So we planned to get these in first and then let them change for the family session. Aren't these just so cute? Sarah & Jacob are headed to Belmont in the FallThis made me a little jealous that my girls aren't twins, because what a relief it must be for a mom to know that at least they are together. Senior Photo of SarahI adore photographing toddlers, but have to say that I do enjoy photographing seniors as well. It's nice to be able to work with clients who will sit in just the right spot in the pretty light and give me time to compose the shot exactly the way I want. Twin FunI have photographed a lot of younger sets of twins, but this was my first time with seniors. These two were so much fun together. They had me laughing for much of the session. Family HugI love getting photographs of families together shot from above. It doesn't always work out, but when it does, I just think it is such a fun perspective. Dandelion FunDandelions are my thing, if you haven't noticed. Eli was totally game in helping me get some dandelion wishes photos. This one had me wearing the wishes. 😂 Family Hug!I prefer a good family hug to a perfectly posed photo any day. So much love. ❤️ Love that face!But the unpredictability of young children is still my passion. I mean that face...I love it. Lovely Spring LocationI am really loving Preservation Park as a Portrait Session Location. These yellow wildflowers (some would say weeds) caught my eye. Hug but don't chokeOne of these days, I'll figure out how to ask young children to hug someone GENTLY. This happens every. single. time. LOL The perfect weatherI wish I could somehow bottle up the weather from this session and use it for every outdoor photo session. Including the familyAnother reason I love the idea of combining senior sessions with family sessions is being able to capture that beautiful connection between teens and their parents. Posing options for large age variationsOne of my considerations when planning for this session is trying to show connection with the obvious height differences between six year old Eli and the rest of the family. Having everyone kneel down to his level was a good option. Eli SandwichAnother way to get them on the same level to get close up shots was having Jacob pick up Eli. He was almost too big for this, but I love this shot of the siblings hugging. Adding Mom and Dad to the Family HugAnd I loved that "pose" so much that I asked mom and dad to join for a full family shot. So easy to photographI really couldn't have asked for a family to be easier to photograph. These guys were so easy to shoot. Not ready for thisSenior sessions make me a little more emotional than I ever thought they would. Particularly when I take photos of mothers and daughters together. I'm not ready for this. 💕 That dress!So gorgeous...especially with the blue sky. Mom & DadAt every family session, I try to get a photo of mom and dad alone. 😍

Love these pictures? I would love it if you would leave a comment below!

Please take a minute to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested!

Contact me now to book a session to capture your own family's beautiful moments.

Baby Azure's At Home Newborn Portrait Session in Spring Hill

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Thu, 28 Mar 2019 19:39:42 GMT

I first met this lovely family a little over two years ago at big sister Scarlett's newborn session. I was excited when Mikaela contacted me to tell me that she was pregnant again and wanted to schedule a second newborn portrait session.

It is so much fun to get to come back to a family and again witness such a beautiful time in their lives. I loved seeing baby Scarlett, now 2 1/ 2, doting over her new baby brother. I was able to see what used to be her nursery, recently turned over to baby brother. And she showed me her new big girl room and all her toys.

It's a different vibe to the house the second time around when I get to photograph repeat newborn sessions. Mom and dad are no longer newbies, but seasoned parents who know better what to expect from both parenthood, and the photo session. And then there is an energetic giggling big sibling there to liven things up...one of my favorite parts.

I feel fortunate to have a job that lets me be a small part of such special memories for a family. I know every time I leave a newborn session, I end up reminiscing about when my girls were that age, and what a magical time it was. I know it was tough too. I haven't forgotten that completely, but it was also so special. I'm glad that I can create a little something to help them remember that time, which is so fleeting.

And as a bonus, I got to spend a morning hanging out with two pretty awesome little humans. ❤️

Love these pictures? I would love it if you would leave a comment below!

Please take a minute to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested!

Contact me now to book a session to capture your own family's beautiful moments.

Share the Love Instagram Contest Portrait Session Part 2

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 12:29:11 GMT

Tuesday, I shared with you the first short portrait session from my Share the Love Instagram contest, and today I am excited to share a preview of the second session with you.

I photographed Katie and her family about a year and a half ago when Maria was only four months old. They are just the sweetest, so I was so excited when she won the contest to be able to see them again. Maria is just the sweetest little girl and she was SOOOO easy to photograph.

In case you missed yesterday's post: in February, I hosted my very first contest on Instagram in celebration of Valentine's Day. For my "Share the Love" contest, I asked people to nominate a friend and tell me why that friend was terrific, and they both had to follow my Instagram page. Then I randomly chose a nomination to win a free portrait session for both the person nominated and the nominator to share. I loved reading all the comments people made saying sweet words about their friends, so I wanted to share them with you.

I shared some of the comments yesterday, but here are the rest. I just love hearing about all the amazing women we have in our community.

acbrinker826

@katiebramcamargoshe’s such a sweet friend and awesome mama! She deserves this!

mrsjladd

I’m nominating @ginamolsen! She is such a beautiful person inside and out, a fantastic mother, and an amazing friend. ❤️

michellebrownlee

I'll nominate @rlcard- she was a great boss, a lovely lady, and Mom to 2 almost grown girls.

emilykalisz

I would like to nominate @summerssweetshoppe . She is the wife of a high school friend and has built her own business here in Spring Hill.

myersfamfive

I would like to nominate @mommamadorin. She is SUPERMOM, in every sense of the word. She is an amazing mom to three beautiful girls and an incredible friend.

katiebramcamargo

I would like to nominate @mirrayray8 as she deserves beautiful photos with her previous daughter Savannah. Miranda is the most caring, selfless, outgoing, beautiful inside and out mom there is❤️

katiebramcamargo

I would like to also nominate @ginamolsen ! A mom of 5 whose kids are always smiling and having a blast! she is a true hero. Gina is a busy mom but always takes the time to care for me, check on me during my lows, love on my daughter, celebrate my achievements and nurture my faith

mandysuttles

I would like to nominate my SIL, @joannaheck_4 When she and my brother got married almost 22 years ago, I was excited to finally have a sister! I remember forcing her to go get her nails done with me so we could bond. ❤️ Over the years, she has listened to my stories enthusiastically, offered me advice, and taken care of me and my family. Joanna is a fantastic mother of 4 awesome children and someone I go to when I need parenting advice. She has the best laugh, and she laughs a lot! There were many times when she and I stayed up late, laughing until we cried, on the back porch of their old house. I am so lucky that she said “yes” to my brother and joined our family. I know she would love family photos with her children since they have grown up too fast!

kendallnewsom

@acbrinker826 as if being a mom to a three-year-old isn’t exhausting, she has a six-month-old baby girl with special needs. She had to wait 6 long weeks for her to come home. She breastfeeds her round the clock, manages to care for her big brother, works two part-time jobs, one of which is getting up at 4 am to teach English as a second language. She takes her new baby to multiple therapies and doctors visits with very little sleep. I’m not sure how she’s managing it all but somehow she does. She deserves to win this 🥰

Share the Love Instagram Contest Family Portrait Session Part 1

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Tue, 12 Mar 2019 18:52:02 GMT

In February, I hosted my very first contest on Instagram in celebration of Valentine's Day. For my "Share the Love" contest, I asked people to nominate a friend and tell me why that friend was terrific, and they both had to follow my Instagram page. Then I randomly chose a nomination to win a free portrait session for both the person nominated and the nominator to share. They could decide to each take 30 minutes of a one-hour portrait session, or they could do the session all together as a big group.

I designed the contest the way that I did because I was really feeling the need for some positivity and wanted to see what people would say about other women in their lives, and I was not disappointed.

Katie, a fantastic client who I have photographed in the past, was the winner of the contest who nominated her friend Anna. This is the preview of my 30-minute session with Anna and her family. I will do a separate post of the 30-minute session with Katie and her family. In the blog previews, I want to include some of the inspiring words that women wrote about each other for the contest, including the winning nominations.

Here is what Katie said about Anna:

"I’d also like to nominate Anna! Mom of two that rocks it as a momma!! She deserves pictures of her adorable family. 💖"

In return, Anna said of Katie:

"Katie is such a sweet friend and awesome mama! She deserves this!"

Anna was also nominated by another friend, Kendall, who said:

"As if being a mom to a three-year-old isn’t exhausting, she has a six-month-old baby girl with special needs. She had to wait 6 long weeks for her to come home. She breastfeeds her round the clock, manages to care for her big brother, works two part-time jobs, one of which is getting up at 4am to teach English as a second language. She takes her new baby to multiple therapies and doctors visits with very little sleep. I’m not sure how she’s managing it all, but somehow she does. She deserves to win this!"

Even though it was my first time meeting her, I would have to agree with Kendall and Katie...Anna is a rock star momma with a beautiful family.

I also want to share some of the nominations that didn't win, because these rock star mamas are also deserving of praise. Here are some, and I will include more in part 2 when I show you Katie's beautiful family.

lotsofweavers

I nominate @theelizabethtaylor
She is a giving and kind friend who goes out of her way to help and love others. I know she would greatly appreciate pictures this year with her husband and kids. It would be a great year to mark change and new beginnings. 💕

cborrello4224

Thank you @crystalfreemonphotography for hosting such a meaningful giveaway. Pictures capture a moment in time to be treasured forever. Your talent allows treasured keepsakes. I would like to nominate @amylynncanaday she is kind, considerate, and always goes above and beyond while she herself is suffering from 2 diseases and is praying a doctor in Michigan can help regain her life back.

emilykalisz

I would LOVE to nominate @anothergirlmom ! Not only is she an amazing mother of 4 beautiful girls, but she manages her husband's business, her work schedule, and ALWAYS remembers when her friends have appointments. She has selflessly driven me to doctor appointments and helped us with our children when we needed assistance. She is one incredible woman!

tinalynnmartini

I would like to nominate @rhondaschmitz!! She is amazing in so many ways❤️! I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone as selfless and loving as Rhonda. I’m continually inspired by her commitment and love for others. She asks nothing in return and gives everything!

acbrinker826

@kendallnewsom my better half, she’s the most selfless friend I know and goes above and beyond to help my family, especially with my sweet Fisher girl. She deserves beautiful pics with her family!

bandteachergirl

I would like to nominate Kellie Olson @nellieisme777 . She is an amazing woman! She is a selfless, single mom that works full time to bring the best out of her students. She loves completely and never gives up on those she loves! This would be a chance for her to see the beauty in herself and her family. #sharethelove

myersfamfive

I would like to nominate @lyndtodd12 She is an amazing mom to a beautiful daughter, twin boys-one with special needs, a full time teacher, and a great friend. She is one of the strongest women I know and is absolutely the kindest. She is constantly thinking of others despite having her hands so full. I feel honored to be her friend. ❤️

William's First Birthday Portrait Session at Harlinsdale Farms in Franklin TN

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Mon, 04 Mar 2019 19:40:18 GMT

I cannot believe that it's already been one year since this sweet boy was born. It seems like I was just photographing his newborn photos last week. I wish that the weather would have cooperated better for this session, but we made it work. Isn't William just the cutest thing in those little suspenders and button up shirt? And oh my gosh...those eyes! I could photograph those eyes all day long.

This session was the last in William's milestone package. My milestone package is intended as a great way to document a baby's first year of life and includes four portrait sessions with all the digital images of your photos from each session. You can learn more about it on my pricing page. I just love being able to capture multiple sessions for a family after a baby is born. There are some many huge changes that a family goes through during that one year and it's such a magical time of growth and wonder.

And aren't their outfits adorable? I love the colors, the textures and of course, Charlotte's boots are to die for. The coats are great too, which is definitely something to pay attention to for portrait sessions in March when the weather can be so unpredictable. I cannot wait to see how these two beautiful babies grow over the next year. ❤️

Be Our Guest: Scarlett's Beauty & the Beast Birthday Party | Spring Hill TN Photographer

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 21:28:19 GMT

My longtime client & friend Nicole throws the most magical kids birthday parties. Her attention to detail is superb, and she has a special talent for making everything look amazing. It's so exciting to see how much fun Scarlett has at these parties and to see her grow each year.

When I noticed that Nicole had re-used the tables and teacups from Scarlett's second birthday party, I knew I had to recreate this photo from three years ago. Are they just adorable?

There were several extraordinary guests at Scarlett's birthday party, including the Beast (played by Scarlett's daddy) and Belle. Belle came from Nashville Kid's Parties (formerly Copy Cats Nashville Kid's Parties, the same company Nicole hired Strawberry Shortcake from two years ago.) Belle did a wonderful job entertaining the children and and played her part perfectly.

Nicole's sister made the cake pops, cake, and tea pot and tea cup cookies. Her mom made all the food and flower arrangements. Nicole created the rest of the decor herself, as well as making the chocolate rose lollipops. The hand mirrors came from the Dollar Tree and were Nicole decorated them after seeing inspiration on Pinterest. They were a huge hit as party favors and I personally loved them as a photo prop. The Chiavari chairs were rented from Southern Party Rentals.

I have to say that my favorite part was watching sweet Charlotte play hostess to her friends. She was so sweet in serving them tea, handing out party favors and making sure all her guest had a good time.

Love these pictures? I would love it if you would leave a comment below!

Please take a minute to follow me on Facebook , Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested!

❤️Spring Hill TN LOVE - Happy Valentine's Day

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 02:41:36 GMT

I love this little/big town. Despite the traffic, we have some pretty amazing people here. We've lived here since 2003, and that basically makes us natives. This is home, and I am so thankful to be raising our children here.

I was going to pick up a friend the other day for a doctors appointment, and to drive to her house, I have to be on Duplex for about a quarter of a mile, which we all know is a quarter of a mile too long. As I was headed there, I jokingly thought about telling her that I'd only get on Duplex for a terrific friend. Then that line of thought somehow snowballed into a sequence of cards especially made for Spring Hill. So, friends, here you go. Happy Valentine's day. I hope you've found love as deep as our love of Chick-fil-a.

Tell me, which one is your favorite? Did I miss any?

Also, you know what's an excellent gift for your Valentine? A family portrait session!

February Family Portrait Session at the Park at Harlinsdale Farms in Franklin TN

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 01:00:53 GMT

I'm not gonna lie, this one was chilly. Only a week earlier I shot a session at Harlinsdale when it was 70 degrees outside, but we all know how quickly Tennessee weather can change, and change it did.

But that didn't stop my adorable new friend Porter and his family from having a great time and rocking their family portrait session. I actually love cold winter sessions because I think they show a level of coziness and closeness in a family...all bundled up together to keep warm. And isn't he just so adorable in his winter hat?

Sarah and John were just fantastic. I love how they went with the flow and played with and entertained little Porter instead of expecting him to pose for too many photos.

Sometimes the parents of toddlers can feel like a session isn't going well because a little one maybe just wants to be in mommy's arms. Or perhaps the opposite and he doesn't want to be held. Or he or she is on the move and doesn't seem to be "cooperating" for poses. This can be stressful for parents because they might be used to a more posed type of photography, possibly in a studio. I try to reassure them that pretty much whatever their toddler does is absolutely beautiful.

Sometimes we make tiny adjustments. For example, Porter was getting distracted by a guy on a motorcycle, so we just moved to another part of the park where he couldn't see the bike. But for the most part, I just want toddlers to be themselves and for parents to let them. And Sarah and John did a fantastic job of that. I love how playful they were together...so many hugs, and tackles and hide-and-seek. This way, it doesn't feel like a job, but just like having fun while someone happens to take photos...and that's precisely the way it should be.

Sarah wanted to include her extended family in the session. This was a celebration of Porter's birthday, and she wanted to have all his grandparents and uncles in some of the photos, but she was afraid that they might distract him while we were trying to get pictures of just their immediate family, so she had the extended family come at the end of the session. That worked out great as an option, and my favorite part was when Porter got so excited at seeing his grandparents and ran to them for hugs with such joy on his face. It was just absolutely beautiful.

What kind of camera I use - and why that’s the wrong question | Spring Hill, TN Family Photographer

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 19:26:20 GMT

*I originally wrote this blog post in 2015, but as I often still get asked this questions, I've updated it to list what equipment I currently use.

Like all other photographers in the world, at some point in my journey to becoming a photographer, I started getting asked what kind of camera I use. I’m going to be real with you now and let you know that asking a photographer that is kind of the most annoying thing ever. Also, it’s the wrong question.

I know that when I’m asked that, it’s really a complement. I try to remember that as I’m biting my lip. My friends know it's annoying and it's become a running joke now that I have such an awesome camera. What it really means is that you like my pictures. I am honored and flattered that you do, I just wish you’d given me the credit and not my camera. I wonder if anyone ever asks Chef Gordon Ramsay what kind of pots he uses, hoping to buy those pots and become a five star chef overnight.

But anyway, since you asked:

I shoot with a Nikon D750.

I have three main lenses that I use:

A Nikon 50 mm 1.8 (And I actually would recommend you buy a lens like this if you are interested in getting into photography.)
A Nikon 85 mm 1.8 (My favorite)
A Nikon 20 mm 1.8 (My wide angel option)

I love my camera. But, if you've never used a DSLR before, and you aren't already into photography, you'll probably hate it and you'll have paid way too much for something you don't understand how to use. So I wouldn't recommend going out and buying it unless you are pretty into photography already. It's a professional level camera. If you are just learning, then really...go buy something cheaper and invest in education before you buy expensive equipment.

So, now that I've answered the question, I'm going to tell you why it's the wrong question to ask if you are truly interested in making your pictures look better. Actually, a picture is worth a thousand words, so instead of telling you, I'm going to show you.

My husband used my really awesome camera to take this picture of me and my friends. Do you like it? Yeah, me neither. I just kept it because it's funny. Look how nice and sharp that little girl in the pink dress is! And I love how the tree is growing out of the head of our lovely photo bomber.

Anyway, so my point is....a camera does not make a picture, a photographer does. I have a long way to go and so many things to learn, but the main point is that I've spent a LOT of time on this. It's my passion. I love it and I work hard at it. My camera is a great tool, but it's just a tool.

So, what are the right questions to ask if you want to take better pictures of your kids and your life? Here are a few I can think of off the top of my head.

How long have you been shooting? (I got my first DSLR when my youngest was a baby, so almost eleven years. I pretty immediately fell in love with capturing my kids childhoods. My pictures sucked though. )
What is a great book for introductory to photography and just learning how to operate my DSLR? (Anything by Scott Kelby is great.)
What is the number one easy thing I can do to take better pictures of my kids? (Don't shoot down from your normal standing position...get down at their level and fill the frame with their world.)
What is the best thing I can do to make the most of my families photo session? (Don't yell at the kids or give cheesy grins...just be real).
What's the best time of day to take outdoor pictures of my kids? (Just after dawn or just before dusk. Or anytime on a cloudy day. Harsh sunlight is the worst and causes unflattering shadows.)
What do you edit with? (I use Lightroom for 95% of my editing with some occasional photoshop thrown in. Learning Lightroom is an entire skill on it's own so expect to have to learn it if you are serious.)
What's a great place to learn more if I am falling in love with photography? (Clickin Moms University is great and also where I've learned a lot. But if you are more into in person learning, ask me about hosting a photography workshop in your home!)

I hope I've educated you a little and maybe saved you a little money if you were ready to rush out and buy an expensive DLSR. Not that I'm saying you shouldn't do that...but only do it if you are really interested in learning.

And even then...sometimes you don't need a fancy camera to really enjoy shooting. This is one of my favorite pictures so far this year, and it was taken with my Iphone.

The Perfect Day for a January Photo Session

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Thu, 10 Jan 2019 15:47:32 GMT

Once upon a time, Spring Hill was a tiny little town, and about the only restaurants were J.J.s Barbecue, the Poplar House and the Old School Restaurant. At that time, I worked as a Quality Engineer at GM, and we had sort of a tradition in my work group.

It would happen on those rare beautiful days, when it wasn't too hot, or too cold, when Spring was just on the horizon. You know the kind of day...where it is just too beautiful to stay stuck inside a dark, giant auto plant. It's the kind of day where teachers choose to take extra recess time, and even adults get cabin fever and just have to go outside.

On those rare days, someone (not always the same person), would come one by one to each of our cubicles, and say simple "Huffs today." Then, at lunch time, me and the boys would pile into a vehicle or two, depending on how many of us there were, and head out to Huff's Grocery, in Burwood. Usually, my friend John would drive, and I would instantly regret allowing him to because he drove like a teenage boy with something to prove. But with the windows rolled down and the wind in our faces, it was hard to care too much about being responsible.

It was too far of a drive to go regularly for a working lunch, which is why it was reserved for those special days. Driving on the back roads and taking the long way was part of the fun. (Saturn Parkway didn't go that direction back then anyway.) To be clear, Huff's isn't really a restaurant at all, but a little gas station with a few groceries, in the middle of nowhere. (At least it use to be in the middle of nowhere, but I haven't been there for years. With the parkway it could now be a booming exit.) It reminds me of the salvage store that was near my rural home growing up...where you can get the necessities you need when it's too far to drive to Kroger.

But they made the BEST sandwiches. They had a little paper menu where you'd choose white or wheat bread, then choose your meat, cheese and condiments. Nothing fancy at all, but it was SOOOOOO good.

Then we'd take our sandwiches, with a bag of chips and a can of soda and go sit out on the front steps of the store. And we'd sit and just enjoy the day, and our sandwiches, with the sun on our faces, and take our own sweet time getting back to work.

So you are probably wondering what any of that has to do with photography. Well, when this family booked their January family session, they were concerned about whether it would be too cold. Not a problem because they got one of the most beautiful days of the entire year.

And as I got to the location early before our shoot, I kept thinking about how it was a Huff's day. And ever since, and especially as I edit the photos of this beautiful family, I keep craving a Huff's sandwich, which I have not had in years. But the beautiful weather only lasted a couple days, and now it's all winter again. Boo. But maybe soon, it will happen again and I can go to Huff's. Who wants to go with me?

Find your Tribe, Love them Hard

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Sat, 29 Dec 2018 14:21:13 GMT

These two families are visiting together for the holidays...one having just recently moved to Nashville from California, and the other coming in from California to spend a week with them in their new home. Originally, we had planned to shoot the two family sessions separately, one at a time. But some time constraints prevented them from having enough time to do two full separate sessions before it got dark, so we decided to combine them into one big extended family session.

I have to say that I am really glad it worked out that way because these families needed photos together. They wanted a location that was representative of the area and that they wouldn't be able to see in California. I'm really glad we chose the Park at Harlinsdale Farms. What better way to represent Nashville than with a beautiful old horse farm? Plus there is lots of variety there and it looks beautiful in any season.

It was the kind of session that was just so easy to shoot and everything came together perfectly. The light and the sunset was amazing, but most of all was just the connection between all of these friends. I left the session feeling really glad to have been a part of it, and hoping that they have an amazing week in Nashville making memories together.

Downtown Franklin Senior Portrait Session

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Mon, 17 Dec 2018 23:22:36 GMT

I'm so glad we rescheduled this senior portrait session from last weekend when it was cold and rainy. This weekend was absolutely perfect for a December photo session. Like they say about Tennessee weather...if you don't like it, just wait 5 minutes. In this case we waited a week, but still....SOOOOO much better.

I worked with Eaman's parents in my former life as an Engineer with General Motors, so while I haven't really ever met him, I've sort of watched him grow up through facebook pictures and stories from his dad. So it was really fun getting to know him in real life. Before the session, his mom Regina had written to me that he was a "younger, quieter version of Pete." Well she forgot taller, but other than that, was dead on. 😂 It's a little crazy how much this kid looks like his dad. I knew that already from photos, but the expressions he gave me really made me feel like I was back in a conference room crunching numbers with Pete.

These senior sessions always make me feel a little sappy, but it's especially so when I know their parents. I can't help but think how quickly they've grown up and how my girls will be there before I know it. But I'm also excited to see what the future holds for them. ❤️

Margot & her dolly

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 14:37:00 GMT

This photo session included two of my favorite things...toddlers and lovies. Margot loves her special doll and carries her everywhere, and she did not want to put her down for our session, and that is absolutely OK with me. I'm good with the lovie or comfort object for two reasons. First, Margot is a little bit shy and allowing her to carry her doll all throughout the session made her more comfortable and that's exactly what I want to do. But besides that, I really like having the doll in the photos anyway because it is a part of who she is at this moment. It makes the photos more meaningful because someday she will look back on them and smile as her parents remind her how she use to carry her doll everywhere she went. <3

Oh and don't worry about little Margot in the photo of her towards the end where she's crying. She had fallen down and got a tiny boo boo, but she only cried for about half a second.

Now booking sessions for January!

Sweet Baby Abigail

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Wed, 05 Dec 2018 02:14:22 GMT

What a gorgeous day for a photo session for sweet baby Abigail. Who would even know that it was December already because the weather for this Sunday's sessions was absolutely perfect, sunny and fairly warm. My only complaint is that it was muddy, which isn't the best when you are trying to photograph a baby, but with some blankets, we made it work.

And isn't she just the cutest thing? This sweet girl did such a great job for our session. She so clearly adores her mommy and daddy and they were so easy to be around and to photograph. I think my favorite photos are the ones on the swing at the end. Abigail really enjoyed swinging with her parents, and the light was just gorgeous.

Now booking sessions for January!

Alicia's Quinceanera Part 2: The Celebration

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Mon, 26 Nov 2018 22:39:11 GMT

As I said in my blog post the other day, I have soooo many pictures of beautiful Alicia's Quinceanera last week that I decided to split it into two blog posts. The first post focused on the formal pictures we did before her celebration at the lovely Homestead Manor. But today I want to share photos from the actual event itself, which was a beautiful celebration of this lovely young woman.

Alicia's mom Nery did such an amazing job planning this special day for Alicia. It was so perfect down to every last detail. The event was held at the Hilton Garden Inn of Franklin / Cool Springs, TN.

The absolutely stunning cake was made by Pink Blossom Bakery.

As I stated in the first blog post, Alicia’s Makeup and hair was done by Kari Flournoy at Nashville Hair & Makeup.

For entertainment, the DJ for the event was Osborne Studio & Sound, and the grand finale performance was by Sol Azteca Mariachi Band.

I cannot even tell you how much fun it was to photograph this event. Just being a fly on the wall able to observe these kids having so much fun just enjoying life was truly an honor. And my favorite part was the Mariachi Band at the end...they were absolutely fantastic!

Please take a minute follow me on Facebook , Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested! Schedule your own session now from my online calendar.

Alicia's Quinceanera Part 1: Formal Pics at Homestead Manor

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Sun, 25 Nov 2018 02:26:09 GMT

I have soooo many pictures of beautiful Alicia's Quinceanera last week that I decided to split it into two blog posts. This post will focus on the formal pictures we did before her celebration at the lovely Homestead Manor. I will write a second blog post in the next couple days that will focus on the fun party pics with Alicia and all her friends, so be on the lookout for that one!

When I was discussing the event with Alicia's mom, she knew that she wanted to get some outdoor portraits with Alicia and immediate family before the celebration began, but we went back and forth trying to decide where the best place would be to do that, which would be not too far from the event location in Cool Springs, but didn't require a lot of walking. I am so glad we decided on the Homestead Manor, because it was just perfect. As I was editing these, I kept feeling a Cinderella vibe with Alicia's GORGEOUS dress, set against the beautiful mansion, and even a lovely carriage.

Alicia looked absolutely stunning (her hair and makeup was done by Kari Flournoy at Nashville Hair & Makeup), as did her gorgeous mama, sister and grandmother. There was so much love for this young lady on her special day, that it made it truly a joy to be a part of and to photograph.

Stay tuned for lots of fun pictures of the actual Celebration, including a Mariachi Band!!

Please take a minute follow me on Facebook , Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested! Schedule your own session now from my online calendar.

Capturing Christmas Traditions

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Tue, 20 Nov 2018 12:52:33 GMT

The years pass quickly, and that's one reason why Whitney wanted a home portrait session to capture her family's Christmas traditions while Haley is still young. They wanted a session that captured things they do each year around Christmas time, like decorating the tree, making Gingerbread houses, and listening to the Christmas Story and the Night Before Christmas while drinking hot cocoa by the fire.

I mean, how can you not just feel all cozy and filled with the Christmas spirit by looking at these photos? I just love this so much. 🎄❤️

What about you? What kind of memories would you like to capture for your family?

Please take a minute follow me on Facebook , Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested! Schedule your own session now from my online calendar.

My first "real" clients

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Fri, 16 Nov 2018 20:49:36 GMT

I cannot believe it's been almost four years now since I began on this adventure as a professional family & children photographer. I was thinking about that during this session because I consider this family to be my first "real"clients. I had been photographing lots of families before I considered myself a real professional, but they were all close friends who I knew very well. This family was the first ones who hired me who I didn't know really well when they had their first session, so that's why I consider them my first real clients.

It was for a maternity session and included the big sister to be at a session at Harlinsdale farms. I was nervous about shooting with people I didn't really know, but I just fell in love with them right away, and not long after that, was blessed to photograph Grayson's birth. And each year since, I look forward to photographing their family photos. I talked yesterday about how I had a weekend of shooting my ideal clients, and this is definitely one of my favorites.

Each year I say how easy these two adorable kiddos are to photograph and they were the same way this year. There is just so much cuteness and they clearly love each other sooooo much. It's not just the kids though. I adore mom and dad as well....they are always playful with the kids and we have so much fun just capturing memories. It's always such an easy session and they are just simply beautiful.

Don't forget to purchase tickets to have your photo made with Santa at the Spring Station Holiday Market on December 1. Proceeds go to help Spring Station Middle School Purchase technology. Don't wait because these are going fast!!

My ideal clients

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 14:35:27 GMT

I want to apologize for the large amount of photos in this blog post. I really am trying to get better about that, but I easily had enough photos from this session for three blog posts, and I had a really hard time choosing.

I first met this beautiful family last year, when they hired me for an extended family session after I had photographed sweet Lily's preschool graduation photo and I just fell in love with them. There is just so much love, and joy and togetherness with them that is just beautiful to be around.

In photography workshops and facebook groups, they talk a lot about finding your ideal clients. That's not something I thought about at all before becoming a professional photographer, but I quickly realized how important it is to find clients who are a good fit for my style. This past weekend, I had three family sessions, and I walked away from them all thinking about how exactly perfect the clients were for me.

I can't put into words exactly what makes them so perfect, because a lot of it is just a feeling. But there are a few things that I know I love to see in clients:

They are familiar with my style of work and have come to be because that's the style that they want, not just because someone recommended me or they found me in a google search (those are all great ways to find me, but my point is that they did look at my photos and made their final choice based upon my work.)
They put thought and planning into their wardrobe selection, but also understand that the primary subject of the photos are the people themselves, and have chosen clothing that they are comfortable in and feel themselves in.
They value photos as priceless artifacts of their time together, and after the session, they take the time to print the photos and enjoy them. (I was so excited to hear how this family printed and enjoyed their photos from last Fall!)
They aren't looking for perfectly posed and put together photos, but are interested in capturing real memories of their time together.

I feel so thankful to have so many amazing clients who are not only clients, but who have become friends. I love being able to see them grow each year ❤️

Don't forget to purchase tickets to have your photo made with Santa at the Spring Station Holiday Market on December 1. Proceeds go to help Spring Station Middle School Purchase technology. Don't wait because these are going fast!!

The best weekend for Family Photos with Fall Color

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Tue, 13 Nov 2018 20:02:00 GMT

First of all, I want to say that any time of year is perfect for a family portrait session. The important thing is to get them done, and to do it regularly, preferably at least once a year as our littles ones grow so fast and are constantly changing. Beautiful memories can be captured any time of year. I'm now booking January photo sessions, and those can be absolutely beautiful (you just need to dress warmly!)

With that being said, lots of my clients really want that gorgeous fall color, and ask me when they should schedule family portrait sessions to get that color. I always hesitate to answer because mother nature is unpredictable and I cannot promise you we will get beautiful fall color at all. Sometimes, an early freeze or drought conditions or other things can put a damper on that beautiful autumn color.

But I can tell you, after some experience and actual forecasts, when to schedule your session to get the best chance of gorgeous color, and that is the first weekend of November (the last weekend in October is a good second choice). That's when our fall colors peak here in Middle Tennessee. I find a lot of clients who assume it happens a lot earlier than that, and that's probably because it does up north. Our friends in Michigan saw their autumn peak several weeks ago (and now they are getting snow!).

This beautiful family portrait session from this weekend is a bit past the peak. The sessions I did the weekend before had a lot more color, but I can't share those with you at the clients request (some are surprise Christmas gifts, and we don't want to ruin the surprise!) But I'm so glad that this family had such a beautiful day! We had actually rescheduled this session from earlier in October because of rain. Are they not absolutely stunning! I've known this gorgeous family for years, but this is the first time I've been able to photograph them. They were so much fun to capture and I hope they love the photos as much as I do.

The autumn leaves are going to be gone very soon, so get out and enjoy this absolutely gorgeous color while it lasts!

Don't forget to purchase tickets to have your photo made with Santa at the Spring Station Holiday Market on December 1. Proceeds go to help Spring Station Middle School Purchase technology. Don't wait because these are going fast!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and I love it!

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Mon, 12 Nov 2018 18:23:52 GMT

It's that time of year when the great Christmas Tree debate happens. You know, where half the people on social media are judging the other half for "already" starting to put up Christmas decorations. At the risk of alienating clients by posting my opinion on this very serious issue, I must say that I'm team holiday cheer all the way.

I know some of you are going to say "But Thanksgiving...." Yeah, I love Thanksgiving too, I just don't think Thanksgiving is in any way ruined by a Christmas tree. In fact, I love cozying up on the couch after a Thanksgiving dinner and enjoying the beautiful lights on the tree. There is just something magical about the holiday season, and I love to be able to enjoy the decor from Thanksgiving until New Years (yep, I don't take it down the day after Christmas either.) I believe that if the decorations make you happy, why not leave them up as long as you can. (And if they don't make you happy, then by all means...take them down.)

But lucky for me, I have a job that lets me start with the holiday cheer even earlier than most. I just absolutely love everything about this beautiful little family. The beautiful holiday inspirited outfits are wonderful, but I have to say that the Christmas pajamas are my absolute favorite. Just looking at these makes me smile, as I think about how they are now about to experience their very first Christmas together as a family of three. 🎄❤️

Please take a minute follow me on Facebook , Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested! Schedule your own session now from my online calendar.

A list of things I can (and will) photoshop for you, and a few things I won't

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Sat, 10 Nov 2018 20:55:26 GMT

This was supposed to be an outdoor session but unfortunately, it started raining right before the session time. As I discuss on my FAQ page, there are several options for you if i should happen to rain for your session time. Nicole chose to move the session to her home, rather than to reschedule, which is a great option as I love capturing families in their own surroundings.

Another issue that Nicole had was that little Scarlett got a fairly significant boo boo on her chin before the session (isn't that the way it always happens?), and Nicole was afraid it would show in the photos.

I reassured Nicole that Scarlett's boo boo wouldn't be too hard to remove in editing, so not to worry about it. So I thought this might be a good post to go over what I will and will not edit in family portraits.

What I will photoshop:

That random zit that popped up right before your session.
The boogers in your two year olds nose (but lets try a Kleenex first please!)
The bruise your four year old got riding her bike (or boo boo on her chin).
Generally anything "temporary" that isn't part of what you normally look like.
That ugly trashcan in the background that I saw, but knew it was worth it to remove in editing.
The horrible bike lane stripe on my favorite path.
Minor "wardrobe malfunctions" that result from clothing not laying perfectly because I don't operate perfectly posed portrait sessions. For example: your bra strap is showing, or maybe your shirt or dress is poofed out in a weird way.

What I won't photoshop:

"Can you remove this logo from the shirt I chose to wear?" (I might could depending on the location, print, etc, but if you want it done more than once or twice, I'm going to need to charge extra.)
"Make me look 50 pounds smaller?" (You are beautiful, just the way you are.)
"Can you make most of the photo black and white and leave this one part in color?" (I just don't want to.)
"Can you get the wrinkles out of my husbands dress shirt?" (Usually, no...especially if it's a print and not a solid color.)

So my general rule to myself when it comes to editing...I want you to look like you, because you are gorgeous. But if something happened recently that isn't a part of your normal, let me know and we can probably work on that.

Please take a minute follow me on Facebook , Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested! Schedule your own session now from my online calendar.

Repeat clients are my favorite

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 19:04:49 GMT

One of my favorite things about my job as a family portrait photographer is getting to know families, especially when they come back for repeat sessions. I photographed this beautiful family around this time last year and just loved getting to know these three beautiful sisters, so I was so excited to see them again this year.

Last year I wrote: "They are totally my happy place. So much energy, and wonder and joy. They were just perfect." I would say exactly the same thing about our session this year. Only one thing was different...

Last year for their session, I wrote about how important it is to tell me if one of your children is particularly shy before the session. That lets me know that I need to maybe approach that child a little differently and give her time to warm up to me.

But you know what's great about being able to see client again and again? This time, the children remembered me, and they knew that the session wouldn't be scary or boring. They came into it knowing we'd play and have fun. This makes it especially easier for kids who may be a little shy. Knowing me coming it to it, they feel more at ease and have an easier time getting into the session.

And I got the chance to see how much they'd grown over the year, and hear about their new interests and what brings them joy. (New Harry Potter fans are the BEST.)

Don't forget to purchase tickets to have your photo made with Santa at the Spring Station Holiday Market on December 1. Proceeds go to help Spring Station Middle School Purchase technology. Don't wait because these are going fast!!

Downtown Columbia Senior Session

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Thu, 25 Oct 2018 17:58:25 GMT

I can't believe that once upon a time, I thought I would hate senior sessions. When I first started in photography, families and young children were definitely my comfort zone. But with some encouragement from friends, I gave senior sessions a try and was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed them. It's so fun to get to know these young people, and also to try to capture their personalities and passions in photographs. I just love that Dylan brought his guitar to this session, and my favorite photos from it are ones where he is playing.

I also love the ability to get creative with backgrounds and lighting. I can do that to some extent with younger kids, but they just don't stand in one place for long. I love the look and variety of downtown sessions, but don't recommend them for my young clients because it's not a safe space for them to roam and explore freely. But with seniors, it's just perfect. Downtown Franklin is great, but I also have grown to love shooting in downtown Columbia. It was just the perfect weather and perfect location to commemorate Dylan's senior year.

Don't forget to purchase tickets to have your photo made with Santa at the Spring Station Holiday Market on December 1. Proceeds go to help Spring Station Middle School Purchase technology. Don't wait because these are going fast!!

Tell me about some "things" that are valuable to your family

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Tue, 23 Oct 2018 19:24:36 GMT

I'm sometimes asked by potential clients about what props that I include in a session, or if there are any props that they should bring. That's kind of a complicated question and for me, depends on how you define "props."

My gut response is that I don't do props. But to me, a prop is something fake or staged for a photo. So what I mean when I say that I don't include props in a session, is that I don't show up with a wagon full of cutesy stuff to include in your family photos. I don't create an elaborate scene of decor or other items. I prefer, generally, for people to be the main focus of a photo, and even for my studio type work (like Santa sessions) I prefer the backdrop to be simple and minimal.

However, I do love to include YOUR stuff in photos. The end result may be the same to someone who just looks at the photos as an outsider, but to me, this is a very important distinction.

One question I ask clients when they book a family session with me, is for them to tell me about some things that are valuable to their family. The reason I ask this is that I like to include MEANINGFUL objects in family session photos. Nothing that I bring is going to be meaningful to you. I could buy a bunch of brand new cute stuffed animals. But I'd rather include your daughters well loved ones. I love including books in photos, but only if they are books important to your family. I do bring some quilts to each session to use if we need them, but if you have one that grandma made, I'd much rather use that.

I fell in love with this family right away. I mean, they had me at Harry Potter. I do believe I could have just shot the entire session while these kids happily read their books. And I loved that they lived right next to Henry Horton Park. What an amazing back yard!! This is the place where they take lots of walks together as a family, so it means so much more to look at these photos of them together, because it captures their lives as they really are.

What about you? What are the things (or places) that are really important to your family? Have you ever thought about including them in photos, either your personal photos that you take or ones you've hired a professional to take?

Don't forget to purchase tickets to have your photo made with Santa at the Spring Station Holiday Market on December 1. Proceeds go to help Spring Station Middle School Purchase technology. Don't wait because these are going fast!!

No, we aren't doing photos with Satan...and other reasons I need a copy editor.

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Thu, 11 Oct 2018 19:11:29 GMT

So apparently I invited the "I heart Spring Hill page" to come have photos made with Satan at Spring Station Middle School. 👹

So two things:

We will be doing photos with SANTA 🎅🏻, not Satan 👹. Satan isn't very festive. 🎄 (Click the link at the bottom of this blog post to get your tickets now..don't wait as they are selling out fast.)

Also, I should not be allowed to type things. Pictures really are my specialty. And if pictures are worth a thousand words, then I have millions and billions so I should just quit typing.

It's not that I can't spell, it's that I type quickly as things are coming into my head, and then, even if I re-read it multiple times, I SEE it like it's correct. Have you ever seen those tricks of the mind things where they delete all the vowels from a paragraph, but somehow you can read it anyway because your mind subconsciously fills in the blanks? That's what I do when I try to edit my own work...I don't even see the error. I mean, you guys, OF COURSE I meant Santa.

I'd like to say that was the first time I royally goofed in type, but sadly, it's not.

So I actually have a copy editor. She's really good at it and bonus...she's free. Unfortunately, she's also 12 and at school all day. I could wait, and I know I should, but I get so excited to show these beautiful families their photos, and I know that they are usually on pins and needles waiting to see them, that I just can't make myself wait.

So instead, I ask for your grace and hope that you'll love me for my photos and not judge me for my typos. And a big shout out to all my amazing people who are kind enough to point it out to me when I invite an entire town to photos with Satan, or who help point out less interesting errors.

With that, check out these photos from a session that I so look forward to each year. Lucky Ladd Farms is one of my favorite places and the Ladd's are one of my favorite families to photograph. (Check out their website to see lots of pictures of my baby girl, who has been in love with their farm since she was teeny tiny.)

Don't forget to purchase tickets to have your photo made with Santa at the Spring Station Holiday Market on December 1. Proceeds go to help Spring Station Middle School Purchase technology. Don't wait because these are going fast!!

What exactly is Lifestyle Photography?

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Wed, 10 Oct 2018 19:38:33 GMT

This beautiful family was able to take a last minute opening that I had available, and I am so glad they did. We had so much fun running and playing in the leaves.

I thought I might take the opportunity to talk about exactly what it means to shoot lifestyle photography, which is what I consider most of my sessions. To understand lifestyle photography, it helps to understand a few other types of photography.

One type of photography is classic posed portraiture. These are what you think of when you think of a photographer telling you exactly where to stand, how to hold your chin, elbow, etc. While I believe there is a time and a place for specific posing, this is not the type of photography that inspires me. I do, however, try to capture at least a few of these shots throughout a session.

Another type of photography (one that does inspire me), is documentary photography. In documentary, the photographer doesn't give guidance at all, but is merely a fly on the wall capturing what happens as it unfolds. I LOVE documentary. I love to capture real life moments and emotions. My birth sessions are documentary, as you can imagine. In that setting, I am dictating nothing, but just capturing the story that is happening in front of me.

The problem with using a PURE documentary approach for family sessions is that if I tried to be a fly on the wall and just capture what was happening, it's likely, at least at first, that your family would stand around awkwardly, not sure what to do with themselves. Probably after enough time passed, they'd forget about me and start going about life, but unless something particularly engaging were happening it may take hours and hours to get a full gallery of images that showed a variety of things.

So that brings us to lifestyle photography. Lifestyle photography, for me anyway, is a balance between posed and documentary. My goal at lifestyle sessions is to capture images as I would at a documentary session, but to hurry things along a bit, and if possible, make them happen in pretty light. Instead of being a fly on the wall and waiting on your children to play, I'll suggest they race (on the pretty bridge), play in the leaves, play ring around the roses, or play Simon Says with me. These are things they might do naturally, but probably not in the span of an hour long photo session unless I asked them to.

I want to capture real emotion, but instead of waiting on it to happen organically, I might whisper to your kids to go give you a big hug. I don't believe that the fact that I asked for it, makes the emotions any less real. It's a combination of posed and documentary because sometimes I tell you just what to do, sometimes I just suggest an activity and sit back and wait for a moment to happen, and sometimes I act like a documentary photographer and hang back and capture moments that I notice have happened organically without any interference from me.

This is the combination I find that works best for me at my family sessions, and I think it helps clients to feel more relaxed and natural as well. As my friend Emily said recently, "my favorites are the posed candids."

Don't forget to purchase tickets to have your photo made with Santa at the Spring Station Holiday Market on December 1. Proceeds go to help Spring Station Middle School Purchase technology. Don't wait because these are going fast!!

The Junk in my Trunk

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 16:59:09 GMT

I've photographed the birth of both of these beautiful babies, and documenting their growth through photographs is truly one of the greatest joys of my job. This is my favorite session so far, probably because this age is my absolute favorite. For both of them, the world is still so new and interesting and every tiny thing is a wonderful discovery. I will never ever get tired of photographing toddlers.

Every now and then, there is a photo that stops me in my tracks as I am editing, and the one below of sweet Charlotte running towards her family did that for me in this set. Have you ever seen anything as beautiful as that overwhelming and enthusiastic love a toddler has for her parents?

I recently received a really random text from an acquaintance. She said she new it was an odd question, but wanted to know if there was any chance that I had any sparklers…well past July when they were available at stores and fireworks stands. She needed them for a birthday party she was helping to plan.

I told her that of course I had sparklers. I keep them in my trunk. How many do you need?!?

The sparklers had recently come in handy another time too…I was at the birthday party of one of my closest friends four year old, and they had forgotten candles for the cake. I ran to my trunk and brought her sparklers and we lit those as we sang “Happy Birthday” to the guest of honor. In some ways, it was more fun than candles and maybe that will be a thing from now on.

The sparklers led me to think about the other random things I carry in my trunk, so I thought I would list them for you in case you were curious. So here it is - a list of things actually in my trunk this very moment.

Sparklers
6 quilts in various colors
A bubble machine
Bubble Juice
An extra camera bag with camera (not my main camera…I carry that inside)
A lightstand
Some bottles of water
A lighter
Some smoke bombs
Three clear umbrellas
Sophie the Giraffe
Yummy Earth Suckers
Organic Bug Spray
For Real Bug Spray
A Tide Stain Remover Pen
Wet Ones Wipes
Rain Ponchos
Sun Screen

Sometimes, I don't use anything in my trunk, but I like knowing it's there if I do need it. For this session, I pulled out the umbrella, though we didn't need it thankfully as the rain stopped just before we started, and lots and lots of bug spray. I also stuck a poncho in my bag just in case I had to protect my camera from the rain. And of course, the suckers came out after the session.

What about you? What do you have in your trunk? Is there anything in mine that you are surprised about? Anything you think I'm missing?

Don't forget to purchase tickets to have your photo made with Santa at the Spring Station Holiday Market on December 1. Proceeds go to help Spring Station Middle School Purchase technology. Don't wait because these are going fast!!

10 moments I want to capture for you

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 17:26:33 GMT

I feel like I was super lucky at yesterday's marathon sessions. I had three sessions scheduled with a 15 minute break between each session. Between my first and session session, it rained fairly hard. But then stopped in time for my second session. It caused some humidity and so vengeful mosquitoes, but we made it through.

I warned this family ahead of time that I was going to struggle with their names. These girls are Kaylie and Morgan. My own girls are Megan and Kayla. The similarities helped me to remember their names, but I did, as I knew I would keep mixing them up because Megan is my oldest, but for these two sisters, Morgan is the younger sister.

I finally managed to retrain my brain by the end of the session, and I hope they forgave me. What a fun family to work with! I so enjoyed getting to know these girls and their parents. They were so fun to work with and naturals in front of the camera. We had a fantastic time.

Before a session, I have a survey that asks clients what their most important shots are. That helps me to balance the priorities of the session, but I always have in my head a list of shots I want to be able to include in a clients gallery. These girls made it easy to capture those shots.

A family shot with everyone looking at the camera. (Not my favorite, but I feel like I need to include it.)
A candid family shot, that shows emotion. (My favorite)
Individual close-ups of each of your children.
Full body & candids of each of your children.
A more posed sibling shot, if possible. (May be difficult if they are super young.)
Mom & Dad together. (It's important to capture where the family began.)
Details (feet, hair, lovey, hands, etc)
Mom with the kids
Dad with the kids
Fun, create shots of everyone having fun.

Did I miss anything? What would be on your shot list?

Don't forget to purchase tickets to have your photo made with Santa at the Spring Station Holiday Market on December 1. Proceeds go to help Spring Station Middle School Purchase technology. Don't wait because these are going fast!!

10 things I'm thinking while I shoot a session

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Tue, 02 Oct 2018 15:04:20 GMT

First of all, I want to be like this little boy when I grow up. He was so amazing! He gave the best super hero pose ever, and his airplane was just spot on. He is exactly the reason why I love 2 and 3 year olds.

Ty's family wanted this session to focus on him, as his third birthday is coming up soon and these are his three year old photos. However, I couldn't help including mom and dad and baby brother in some of the pictures too. ❤️

Just in case you are wondering, here are a few of the things that go through my head while I'm shooting.

Where is the light?
Are there boogers in his nose?
How can I help them relax?
What kind of connections can I capture?
Are everyone's eyes open?
Where is the light?
How can I tell their story?
Where is the light?
What kind of details do I see?
What moments would I want captured if I was this mom?

Don't forget to purchase tickets to have your photo made with Santa at the Spring Station Holiday Market on December 1. Proceeds go to help Spring Station Middle School Purchase technology. Don't wait because these are going fast!!

Mom was there too.

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Mon, 01 Oct 2018 21:21:22 GMT

Lisa said something in her questionnaire when she booked me that really struck a cord with me.

"I have almost no pictures of myself with my children that aren't selfies since I am always the one behind the camera. That's usually how it works though, right?"

Yes, that is how it usually works, and it sucks. I'm so glad that we were able to get Lisa on the other side of the camera with her beautiful family. It's hard, and as moms we have SOOOO many reasons why we don't have enough photos of ourselves, but it is so important to our children that we get in the pictures too. In the years to come, the photos we give to our children are such a gift, but they don't just want to see photos of themselves...they want to see mom (and dad!) in the pictures too.

I just love taking photos of mothers with their babies, and this session was no exception. This group was such a joy to capture and made my job so easy.

And can we just talk about the clothing choices for a minute? I love the color tones so much. The burgundy and the blues against the backdrop of the green trees was just perfection.

So moms, what's keeping you from getting in front of the camera?

Of all the families I photograph, mine is the hardest

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Sat, 29 Sep 2018 22:40:27 GMT

I wish that I could say that this was a lovely, easy experience, but that would be a lie.

Last weekend, I was quite surprised when my husband suggested that we do a family photo session of our own. It seems like every year I forget to Schedule time for our photos and end up scrambling to get them done. But he is usually the last one who wants his picture talken, so I was pleasantly surprised when he reminded me. So I set off to find outfits for everyone that two tweenage girls wouldn't whine about.

I was lucky and found things that everyone was happy with, except my husband who complained that it was still too hot for long sleeves. Oh well ... you can't please everyone.

So I was all set, and then it rained.

And rained.

And rained some more.

And finally, yesterday, the sun came out. So we all got dressed and drove out to the new park that I had never been to but wanted the check out. And as soon as we got there, my oldest started complaining that her head hurt. Because I knew that meant she'd never cooperate, we went home. Of course as soon as we got home, she felt better.

But that is how it goes. So no problem, because guess what??? There are TWO magic hours inthe day! So we got up bright and early this morning and headed out.

The bad part was that it was super wet from the dew and the kids didnt want to walk too far in it to explore the farm. And I got soaked from kneeling in it. And we got there later than I I wanted and the sun was brighter than I would have liked causing horid grass colors.

But the dew in the grass and all the spider webs were absolutely stunning. And it wasn't hot at all. We also finished in time to go to a pancake breakfast for a friend's gymnastics team, so score!

Have you booked your family portrait session yet? Fall sessions are going fast, so don't wait to book your session.

Love these pictures? I would love it if you would leave a comment below and consider sharing this post with friends!

Please take a minute follow me on Facebook , Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested, or sign up for my monthly newsletter! Schedule your own session now from my online calendar.

What the world needs is more dancing in the kitchen.

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Thu, 27 Sep 2018 00:42:44 GMT

What the world needs is more dancing in the kitchen.

I saw that written in a meme recently and it spoke to me. I love a good dance in the kitchen. My husband...not so much, but he humors me. To me, it's one of those things that reminds us to savor the mundane...those little moments at home that don't seem very grand, but really are the moments that matter, and that we cherish for years to come.

Things change so quickly as we are raising little ones, and before you know it, some things that seemed so much a part of your daily life that you didn't even notice them, are suddenly gone. At my house, there is not a play room anymore. There is no swing set in the back yard. My children bathe themselves and read to themselves at bedtime. I don't remember the exact time when many of these changed, but gradually, they did change. I look back to photos of when they were smaller and am so thankful that I have those momentos of days gone by.

That is one thing I love about doing these home sessions for families. I look at these photos and imagine all the possibilities they hold in bringing back the past, years from now.

10 years from now, will they look at these photos and think about how that was the first year Coen played the violin, which he later grew to master and love? Or will they remember it as that time Coen tried to violin, before he found what he really loved?

Will Coen and Peri look at these photos and fondly remember the photo of mom and dad's wedding day that was hanging over their bed for years? Will they giggle about when Peri was obsessed with Fancy Nancy and the giant caterpillar and Coen (and Mommy) was obsessed with Harry Potter?

Will they look around the kitchen and smile at the "Happy Fall" chalk sign, or remember the kitchen table that they shared so many meals on before it was traded in for something new?

These are the things that can't be captured at a park.

One advantage to home sessions, other than being able to capture memories in the place that you make the most memories, is that we don't have to worry about weather or sunlight. My outdoor lifestyle sessions are all booked up for October & November, but I have been able to add some at home session dates to the November calendar for weekdays where the early sunset doesn't allow for outdoor sessions. You can book one of these spots now on my calendar. These sessions would be a perfect time to decorate the Christmas tree, make some Gingerbread Houses, and just create beautiful memories of your family together capture forever by the camera.

So what do you think? Would you be up for an at home family session?

Please take a minute follow me on Facebook , Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested! Schedule your own session now from my online calendar.

Home...where our story begins | New Home Sweet Home Portrait Sessions

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 18:56:20 GMT

It's no secret that my passion is family photography. I enjoy seniors, newborns & couples photography as well, but families, especially with younger children, are what inspires me.

Up until now, most of my family sessions have been outdoor, lifestyle portrait sessions. I love these for many reasons, most of which is probably the gorgeous natural light of an outdoor session, particularly at golden hour.

But for a while now, I've been feeling drawn to encourage clients to also consider another option for family photography. I want to offer in-home lifestyle & documentary sessions. I've always felt like the purpose of photography is to capture meaningful moments that a family will cherish always, and what better place to capture these moments than in a families home?

I find that many clients are hesitant to schedule sessions in their home because they are so used to seeing outdoor sessions and they don't know quite what to expect from an at home session. Here are a few things you can expect from an at home photo session with me:

* We will be silly and play games, just like at my outdoor sessions, but those games might look a little differently. For example, we may jump on the bed (with your permission), play shadow puppets, or have tickle fights on mom and dad's bed.

* Instead of awkwardly posing, I will ask that you do some activities together. What these activities are will vary depending on what your family likes to do together. Maybe mom and dad will have coffee on the back porch, while the kids play at their feet. Maybe you'll make dinner, or cookies. Maybe you can play board games or decorate the Christmas tree. The possibilities are endless. The point is that we will try to capture real moments for you...of things your family enjoys doing together.

* Your house doesn't need to be fancy, or immaculate, or even clean. For real. This is real life and real moments. We are making memories...not caring about whether or not you swept the bathroom. The camera is forgiving and I promise I don't even notice.

So what do you think? Would you be up for an at home family session?

New Home Sweet Home Portrait Sessions New Home Sweet Home Portrait Sessions New Home Sweet Home Portrait Sessions New Home Sweet Home Portrait Sessions New Home Sweet Home Portrait Sessions New Home Sweet Home Portrait Sessions New Home Sweet Home Portrait Sessions New Home Sweet Home Portrait Sessions New Home Sweet Home Portrait Sessions New Home Sweet Home Portrait Sessions New Home Sweet Home Portrait Sessions New Home Sweet Home Portrait Sessions New Home Sweet Home Portrait Sessions New Home Sweet Home Portrait Sessions New Home Sweet Home Portrait Sessions

Please take a minute follow me on Facebook , Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested! Schedule your own session now from my online calendar.

A Strong, United Pair

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 15:57:56 GMT

When Jessica contacted me about doing this family portrait session, she told me that she was going through a divorce, and wanted a way to document a new beginning for she and her daughter, Kaila. She wanted the photos to show a strong, united pair.

I think that documenting new beginnings is a perfect reason to schedule a portrait session. I thought Jessica's words in her survey to me were beautiful.

She said " I want to show Kaila that we are still a family even though we're divided now and that we will be stronger and better from everything. I want her to see how much love there is for her and how much fun we can have together."

I love it when clients really put their thoughts and feelings in my client survey. It really helps me to have an emotional connection with them, and to understand truly what the photos mean to them. I can't even explain why this matters. The closest I've come to verbalizing why it matters to me is the quote by David Alan Harvey that says "Don't shoot what it looks like. Shoot what it feels like."

Maybe it's all in my imagination, but I somehow think I do a better job with the photos when I feel that connection to the clients story.

I know it felt super easy to capture a strong, united pair when I was photographing Jessica and Kaila. Photographing mothers with their babies (no matter how old!) is always one of my favorite things and I just loved watching these two interact with each other. It's so obvious just by the look in Jessica's eyes that there is so, so much love for this beautiful little girl.

Have you booked your family portrait session yet? Fall sessions are going fast, so don't wait to book your session.

Love these pictures? I would love it if you would leave a comment below and consider sharing this post with friends!

Please take a minute follow me on Facebook , Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested, or sign up for my monthly newsletter! Schedule your own session now from my online calendar.

How I fell in love with photography

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Wed, 05 Sep 2018 23:04:45 GMT

I first fell in love with photography when my youngest was a baby. That's when I got my first DSLR. I had no idea what I was doing, but I knew I wanted to capture those precious moments with my girls when they were so little.

With my oldest, we had routinely taken her to Sears portrait studio, because that's what I thought you were supposed to do....I didn't know any better. Every few months, I would take her there, and they would prop her up on a table with some cheesy backdrops, maybe throw her in a fake bathtub, or lay her buck naked on a mirror with some fake flowers around her and take her picture. The photos were beautiful, because they were of my beautiful baby girl, but something was lacking.

Then, once she passed that baby stage and became a toddler, it just no longer worked at all. They would expect her to stand on an "X" on the ground and look them and say cheese. Well, I just haven't met many toddlers who will do that.

Then when my youngest was born, a friend from work recommended a "real" photographer named Lauren Gill. I just loved the photos my friend had, so I hired her. The cost was quite a bit more than the Sears portrait studio, but as soon as I saw the results, I fell in love. The photos captured so much more than those fake posed photos we had gotten before. She captured all those little things about the girls that I wanted to remember...Kayla's adorable giggles, or the way Megan did (and still does) twirl her hair...all those funny little expressions or gestures that you want to remember always.

I wanted to learn to do that too. So I bought a camera and slowly learned as much as I could. I took photos everywhere...at playdates, birthday parties, and every day moments at home. Those early photos are SOOOO bad, but I am so thankful for them, as they are moments in time frozen.

That was about 10 years ago, but that's the time that I feel taken back too each time a photograph a family with a baby. I want so badly to create something special for those parents, because I know that it all goes by so quickly. I want to capture those silly expressions, that fascination with the world around them, and the pure joy at just being.

This sweet girl made that job so easy and I absolutely fell in love with her (and her sweet parents) during our shoot. How blessed am I to have a job where I can do what I love while meeting wonderful new people.

Have you booked your family portrait session yet? Fall sessions are going fast, so don't wait to book your session.

Love these pictures? I would love it if you would leave a comment below and consider sharing this post with friends!

Please take a minute follow me on Facebook , Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested, or sign up for my monthly newsletter! Schedule your own session now from my online calendar.

Bold Beautiful Color

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Wed, 22 Aug 2018 17:44:39 GMT

I'm so in love with the beautiful wardrobe choices that my friend Emily made for her family's summer portrait session. I admittedly don't feel like the best person to be giving advice about wardrobe choices, as fashion has never been a topic I have felt particularly comfortable with, but I absolutely know what I like for a session when I see it, and this is it.

I'm drawn to colorful photographs and prefer rich, deep colors & jewel tones. I don't mind a good neutral color scheme either, but its colorful choices like the ones below that I really love.

Lucy's dress is definitely the focal point, and when choosing clothing for a family photo session, that's a great way to start...pick one person's outfit (doesn't really matter who) to be the focal point and then build the rest of the choices around that one piece. I'm obsessed with this deep mustard like yellow color, as I think it looks beautiful in most outdoor photos (deep purple is also a fantastic choice). But I do warn clients to be careful with yellow, because if it's too neon, it can create a color cast on the person's face which is really hard to correct in post processing. But Lucy's dress is just right.

And I love how Maggie is wearing a bit more neutral of a top to balance out the bold print of Lucy's dress, but ties in the floral pattern in her shorts. And mom's orange pants are the perfect pop of color and look beautiful with the mustard. It all comes together looking beautifully coordinated, but not to matchy matchy.

What do you think? What are your favorite colors for photographs?

Have you booked your family portrait session yet? Fall sessions are going fast, so don't wait to book your session.

Love these pictures? I would love it if you would leave a comment below and consider sharing this post with friends!

Please take a minute follow me on Facebook , Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested, or sign up for my monthly newsletter! Schedule your own session now from my online calendar.

The Good Memories

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 17:21:41 GMT

I'm really struggling with how to start off this post, so I'm going to jump right into it.

This is my beautiful friend Chelsea and her daughter Molly. Chelsea is one of the most kind hearted and loving people I've ever met and would literally give the shirt off of her back to anyone who needs it. And my heart is hurting for her.

I've been photographing Chelsea & Molly for several years now. Last year, she wanted to include her parents and her brother Chris in their session. Chelsea's brother, Chris, had recently gotten out of jail. He had struggled with addiction for years, but at the time, was clean and doing very well and the family was full of hope for his future. We met at Harlinsdale Farms and it was a gorgeous evening full of laughter and love, and of course photographs.

On Saturday, I photographed this session for Chelsea & Molly. They are one of my favorite families to photograph always, as the love and connection between these two is truly something special to capture.

On Sunday, Chelsea's brother Chris lost his battle with addiction. Chelsea and her parents received the heartbreaking phone call that he had been found unresponsive at home and it was later confirmed that he died of an accidental overdose.

I sat with Chelsea last night and listened to her talk about her brother & how much she loved him. It has been years of heartbreak for her family, but she wants to focus on all of the good memories she has of him. I didn't really know Chris at all, but I do know that he looked at his sister and his niece with such admiration and love.

As they mourn the loss of his precious life, Chelsea and her family hope that Chris's story may help someone else to seek the help they need to overcome addiction. And to seek help again, and again and again, until they beat it, if that's what is necessary. When lost in addiction, a person might believe that their life doesn't matter. But I promise you, it matters. Addiction impacts so many people and has reached epidemic proportions. Below are the beautiful faces of people who have been heartbroken by this disease.

Chelsea & her family are asking that anyone who would like to honor Chris's memory do so by making a donation to the Dismas House of Nashville. The Dismas house believes that second chances saves lives, and their mission is to provide a safe haven for offenders transferring out of prison to aid them in beginning a new life.

If you need more information about addiction resources, check out Bradford Health or call 1-888-577-0012.

Family of Addiction Family of Addiction Family of Addiction Family of Addiction Family of Addiction Family of Addiction Family of Addiction Family of Addiction Family of Addiction Family of Addiction Family of Addiction Family of Addiction Family of Addiction
Family of Addiction

Please take a minute follow me on Facebook , Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested, or sign up for my monthly newsletter! Schedule your own session now from my online calendar.

Photo Session Location Selection - Light & a good dose of Imagination

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Mon, 20 Aug 2018 16:53:20 GMT

Sometimes, clients already have an idea of the type of location they would like to use for their family portraits, and other times they come to me for suggestions. Sometimes, my suggestions sound a little crazy and not like a "normal" place that you would want to have photos made.

Lucky for me, if you are a client who is also my friend, then you trust me when I say "meet me by the U-Haul place off the side of the street. That's exactly what Erin did without blinking, and I love her for it.

I happened to notice the spot when I was scouting for light before our session, and it just called out to me. I snapped the first two photos below with my cell phone, just so I could show you how ridiculous it probably looked as a location option. It's really kind of a dirty, uninteresting stretch of road with a broken down old building, a billboard facing the interstate, and a parking lot full of U-haul trucks.

But on this particular day, the light, the clouds, the wildflowers, a little fence and the way the weeds were growing caught my eye. Now, if I go back in a few weeks, I might find the place completely uninspiring, but for Saturday, it worked. So I wanted to show it to you as an example of how it might look to you, versus how it looks through my camera.

For when scouting out locations for a portrait session, the most important factor is the light, and then a healthy dose of imagination to see what it might look like through the lens of the camera.

Location Selection

Have you booked your family portrait session yet? Fall sessions are going fast, so don't wait to book your session.

Love these pictures? I would love it if you would leave a comment below and consider sharing this post with friends!

Please take a minute follow me on Facebook , Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested, or sign up for my monthly newsletter! Schedule your own session now from my online calendar.

Summer Family of Four Session at Harlinsdale Farms

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Tue, 07 Aug 2018 21:06:22 GMT

What an absolutely gorgeous day it was for this family portrait session at Harlinsdale Farms in Franklin. We had the best time exploring the farm and goofing off. These boys were just too much fun and I just adore all their expressions and interactions.

Summer is almost over and I'm booking Fall sessions now! These will fill up fast, so don't wait to book your spot!

Please note that there are currently two different options for choosing a date on my calendar. One is for August sessions and for Fall weekday session where you may choose the location for your session.

The other choice is my Fall weekend session calendar. In order to get in as many clients as I can for the busy season, I will be choosing the session locations for these dates so that I may book clients back to back at the same location. On the calendar, you will see the tentative locations for these dates. However, it is possible these may change depending on how the locations look once Fall comes.

Have you booked your family portrait session yet? Fall sessions are going fast, so don't wait to book your session.

Love these pictures? I would love it if you would leave a comment below and consider sharing this post with friends!

Please take a minute follow me on Facebook , Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested, or sign up for my monthly newsletter! Schedule your own session now from my online calendar.

Breathtakingly Beautiful - with BrandiLee

(Crystal Freemon Photography) — Sun, 05 Aug 2018 19:01:46 GMT

"Life is amazing. And then it's awful. And then it's amazing again. And in between the amazing and awful it's ordinary and mundane and routine. Breathe in the amazing, hold on through the awful, and relax and exhale during the ordinary. That's just living heartbreaking, soul-healing, amazing, awful, ordinary life. And it's breathtakingly beautiful." - L.R.Knost

My new photo project:

I did a personal project about three years ago that I called "This is Motherhood" In that project, I asked mothers to allow me to take a simple portrait of them, and then I asked them to tell me about motherhood. I gave them a few prompts or thought starters, but mainly was just looking for some insight or experience they had with motherhood that might mean something to other mothers. I was blown away with what women were willing to share with me. Their stories ranged from funny to heartbreaking, and all of them were honest and inspiring.

For some months now, I've felt the desire to do another photo project, but I couldn't get my mind around what exactly it would be.

I knew that like the first project, I wanted it to be about strong, beautiful women (though not necessarily just mothers.) In my line of work, I see a lot about how women are down on themselves, never feeling "enough". I have a desire to somehow show them through my lens, that they are enough. Just the way they are.

I also knew I wanted it to be different from the first project in that I didn't want it to be just a single portrait, but a more of a story telling photo essay for each woman. I wanted it to be set in her own environment doing her own thing. I wanted to show women doing hard things, amazing things, but also ordinary things. I wanted to photograph women living life. Embracing it even.

But I wanted some kind of quote or theme to tie them altogether and I've struggled with finding what that would be. For a while, I had settled on "She believed she could, so she did." I liked that it implies some action...as I wanted to include some activity in the stories, and not just some portrait. But something was bothering me about that quote, and I finally figured out what it was....lots of times, she doesn't believe that she could. But she does anyway. Because she has to. Many times, women don't know their own strength. I want my project to show them their strength through the photos, so that quote just didn't feel right.

Then, as I was browsing the internet, I came across the quote above, and it just felt like exactly what I was looking for. I want to photograph women doing heartbreaking, soul-healing, amazing, awful and ordinary things. I believe there is beauty in every moment...the hard, the wonderful and also the mundane. I want to photograph that beauty.

Breathtakingly Beautiful with BrandiLee

Ok so I didn't take these photos for my project, but taking them helped me to decide on exactly what it was I wanted my project to be.

I first met BrandiLee last October, when I photographed a family portrait session for them. Last week, a friend of Brandi's contacted me. She told me that Brandi had been selected by The Mom's We Love Club as their featured mom for August. The Moms We Love Club is an Instagram account dedicated to loving on struggling moms through spreading awareness, prayer and fundraising. For the feature, they needed lifestyle images of BrandiLee at home. I was happy to have the honor of shooting for such a great cause, so we picked a time and I showed up to photograph real life. Brandilee will be featured at The Moms We Love club starting August 9, so please follow the page, and share the posts when you see them.

As far as strong women go, I'm not sure I know any stronger than BrandiLee, though I'm positive she didn't plan for life to be that way and that she often feels that she is not strong enough to deal with what life has dealt her. I cannot even begin to do her story justice, but please, please go read about this precious family on their GoFundme page, and if you are lead, consider making a donation.

The quote struck me so when I read it, because honestly, editing these photos took my breath away.

What struck me the most was the joy.

And first let me say that I know it's not all joy. I don't want to minimize in any way the horrible heartbreak this family deals with on a daily basis. I cannot even imagine. I know there must be anger, and tears and so much pain.

But also, there were giggles, and hugs and helping mama make tortilla sandwiches, and licking the butter off the knife. And funny snap chat videos, and being excited when Daddy gets home. And asking for more watermelon. And snuggling with brother on the couch. And bedtime kisses.

And all of it was just breathtakingly beautiful. #breathtakinglybeautiful

Breathtakingly Beautiful with Brandi Breathtakingly Beautiful with Brandi Breathtakingly Beautiful with Brandi Breathtakingly Beautiful with Brandi Breathtakingly Beautiful with Brandi Breathtakingly Beautiful with Brandi Breathtakingly Beautiful with Brandi Breathtakingly Beautiful with Brandi Breathtakingly Beautiful with Brandi Breathtakingly Beautiful with Brandi Breathtakingly Beautiful with Brandi Breathtakingly Beautiful with Brandi Breathtakingly Beautiful with Brandi Breathtakingly Beautiful with Brandi Breathtakingly Beautiful with Brandi

Do you have an idea for a story that needs to be included in my project? Please let me know. What in your life is breathtakingly beautiful?

Please take a minute follow me on Facebook , Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested. Schedule your own session now from my online calendar.

Crystal Freemon Photography: Blog

5 Reasons to get photos of your younger teen or tween

Point Mallard Water Park - Perfect day trip from Spring Hill

So where is it?

What we liked:

What we didn't like:

In Summary

10 Tips for Photographing your child's birthday party

Wanderlust: Our St Louis Family Vacation (3 years ago)

St Louis Vacation from Nashville for family of four with 2 young kids.

Ok, so why am I writing this now?

Why St. Louis?

An Overview of Our Itinerary:

HOTEL Selection:

Sunday: Driving to St. Louis and Magic House

Monday: St. Louis Science Museum and Independence Day with Fair St. Louis

Tuesday: City Museum, Crown Candy Kitchen & St. Louis Arch

Wednesday: History & Art Museums

Thursday: St. Louis Zoo

Friday: More Gateway Arch, Citygarden Budweiser Plant & Dinner at the Biergarten

Saturday: Grants Farm & then Drive Home

So was that useful information?

Family Portrait Session at Winstead Park with Epic One-Year birthday Watermelon "Smash"

"The laughter, the fun, the hand-holding, the love."

Four-year old and six-year old sisters hugging with beautiful sunlight behind them. What is stopping you from booking a family portrait session?

50 years together, a celebration of the Asbells

A Christmas Gift to Last a Lifetime - Photo Session for Mom

Baby Evie & Capturing the Uniqueness of Each Family

Yes, Bring the Dogs

Haley's Magical Dress Session

Let's talk about aspect ratio and cropping photos

Hannah's First Communion Portrait Session at Catholic Church of the Nativity

Combination Family & Senior Portrait Session in Thompson Station TN

Baby Azure's At Home Newborn Portrait Session in Spring Hill

Share the Love Instagram Contest Portrait Session Part 2

Share the Love Instagram Contest Family Portrait Session Part 1

William's First Birthday Portrait Session at Harlinsdale Farms in Franklin TN

Be Our Guest: Scarlett's Beauty & the Beast Birthday Party | Spring Hill TN Photographer

❤️Spring Hill TN LOVE - Happy Valentine's Day

February Family Portrait Session at the Park at Harlinsdale Farms in Franklin TN

What kind of camera I use - and why that’s the wrong question | Spring Hill, TN Family Photographer

The Perfect Day for a January Photo Session

Find your Tribe, Love them Hard

Downtown Franklin Senior Portrait Session

Margot & her dolly

Now booking sessions for January!

Sweet Baby Abigail

Now booking sessions for January!

Alicia's Quinceanera Part 2: The Celebration

Please take a minute follow me on Facebook , Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested! Schedule your own session now from my online calendar.

Alicia's Quinceanera Part 1: Formal Pics at Homestead Manor

Please take a minute follow me on Facebook , Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested! Schedule your own session now from my online calendar.

Capturing Christmas Traditions

Please take a minute follow me on Facebook , Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested! Schedule your own session now from my online calendar.

My first "real" clients

Don't forget to purchase tickets to have your photo made with Santa at the Spring Station Holiday Market on December 1. Proceeds go to help Spring Station Middle School Purchase technology. Don't wait because these are going fast!!

My ideal clients

Don't forget to purchase tickets to have your photo made with Santa at the Spring Station Holiday Market on December 1. Proceeds go to help Spring Station Middle School Purchase technology. Don't wait because these are going fast!!

The best weekend for Family Photos with Fall Color

Don't forget to purchase tickets to have your photo made with Santa at the Spring Station Holiday Market on December 1. Proceeds go to help Spring Station Middle School Purchase technology. Don't wait because these are going fast!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and I love it!

Please take a minute follow me on Facebook , Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested! Schedule your own session now from my online calendar.

A list of things I can (and will) photoshop for you, and a few things I won't

Please take a minute follow me on Facebook , Instagram, Google+ or Pinterest and share with your friends who might be interested! Schedule your own session now from my online calendar.

Repeat clients are my favorite

Don't forget to purchase tickets to have your photo made with Santa at the Spring Station Holiday Market on December 1. Proceeds go to help Spring Station Middle School Purchase technology. Don't wait because these are going fast!!

Downtown Columbia Senior Session

Don't forget to purchase tickets to have your photo made with Santa at the Spring Station Holiday Market on December 1. Proceeds go to help Spring Station Middle School Purchase technology. Don't wait because these are going fast!!

Tell me about some "things" that are valuable to your family

Don't forget to purchase tickets to have your photo made with Santa at the Spring Station Holiday Market on December 1. Proceeds go to help Spring Station Middle School Purchase technology. Don't wait because these are going fast!!

No, we aren't doing photos with Satan...and other reasons I need a copy editor.

Don't forget to purchase tickets to have your photo made with Santa at the Spring Station Holiday Market on December 1. Proceeds go to help Spring Station Middle School Purchase technology. Don't wait because these are going fast!!

What exactly is Lifestyle Photography?

Don't forget to purchase tickets to have your photo made with Santa at the Spring Station Holiday Market on December 1. Proceeds go to help Spring Station Middle School Purchase technology. Don't wait because these are going fast!!

The Junk in my Trunk

Sparklers

6 quilts in various colors

A bubble machine

Bubble Juice

An extra camera bag with camera (not my main camera…I carry that inside)

Family of Addiction Family of Addiction Family of Addiction Family of Addiction Family of Addiction Family of Addiction Family of Addiction Family of Addiction Family of Addiction Family of Addiction Family of Addiction Family of Addiction Family of Addiction
Family of Addiction