Gatlinburg Family Pictures | Pigeon Forge Photographer | Melanie's Family

Cades Cove Family Pictures

Extended Families are the best! When Melanie contacted me to capture her fun family while they were all on vacation together, I was thrilled! I love getting to be a part of these big families while they visit the Smoky Mountains. Plus, Smoky Mountain pictures are to die for! Sharing the natural beauty I experience on a daily basis =). I seriously can't tell you how much I love being a Gatlinburg photographer!

Big Family Picture in Cades Cove

Of course, we had to get a picture of all of the family together with the mountains! No stay in Gatlinburg would be complete without it! They are such a lovely bunch, and such pleasant company!

Candid Smoky Mountain Picture

So much of my work is beautiful, posed portraits, which are GREAT, but sometimes the candids are my very favorites. This sweet little family had fun playing in the field and we got some candid fun on camera with the stunning Smoky Mountains in the background. oh, and that light!!

Gatlinburg Family Pictures

Now it's time to share a few more of my favorites! We took so many awesome pictures that it was super hard to narrow them down for a blog post! 

Gatlinburg Photographer | Child Photography | Make-a-Wish Colten

Knoxville Child Photographer | Lumberjack Session

A few months back, I was contacted by the Make-A-Wish foundation after they found me searching family photographers in Gatlinburg TN to do a photography session for a very special little boy named Colten. Colten's wish was to be a lumberjack and where better to be a lumberjack than the Great Smoky Mountains! The Make-A-Wish Foundation made all the arrangements for Colten and his family to travel to Gatlinburg and make this dream come true.  They made sure he got to see the brand new Lumberjack Adventure show in Pigeon Forge, TN, supplied his lumberjack outfit, and even sent the family to enjoy Dollywood! 

Gatlinburg Photography in the Mountains

Colten was just a bit reluctant at first for these pictures, and unsure if he wanted to wear his super-adorable overalls, but once he warmed up, this little guy was a ham!!! He looked so proud of himself in these poses! I cannot even begin to tell you what a joy he was. We took the first few in just jeans until he was ready for those darling overalls. Chopping railroad ties must be a ton of fun!

Smoky Mountain Pictures

Everything perfectly aligned for these images, we had a slightly overcast day with beautiful lighting, which made the Smoky Mountain backdrop perfect!!! I couldn't ask for better conditions. Colten was the perfect model, in the perfect location to be a lumberjack. 

Pigeon Forge Family Photographer

At the end of the session, I had the honor to photograph Colten with his whole family who made the trip to Tennessee with him. I cannot even begin to tell you how grateful I am for the opportunity to provide these memories for this sweet little boy's beautiful family. As a Pigeon Forge photographer, I see a lot of families here on vacation and I adore being able to capture their trip, but this one is my very favorite <3. 

At the very end of the session, Colten gave me a hug and chatted away to me for a few minutes on the front steps of their cabin. I asked his mom to snap a picture for me on my cell phone. It might not be a great quality picture, but it's a wonderful memory.

Child Photographer | Knoxville Photography | Bren is Two!

Knoxville Photographer

Bren is two!!! I can hardly believe this little guy is already two years old! We moved back to Knoxville when this little guy was just 5 months old, so it hardly seems possible that so much time has gone by!

Knoxville Child Photography

Lately, I've been getting really into custom, themed children photography sessions for Knoxville. They are just too cute and so much fun! Let me tell you, the kiddos have a blast! The best part?? When the kids are having fun, we get amazing pictures, PLUS a fun memory. They can be anything they want and have a chance to dream big, and see their dream come to light. 

Airplane Children Pictures

We spent the evening turning Bren into an airplane pilot! He flew his little plane all over the place. He laughed, he cried ( totally how most toddler sessions go, lol!), and his awesome Daddy had to roll around in the grass and play fight to get some of these big smiles! The end results are 100% worth the 100 mosquito bites, and hour of acting like a fool for adorable smiles. 

Believe or not, there was a 10 minute meltdown prior to this picture, but then he Dad came to the rescue! When I tell you your toddler is normal when they don't want to take pictures, trust me!

Could anyone resist those grins?? There might have been some off-camera sword fighting with grass stems going on. 

These are just pure perfection and make me want to do these custom, super-fun sessions every day!

Lifestyle Maternity Pictures | Knoxville Photographer | The Franklins

Maternity Photography

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting and photographing the Franklins! I'm not sure I've ever had the pleasure of meeting a more lovely couple. Our Knoxville maternity session was scheduled for a week where it rained nearly every afternoon here in East Tennesse but they didn't let them get them down! Instead, they invited me into their lovely home for indoor, lifestyle pictures! Their beautiful house was perfect for a lifestyle session; so light, bright, and open.

Lifestyle Maternity Couple's Pictures

I LOVE when dads are so involved with maternity pictures. I totally get that most men are not a huge fan of pictures ( I mean, I can't blame them. I'm not a huge fan of being in front of the camera myself!), but it's wonderful to have the images, with Dad included, to look back on later. Jeff was awesome, and his love for their little girl is written all over his face in their pictures. <3 <3 <3 <3. He's going to take some awesome new dad portraits when their little girl arrives! 

Seriously, these two needed hardly any guidance to nail perfect posed, or beautiful candid images. 

Uli had a ton of great ideas, and we did our own spin on this one. I couldn't be happier with the results! What parents aren't completely immersed in these books???

You would never know we were battling dreary, drizzly weather that day. 

Lifestyle Maternity Mom-To-Be

Uli was radiant! We did some beautiful maternity poses of just her in their home as well. They are simply stunning. Maternity pictures don't get any more gorgous than these. 

Outdoor Maternity Pictures

Despite the AMAZING pictures we were able to take indoor, I desperately wanted to take a few pictures of Uli outdoors on their property. So, the next week, I went out for a quick mini session. Beautiful trees, fields, and wide open blue skies what more do you need? 

Knoxville Photographer | Maternity Photographer

Knoxville Photographers | Newborn Photographer | Stella Rose

Knoxville Newborn Photographer

Oh how I adore my time with sweet babies! This beautiful girl was no different; she was the sweetest thing! Plus her parents were open to all of my fun ideas for her session! I snuck in lots of baby snuggles, which might just be the best part of my job. 

Outdoor Newborn Pictures

I just love the outdoors ( especially our beautiful Smoky Mountains!!!), so I was over the moon when Stella's Mom and Dad agreed to let me take her outside for a few pictures. We got to break out one of newest props and she did amazing! It threatened to rain the whole time, but held off until just after we finished. The result is perfection!

Lace Basket and Floral Wreath Newborn Pictures

Next, I used a beautiful, delicate basket for miss Stella decked out in light purple. It was beautiful! Stella rocked every pose I could throw at her. And that sweet teddy bear? Just perfect!

Floral is on my top ten list of favorite things! I love working some floral setups in my girly newborn sessions. Little miss was wide awake for these and oh-so cute.

Knoxville Newborn Pictures

We ended Stella's session on the beanbag with beautiful colors that match her nursery. I adore how her dark hair looks on this vintage teal! She's a little doll <3

Knoxville Photographer | Newborn Photographer

Sleeklens Portrait Workflow Review | Knoxville Photographer

Knoxville Photographers

Hello! Fellow photogs, this one is for you! I got my hands on a great Photoshop workflow ( or action set as I've always known them as) for portrait photographers! From the time I installed the Sleeklens portrait workflow, it's been super easy to use. I spent quite some time playing with the different actions, all of the bases, and artistic additions. I absolutely love the look they give to my images and I'm thrilled to be able to use them going forward for my sessions. They take practically no time to apply and there's something for all of the "feels" I want to give to my images, from bright and airy, to darker and moody. 

Check out this awesome before and after! I used several different actions from the Sleeklens workflow, and it only took a few minutes to get a gorgeous picture! I love the warmth these added with ease! This edit took less than 5 minutes, which is so important for busy photographers!

Overall, the Sleeklens workflow is a worthy addition to your own photography workflow. I wouldn't change a thing about them. 

Check them out for yourself here

BEFORE

AFTER

I've been able to edit several types of images with these and I've yet to find a type of portrait session that they don't work for! They lend a polished look to beautiful images. 

Knoxville Photographers | Maternity Pictures | Brooke's Session

Knoxville Maternity Photographer

Say a big hello to Brooke and David who are being featured on the blog today with their simply amazing maternity pictures. A few months back, I photographed David's brother and his family who were visiting home from Texas, which is how Brooke found me, and I'm SO glad she did! 

This couple was up for anything and hiked with me through the thorns into a grassy field, up a hill off of a backroad in Maryville. I stumbled upon this location by total accident one day after picking my kiddos up from VBS this summer. As a Maryville photographer, I'm always on the lookout for new locations in our small town, and surrounding areas. 

Maternity Silhouette

Brooke and David had just one request for me to work into their maternity session: a silhouette. We did a few and nailed them! This one was my favorite, she has the perfect belly for it!

Maternity Belly Picture

No maternity session is complete without a beautiful belly picture! There's something so beautiful about a belly shot to remind us of that little life later on <3. Brooke totally rocked it; it doesn't get any prettier than that. 

Couple's Maternity Pictures

I ADORE when the Dads are willing to get in front of the camera! Typically it's all about the mom-to-be, but I love showing the whole family at this special time. It makes for great memories and beautiful portraits for your little one to look at years from now. 

Knoxville Maternity 

Last, but not least, enjoy some of my favorites of just Brooke! She's stunning and the gorgeous sunny field compliments her wonderfully. These are some of my very favorite Knoxville maternity pictures!

 Knoxville Maternity Photography 

 

Knoxville Photographer | Hardin Valley Senior | Senior Pictures | Ariel

Knoxville Senior Portraits

Meet Ariel!! She's a super sweet Hardin Valley High School 2017 senior. I had the absolute pleasure of taking her AMAZING Knoxville senior pictures last month. She's beautiful inside and out, and full of great ideas! She's a budding photographer herself, so it was an honor to be chosen to take her senior portraits.

Urban Knoxville Senior Pictures

Ariel's first choice of location was downtown Knoxville for an urban feel to her portraits. It was such fun exploring down there with her and her Mom! She knew of some great spots, combined with a few of my favorites, these pictures are to die for! Even though it was 95 degrees out in Knoxville that day, you'd never know by looking at Ariel's pictures!

These yellow doors were one of her find. Aren't they perfect??

Her red Converse were the perfect fit for this downtown Knoxville spot, they really pop! 

She's is stunning! Those flowers frame her wonderfully <3

Knoxville Senior Portraits in Grassy Field

Our second spot was a gorgeous, grassy field in Maryville during my favorite time of day, golden hour. It gives the images a soft, golden glow that is just perfect! Ariel brought along this awesome chair, isn't it cool? I may need one for myself as a prop! The meadow made for a beautiful backdrop for this portion of the session, I had such a hard time choosing images because there were so many awesome ones.

We ended our session on the most adorable white boardwalk. Ariel looks like a movie star! She totally reminds me of Taylor Swift; just gorgous! 

Lemonade Stand Pictures | Lemonade Minis | Knoxville Photographers

Knoxville Child Photographer

Oh what fun these pictures were of my own sweet girls! My Knoxville lemonade stand made the perfect setting for my girls to have a little fun in a sweet set-up. They loved it! Pictures are much more fun when you get to play Lemonade Stand. My girls can be next to impossible to take pictures of, so them enjoying themselves was a major nod of approval!

Knoxville Sister Pictures

Fun sister pictures are the best! I love watching my girls have fun together, while making beautiful pictures for my walls. The two of them together in the lemonade stand are my favorites! These girls were so great together; I couldn't ask for better!

Child and Tween Pictures

Now that I have a school aged child and a tween, pictures are so important! I love that they get to dress up and feel beautiful and special, especially when they see their portraits on the living room wall. As much as they dislike sitting still for pictures, they ADORE the results. 

I can't wait to use this set-up again! They were just darling. 

First Birthday Pictures | Knoxville Photographers | Child Photographer | Ziva

Knoxville First Birthday Pictures

Meet Ziva, a very spunky, and smiley baby girl who just turned one! Sweet girl kept us on our toes during her first birthday photo session in Knoxville; I loved it! Her Mommy and Daddy were great at getting smiles, and such good sports about being silly to get those precious smiles. 

Rustic Barn Backdrop

For our first stop, we used a rustic, barn type of building for a lovely backdrop. Of course it was nothing in comparison to this little girl's smile! She's such a little star. 

Knoxville Flower Garden

The beautiful gardens in Knoxville are the perfect spot for photos! Miss Ziva loved touching the flowers and feeling the grass. The greenery and flowers were a great addition to her first birthday photos. 

Fairytale Knoxville Location

The last spot we used for Ziva's pictures looks like something right our of a fairytale! The mossy steps and trailing ivy just screams storybook to me. It's perfect for all types of sessions, and I love the magic it added to this cuties images. 

Lifestyle Photography Knoxville | Maternity Pictures | Knoxville Photographer

The Ellis Family

Say hello to this awesome couple! They're expecting their first little one this month; I can't wait to meet her in a few weeks. 

Kelsey suggested a lifestyle session at her Knoxville home, and of course, I was thrilled to oblige. I ADORE Knoxville lifestyle sessions, and when one comes my way, I'm one happy photographer. Posed portraits are great, but I also love a healthy mix of candid, beautiful in-between moments. 

Lifestyle Maternity Pictures Outdoors

The Ellises have a beautiful yard, with stunning light during golden hour, and we took full advantage. We started with some cute outdoor maternity poses that highlighted what a cute couple they are. What better place to start than the front porch?

A maternity session is complete without a cute belly shot. 

This one is a fabulous example of that beautiful light I was talking about. It makes Kelsey glow even more. 

Maternity Pictures with Fur Babies

The Ellises dogs are a huge part of their life, so of course we wanted to include them in a couple of shots. Even though they were SUPER excited to meet me, we managed to get a few really cute puppy pictures ( there might have been some bribing with treats, *wink, wink*). That smile on her face says it all <3.

Lifestyle Photography Indoors

To round off our session, we stepped inside their lovely home, and took a few indoor lifestyle portraits. Their darling nursery and kitchen made the perfect backdrop!

I hope you enjoyed these highlights!

Knoxville Photographers

University of Tennessee Senior | UTK Graduation Pictures | Knoxville Headshots | Anniece

College Senior Portraits

What an achievement!!! Anniece is not only a UTK graduate but this past month she also graduated with her Masters in Public Health! Shes's such a sweet, spunky girl, I know she'll do great things with her life! We had this great combination session for UTK graduation picture, Professional Headshots, and Family Portraits. 

Knoxville Cap and Gown Pictures

Because graduations is a HUGE deal, we had to get a few with her cap and gown. It's definitely a milestone you want to remember with portraits.  First, we took one in front of Ayers Hall on the UTK campus.

Then we grabbed some closeups of her in her cap with some of the beautiful architecture in the background. 

Professional Headshots

Anniece also wanted some professional headshots to start her new career with, and what better place to do that than the Univerisity of Tennessee Campus?

Doesn't she look lovely hanging out on the back stairs to Ayers Hall??

This lovely arched doorway made a fabulous spot for a headshot. 

This one is my very favorite of her headshots. She looks stunning and the location is perfect. 

Knoxville Family Picture

The last thing on our list was to capture Anniece with her family, who traveled all the way up from Texas to watch her graduation. They were a great bunch; so full of laughter! An all-around lovley family. 

Smoky Mountain Photographer | Knoxville Senior Portraits | Morgan

Knoxville TN Senior Portraits

Say hello to Morgan! She's a super sweet 2016 Knoxville senior with some big ideas! She had such great ideas for her Smoky Mountain senior portraits! Morgan was amazing  and even brought super cute props, I couldn't have chosen them better myself! We ended up using a beautiful location overlooking the Smoky Mountains, and boy were her and her mom troopers on the hike up, in heels no less!

The Red Suitcase

Morgan found this darling vintage suitcase at an antique store in Knoxville. We got some fabulous pictures with it! Oh the places she'll go next year and beyond!

The suitcase also appeared in this cute Pinterest inspired pose that Morgan suggested. She rocked her heels and tassel!

The Scarf

Pinterest in a gold-mine for photography inspiration, and Morgan found a pose there with a scarf she fell in love with. I re-created it with my own spin with the gorgeous Smoky Mountains in the background. It's such a whimsical senior portrait.

Stack of Books

A stack of books is PERFECT for a Knoxville senior portrait, it represents all the hardwork you've put in over the last four years. These vintage books were a great touch for Morgan's session.

Cap and Gown

Of course we had to include cap and gown pictures! No Knoxville senior session is complete without them! 

And she's DONE!!!

Newborn Pictures | Knoxville Photographers | Lily

Maryville Newborn Photographer

Last week, I had the pleasure of photographing sweet Miss Lily and family! Her awesome Mom contacted me a few weeks ago to schedule a Fresh 48 session in the hospital and her newborn session. I noticed something funny when I glanced over her paperwork for the session. As you may already know, I have two little girls, Lila who is 8, and Mylie who is 6. When I looked at her questionnaire, I thought I MUST be mis-reading! The names and ages listed were Lylah- 8 and Mylee- 6. What are the odds of having little girls with the same names, and the same ages and both live in little Maryville? I have to say, it made it easy to remember their names!

Newborn with Sisters

These girls did GREAT for their picture, I'm so excited to share! They had to endure a lot of holding still while I got everything perfect, but I think the end result is well worth it. 

Harry Potter Newborn Nursery

Miss Lily has a fabulous Harry Potter themed nursery, and her whole family is full of huge fans. I can't tell you how many times I've read the books, and watched the movies, so I fit right in. Sadly, I haven't ordered any Harry Potter specific props yet (that'll be changing ASAP!), but I did have an awesome owl bonnet in honor of Headwig and used a gorgous mustard color for Gryffendor! 

Newborn Pictures

The last few pictures I have to share are some assorted favorites from the session on the beanbag. Lily was a champ once she fell asleep; her pictures are amazing!

This last one, is one of my favorites. I love what I was able to do with this image. It turned out simply beautiful. I hope Lily's Mom loves it as much as I do!

Maternity Pictures | Knoxville Photographers | MaryEllen

Knoxville Maternity Photographer

On Mother's Day, I had the opportunity to meet the lovely MaryEllen, who is expecting her first sweet baby, a girl, next month. I had an idea for some beautiful maternity pictures, and this adventurous mom-to-be helped me make it happen! 

Mountain Maternity Pictures

I ADORE the mountains, and I was so excited to do a session with such a stunning backdrop. We met at spot not too far out of the city, with an amazing view, and beautiful cliffs. This place is breathtaking!! I could spend all day there just taking in the view. 

This view, plus a sunset was perfection! I don't think you can take a more beautiful maternity picture in Knoxville!

The mountains compliment her beautiful, pregnant glow so well. 

Rustic Maternity Portrait

When I think of the Smoky Mountains, I think of rustic. I knew going in I wanted a rustic maternity portrait in black and white as one of the final products from this session. I love the velvety look of the mountains in black and white and the twisted pine. It's just perfect!

I had so much fun with this session, and meeting MaryEllen. What a wonderful way to spend Mother's Day!

Family Photos | Knoxville Photographers | The Manuels

Knoxville Family Photos

I had the pleasure of meeting and photographing the beautiful Manuel family a couple of weeks ago. This sweet family was visiting their hometown all the way from Texas! I'm so glad they squeezed in time for some family pictures in Knoxville TN. It's such a beautiful place, and I know they'll love taking these memories back with them. 

Child Portraits

This little girl is the SWEETEST! She just played, and hammed it up for my camera. Seriously, what a doll! I had a great time chasing her around and capturing the most beautiful posed and candid pictures. 

How could anyone not just adore that face?? She did a fabulous job looking amazing for her portraits. 

At the end of our session, she brought me so many flowers, running back and forth between me and the field. It doesn't get much better than that <3

Family Portraits

We spent the other portion of our session on family pictures. I wanted to capture some beautiful images of this family of three together. Their busy schedules made it hard for them to carve out time for family portraits, and this was the perfect opportunity to get everyone together. 

I knew it would be a great session when this was the very first picture I took during their session. They are such ahappy bunch. 

The in-between picture moments are sometimes the best. I love the sweet moments between parents and their beautiful babies. 

I have one of the best jobs, spending time with families like these. I can't think of a better way to spend my evening. 

Maternity Photos | Knoxville Photographer | The Bowers

Knoxville Maternity Pictures

Meet Lyndsey and Jesse Bower. You would be hard-pressed to find a sweeter couple than these two! Jesse contacted me a few months before after searching for a Knoxville photographer to set up the maternity pictures for their anniversary. Major awesome points to him!!! Seriously, any man who willingly sets up portraits is A-OK in my book. We had a great time at the Knoxville Botanical Gardens, and took some beautiful maternity portraits!

Mom-to-be Pictures

In most Knoxvile maternity sessions, I like to get a great variety of images, including some of the mom-to-be alone. It's such a special time, and I love being able to make these lovely women feel as beautiful as they look while they're expecting. 

We stumbled upon a lovely brick staircase at the gardens, it was the perfect spot to show off this beautiful mom!

This ivy wall makes for a PERFECT backdrop for Knoxville Photographers for all types of sessions.

These stone buildings are beautiful! Knoxville maternity sessions have so many options for great backdrops!!  I love incorporating them into my sessions. 

Couple Maternity Pictures

Pregnancy pictures aren't just about the Mom, we also have a Daddy-to-be! I love to include them in as many shots as possible! Dads in maternity pictures make for some of the sweetest images. These are about your new family, and the start of a beautiful new life, it's time to celebrate! 

I love the framing of this stone wall, it's perfect to highlight the beautiful couple!

The beautiful Mom requested this pose, and I love how it turned out. It's so casual, but gorgeous! 

Lifestyle Newborn Photos | Knoxville Photographers | Amelia

Knoxville Newborn Baby Photographer

Little miss Amelia's Mom contacted me a few weeks ago to take some beautiful newborn pictures of her beautiful 6 week old daughter. At 6 weeks, she was a bit too old for typical newborn portraits. but that didn't mean we couldn't get amazing baby and family pictures! We opted for a lifestyle session to make the most out of their package. 

What are "Lifestyle Sessions" in Knoxville?

Lifestyle sessions are a style of professional photography that focuses on you being you. These pictures are more natural or candid and take place in your home, or another place that's special for your family, such as a local park with lots of memories. Older newborns make for GREAT Knoxville lifestyle photography. It's a great opportunity for their parents to snuggle their baby close, and preserve those sweet moments. 

Newborn Pictures in the Nursery

We started out Amelia's session in her pretty, pink nursery. It was the perfect backdrop to grab some great, relaxed photos of her with her Mom and Dad. Her Mom has such great decorating taste, which made the family pictures all  the better!

Who can resist such a sweet Mommy and baby moment???

Six Week Old Pictures

Next, we did a few pictures of baby Amelia, and guess what? She even smiled!!! I brought a few headbands, wraps, and props to enhance miss Amelia's beauty in her six week pictures alone. She rocked them!

Family Pictures On Their Bed

At the end of the session, we moved to their lovely master bedroom, and took a few lifestyle family pictures on their bed. This is one of my favorite things to do in  lifestyle session! I love the togetherness, and cozy feeling of these pictures. This session was no exception! It's so sweet to watch new moms and dads with their new addition in a comfy setting. 

Knoxville Lifestyle Photographer | Newborn Pictures

Amanda College Senior | Knoxville Senior Photographer

Knoxville Professional Photographer

Meet Amanda! A lovely Knoxville college senior girl who will be an RN next month! We met up to take some graduation portraits to celebrate this HUGE achievement. Amanda had some wonderful ideas for her senior portraits, and I had a great time with her and her Mom making her visions come to life. 

Here's a few I LOVE!

Dominic's Portraits | Knoxville Child Photographer

Knoxville Photographer

Meet Dominic! An absolutely spunky, fun-loving nine year old, who requested to have his picture taken in Knoxville with some awesome graffiti! Mr. Dominic wants to be a model, and boy is he good at it! Being a Knoxville child photographer, I've photographed hundreds of children, and he might have just been the easiest young man to work with!

This cool guy and me had a blast during his downtown Knoxville, Market Square, session.  He had so many great ideas, and knew just how to pose before I could even get the words out. I couldn't believe he was only nine!

Here's some favorites!