Summer is one of my favorite times for family photos. The days are longer, the sun sets feel more vibrant, and even the smiles are warmer.

I love taking portraits at a clients family cabin. I get to step into a piece of your story that holds so many memories. I can immediately sense that everyone is at ease because this is a place you're so comfortable in. You have your favorite spots and I can come in with fresh eyes and find locations that haven't been thought of yet.

That's exactly what happened with the Brown family. I met them at their family cabin on Lake Wissota in Chippewa Falls, WI and got a lay of the land. They had so many beautiful spots for photos including tall backlit trees, beautiful garden beds, and textured stone steps. The Browns did a great job creating outfits within a soft color palette of light blues, yellows and grays while also bouncing around grounding black tones.

What a Summer Family Session at the Cabin Actually Looks Like

If you have never booked an outdoor lifestyle family session at your cabin, I want to paint the picture of what this looks like from start to finish.

We began their session with anniversary portraits of mom and dad together, we captured some beautiful full family portraits in front of tall backyard trees with all three teenagers as the setting sun dappled the grass around them, and even snapped some silly sibling portraits along the stone steps leading to the garden.

Our goal for the session was to get variations of smiling and candid portraits of the whole family and some of just the teenagers together in different locations throughout the yard. Once we felt like we had a solid foundation of those portraits captured we then brought grandma into some portraits, along with the rest of her grandchildren, for extended family portraits at the cabin. Grandma got to take pictures of her with all her girls and then all her boys so she has variations to put on the wall and scatter throughout her home.

We ended with headshots for anyone who wanted one, including some for dad and some for their son who was just about to move and start applying for new jobs! Lastly, we made sure to get some portraits with the expansive views of Lake Wissota in Chippewa Falls, WI. This gorgeous backdrop made for some truly frame worthy shots.

Booking a Summer Family Session at the Cabin

Summer is one of my busiest seasons of the year, so I recommend reaching out sooner rather than later if you'd like to book a family session! The Summer season flies by and can quickly be filled with yard work, holidays, and finally enjoying the sun again. If you're interested in getting some on the calendar, we can book as early as March or April for your Summer family session.

I serve families throughout Hudson, New Richmond, Somerset, River Falls, Stillwater, Lake Elmo and the greater St. Croix Valley area. I do travel for sessions so, if you're outside the St. Croix Valley area like this session was, I can definitely accommodate you. Outdoor family sessions are available seasonally, so reach out if this is something you're interested in and I can help pick the right timeframe and location for your unique vision.

Next step is to visit my contact page to check availability. I can't wait to hear more about your family session!