A vibrant and cozy autumn outdoor family session in Knoxville Botanical Gardens with adoring family of four.

Autumn is such an amazing time to capture family photos, as the leaves and the softer lighting always make for a gorgeous backdrop. So when Suzannah and Randall, dear friends that are basically considered family at this point, reached out for a special fall family session, I was ecstatic. Their vibrant autumn family session at the Knoxville Botanical Gardens was so fun to shoot. Suzannah and I have shared so many life milestones together, from our pre-kids adventures to experiencing motherhood side by side. We have been pregnant together twice, with our babies both two months apart – a beautiful coincidence that has blessed our children with built in friends!

The Reagan family is such an amazing example of humility and hard work. Over the past six years, I’ve seen Randall and Suzannah not only excel in their careers but also embrace parenthood with such grace and love. Their selflessness and willingness to lend a hand are qualities that make them exceptional friends to us also. Plus, Suzannah can whip up a mean charcuterie board effortlessly. I know this because we will get together for any and every reason to eat good food. Throughout Randall’s medical school and residency, there have been many moves, but we have always hoped and prayed that they would return to Knoxville. Last year, that hope became a reality when they settled back in our favorite city. Woo hoo! Regular partying and get togethers now back to their usual schedule. 🙂

Photographing their growing family has been an absolute joy! From their days as a couple, to welcoming baby Zoe, and now baby Elise. This particular session was extra special as it was their first family photo session as a family of four. They scheduled it and had been eagerly anticipating it since summer. (A little tip: it’s never too early to schedule your fall session or your newborn session if you’re pregnant!)

I knew Zoe, with her fun and sweet personality, would be a delight to photograph. She was a bundle of energy, making the session quite lively. Baby Elise, so tiny and serene, slept through most of the session. But this provided lots of snuggly shots. This session doubled as a bit of a newborn shoot for Elise, but stay tuned for a dedicated newborn session blog for her. (If you like all of the adorable newborn shots from this session, make sure to check out another cozy in-home newborn session with plenty more snuggles!)

The afternoon light was perfect, and I had the best time chasing Zoe around and capturing her from every angle with both digital and film. I love all of these moments captured below. Enjoy these memories from the Reagans first family photos as a family of four!