Some sessions ask for a studio and soft light. This one asked for a road trip — mine, not theirs.
Juniper Creek Farm is right in the McInnes family’s backyard, tucked into southern Wake County, and Stacey (who happens to be a photographer herself) was the one who suggested it. She knew the larkspur would be in full bloom in May and asked if we could shoot there. Honestly, it had been on my radar for a bit but I hadn’t had a good opportunity to check it out. New little farms and flower fields like this one seem to be popping up everywhere lately, and I’m always up for a new spot to get my creative juices flowing. This was the perfect excuse to finally go!
Stacey is due soon, grandparents came along for the ride, and their golden retriever walked through shots like he knew exactly how good he looked doing it. This was never going to be a “everyone stand still and smile” kind of session. It was going to be a family being a family, with a field of purple being gorgeous in the background.
For sessions like this, I do my best to keep things fun and relaxed, and with a crew this size, relaxed is really the only way it works. This was actually my second time photographing the McInnes family, and that’s one of my favorite parts of this job: getting to know a family, then watching how much changes (and how much stays exactly the same) the next time we meet.
The Whole Crew (Dog Included)
This family’s golden retriever isn’t just along for the ride — he’s an important part of this season of their life, and it showed. He leaned in for every hug and stuck his nose in every frame he could like he belonged there just as much as everyone else.
Stacey, Front and Center
Here’s the thing about photographing another photographer: they know exactly what they’re paying for. Stacey shoots families for a living, and she still chose to hand her camera to someone else and step in front of the lens for this one. She knows better than almost anyone how much a photo of her family, taken by someone else, is worth — and that’s exactly why this session mattered.
Originally from Australia and now building her family and her business here, Stacey wanted these photos to hold onto this exact season: one more baby on the way, three kids who already adore each other, and a dog who thinks he’s already the fourth child.
Three Generations in One Field
The grandparents made the trip out too, and it turned this into more than just a family session — it turned into time together. Getting three generations into one frame doesn’t happen often, so I love it when we can bring everyone together to capture all these special moments. (Note: Grandparents love seeing pictures of their grandkids. But they love seeing pictures of themselves WITH their grandkids even more!)
Little Moments, Big and Small
The best part of a family session is never the pose. It’s the boy who won’t stop grinning at nothing in particular, the piggyback ride that turns into chaos, the quiet second between a mom and her son with their foreheads pressed together. These may not be the photos on the Christmas card or the featured images on social media, but they’re the ones that will become a family’s favorites over time. The ones that really show the love and connection a family shares. I have no doubt the McInnes family will be no different.
Worth the Drive
Juniper Creek Farm sits about an hour outside my usual Triad stomping grounds, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. It’s youth-run, which I absolutely love supporting, and the larkspur fields in May are some of the most beautiful natural backdrops I’ve shot in all year. Booking time to shoot there was simple, and if you’re a family (or another photographer) dreaming about a wildflower session of your own, it’s worth the trip!
Congratulations, Stacey and family — I can’t wait to meet the newest McInnes.
If you’re expecting and want your family’s “before baby” season captured before life gets even fuller, I’d love to help. Reach out here to book a family or maternity session.
Keep scrolling to see more images from the McInnes’ family session!
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