Family Moving Portrait Session at The Holmstead Studio in Kerns TN
Family Portrait Session at The Holmstead Studio in Knoxville, TN
lifestyle family portrait session in East TN
It always makes my day when I see Katie’s name pop up in my inquiries in my email to book their moving portrait session! I’ve been documenting the Moody family since 2020 (you can watch their first moving portrait video here), when their oldest was just a toddling toddler, fascinated by nature and pointing at all the moss (said in the cutest 2 year old voice) and plants. They traveled to me when I was in Nashville, I’ve driven out to Katie’s families parents farm out in Georgia a couple times, and this last year they came to me and we documented their family at the beautiful Holmstead Studio in Kerns TN!
They were having a family trip together in the smoky mountains and at Dollywood (such a fun theme park if you are looking for something fun to do with your kids here in east TN! I highly recommend it), so we planned their session to line up with their trip here in town. Katie and Kason are SO kind and their kids are so stinking cute and sweet. This past year they welcomed their third sweet baby, Annalise, who was just a few months old during their session.
When I have recurring clients, I always ask them to give me an update on their life from the past year. I know how much can change in a year, so I still send my questionnaire each year to my clients to hear what’s new and what’s important to them in this season to capture.
Katie shared how it had been a rough pregnancy, but that when Annalise was born, it changed everything. She’s the sweetest little baby and her big brother and sister, and of course mom and dad, are all obsessed with her! Katie is such an amazing mom. She is a fellow creative mom, and recently started a podcast with a couple of friends all about holding onto creativity in motherhood. They have it on sub stack as well as anywhere you listen to your podcasts! It’s called “(Not Quite) Losing It” and I’ve already listened to every episode and have laughed and cried many times. It’s so refreshing to get to hear from other creative moms who have walked through it, or are in the middle of it right now. They also highlight other creative moms in each podcast, and I definitely cried when Katie hopped on in episode 8 to highlight me and my business for their “Good Fight Spotlight.”
She said:
“From the moment I saw her work, a beautiful day in the life film (of a family I came across on social media that I didn’t even know), I knew I had to hire her to capture our family. Her eye for beauty and the technical skill she has to capture it is truly unlike anything I gave ever seen. Her films and photos of our family are the most treasured possessions we have. My husband and I revisit them annually or whenever we need a good cry. They are so moving that we have had people with them that don’t even know us that have said it made them cry. And that’s all thanks to Neeli.”
Yes, I cried even typing that out, because I have to pinch myself with gratitude that I get to work with the kindest families and knowing that these sessions are something they deeply value. I am constantly seeking to grow and evolve to continue giving my amazing families the photos and videos they deserve to have, so they can always come back to these sacred seasons of life and remember what it felt like.
So when they arrived, we excitedly said hello and I got to hold their sweet brand new baby girl while they finished getting ready inside the studio. She was like a sweet little baby doll with her ruffle dress and little bow! I caught up with Vivian and Micah, and then everyone was ready to go.
We headed over to one of the big trees with a tree swing big enough for 2-3 people to sit on. I love getting to know my clients because it helps me create a timeline that best suits them and their kiddos. We started with playtime because I knew they had spent a lot of time in the car and the kiddos needed some time to get their wiggles out and explore! It’s a part of why I love shooting at The Holmstead Studio, because it is such a fun place for kids to run and play.
After some play time, I played out a blanket in the shade for everyone to snuggle on. Annalise was getting sleepy, so I had us get some snuggles with her and captured her sweet smiles and cuddles with big brother and sister. They were truly swooning over their baby and it was the cutest thing!
Once we captured that moment, I had dad run around in the fields with Vivian and Micah while mama fed baby. They played and checked out the pretty flowers. Vivian found a pretty pink flower head on the ground and quickly grabbed it to show her mama. They sat on the beautiful indoor swing and Vivian had a little story to tell her mama. It brought me right back to Micah’s little voice from their first video! I love seeing those little parallels when families come back to document their family year after year.
Baby girl was now sound asleep, and mama passed her off to daddy and they headed to the big outdoor swing again for one last family shot. Katie sat on the swing with her two big kids right next to her. Kason held Annalise in his arms while pushing the rest of his family on the swing.
If you’re interested in learning more about moving portrait sessions, you can click here. Perfect for families who want beautiful family portraits with some guidance, but still relaxed enough to capture what that season of life felt like. Always child-led and crafted specifically to what best fits your family and story. Ready to book? You can inquire here!
