Each year, as the air begins to cool and the trees whisper their way into autumn, our little family gathers for something we started without realizing it would become a tradition — our fall family photos. What began as a simple way to capture a season we loved has slowly turned into a quiet ritual that marks time, growth, and togetherness.
The Beginning
It all started in the fall of 2022 — our first year as a family of three. My husband and I had always loved taking photos together, especially in the fall. The colors, the air, the stillness of the season — it always inspired us to pause and capture something. When our son was born, it felt only right to carry that habit forward, to include him in what we naturally did each year.
Looking back, I think that was the moment my focus as a creative — and as a mother — began to shift. My blog, my art, and my photography all found new direction through motherhood. My heart turned toward stories of family and everyday beauty, hoping to inspire other moms to document their own seasons in gentle, meaningful ways.
This Year’s Session
This fall, we returned to the same small park where we took our photos in 2023. I remembered how the trees had cascaded leaves across the ground last time, how it felt like stepping into a painting of amber and gold. This year, it looked a little different — the trees hadn’t fully changed, and the ground wasn’t covered in color. But somehow, that change made the photos even more meaningful.
It showed growth.
Not just in the trees, but in us.
Our son ran freely this time — exploring, laughing, jumping into small piles of leaves that had only just begun to fall. He picked them up, pointed out their colors — “orange, brown, yellow” — and even had his own little ideas for how he wanted to take some of the photos. His joy filled the park.
The weather was soft and moody, partly sunny but mostly cloudy — exactly how I love it. No harsh light, no sharp shadows, just that gentle calm where everything feels balanced. We were surrounded by quiet. No one else was there. Just us, the sound of the wind, and the sight of a few leaves tumbling from the trees.
Our color palette this year was warm and neutral — chocolate browns and whites. I wore a white sweater dress with brown high-kneed boots. My husband wore a brown turtleneck with matching pants and boots. And our son — a white sweater with three brown buttons, brown jogger pants, and little brown shoes. The simplicity of it all felt timeless.
Why It Matters
This tradition means more to me than I can put into words.
As a photographer, I’m always behind the camera — capturing my son, my husband, their laughter, their moments. But rarely am I in the frame. These photos, these few times each year, are my reminder that I was there too. That I wasn’t just the observer, but part of the story.
It’s a moment where all three of us exist in one frame — where I get to see myself as both mother and woman, held within the beauty of our little family. My husband doesn’t often stop to take photos; he prefers to be fully in the moment, which I love about him. But that also means these sessions are the few times where I see myself with my son — not posed, but present.
And that’s why they’re so precious.
These images are proof of our togetherness — not the curated kind, but the real, evolving kind that grows quietly each year.
The Meaning of Fall
Fall has always been my favorite season. It’s funny, really — I’m from The Bahamas, where we don’t have autumn in the way it exists here. There are no trees turning gold, no crisp air, no piles of leaves to jump in. So when I moved to the U.S., fall felt like magic. The coziness, the sweater weather, the warm drinks, the overcast skies, the sound of wind — I feel my calmest and most at home in this season.
Capturing our family in that atmosphere — surrounded by everything I love about fall — feels like capturing joy itself.
Each photo session is more than just pictures for the wall. It’s our way of pausing time for a moment before the year slips away. Of saying, this is who we were right now — in this light, in this season, in this chapter of our lives.
A Tradition Worth Keeping
I plan to keep doing this as long as my son allows it. I know one day, he might roll his eyes or run the other way, but I hope that even then, he’ll understand why it mattered. These photos are our little family’s story unfolding year by year.
So if you’ve ever thought about starting a simple tradition — let this be your sign. You don’t need a perfect setting or coordinated outfits. Just a moment, a season, and the people you love most.
Because one day, you’ll look back and realize how much beauty you’ve gathered — simply by showing up, year after year, together.
