The Emberton Family

Photos That Were Worth the Wait

A Reconnection Years in the Making

I first met Ella back in college through a mutual friend, and like so many friendships that begin in that season of life, time and distance eventually pulled us into different chapters. She moved away to Kentucky, started her family, and we hadn’t seen each other in years—until this fall, when we finally reconnected. This session was especially meaningful for me as a photographer in Franklin TN.

When she moved back to the area, I was so happy to see her again—and even more honored when she asked me to photograph her family. We’d been trying to plan a session since spring, but like life often does, schedules shifted and seasons passed. We finally made it happen in late fall.

The Beauty of Timing

We met at Harlinsdale Farm in Franklin, TN—a wide open, calm space that gives families room to breathe and kids space to just be.

And sometimes? The timing that doesn’t go to plan ends up being exactly right.
The air was cool, the light was soft, and the day felt like it had been waiting for us all along.

The Good Kind of Chaos

Ella’s little ones are full of life—curious, sweet, energetic, and completely themselves. And like most young kids, standing still and smiling on command just isn’t on their agenda.

The good news? That’s not on mine either.

During family sessions, I plan for movement and play on purpose. Because real smiles don’t come from “say cheese”—they come from tickle fights, sprinting into mom and dad’s arms, and belly laughs in between.

All those in-between moments are what make the photos feel alive.

The Frame-Worthy and the Fleeting

Yes, we get the classic shots—the ones you’ll frame and send to family. But those only tell part of the story. It’s the other images—the soft glances, the way a child leans in, the genuine laughter—that help families feel seen and remembered.

That’s the rhythm I love to create: space for the posed and the real.

What We’re Really Capturing

Every gallery tells a story, and this one is layered with love, growth, energy, and tenderness. One day, their little voices will sound different. Their legs will stretch longer. And this chapter—the way they held hands or curled into their mama—will only live in photographs.

These images are a way of saying: this mattered.
This season was worth remembering.

Ella, thank you for trusting me with these memories. Photographing your family again was a full-circle joy. I know these photos will mean so much to you in the years ahead—and it meant just as much to me to create them.