A New Chapter at Grey Oaks Farm | Charlottesville Family Photographer

It's hard to believe we've already been in Virginia for seven months.

In March, we packed up our life in Florida and moved our family to Grey Oaks Farm, just outside Charlottesville. It was a big change, and while I was excited about everything ahead of us, I also knew I wanted to give us some time to settle in.

For the past several months, that's exactly what we've been doing.

We've been making this place our home, getting the children settled into their new routines, learning the rhythms of the farm, and discovering what life in the Virginia countryside looks like for our family.

There have been gardens to plant, chickens to raise, and what feels like a never-ending list of projects. Somewhere along the way, this beautiful property has started to feel like ours.

And now, after giving myself the time and space to settle in, I'm so excited to pick up my camera and begin building my photography business here in Charlottesville.

A Little Piece of Florida at Grey Oaks Farm

One of the sweetest parts of our first summer in Virginia was having friends from Florida come visit.

The Roehl family spent part of their summer trip with us at Grey Oaks Farm, and I couldn't have imagined a more special way to begin photographing families in our new home.

There's something really wonderful about having people who knew you in one chapter of life become part of the next.

We spent the afternoon exploring the farm, wandering down toward the pond, and taking photographs with the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance. The children ran through the grass, laughed with their parents, and even spent a little time visiting our chickens and garden.

It was relaxed, familiar, and full of the little moments I love most about family photography.

And getting to share this place that we've worked so hard to make our home with people we love made it even more meaningful.

Finding My Place Behind the Camera Again

Photography has been such an important part of my life for years. I loved the families I photographed in Florida, the relationships I built, and the opportunity to document so many different seasons of their lives.

Leaving that behind was one of the harder parts of moving.

When you've spent years building a business and getting to know your clients, starting over somewhere new can feel a little overwhelming.

But these past few months have also given me a chance to think about what I want this next chapter to look like.

I still want to photograph families the way I always have. Naturally, with beautiful light, genuine connection, and plenty of room for children to be themselves.

I want mothers to have photographs with their children that they'll treasure years from now. I want the beautiful family portraits, but I also want the laughter, the unexpected hugs, and the little expressions that are so easy to forget as children grow.

And I want the experience itself to feel easy and enjoyable.

Photographing the Roehl family reminded me how much I love doing this. Watching the children explore, seeing the way their parents looked at them, and capturing those moments in a place that means so much to my own family felt like a wonderful beginning.

Family Photography at Grey Oaks Farm in Charlottesville, Virginia

One of the things I'm most excited about is being able to welcome families to Grey Oaks Farm for their photography sessions. The property has so many beautiful places to explore. There are rolling fields, a pond, old trees, gardens, and views of the Blue Ridge Mountains that I still can't quite believe we get to enjoy every day.

I love the idea of families coming here and having the freedom to simply spend time together while I photograph them. Children can run through the grass. Parents can relax a little. We can wander from one beautiful spot to another and let the session unfold naturally.

And as we experience our first full year in Virginia, I'm discovering just how much the landscape changes with each season. I can't wait to photograph families here throughout the year and watch the farm become a different backdrop with every passing season.

Looking Forward to What's Next

Moving to Virginia has meant starting over in a lot of ways, but it has also opened the door to so many wonderful possibilities.

I'm incredibly grateful for the families who trusted me with their memories in Florida, and I'm excited to begin building those same relationships here in Charlottesville. I hope to photograph families as they grow, welcome new babies, celebrate motherhood, and document all the ordinary, beautiful moments that make up a life together. And I hope Grey Oaks Farm becomes a place where families return year after year, making new memories while we preserve the ones unfolding right in front of us.

The Roehl family's session will always feel particularly special to me. It brought a little piece of Florida into our new Virginia life and reminded me how much I love the work I get to do.

Here's to new beginnings, familiar faces, and all the wonderful families I haven't met yet.

If you're looking for a Charlottesville family photographer, I'd love to meet you. I'm now welcoming families for photography sessions at Grey Oaks Farm in Free Union, Virginia, and throughout the Charlottesville and Albemarle County area.