Leah O'Connell

Leah O'Connell Charlottesville, VA | Families, newborns, brands | personality-filled sessions outdoor + at home Families, newborns, small businesses

There’s consistent sessions and then there’s a consistent *vibe.* I don’t want your session to be just like the next one...
08/20/2026

There’s consistent sessions and then there’s a consistent *vibe.* I don’t want your session to be just like the next one - void of personality - just like the next.

You are you. There is no one like you, and that’s a good thing. Each of these sessions has its own dose of family magic, special rhythms, and personality baked right in.

1 - A first birthday part at home with Korean traditions
2 - Evening summer with dogs and popsicles in the backyard
3 - Drizzly outdoor fall session with four kids
4 - Winter session at home with fort-building, hot cocoa, and playing in the snow
5 - Cloudy day newborn session in early fall with a first baby at home
6 - Summer afternoon extended family photos at the lake
7 - Fall backyard session playing on the playground, leaf piles, and roasting s’mores
8 - Roaming the farm in early fall with tween and a new puppy
9 - Two dads on the beach with their little girl, blowing bubbles and playing in the waves
10 - Home session on a cloudy morning with a family of three, making pancakes, playing soccer, and weekend traditions.

Send me a note if you’d like to work together to catch the vibe ❤️

// Charlottesville family photographer | natural, diverse family sessions in Charlottesville, VA

If you’ve ever thought “an hour feels like a long time for photos” - let me ease your mind. This is what an hour can lo...
08/17/2026

If you’ve ever thought “an hour feels like a long time for photos” - let me ease your mind.

This is what an hour can look like.

Incorporating your normal family rhythms and favorite things. Wearing whatever you like and feel like yourself in.

A little directed, a little spontaneous.

It actually goes by really fast and rather than feeling like you need a drink at the end, the goal is a feeling of gratitude.

I’m de-influencing overly-styled fall family photos this year and if you’re on board for that - let’s talk.

I offer my 30 minute Family Field Milestone session year-round at this same favorite location in Charlottesville because...
08/14/2026

I offer my 30 minute Family Field Milestone session year-round at this same favorite location in Charlottesville because I know it like the back of my hand.

It makes decision-making simple for you, and when families come back year over year, it brings a level of consistency and familiarity to the images and experience, too.

This one ended with a donut picnic and glider planes on the most gorgeous, sunny summer morning. These sessions may be short and simple, but there’s still plenty of room for variety, play, and sinking in to the joy of it all.

Also PSA that this spot is GORGEOUS in the fall. Weekend session dates are going so now’s the time to reach out 🍂

Let there be beach photos that feel like a morning playing together. Early enough that it’s not crowded and the sun isn’...
08/13/2026

Let there be beach photos that feel like a morning playing together. Early enough that it’s not crowded and the sun isn’t burning you, but let’s be reasonable - we don’t need a sunrise.

We just need a bucket and the waves, two dads who love so big and brightly, and a girl who’s giggle is more treasure than all the seashells in the sand.

Fall may be calling but I’d like to linger on summer for just a moment longer. 🌈 💛

Yes to extended family sessions that embrace cloudy days on the lake, cousins jumping off the dock, new puppies and new ...
08/10/2026

Yes to extended family sessions that embrace cloudy days on the lake, cousins jumping off the dock, new puppies and new babies, picnic food, and catching frogs, summer in the glory of being together.

// these images from an extended family session in this summer that was simple and sweet in the most laid back ways. I only regret not jumping in the canoe myself //

“we did a session a few years ago and the photos are on a hard drive somewhere, I think...” nope. you’ve worked to hard ...
08/07/2026

“we did a session a few years ago and the photos are on a hard drive somewhere, I think...”

nope. you’ve worked to hard to get this far ;-)

I want to make the “doing something with the photos” part of the experience an equal delight, not another problem. Want help with the printing part?

Say less ❤️🏆

// if you’re ready to feel love oozing and be reminded of the moments you treasure on good days and bad, I’m your person. //

Charlottesville family photographer | Richmond family photographer | Crozet family photographer

All of my best work, the kind you see in my portfolio and on Instagram, comes from sessions that run at least 30 minutes...
08/07/2026

All of my best work, the kind you see in my portfolio and on Instagram, comes from sessions that run at least 30 minutes.

15 minutes and you’re just starting to warm up.
Kids need the first ten to decide I’m safe and fun. Parents need about the same to stop wondering what to do with their hands.

I want your kids to get to the place where they can let loose and be themselves, unapologetically.

I’m starting to see the fall bookings trickle in. Reach out however you like and I’ll be here with bells on to get us rolling 💃🏼🍁

Let’s hear it for the dads who don’t complain about family photos because they love their people and get how special it ...
08/01/2026

Let’s hear it for the dads who don’t complain about family photos because they love their people and get how special it is to see themselves through their child’s eyes.
I don’t have a lot of dads who follow me here, but feel free to send this post to the dads you know.

Dads - you can book family photos, too.

It’s one of my favorite things to work with a family who’s never been photographed before. They think - how can we possi...
07/30/2026

It’s one of my favorite things to work with a family who’s never been photographed before.

They think - how can we possible have gotten anything worth keeping when my kids were cracking p**p jokes and running around like banshees the whole time.

And I think - thank goodness.

A little chaos is always welcome. It makes for a lightness you can’t fake and always shines through more than they expect.

In other words - I like making “not photo people” into photo people.

// these images with a long-time fam from one of my family field milestone sessions - great for teens who don’t want to be ‘photo people’ and for parents who want photos with them anyways. //

07/29/2026

In my first year of business, I had a mom write me the kindest criticism.

I had made some photos of her kids in a little mini shoot that I did for probably $50 and then spent hours and hours photoshopping them. I thought it was the production value - the color toning, the skin smoothing, the “perfecting” that made photos feel “professional.” (Really they could have been a lot better if I had just known what I was doing with light 🙃💡)

A few days after I delivered their gallery, the mom responded and said (loosely quoted bc this was the year 2012) - “we love them, thank you, but I have one request - can you remove the retouching you did on my 3 year old? I love the things about her that make her skin and her face feel just like her and the smoothing under her eyes and skin make her not look like herself.”

SHE WAS 1000% right.

Why was I smoothing skin on a small child?!

Why was I falling right into the trap of the perfection-seeking and patriarchal standards I said I was on a mission to revolt against?

Needless to say- that feedback snapped me out of it.

I believe different things about beauty and value now and it’s my job to let that show.
//

Address

Charlottesville, VA
22901

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 8pm
Tuesday 9am - 8pm
Wednesday 9am - 8pm
Thursday 9am - 8pm
Friday 9am - 8pm
Saturday 9am - 8pm
Sunday 9am - 8pm

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