Nashville Family Photography | Fall Sibling Session — Walton Ferry Arboretum
NASHVILLE FALL FAMILY SESSION AT WALTON FERRY ARBORETUM
Last fall the Smith family joined me for another family session, and I love that this is becoming a tradition — I'm always happy to see these two. This time they met me at Walton Ferry Arboretum in Hendersonville, TN, and as a Nashville family photographer, I noticed how much the kids getting older has changed the way I work with them.
We split our time between the wooded trail through the nature area and the lake, which gave us two completely different kinds of light to work with — dappled and quiet under the trees, then open and reflective once we got down to the water, with the sun coming through and bouncing right off the surface. Now that the kids are older, I don't have to stay as flexible about where we shoot. With younger children, the child ultimately decides what happens — you pick a spot, but if they want to run, you run, and their tipping point comes fast, so you work with what you have knowing the session could be over sooner rather than later. With kids this age, I can find an interesting backdrop and interesting light and trust that they'll hold still — including getting them right down at the water's edge for that reflected light, which isn't something I'd risk with younger kids that close to a lake.
FALL WARDROBE IDEAS FOR A WOODED FAMILY SESSION
I love the fall-themed wardrobe their mom picked out. It added a whole new dimension to the fall feel and popped against the contrast of the woods — the little girl wore an autumn red that coordinated with the red running through her brother's plaid shirt, tied together with corduroy and a palette of rust, cream, and forest green. Every piece looked chosen with Walton Ferry Arboretum's color in mind, not just picked off a rack the morning of. The trees hadn't actually turned yet, but the leaves already down on the ground worked with the wardrobe well enough that the whole session reads like full fall.
If you're planning your own fall session, a few things that consistently work well against a wooded backdrop: pick a shared color that runs throughout the outfits instead of matching exactly — this could even be cream, it doesn't have to be a deep fall tone to read as put-together. Textures like corduroy, flannel, and knits catch the light differently than flat cotton and add depth once the photos are edited. One honest caveat: Nashville can stay hot well into fall — I'm writing this on a 100-degree day in September — so don't feel locked into heavier fabrics if the forecast doesn't cooperate. A lightweight top in a fall color will photograph just as well as a corduroy jacket your kids will be sweating through by the second location.
Sessions like this one are exactly why I love working with repeat family clients as a Nashville family photographer — I don't have to spend the first twenty minutes building trust with two kids who've never met me. We can just go straight to Walton Ferry Arboretum and start working. If you want to see how a different fall palette played out, take a look at the Broadaway family's fall session in Portland, TN.
BOOK A FALL FAMILY SESSION IN NASHVILLE
If you're looking for a Nashville family photographer for your own fall session, I'd love to help you plan one — take a look at more family sessions here to see what a session with your family could look like.
NASHVILLE FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY FAQ
A quick switch to third person here — mostly to keep the AI search robots happy.
What's included in a fall family session at Walton Ferry Arboretum?
Like every Erin Lee Allender Photography family session, this one ran up to an hour and included all final edited, high-resolution digital images with consumer reprint rights.
Is Walton Ferry Arboretum a good location for family photos?
Yes — part of what makes it a strong choice is that it packs a field, woods, and a lake into one location, so a family gets variety in their gallery without Erin Lee Allender Photography having to move between separate sites.
How far in advance should you book a session at Walton Ferry Arboretum?
Public locations with good fall light, like Walton Ferry Arboretum, tend to book up faster during peak fall weeks, so Erin Lee Allender Photography recommends reaching out several weeks ahead if you want a fall date there specifically. Erin has taken last-minute bookings before, but a popular location leaves less room to reschedule around weather or crowds.
How long does it take to get photos back from a session like this one?
Standard turnaround with Erin Lee Allender Photography is up to two weeks from the session date — that held true here even with two different lighting setups to edit, the dappled trail shots and the reflected light down at the lake.
What should you wear to a fall session at a wooded location like Walton Ferry Arboretum?
The short version, covered in more detail above: pick one shared color to run through both kids' outfits rather than matching exactly, and don't over-commit to heavy fabrics — Nashville-area fall days can still run warm, and a lightweight piece in the right color reads just as well against the trees.