A Golden Hour Summer Session — Behind the Scenes at Little Goose Lane
There is a particular quality to summer light in Kentucky in that last hour before sunset.
Warm. Golden. Unhurried.
Like it knows something you don't quite want to admit yet — that this season, this version of your family, this exact evening is already becoming a memory.
That is the hour I work in. Every single time.
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What Actually Happens at a Session
People always ask me what a session is really like. Whether it feels awkward. Whether their kids will cooperate. Whether they need to know what to do.
The honest answer is...no. You do not need to know what to do.
That is my job.
Families complete a form prior to the session with little tidbits that help me get to know them before we even arrive at the session spot. Upon arrival, I spend the first few minutes just talking and getting to know the kids and parents a little more by asking about their week, their hobbies, and often about not much in particular. The form helps me generate questions that help the children and adults alike feel more at ease and comfortable. Because the moment a family relaxes and forgets the camera is there...that is when the magic happens.
A toddler takes off running toward the field and a parent chases them laughing. A baby reaches up for
whoever is closest. A sibling does something ridiculous behind everyone's back and the whole family dissolves into giggles.
Those are the images.
Not the posed ones.
Those.
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This Particular Evening
This particular evening was everything I love about summer sessions in Northern Kentucky.
The light came in low and warm across the one of my favorite Northern Kentucky parks. The kids were completely themselves. They asked questions about my camera and poses and what was next and then it became comfortable. It felt less like a photo session and more like an evening with someone who just happened to have a camera. Everyone just felt relaxed despite the sweltering summer heat and humidity.
Families are guided into prompts and movements that help them engage and connect with one another. As they are talking or playing, I am snapping away at various angles and capturing it all. The biggest "rule" is "don't look at me" and "don't look at the camera" and the biggest one, "just have fun with each other."
What I was watching for- and what I always watch for- were the in-between moments. The ones
that happen when nobody is trying.
The way a parent looks at their child.
The way dad looks over at mom.
The way the big brother helps his little sister up.
The laugh that comes out before anyone can stop it.
The quiet moment when everything settles for just a second and something honest and beautiful
happens right in front of the lens.
Those are the images that go on your walls and mantles. The ones you still love in thirty years. The candid, unhurried, authentic photos of YOUR family just as they are.
If You Have Been Thinking About Booking a Session
Summer sessions are still available and golden hour in Kentucky right now is absolutely stunning.
I also have a limited number of Founding Sessions still open this season for families who want to be part of something special.
You can explore everything at the link below, or just reach out directly. I would love to hear about your family. 🤍
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