Favorite Charlottesville Family Session Locations
Beaver Creek Reservoir
Beaver Creek Reservoir is by far one of my favorite places around Charlottesville for nature loving families. You get a little bit of all the wonderful nature elements in one spot. Trees, mountains, AND water. This spot has some EPIC golden hour vibes and is spectacular even on a cloudy day when the clouds crest the mountains making for an incredible, dramatic backdrop.
The down side is it can get a bit muddy after a lot of rain and due to not having a lot of shade, it’s best to stick to golden hour here. So if you have young kids with early bedtimes, this is great spot for Fall or Winter when Golden hour is earlier in the day.
Monticello Trail
Monticello trail is a great location. It gives you great nature scenes without having to go far from town. So close to the town center, you get easy walking trails, great for strollers and new walkers, but can also get the feel of being in the woods with just a few steps off the trail. With plenty of trees and the abundance of shade it’s a great location if you need an earlier session time for your littles.
The downside is that parking can get tricky on the weekends and the sunset isn’t usually visible here. I usually suggest booking this location for a weekday if possible and before golden hour for the best lighting.
Downton Mall
Want an urban feel unique to Charlottesville? Look no further than the Downtown Mall! Located right in the center of charlottesville, you can walk this cute and historic mall and get a variety of fun filled back drops. It has a lot of different textures and colors. Also, we can walk to one of the parking garages for a fun and unique urban golden hour on the top level!
The downside to this location is that it can get busy during dinner time and festivals. When booking I try to avoid times I know will be high traffic.
UVA Grounds
UVA grounds are great for Alumni or people who want to photograph the unique historical part of Charlottesville. Whether you have lived here your whole life or simply documenting a short time here, this can give you a timeless and classic feel to your images and is a great location year round.
The downside is that it can get quite busy in the fall, especially around football season. Parking can get tricky to find during these busy times. Booking during the week typically makes this a lot easier though.