An Urban Lifestyle Family Photography Session in Downtown Knoxville by Sweetest Moments Photography
Y'all, meet the Matthews family! This family reached out to me a few months back and wanted to book a lifestyle family photography session for their family of six. After we had discussed some location options, they had decided to do an urban session in Downtown Knoxville to celebrate their first year of being Knoxvillians! They just moved here from Louisiana and I can't think of a better way to celebrate than going to the iconic Market Square for some family photos!
We started the morning off at the top of Market Square garage and let me just go ahead and say, I have NEVER seen that parking garage so empty. I have lived here for six years and that garage has almost always been packed! Perks of still having socially distanced photography sessions during COVID I suppose:)
After we hung out for a minute we started our session with what I call "standing snuggles." We were all laughing and carrying on when out of the corner of my eye I see a police officer. Yes, we were greeted by a POLICE OFFICER and by the looks of his face it wasn't just to come say hello. Talk about a heart stop. I don't know about you but when an officer comes up to me in uniform I get so nervous. I know many police officers personally, but it's just something about when they're in uniform I get wigged out. I think it's mainly my personality because I strive for such perfection so when I feel like I'm doing something the least bit wrong a thousand "what did I do's" start firing in my brain. Anyways, we all looked at each other and thought that we were about to get cited because we didn't have our masks on. I mean we were like 10 feet apart from each other on top of a parking garage? Really?Well, apparently we weren't supposed to be taking pictures up there and he basically escorted us to the elevator down to Market Square. It was pretty comical and we just laughed about it from then on. Good news is that I still got some good quick shots before all the drama happened! Let's just say that this has been the most embarrassing thing that has happened to me in my photography career thus far, but hey, the pic turned out cute!
We spent about an hour making a big square around Downtown Knoxville going through Market Square and Victor Ashe Park then heading across Gay Street to do some fun pictures with the Tennessee Theater in the background. After that we hit up the graffiti alley and by then, the baby was so worn out from being so cute he took a nap on mommy.
It was so much fun spending a Saturday morning with this crew. This dad was a total champ the whole time. He literally just got home from deployment the day before our session AND he was on board for everything and didn't complain a bit, especially when I pulled him and his wife aside to do some couple pictures! My heart was pure mush because you could totally tell how much they loved and missed each other and I felt so special to be the one capturing their homecoming love. I can hardly stand it when Mason is gone for a few days but for a whole deployment, this woman has got some strength and to add four kids to the mix I'm thinking we're seeing super woman!! So, thank you to everyone who is in the service to protect our country, you guys are the true heroes!
This brings me to an important point, I'd have to say that getting pictures of just mom and dad are my second priority of family sessions. There is just something about pulling mom and dad aside, kid free, and making them wrap each other up and getting them to embrace each other and what a beautiful family they have created. Also, I think it brings back memories and helps you kind of relive some of the first moments you had from the beginning of the relationship. We all remember that very first photo that you take as a couple and you can bet money everytime I see ours it makes me so happy. Most of the time when I get pictures of just mom and dad, they haven't had a picture taken together since their wedding! That is such a long time and I feel like as parents, it's important to have pictures of just you and your spouse so that your pictures can be cherished and passed on for generations to come!
Scroll through these cute photos of the Matthews family for a surprise at the end!
I would love to see your very first picture of you and your spouse and where it was taken!
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All images capture by Knoxville family photographer Hannah Bucklin with Sweetest Moments Photography located in Knoxville, Tennessee. Sweetest Moments Photography specializes in natural light lifestyle family photography, maternity, fresh 48, newborn, and milestone photography servicing Greater Knoxville and also traveling to surrounding areas. Want to see more? Click here to see more!