Knoxville Family Photographer
Have you ever had a photo someone snapped on their phone, maybe a little blurry, with a pile of mail sitting on the coffee table in the background, but it quickly became one of your favorite photos ever?
Maybe you were reading your kids’ favorite book, they were snuggled up against you, and your youngest had his arm draped around your neck. Just a quick snap, but it made your heart squish with love for your children, and you wished you had so many more like that.
Life moves at breakneck speed, your kids reach new milestones, blow through shoe sizes like it's a race, achieve exciting firsts, and quietly have little lasts that you don't always realize are happening in the moment.
That's where I come in.
I create space for your family to simply be together in beautiful light and intentional styling. I give prompts and guidance that allow you to laugh and play, and bottle up the way these wonderful years feel.
Meet your family photographer in the Knoxville area
Hi, I'm Susannah!
Married to my mountain-loving husband, two amazing little boys, and sweet baby girl, I'm also a lifestyle family photographer based here in beautiful Maryville.
I love getting to meet all the amazing families in the area and create family photos that feel like artful memories for your home, full of the joy of life that young children have, and the laughter that fills your home.
My Approach
I don't aim to make children sit perfectly still and smile during the whole session.
Movement, play, and laughter create the most genuine and joyful images, as your family truly just enjoys being together!
I’m here for the energy and unpredictability of young children, I'll work within it, adapting to what your family needs in the moment.
An experience shaped around your family
each session designed specifically for your family
When you book your session, you'll receive a welcome email from me, and you'll be able to fill out your family's questionnaire.
This is so fun for me to picture who you are, your personalities, and it guides the types of posing and prompts that I give to really draw out your child's personality.
I always help guide choosing the best location for your session based on the season and available light, and I help with styling too so that is taken off your plate.
Intentional posing that feels candid
no wondering what to do
I'll guide you the whole time with playful games so that candid moments and interactions flow naturally throughout the session.
What's Next?
1.Book your session
You can choose your session date from my availability calendar, sign the contract, and pay your retainer all at one time without extra back and forth. (Unless you want to chat first, which I love too!)
2.Plan the session
This is where you get to complete the questionnaire, I'll send you a welcome guide, and then help guide you through location selection and choosing outfits for your session.
3.Picture time
I finally get to meet your sweet family! We'll create some beautiful memories, and take our time so the kids can actually relax and let their personalities shine through as they have fun.
4.Delivering photos
You get to open your gallery and look through the photos of your beautiful family together. A print store is integrated in your gallery so that you can easily order the photos you love best to display in your home.
"...We are not the most comfortable in front of a camera, but Susannah helped us feel comfortable....."
"Susannah is a wonderful photographer! We are not the most comfortable in front of a camera, but Susannah helped us feel comfortable. The photos she took are so beautiful definitely going back to her for family photos in the future."
Zan, Maternity + Newborn Client
"I could not have made a better choice than Susannah."
"As a photographer, I was EXTREMELY picky over who to book for my personal family photos. I wanted someone who would do my family justice, and had beautiful colors, composition, and consistency across the entire gallery. I could not have made a better choice than Susannah. From start to finish, she made the process easy, and the styling she offered was easy, and created swoon worth images. She was so kind and was able to wrangle my wild 4 year old boy, and delivered the gallery of images very quickly. Even my husband said it was worth every penny. Thank you Susannah!!"
Mary, Family Client
"My kids left saying they had so much fun!”
"To say that Susannah is excellent would be an understatement! We met Susannah in the evening and she arrived with waters and snacks for our whole family. She made the whole process effortless and enjoyable. My kids left saying they had so much fun! The whole experience was really wonderful. Then we got the pictures! I truly could not be happier. We will treasure these photos of our family forever!"
Beth, Family Client
Which season are you documenting right now?
I have a gift for you...
A free family styling guide
I created a guide ALL about styling so that you can confidently choose outfits for YOUR family!
Say goodbye to the stress of figuring out what to wear for your family photos! This guide gives you color palettes, outfit suggestions for everyone in the family, and real examples to make your session look cohesive, timeless, and full of personality.
This is my first photoshoot, what should I know?
Ahhh! I am SO excited for you to have photos of your family during this season. Putting yourself in front of the camera can be a really vulnerable thing, so I am honored that you are even considering me as your photographer by being on my page. I've written a couple of different blog posts that speak to this exact question so I would start with this one: 5 Things I Wish Every Mom Knew Before Her Family Photo Session or this one: How to Feel Natural In Front of the Camera
How long have you been a photographer?
I've been behind the camera for over since 2012, but officially launched my photography business in early 2022 after the birth of my firstborn son.
I absolutely love working with families and aim to give you the kind of experience I treasure when I'm in front of the camera with my own kids: relaxed, expertly directed, and full of connection.
With 15+ years of experience working with young children, I’m especially tuned in to little personalities and big feelings. I genuinely enjoy getting to know your kids, meeting them where they are, and helping create images that feel natural, joyful, and true to your family.
Can you recommend any good locations?
I scout out all my locations ahead of time and have an ever growing list of recommendations to pull from, curated to the season, session type, and your family's personalities and preferences! One of my favorite Knoxville photo locations is The Holmstead Studio, and I have a private meadow with mountain views that I love in Maryville, as well as some amazing flower fields in Friendsville and Greenback.
What if the weather is bad on the day of an outdoor shoot?
Outdoor sessions are dependent on the weather If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we’ll reschedule to the next available date that works for both of us. I always keep an eye on the forecast and will be in touch if we need to adjust plans.
Light is a key piece to creating beautiful imagery, so I am always keeping an eye on this for you both for in home and outdoor sessions and we can always reschedule to make sure we get the best light if the weather is looking too cloudy/rainy.
What is the client closet, and how does it work?
My client closet is a curated collection of beautiful, high-quality dresses for moms that photograph beautifully and complement my signature style, as well as a growing collection of outfits for kids also. You'll have access to flattering options in tones that create a cohesive look for your session.
Once you book, I’ll help you choose the perfect dress and help coordinate outfits for the rest of the family to keep the whole process seamless and convenient.
What if my toddler takes a while to warm up?
I set aside an hour of shooting time for this very reason! Giving each member of your family the time and space they need to feel comfortable and relaxed is really important to me. I'm always watching, getting a feel for your child's personality, and adapting my approach to what will serve them best.
We can take breaks as needed, and truthfully, being able to interact with you, their safe place, is often the biggest help for shy little ones. We can use those quieter moments to capture sweet, snuggly images, and as they begin to warm up, we'll naturally get more of the laughing, smiling, and playful moments, too.
And showing them how to take a picture with my camera usually makes me their best friend. ;)