Fall Family Portraits | Charlotte, North Carolina Family Photographer | Krista Gantt Photography

The Carolinas are notorious for feeling like summer when the calendar says it’s fall. The good news is it doesn’t have to feel like fall to look like fall. Just grab a pumpkin spice latte, put on some deep jewel tones like this family, and think cool thoughts! I have found some beautiful little spots to photograph families with hints of Fall foliage and pine. Take a look at this sweet family and their little ones on the move!

What do you love most about a Carolina Fall?

Fall Family Portraits | Charlotte, North Carolina Photographer | Krista Gantt Photography

While it may not always feel like it here in Charlotte, it’s beginning to look like Fall!. The trees are lush, leaves are beginning to turn and fall underfoot—it’s beautiful!

Speaking of beautiful, can you even handle this family? I have been photographing them from the NICU to milestones and family portraits. They styled their family perfectly for fall family portraits with deep, warmer tones and hints of denim. I love that they’re coordinated, and not too matchy matchy.

What really makes these photos are the radiant smiles and the easygoing energy of these four. Not everyone is super comfortable in front of the camera, but there’s so much beauty in normal, minimally posed family moments. From little kisses to children exploring their surroundings, I love to photograph the essence of a family instead of a cookie cutter posed snapshot that may or may not resemble their true spirit.

Enjoy and capture each season, and print your pictures because time is a thief, y’all!

Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin picking at it’s finest! We took a trip to the pumpkin stand to grab a few pumpkins to carve. This stand is where I found our beautiful pumpkins with muted tones last year. There weren’t as many of those this year, but we were able to find a few to decorate our front porch with.

Scroll through to check out what we didn’t bring home ◡̈ Evan chose something that we just couldn’t bring ourselves to buy. Sometimes if you love something, you let it go… right?! Enjoy!

A New Fall Family Tradition at Sky Top Orchard

Our first annual fall apple picking trip did not disappoint. Sky Top Orchard is nestled just above Flat Rock, North Carolina. The property is HUGE and so are the crowds, but we managed to sneak in right at opening. When we left, the cars were parked and in line for over a mile away from the entrance. We were glad to wake up a little early instead of sitting for hours with a 2 year old!

Here is a little glimpse into a tradition I hope to continue in the years to come! I forgot to photograph the BEST two parts of our apple adventure… the apple cider donuts and the apple cannon!!

Sky Top’s donuts are the most delicious donuts I’ve ever tasted and I have been dreaming about them ever since! I love anything with cinnamon sugar, so of course I had to try a few - or a dozen. Our other favorite part of the day was the apple cannon. It is new this year and I got a few photos on my phone, but didn’t get out the big camera because was a popular attraction with a lot of people around. We got a basket of 20 apples to shoot out of the cannon, and I was the only one out of the three of us to hit a target and earn an extra apple to shoot. Girl power!

We are into traditions that we can share with Evan, and this is one fall experience that I’d love to repeat next year. There is so much to do at the orchard, which makes Sky Top a perfect day trip with a toddler. What a fun way to kick off fall!

Shirley Family | Fall Special 2016 | Charlotte, North Carolina Family Photographer | Krista Gantt Photography

Meet this sweet family of 4!  I was so grateful for the opportunity to photograph this family again this year.  I met Ashley in nursing school and later found out that we were both from the same hometown!  She allowed me to photograph her family last year at Glencairn Gardens in Rock Hill, South Carolina.  This year I met up with them at Falls Park in Greenville, South Carolina when I was in town visiting a friend.  Their boys have grown so much - a lot can happen in a year!  Take a look at this beautiful family and make sure to check out the surroundings.  This park is the perfect location for a fall family session!