Family Portraits at the Arnold Arboretum

by | Aug 6, 2018 | family, latest sessions

Arnold Arboretum Family Portraits Cara Soulia Photography

This family session last October was perfectly timed at the height of the fall foliage here in Boston, and we took full advantage of that at the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts.

Scheduling a Session at the Peak of Boston Fall Foliage

A lot of clients will ask me when the best time is to schedule their fall session if they want gorgeous fall foliage. The problem is that it’s always hard to predict, because the weather can turn on us on a whim. Sometimes, the leaves turn early; sometimes, they turn late. For this family session in particular, we just happened to meet up at the absolute peak of the foliage—and I do mean the peak. Right after we met, it rained, and the leaves fell! Talk about lucky.

Mom had actually gotten in touch with me last year to ask about a family session after following me on Facebook for a while. She loved the personal photos I posted of my own children and wanted something similar. I love it when people find me on Facebook or Instagram because I post a lot of personal stories there. I think that helps people

connect with me better as a person and a mom, and since family photos are so intimate, it’s nice to have that connection to build from.

An Autumn Family Session at the Arnold Arboretum

When she booked the session, Mom mentioned that her son didn’t usually follow directions… but at 18 months of age, this is extremely common! This isn’t usually an issue during sessions, because I never try to force kids to do anything they don’t want to do, rather I let them take the lead.  Little Oliver was so great during the session and full of personality. One of my favorite images from the whole day was a classic family photo in the fall foliage, with Oliver making such a great face!

Arnold Arboretum Family Portraits Cara Soulia PhotographyArnold Arboretum Family Portraits Cara Soulia Photography

Big sister Addison was also great and so sweet with her little brother; we were able to get some adorable sibling images!

Arnold Arboretum Family Portraits Cara Soulia PhotographyArnold Arboretum Family Portraits Cara Soulia PhotographyArnold Arboretum Family Portraits Cara Soulia Photography

Mom had also mentioned that she is not often in any pictures because she’s usually behind the camera. I knew right away that I wanted to put her at ease and keep the session as fun and casual as possible while capturing gorgeous images of her with her favorite people.

Arnold Arboretum Family Portraits Cara Soulia Photography Arnold Arboretum Family Portraits Cara Soulia Photography Arnold Arboretum Family Portraits Cara Soulia Photography Arnold Arboretum Family Portraits Cara Soulia Photography Arnold Arboretum Family Portraits Cara Soulia Photography Arnold Arboretum Family Portraits Cara Soulia Photography

Arnold Arboretum Family Portraits Cara Soulia Photography Arnold Arboretum Family Portraits Cara Soulia Photography Another favorite image of mine was of Mom holding her baby while sword fighting with her daughter. She works full time and has two kids, so she’s always multitasking. This picture just summed it all up: it’s such a real moment in a modern mom’s life.Arnold Arboretum Family Portraits Cara Soulia Photography Arnold Arboretum Family Portraits Cara Soulia Photography Arnold Arboretum Family Portraits Cara Soulia PhotographyArnold Arboretum Family Portraits Cara Soulia Photography

Although we got lucky with the weather and foliage, the thing I remember most about this session is how much fun we had together. They made my job easy because they were so laid back and natural, and the kids were able to hang out and play just like they would if I hadn’t been there. Is it any wonder this was one of my very favorite sessions from last fall?

I’m already looking forward to seeing this family again this fall. When Mom booked her family session for this year, it occurred to me that I’d never blogged the one from last year, so I wanted to say here how much I love this family and how much I’m excited for the next portrait session!

Arnold Arboretum Family Portraits Cara Soulia Photography


Cara Soulia is a Boston Family Photographer who specializes in capturing natural moments in a fun and beautiful way.  See more family sessions or get in touch to find out more about booking your family’s next photo session!