Madison County Nature Trail

I love the Madison County Nature Trail. If you have never been, I highly recommend it. I had my own family photos here a couple of years ago and they are gorgeous. This location has beautiful trails, a small lake, a lovely rustic chapel and a covered bridge. There are so many picturesque locations within the Madison County Nature Trail on Green Mountain. Even better, it is so peaceful. I arrived super early to this session and was sitting waiting at the top of the trail. I could hear water streaming behind me and it was so serene.

This is where I am offering mini-sessions this year because I love the natural beauty at this location. Plus, it is free to enter and park, with bathrooms close to the entrance. The Madison County Nature Trail is beautiful all year round too. Now, in August, the greens are vibrant and you can see wildflowers growing in certain areas. But fall is my absolute favorite with the leaves changing and all the gorgeous fall colors popping out. So no matter how far along the change from summer to fall is, I know it will be beautiful. Ideal for fall sessions!

Family Photo: Family on pathway at Madison County Nature Trail

My hope for all of my sessions is that I not only get beautiful photos, but that you actually enjoy the experience. A photo session is an opportunity to capture your family as it currently is and spend time together. The Kline family was so fun in part because the kids did not want to sit or stand still, so we decided to play some games together!

After trying to get the requisite family portraits with everyone smiling at the camera (which we did get!), the kids had pretty much had enough within the first few minutes. So we played red light/green light, follow the leader, Ring around the Rosie, and run at mom and dad for big hugs. They had a blast and I got some authentic and beautiful shots. It was a little chaotic, but with everyone having fun we got some great images and everyone had a positive experience.

If you passed us on your way to the trail, you may have seen me with a wagon full of stuff and/or up on a step stool in the middle of the pathway. I definitely got the puppets out of my bag at some point too to get some smiles and eyes on the camera. The games, the puppets, the fun prompts really make the difference for the little ones in particular!

Family Session: Mother and son playing ring around the rosie at Madison County Nature Preserve

Family Session: Family embracing on path at Madison County Nature Preserve

We were able to get some pictures of just mom and dad too! As a parent, it can be hard to ever take any photos with you in them at all, let alone you and your partner. This is a perk of having a photographer!

Get in the pictures! One day, your children will cherish the photos with you and of you and your spouse. That is one of the reasons I love doing this. These photos are heirlooms that can be cherished for a lifetime and even passed on to future generations as a visual representation of the story of your family.