There is just something magical about Christmas photos at a real Christmas tree farm! 🎄

This year’s Christmas mini sessions took place at a sweet, locally owned Christmas tree farm here in Upstate New York. It’s the kind of small, family-run farm where you can wander through rows of evergreens, choose the perfect tree, and cut it down yourself — which made it such a beautiful and authentic backdrop for Christmas photos.

I had so much fun photographing all of the families who joined me! One of my favorite things about mini-session days is the variety. I photographed families, extended families, couples, kids, babies, and, of course, some adorable four-legged family members too!

Every session was a little different. Some kids were full of giggles and ready to explore the trees, some little ones needed a little extra coaxing, and the dogs definitely kept things interesting! But that is exactly what I love about family photography. It doesn’t have to be perfectly posed to be perfect. Sometimes the laughing, snuggling, running around, and completely unexpected moments become the photographs you love the most.

The rows of Christmas trees gave us that classic, cozy holiday feeling without needing a lot of props or decorations. The families really became the focus of the photographs, surrounded by beautiful evergreens and that unmistakable Christmas-tree-farm atmosphere.

I especially loved seeing returning families as well as meeting some new ones. Watching families grow from year to year — new babies, growing kids, and even new puppies — is one of my favorite parts of being a family photographer.

And because it’s Christmas and a little extra magic is always fun, I took some of the images from the sessions and transformed them into whimsical scenes inspired by The Polar Express. The Christmas tree farm already had that nostalgic holiday feeling, so adding a little North Pole magic made these images even more fun. I loved being able to give some of the kids a photograph that felt like they had stepped right into a Christmas story.

Here are just a few of my favorite moments from this year’s Christmas tree farm mini sessions. There were way too many favorites to choose from!

Thank you to everyone who came out and trusted me to capture a little piece of your Christmas season. I hope these photographs become part of your family’s holiday memories for many years to come.

And yes… I’m already thinking about next year’s Christmas minis!