A sunrise session at Holden Arboretum with the happiest one year old I have ever met – this one was such a joy to shoot and I cannot wait to share it! As a creative Cleveland family photographer I am always looking for locations that inspire something different. Holden Arboretum delivered in every single way. Gorgeous morning light, so much laughter, and a little boy who made the whole session feel like pure magic. Let’s get into it!

by Alison Nicole Photography | Cleveland Lifestyle Photographer

Creative Cleveland Family Photographer – Why Holden Arboretum is Worth the Drive

Holden Arboretum sits about 25 minutes east of Cleveland in Kirtland, Ohio. It covers over 3,600 acres of forests, wetlands, and beautifully cultivated gardens – one of the largest arboreta in the entire country. Honestly one of the most stunning locations I have ever shot at! The towering trees, the open fields, and when we went the flowers were absolutely blooming everywhere… it is just so beautiful. Worth noting – Holden requires admission. Sessions work best when clients are members or have arranged access ahead of time. But if you can make it work, it is absolutely worth it. Especially at sunrise when the whole place feels like it belongs just to you!

This Family

Happy, loving, kind, and generous – that is how this family describes themselves and you can feel every one of those words in these images. They came into the session wanting joy, laughter, and candid shots – and that is exactly what we got! Their little guy was one year old at the time and honestly one of the smiliest, happiest babies I have ever photographed. The laughter was nonstop and so genuine. We read books together and played with bubbles. We just let him lead the way – and the images that came from it are so full of joy!

One thing they wrote on the questionnaire completely stopped me in my tracks. “We trust you!” That is it. That is everything. There is nothing better than having the full trust of your clients as a photographer. I do not take that lightly for even one second. Thank you for that!

A Little Something Extra

I love bringing creativity into every session I can! For this one I used my Lensbaby lenses and created some double exposures too. Those layered, dreamy images are some of my absolute favorites to make – and they felt especially magical in a setting as beautiful as Holden. If you want to see more sessions featuring Lensbaby creative images check out the blog here: Lensbaby Sessions. And to see more double exposure photography: Double Exposure Sessions!

Creative Cleveland Family Photographer – Serving the West Side and Beyond

Family sessions are one of my absolute favorites! It does not matter if you are a family of two or of seven – I love them all. If you would like to learn more about family sessions please click here: Family Sessions. To see more family lifestyle photography sessions on the blog click here: Family Lifestyle Photography Sessions. Lastly, if you are interested in my Family Session Guide please fill out my contact form here: Contact Form. I am currently serving areas in and around Cleveland including Lakewood, Rocky River, Bay Village, Avon Lake, Westlake, Avon, Fairview Park, North Olmsted, Olmsted Falls, and more – and always up for travel!

Thank You!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read through and check out the images from this family session! If you are looking for something else please know that I also offer newborn, branding, senior, and couples photography sessions. Check out these links: Cleveland Newborn Photographer, Cleveland Branding and Headshot Photographer, Cleveland Senior Photographer, Cleveland Couples Photography. I would love to work with you!