Golden Hour with the Gilsons: A Mountain View Family Session

One of my absolute favorite parts of being a photographer is stumbling upon new, beautiful little corners of West Virginia — those blink-and-you’ll-miss-it kind of spots that end up becoming magic on camera. This one? I discovered it entirely by accident… or rather, during one of those desperate “please, baby, just nap” drives with my newborn daughter.

Somewhere between “Twinkle Twinkle” and me questioning my life choices at the 45-minute mark, I spotted this tiny gravel pull-off with a jaw-dropping field and the most perfect mountain view. I mentally pinned it as “great photo spot,” and I’m honestly proud of myself because usually when I’m driving with a baby screaming, I can’t even remember my own name, let alone a location.

Fast forward a few months, my good friend Maddie — who somehow manages to look stunning and put-together while mothering two small humans — had just welcomed her second baby, a sweet little boy who was about six weeks old at the time of our shoot. Does that still count as a newborn? I can never remember when the newborn cutoff is. Let’s just say he was tiny enough that I’m counting it.

Maddie wanted updated family photos with their new addition and some cozy fall mountain vibes, and I immediately thought of my secret nap-drive discovery spot. The light there hits just right — that dreamy, golden, cinematic glow. Of course, like any true family session, we had all the classics: a toddler posing to the beat of their own drum and a baby who was wondering why his parents pulled him from his comfy carseat bliss onto a breezy scenic lookout.

The final gallery? Pure magic — warm tones, soft light, and that crisp mountain air practically seeping through the screen. The kind of photos that make you want to grab a flannel, a pumpkin spice latte, and spend a Sunday on the couch with your family.