Running Wild: A Sunset Family Nature Session
Five kids, two parents, one golden hour, and a whole lot of tall grass. This sunset family nature session at Spring Valley Nature Sanctuary in Illinois was pure chaos in the best possible way. The kind of session where nobody stands still, everyone is laughing, and we’re just trying to keep up.
Let Them Run
Spring Valley gave us exactly the kind of backdrop we love for family work. Wide open prairie, wildflowers everywhere, and light that just kept getting warmer as the evening went on. There were no fences, no sidewalks, nothing to contain the energy. And with this crew, that was a very good thing.
We always tell families to just be themselves. Play, chase, tickle, pile on top of each other. The real moments live in between the ones you plan. Mom scooped up the littlest one for a kiss, and her older sisters pressed in close, and suddenly we had three frames in a row that could each hang on a wall.
If you’re considering a nature preserve for your family session, this is what it can look like. No studio walls. No matching outfits required. Just your people in a place that gives them room to breathe. We shot wide to pull in the scale of the meadow, then came in tight for the quiet moments that happen when nobody thinks we’re looking.
The group hug frame might be our favorite from the whole evening. Everyone collapsed into each other, laughing, and the light behind them was doing something almost ridiculous. That golden backlight through prairie grass is a photographer’s dream, and we weren’t about to waste it. Sessions like this remind us why we love family photography after twenty-plus years.
And then there’s Dad and his boy. That last frame stopped us cold. The light was fading, the rest of the kids had sprinted off somewhere, and these two just held on to each other. Honestly, that is when we do our best work. When everything slows down and something real shows up.
Is Spring Valley Nature Sanctuary a good spot for family photos?
It’s one of the best nature preserves we’ve shot at in Illinois. The open prairie and wildflower meadows give families room to move, and the golden hour light across that flat horizon is hard to beat. We recommend timing your session about ninety minutes before sunset for the warmest tones.
Do you travel to Illinois for family portrait sessions?
We do. We’re based in Madison, Wisconsin, but we regularly travel for family and portrait sessions throughout the Midwest and beyond. Reach out and tell us where your favorite spot is, and we’ll make it work.
