The Moments of an Orchard Evening

There’s just something about an apple orchard in fall, you know what I mean?

This session took place at Wea Creek Orchard, and it honestly was one of those evenings I wish I could bottle up and keep. The air was cool but easy, and you could smell apples. That crisp, almost sweet smell that lingers when they’ve been hanging on the trees out in the sun.

The lavender fields weren’t blooming anymore, just soft rows resting for spring. Birds moved overhead, bugs hummed in the grass, and every so often you could hear the low rumble of the tractor pulling the hayrack across the orchard.

It wasn’t flashy or over the top. It was just good. Sweet and wholesome. The kind of evening that feels simple and full all at the same time.

Meeting Kayla and Her Boys

I met Kayla and her boys there for a fall motherhood session in Indiana, and it unfolded exactly how motherhood usually does. A little unpredictable, a little loud, and completely beautiful.

Jude, her oldest, was quiet at first. The observing type. He watched me carefully, clearly trying to decide if I was friend or foe.

At one point I grabbed his blanket so it wouldn’t drag through the dirt, and he decided I must be turning him into a superhero. That was it. That was our in.

We started talking about a cricket sitting on an apple. We noticed a fly buzzing around us. Before long he was pointing things out and leading me through the orchard like it was his own backyard.

That’s usually how it works with kids. You don’t force connection with them. You simply step into whatever they are already curious about and meet them there.

Matching Their Energy

Jude had energy for days, so instead of trying to slow him down, we matched it.

When I needed a moment with his mom, he got to sprint toward her and tackle her in the biggest bear hug he could manage. He loved that idea, especially since he has been thinking about the NFL lately. In his mind, this was practice.

And honestly, those running hugs are exactly the kind of moments I want mothers to have photographs of.

Baby Eli mostly watched the action with wide eyes, holding onto an apple like it was treasure. He carried that apple for almost the entire session, gripping it proudly while taking in everything around him.

Jude took his big brother role seriously too. If Eli “needed” help smiling, Jude was there. If Eli decided it was time for momma snuggles instead, Jude softly sang to him.

They moved at completely different paces with completely different personalities, but everything still seemed to orbit around their love for each other and their mom.

Jude also made sure to show me his “strong muscles” by carrying baby Eli. He ran between apple trees, pointing out things he noticed along the way.

We ended that part of the evening excited over a grasshopper hiding in the grass.

Finding the Quiet Moments

At one point, while I was photographing Kayla cuddling Eli, I glanced over and noticed Jude had gone completely still.

He had found the tiniest little flower and was studying it so carefully, like it was the most important thing in the orchard. So I quietly shifted and started photographing him.

That moment mattered just as much as the running and laughing ones.

We quickly realized flowers were the key to slowing him down. I handed him a dandelion to blow and he loved it.

Of course we handed one to Eli too, which lasted about two seconds before he tried to taste it and ended up with dandelion seeds stuck all over his mouth.

Hayrides, Slushies, and the Last Light

This session actually had a mix of portraits and storytelling moments.

Everything you just read about leaned more toward portraits, where we paused here and there and let moments unfold in front of the camera. But this next part of the evening is what I think of as true storytelling.

The difference is simple. Kids don’t feel like they are performing. They feel like they are exploring. And when mom gets to step into that world with them instead of managing it from the sidelines, something really special happens.

Later in the evening we climbed onto the hayrack and made our way around the farm. You could hear the low roar of the tractor before it started moving, followed by that little lurch as the wagon rolled forward. We passed the lavender fields and rows of apple trees as the light slowly softened around us.

We sat there with cold apple cider slushies, honestly one of the best slushies I’ve ever had, while Jude pointed out a large group of birds flying overhead. Baby Eli thought standing on the wagon to test his balance was the best game of the night. Jude, being the thoughtful big brother he is, offered Eli a little taste of his slushie on his finger. Eli happily accepted the tiny bite like it was the greatest treat he had ever experienced.

By the end of the ride we realized we were the last group still out before the orchard closed for the night. The air felt cooler, the light was fading, and the orchard had that peaceful quiet that only happens right at the end of the day.

Why I Love Orchard Storytelling Sessions

That’s what I love about storytelling motherhood sessions, especially somewhere like Wea Creek Orchard.

Kids do not feel like they are performing. They feel like they are exploring. And when mom gets to step into that world with them instead of managing it from the sidelines, something really special happens. The laughter not only feels real but is real. The hugs come naturally. The quiet discoveries matter just as much as the big moments.

It is the apple sticky hands, the grasshopper sightings, the running hugs, and the tiny flowers children stop to examine.

Those are the pieces of childhood families remember years later.

Be Present and In the Photo

If you have been thinking about booking a fall motherhood storytelling session in Indiana or somewhere else in the Midwest, this is your reminder that it does not have to feel stiff or overly posed.

It can look exactly like this. Playful. Honest. A little wild.

You do not have to choose between being present and being in the photo.

You get to be both.

If you are dreaming about your own storytelling session at Wea Creek Orchard, or another place your babies love, reach out and tell me what they are into right now. I am a Midwest motherhood photographer and I travel for sessions like these. We will build the experience around your family, and the rest will unfold naturally.

-Aspin

Want to learn more about Storytelling sessions? Read more here: [To Come]