Brooke Kelly is a Nashville area photographer known for birth, newborn, baby, and family work. Her sessions focus on connection and images that feel like family history. At South 40, she leans into simple, natural scenes that support real moments rather than staging. The venue’s mix of open fields, rotating blooms, water, and clean indoor spaces gives her room to keep people at the center. What follows is a conversation about the scenes that fit her voice and the choices that keep emotion first.
The flower fields won me over. I love the variety of blooms and the rotating fields that change with the season. That variety helps families relax because the setting already feels special. The fields are ideal for full sessions and minis, and they let me keep the focus on people while offering a soft, colorful backdrop. I want families to feel like they are in a place that welcomes movement, touch, and small moments that unfold naturally.
Your images lean into connection with hands, quiet closeness, and multi-generation frames. How do you draw that out at South 40?
I am not heavy on posing. I look for candid moments of connection and guide lightly when it helps people settle in. Hands are a constant for me because they tell stories. They show joy, care, and a life of work or caregiving. In extended family sessions, a grandparent’s hands holding a grandchild can carry the entire frame. It is a reminder that time moves quickly, and it communicates tenderness without needing many words or complex direction.
You switch between tight, emotive details and wider environmental storytelling. How do the White Room windows, the fields at sunset, and the textured areas help you build that sequence in one session?
South 40 offers a wide set of backdrops for wider frames, especially when the sky shows off at sunset. I lean toward the natural, less set-like areas such as fields, blooms, the creek, and the White Room windows. Those places keep attention on the people, which matters most to me. The landscapes become an added bonus that supports the story rather than competing with it. With that mix, I can pair close details with broader context and keep a consistent, human-first feel.
Kids bring a lot of energy. Share a moment when a child’s curiosity shaped the final image and how you kept it real.
I give light direction, but the in-between moments are often my favorites. Discovering grasshoppers and butterflies, racing through the fields, and smelling the flowers are the kinds of things that lead to real expressions. When parents simply enjoy the time, the images feel true to the family. Letting kids be silly or explore creates room for connection. The more we honor that energy, the more likely we capture something that still feels honest later.
You photograph a wide range of skin tones. Which South 40 light and backdrops help you render everyone well and avoid color cast?
It comes down to knowing light, which I have focused on since 2005. South 40 is helpful because it provides open shade without tree canopies that can cast green onto skin. With that neutral base, tones stay clean and consistent. The spaces let me position families so the light flatters everyone without complex setups. That is important for sessions with young children or larger groups where simplicity helps us keep attention on the people and the relationships in front of us.
Your work often includes grandparents and new siblings. How do you plan a session that respects mobility, nap windows, and comfort while keeping the emotional core?
I plan around the best daylight and encourage families not to stress about nap or bedtime. Kids are usually happy outdoors, and if we are near bedtime, we often get sweet, snuggly frames. I send a detailed prep packet so everyone knows what to expect and arrives ready. Patience and silliness are my superpowers with little ones. For mobility needs, South 40 is generally flat, and you can drive to different areas, which reduces walking and keeps sessions comfortable for everyone.
For photographers booking South 40 for the first time, what two small habits produce outsized results?
Scout so you know which areas suit your style and consider distances for your clients. South 40 is a shared venue, so you will likely be working alongside other photographers. Flexibility is key. Be ready to adjust your plan if a favorite area is in use, and have a second option in mind. The property offers enough variety that a small pivot still supports your look. Those habits help protect the flow of a session and keep clients at ease..
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