The high desert does something to light that I have never found anywhere else. Late afternoon in Santa Fe, the sun drops low enough to turn adobe walls into warm reflectors, and skin tones go soft and golden without a single modifier. That light is the reason I shoot family portraits the way I do: outdoors, unposed, and built around the way your family actually moves through the world together.
I am Casey Addason, a Santa Fe family photographer offering photo and video services for families of every shape and size. I work with couples, single parents, multi-generational groups, LGBTQ+ families, blended families, and anyone else who wants honest documentation of who they are right now. No stiff lineups. No matching-outfit mandates. Just real interaction in locations that feel like home, or at least like New Mexico.
How I Approach a Family Session
I learned to photograph families the same way I learned to shoot weddings and events: by paying attention. The best frames come from moments between the directed ones. A kid climbing onto someone's shoulders. Two partners sharing a look while their toddler wanders off-script. Those in-between seconds hold more truth than any posed arrangement ever will.
I do give light direction. I will suggest where to stand so the light falls correctly, or ask you to walk together toward me so I can shoot movement. But I am not going to tell your three-year-old to smile on command. That never works, and it never looks like them.
Sessions run about 60 to 90 minutes. I shoot both photo and video during that window, so you walk away with a full gallery of edited images and a short film that preserves the sound, the laughter, the way your family sounds together. Still frames are powerful, but adding motion and audio to the story gives you something to return to that hits differently ten years from now.
Locations Around Santa Fe
Northern New Mexico is full of places that feel cinematic without trying. I have a few go-to spots, and I am always open to scouting new ones.
Canyon Road offers textured walls, wooden gates, and dappled shade from old cottonwoods. It photographs well in every season, but fall is something else entirely. Museum Hill gives a wider perspective with long views of the Sangre de Cristos, open sky, and clean sight lines. Bishop's Lodge and the surrounding foothills provide a quieter, more private setting with piñon and juniper scattered across red earth.
Private locations work just as well. Some of my favorite sessions have happened at families' own homes, in backyards with nothing but a weathered fence and good afternoon light. If you have a ranch property outside Taos, a casita in Chimayó, or a rental in the Railyard district, I will make it work. The setting matters less than the light and the people in it.
Indoor and Evening Sessions
Not every family session happens outside. Some of the most intimate work I have done takes place indoors, where window light creates a quieter, more contained mood. This is particularly true for sessions with newborns, very young children, or families visiting Santa Fe who want to incorporate the interior character of where they are staying.
I look for rooms with large windows, neutral walls, and minimal clutter. Adobe interiors with their thick walls and deep window wells create natural framing that feels editorial without any staging. I keep it simple. Available light, a reflector if needed, and space for your family to be comfortable.
Evening sessions are also on the table. If your family is gathering for a dinner, a reunion, or a holiday celebration at a restaurant or event space in town, I can document that too. The line between a family portrait session and an event is thinner than most people think. Sometimes the best family photos come from a table, not a field.
What You Get and What It Costs
Family portrait sessions with Casey Addason Photography start at $500. That includes pre-session planning, the shoot itself, a curated gallery of edited images, and a highlight video. I deliver digitals with a print release, and I can connect you with a local lab for albums or fine art prints if you want something physical.
I book family sessions year-round in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Taos, and across northern New Mexico. I am also available for travel to destinations throughout the state and, on occasion, beyond.
Every family looks different. Every session should too. If you are looking for a Santa Fe family photographer who works in natural light, shoots both photo and video, and values real moments over manufactured ones, I would like to hear from you.
Get in touch here to start planning your session.
Casey Addason is a Santa Fe photographer covering weddings, portraits, and events across New Mexico. Also serving Albuquerque. View the portfolio or get in touch.
