I first met this family five years ago when I photographed their oldest daughter for a six month old sitter session. Since that time, I have photographed them annually and it has been a joy to watch their family expand and their children grow. I always have a great time with this family and I look forward to seeing them each year.

In the past, I have photographed the family in my studio and outdoors, so this year Mom wanted to schedule the session in a different location an opted for The Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay. This location is magnificent. It has paths, foliage, florals, several houses and a wide array of locations that work as the perfect backdrop for family photos. Although there is a permit fee required for this location, it is well worth the additional cost.

I usually schedule my family sessions prior to sunset, but this time of a day can be tough for little ones, so we decided to move the session to the morning. Even though golden hour is spectacular, it is always best to choose a time of day that works best for your children.

It was an overcast morning on the day of this particular October day and the grounds were not as crowded as they typically are this time of year. As we walked though the grounds, we found a gravel path that was the perfect starting point for our session. The girls were wearing their pink and purple Hunter rain boots, so I decided to snap a few photos of them on this path. I also took a few formal family portraits here and then we were ready to move on.

We then made our way to the gorgeous gardens section and the garden arches. Mums were planted throughout the gardens and there were still some roses and other florals in bloom. I love the pops of color these flowers bring to the photos. I was able to get some playful and interactive images of the girls playing with dad and racing each other down the garden path.

My favorite spot at the arboretum is the little pink cottage. The toddler girls were mesmerized by the cottage and I love the captures of the peering in the windows. The landscaping by the cottage is so pretty and it is lined with mums and other florals that bring so much vibrancy to the images.

It was a long photo session for this family and the kids were rock stars. I have so many sweet captures from this day and it was really hard to narrow down their collection of images. Here are a few favorites from the day.