A beautiful at-home newborn session for this family of four.
Cozy at-home newborn session
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in Clarksville, TN
In-home newborn photography in Clarksville // newborn photos by Jacquelyn Smith of j. photography
I absolutely loved being invited back to this sweet family’s home to photograph their newest arrival. For their firstborn, we split the newborn session between my studio and their home, so of course, we had to do the same thing for their new baby boy.
This session took place in early fall, and we lucked out with the most beautiful weather. (Also, while I didn’t include them here, we definitely snuck in a few adorable shots of baby in a Santa hat for their Christmas card!)
One of the best parts about doing your newborn session at home—especially when there’s a toddler sibling in the mix—is that we can roll with the rhythm of your day. If a nap is needed mid-session, no problem… which is exactly what happened here. You might notice big brother missing from the last set of images!
I may need to do a separate blog post with highlights from the studio portion of this newborn session because I had way too many favorites just from the in-home portion alone.
Wardrobe notes: Mom, Dad, and big brother’s outfits were their own and newborn baby boy was wrapped in swaddle and cozy blankets from my studio. Everyone who books a full session with me gets free access to my online styling assistant software, which simplifies outfit selection by automatically coordinating wardrobe pieces that are both stylish and photography-friendly. Many of my clients find it helpful for shopping within their own closets. Ready for a session where your family is coordinated beautifully but with zero stress? Send me a message for your in-home newborn photography session!
Photographed with the Canon R6 and edited with Refined Presets.
In-home newborn photography in Clarksville // newborn photos by Jacquelyn Smith of j. photography
Hi, I’m Jac – a newborn and family photographer based in Clarksville, Tennessee, and the heart behind j. photography. I specialize in relaxed, lifestyle family photography that captures real connection, genuine emotion, and the beauty of your everyday moments – whether we’re in your home capturing in-home newborn photography in Clarksville, your backyard, my studio, or your favorite local spot.
As a mom and photographer with over a decade of experience, I know how fast the seasons with your kids can fly by. That’s why my sessions are designed to feel playful rather than a photo shoot – no forced smiles, no awkward posing, just natural moments that reflect the heart of your family.
Whether your babies are brand new or heading off to high school, your story deserves to be told in a way that’s honest, timeless, and true to you. From snuggles on the couch to giggles in the yard, I’m here to help you press pause and preserve this season – because these are the days you’ll want to remember.
If you’re looking for a Clarksville newborn and family photographer who values authenticity over perfection and storytelling over stiff poses, get to know more about me or reach out here. I would just love to create images you’ll love hanging on your walls – and holding onto forever.
In-home newborn photography in Clarksville // newborn photos by Jacquelyn Smith of j. photography
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6 Month Milestone Session
I just absolutely loved this little 6 month milestone session for baby Cooper! Kellie did such an amazing job styling their session with all the blush and mauve tones. It looks like they should be in a magazine!
To see this sweet girl’s newborn session, CLICK HERE!
To book your own baby’s milestone session, click HERE!
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After my first meeting with Amber to discuss her wedding at Old Glory Distilling Co., I knew that I was going to be counting down the days to her wedding. I left that meeting on a wedding photographer’s high! Amber’s mother works for PSR Events in Clarksville and they were going to be doing all the wedding coordination, decor, and florals for Amber and John’s wedding so I knew it was going to be absolutely beautiful.
Amber and John got ready at John’s parents’ house, which I think is so special and made the getting ready photos so meaningful. I loved listening to the guys holler out random facts about John’s childhood bedroom and tease him as we were taking some of his photos. We could not stop laughing! To say that this bridal party was a blast is an understatement. We had so many inside jokes by the end of the day!
I love that Amber and John were able to have their first look under the crepe myrtles behind the house. It was just a beautiful setting and that spot will always be special to them now. It really does make my heart happy to think that one day they’ll probably get to watch their kids play in that same little spot that they first saw each other on their wedding day. I can just picture two little boys running around playing football back there.
The Blick family’s big backyard with tall trees was a lifesaver for all of the bridal party photos. It was hot hot hot that day and the shade made it so much more bearable. John’s dad even had these huge fans sitting out by the trees to help with the heat that day. (THANK YOU MR. TERRY!)
This was my first wedding at Old Glory Distilling Co. and I wasn’t really sure what to expect when it came to decor. HOLY COW did PSR Events just blow me away with how beautiful everything was. I think I said “oh my gosh it’s just so pretty” a million times that day. All of the greenery and pastel tones had the entire space feeling so elegant and timeless. And I always love it when my couples do a long family style table for the bridal party at their reception. It’s beautiful and it keeps your closest friends up there with you so you can talk and have fun while eating!
Definitely one of the coolest parts of this wedding was the “filling of the barrel”. At Old Glory, you can fill a barrel with bourbon on your wedding night! You’ll have to scroll down to see the photos of Amber and John filling their barrel. If this venue had been around back when my husband and I were married, he totally would have booked our wedding at Old Glory JUST for this! I’m not even kidding.
Amber and John, I hope you enjoy reliving your amazing wedding day through this blog post!!! It was such an honor getting to be your wedding photographer!!!
I love that all the girls had these matching monogrammed robes from Marley Lilly
Amber’s wedding gown was so gorgeous! She looked like royalty!
Amber’s first look with her step-dad was so sweet. I love his smile so much!
Are they not just the sweetest?! Amber had to take a few moments before she could tell John to turn around. The love that these two have for one another was so sweet to get to photograph.
I definitely wanted to make sure that I got a few photos of John with his family while we were still at their home since it was so special that they were able to get ready there.
I just love these photos of the girls steaming Amber’s dress right before the ceremony.
His face is just priceless here!
How cute is this frame that was decorated for photos?!
I just loved this bridal party! Some of them got really into their entrances into the Reception.
I can’t NOT give a little background on these next photos. John’s grandfather was asked to give the blessing for the meal and it somehow morphed into this epic blessing/toast where story after story of John were told. We all couldn’t help but giggle at the longest blessing ever and it was truly amazing! We all loved it!
Sneaking out during the reception for sunset photos with the Bride and Groom will always be a favorite.
They had the most beautiful sunset over their day.
Showing off their new bling!
He definitely shoved cake up her nose!
The filling of the barrel!!
Below are some of the Vendor links that were a part of making this wedding a dream come true for Amber and John. If you click on the company name, it will take you to their website.
Venue | Old Glory Distilling Co.
Wedding Coordinator | PSR Events
Florals | PSR Events
Hair | Kendyl Davis Unger with Flawless Beauty Company
Makeup | Katelyn Hamaker with Flawless Beauty Company
DJ | Van Herndon
Videographer | Patrick Robinson
Ceremony Musicians | Brio Strings
Wedding Dress | Maggie Sottero
Bridesmaid Dresses | Bill Levkoff
Groom and Groomsmen Attire | Mens Warehouse
Cake | Walmart
Amber and John’s Wedding Highlight Video
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I first met Kelsey via FaceTime. I love to meet my couples in person to talk about their wedding, but Kelsey and Joe live in Atlanta so that wasn’t going to be super convenient for them at all. Thank goodness for modern technology! Kelsey and I had the best conversation! We were able to talk about all the details that she and Joe had already planned for their Owen Farm wedding. For the details that they hadn’t decided on, we were able to talk about all their options and I was able to give a photographer’s opinion on what would photograph well. I really do love that part of my job! I remember one of the more important things that we talked about was the advantages of doing a first look and I’m so glad that they decided to go ahead and do a first look! We were able to capture so many special moments before the ceremony had even started.
I didn’t get to meet Joe until weeks later when Kelsey and Joe were in town visiting their families for the holidays. We met at Starbucks to finalize their timeline and make sure that they were going to have enough photography coverage to capture everything that they wanted. I got so excited just planning their timeline that I knew their wedding day was going to be so much fun. Kelsey and Joe are so funny and easy going and when we left Starbucks that day, they felt like friends instead of clients. If you spend even just a short amount of time with them, you will see that they are so perfect together.
The wedding took place at Owen Farm which is a gorgeous wedding venue with the whole package. Kelsey and her girls were able to get ready in the main house and the guys got ready in the adoarble Silo house near the reception location. It is a perfect setup to keep the bride and groom from accidentally seeing each other! Kelsey and I were able to go outside the main house to capture her getting in her dress, a few moments with just her girls, and the moment her dad got to see her in her wedding dress for the first time. First looks with dads are always a favorite of mine to capture! Kelsey’s dad reminds me so much of my own dad so when he got to see his baby girl in her wedding dress for the first time, I had to fight back tears of my own. Now that I have a baby girl of my own, I am soooooo much more teary-eyed while photographing weddings.
Once we were done with Kelsey’s first look with her dad, it was time for Joe to see his bride. They exchanged their gifts right before their first look and it was so sweet to witness. Both of them had written the same exact thing at the beginning to their letters to one another! They couldn’t help but laugh and I couldn’t help but think how perfect they are for one another. Joe’s reaction to Kelsey’s gift was so sweet and perfect. It seriously made me want to go back in time and redo the gift I gave my husband on our wedding day.
I’m so glad that my wonderful friend Bri was able to shoot alongside me that day so that we could capture both Kelsey and Joe’s faces during the first look. I love how intimate first looks can be and that couples get to have this sweet and private moment where they can hug and actually talk to one another. Joe’s face when he saw Kelsey for the first time was so perfect. You could see how much he loves her and you just know that he feels like the luckiest man in the world for getting to marry her. Their ceremony and reception were perfect and I think my favorite moments were Kelsey’s father daughter dance to Van Morrison’s Brown Eyed Girl (so so fun!!) and her dad’s toast to them. Mr. Kenneth’s toast was the perfect balance of funny, sweet, and meaningful!
OH! And I loved their Krispy Kreme donut bar instead of the traditional cake. I love me some Krispy Kreme donuts!!
Kelsey and Joe, thank you so much for choosing me to photograph your elegant country wedding! You guys were a joy to get to be with on your day and I hope that we will keep in touch so that I can celebrate all your big moments as your life grows together. Below are just a few (ok, maybe a lot!) of my favorite images from your wedding day and I hope that you love them as much as I do!
Each half of the heart that was sewn into the bottom of Kelsey’s dress was a piece from each of her two grandfathers’ shirts.
Kelsey’s florals were stunning!
We couldn’t leave their dog Ace out of the photos!
It’s always fun when little ones are a part of the ceremony. I think there might have been two meltdowns but they eventually all made it down the aisle with a little help. They were so adorable!
I love that Kelsey’s mom and Joe’s dad each read special words to them during the ceremony.
Their faces are priceless in this photo!
I love that they rang the “wedding bell” right after the ceremony.
How gorgeous was Kelsey’s veil that her mother made?!
I’m so glad that they humored me and snuck away before sunset to get a few more photos.
I am a huge fan of the guest favors!
Their wedding hashtag was PERFECT!
Married y’all!!
Venue | Owen Farm
Florist | A Rose Garden
Hair | Southern Grace Hair Salon
Reception Band | Jim Gibson Band
Donut Bar | Krispy Kreme
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This newborn session was extra special to me. Not only because this family is a part of my family, but because of what they went through to have this sweet baby boy. After I had already delivered the photos to Makenzie, I told her that I would love to blog the photos on this website. I asked her if she would want to share what they went through. I wanted to make sure that I made it clear that I didn’t want her to share her testimony for me or my business, I could share Grant’s images without ever mentioning what happened. I asked her if she wanted to share for other women who might be going through something similar and think that they are alone. Below is what Makenzie sent me for this post…
The pain was unexplainable. I was glad the kids weren’t home, and Adam had to be at work. I was able to scream, wail, and just mourn for the loss of my sweet baby. Telling the kids the next day was impossible, I had to have Adam tell them. Their sadness broke me even more. We told them that we would see the baby in heaven one day, and Jesus would watch over him or her until we got there. Trying for another baby was definitely something we were planning for now. Months went by and I felt as though I was healing, I clung to God after that. If nothing else, just to cling to hope for Him to answer my prayer yet again, and in accordance to MY plans. We found out in early March we were expecting again! We were both excited, but more cautious this time. We didn’t tell the kids, and we only told very few people. I was over the moon, but this time of year was hectic. Braedyn & Colton’s birthdays were coming up, I was preparing for a spring break camp at church, and still was trying to do everything in my power to nourish this growing child inside of me. I had gone to visit with a friend, when I noticed I was spotting again. I immediately left and told Adam what was going on. I went home and rested. I hadn’t experienced any more spotting until the next morning…it was happening again. And again I was alone. The kids were at school and Adam was working. I decided to clean. If I was going to be alone on this terrible, terrible day I was at least going to be productive. I was able to clean (angrily) for a good two hours before the agony hit. I lied down in the floor where I was and just lost it.
“Why was this happening when other women were having babies that didn’t want them?” “Why again?” “Was this punishment for past decisions?” I know all these questions were seeds of doubt placed in my mind by Satan, that maybe I was unworthy of God’s love and unworthy to have Him answer my prayers. I mourned again. This time more brief than the last. I had to move on and stop feeling sorry for myself. My family needed a wife and mother that was present and not couped up all the time. I went about life as usual except for one BIG thing…I was one angry Momma. Nobody really shares the nasty parts because quite honestly…it’s embarrassing. I may have been present, but most of the time I was not nice. I thought I was really good at masking it until one day, a couple of friends gently told me they could see how I had changed. They could see the anger and the hurt that had built up and they wanted me to know that they were there for me and praying for me. Boy, did that sting. If they could see it, who else could? I was so angry at God during this time that I hadn’t allowed myself to spend time in prayer an in His word, which were the only two things that were going to help me out of this pit. But how could I let go of this anger long enough to actually spend that time with Him? Pridefulness is something that I was struggling with. Why did I think I could be a better Momma than anyone else (especially the way I was acting at this point)? Why shouldn’t I have things to struggle with in this life? Don’t they make you stronger? Aren’t the trials we struggle through the things that build endurance? Why would I think that God, who is Master and Creator, the Saver of my soul, would want to punish me for the things He has already wiped clean? He wouldn’t. He is a Good and Sovereign God that knows my needs and my family’s needs more than I do. He is in control. Let go of the reigns control freak, and let God do His thing!
In early June, we found out we were expecting again. Unfortunately, as soon as I found out I began to allow Satan to steal my joy again. But this time, there was a kind friend that reminded me of the aforementioned Good God we serve, and how much more mighty He is than the thief of my joy. I was still apprehensive and this time we literally told a handful of people. I began hoping for weeks. At the 12 week mark we should be safe…At the 20 week mark we are halfway…At 27 weeks he would be viable…at 30 weeks we are in the home stretch. Within those last few weeks Satan was trying his hardest to try and steal back the joy he once held onto so tightly. “What if something happens to him in the womb and I don’t notice till it’s too late?” “What if something happens during labor and delivery?” “What if everything goes smoothly, but when I get him home and something happens in his sleep?” NOPE…Not today Satan. God is in control, not you OR me…so back off! On March 1st in the weeeeeeeeeeeeee hours of the morning…3:09 AM to be exact. Grant Collier Bryant came into the world, as happy and healthy as could be. You better believe I was praising the Lord after all we had gone through. To see the joy in Adam’s eyes when he saw his newest baby boy was so warming! I know that even as he had to be strong for me during all the pain of the past year and a half, he had felt the losses too. To say we were grateful for this beautiful and precious gift would be an understatement. Grant is our Rainbow Baby. The rainbow that comes after the storm and rain.
To see Makenzie’s at home maternity session, click on the following link: VIEW THE POST
One of the best things about a photograph is that it can take you right back to a moment in time –– right back to the love and joy you felt when that image was taken. My goal is to freeze all those beautiful moments, whether it's welcoming a brand-new baby or capturing the love and connection of your family. During sessions, I am the ultimate tickle monster, giggle maker, and baby whisperer. My family sessions are play-based and fun, while my newborn sessions are gentle and relaxed, allowing for sweet, natural moments to unfold. No matter the occasion, I always strive to capture you authentically.
ALL ABOUT Jac
