Our Outer Banks holiday sessions always take a little while to make their debut, because we like to wait until our families have sent out their holiday cards first. So when we finally get to share our favorites, we jump at the chance. Fall on the Outer Banks is one of our absolute favorite seasons—what we like to call “local’s summer.” The weather is usually gorgeous, the light turns golden and dreamy, and the summer crowds have long since headed home.

I photographed Caroline’s maternity session, so I’d been counting down the days until I could meet little Blake as a moving, grooving toddler. As luck would have it, we hit a streak of terrible weather, and I truly lost count of how many times we had to reschedule thanks to the rain. Thankfully, Caroline and her family were absolute troopers, and we ended up with the most beautiful day for their session at Roanoke Island Festival Park. Known as a popular Outer Banks wedding venue, it also makes a stunning backdrop for family portraits when you’re looking for something beyond the beach.