Jordan Lake Christmas Tree Farm

2170 Marthas Chapel Road, Apex, North Carolina 27523, United States



A family walks together between rows of evergreen Christmas trees at a tree farm while wearing winter attire.
Two people embrace tenderly outdoors while holding a small plush toy rabbit in their arms.
Motion blur captures children and adults playing in a grassy field, with flowing dresses in burgundy, pink and white colors.

Oh what fun!

Back in November 2024 (not that long ago, but feels like ages ago?!) I did one half day of Tree Minis at Jordan Lake Christmas Tree Farm and let me tell you...it was AN ABSOLUTE BLAST! I was so anxious about it a. being my first minis ever and b. being my first time at the Tree Farm but I'm here to tell you that Diana (one of the owners) made it an incredibly smooth process and I'm forever grateful for her and her husband for letting photographers utilize their farm. I had so much fun, met some unbelievably sweet families and really got to see just how much of an overshooter I am. Take a guess at how many photos I took, 7 families, 2 hours...I'll put the number at the end of the post....it's...a bit embarrassing :) Anyways! Here are some of my favorite images from the day and below I've included some tips and tricks for my fellow photographers! Hope you enjoy!

Close-up portrait showing three people outdoors at sunset with a teddy bear plush toy.
A black and white family portrait taken outdoors in a woodsy setting with sun flare coming through the trees.
Joyful scene in a garden with children dancing and jumping while wearing festive dresses as adults watch in background.
An elderly couple stands together outdoors at sunset with sunlight filtering through pine trees in the background.
Children wearing matching red and white gingham outfits play together among green evergreen shrubs in an outdoor setting.
Two small children wearing matching red and white gingham dresses and leggings play together outdoors in nature.
A heartwarming family moment outdoors showing embraces and smiles while holding a stuffed teddy bear at sunset.
A family in vintage clothing holds hands together while walking through an evergreen tree farm in black and white.
A toddler in a striped shirt holds hands with accompanying adults while walking outdoors in a grassy area.
A family shares a playful moment together outdoors in coordinated white, red and pink outfits against an evergreen backdrop.
A happy family enjoying an outdoor photoshoot together in casual attire on an autumn day.
A joyful family moment captured outdoors with two playful children running while parents share a laugh by evergreen trees.
Family enjoys a playful moment on blanket at Christmas tree farm during autumn afternoon.
A parent lifts a joyful young child high into the air while standing outdoors with autumn trees in the background.
A tender family moment shared between three people embracing outdoors with greenery in the background.
A child in a red gingham dress and white leggings laughs while running through an evergreen tree farm.
A tender embrace between two people wearing red and pink patterned clothing against a dark green forest background.
Two children standing against a cloudy sky, wearing casual clothes with one holding up something small in their hand.
A couple shares a tender moment while two young children in dresses stand beside them against an evergreen backdrop.
Two people share a heartwarming moment while walking together among evergreen trees at a Christmas tree farm.

Some tips and tricks to make your tree farm minis go as smoothly as possible:

  • Get there early: I suggest getting there 10-15 min early so you can gather your stuff, I used a wagon for my "props" (blankets, crates, snacks...)
  • Don't be afraid to look around: I know a lot of photographers were set up in the shade, and I definitely utilized a portion of that area but then I took some of my more adventurous families over to the larger trees to capitalize on some interesting lighting. Some of my favorite images come from this alternate location. Always check with Diana or your farm contact to make sure it's allowed but yeah, explore! Get Creative!
  • Bring something bright/eye-catching so your clients can find you: I brought this red flag so my clients could find me easily, there were 7+ other photographers there the same day and it would've been a bit hectic to run out to the parking lot to meet my clients with such a short buffer time.
  • On the "making it easier on your clients" note...I sent out an email blast the morning of my sessions with a map circling where they should park, approximately where I would be, and a note on about how much they would have to walk.
  • Bring water and quick and easy snacks: My session was only 2 hours but by the end of basically non-stop shooting I was thirsty, make sure you're taking care of you!
  • Keep it simple and fun: lean into what the family is feeling - I had families interested in more "candid" moments, I had families dressed to the nines looking for that holiday card photo...I'm here for it all, I assessed the situation quickly and pivoted to accommodate my client's needs.
Black and white photo of a family sitting together on a blanket outdoors.

Okay, now for the total image count...drumroll please...

Remember, 7 families, 2 hours .... I took a total of 4556 images. I have problem...I know. Thanks for checking out my little blog, I really hope to do these minis again this year, definitely going to book two days because it was that much fun..hope to see you all there!