Family Photographer in Kingsport, Johnson City & Bristol TN | Hux & Mae Photo

Looking for a Family Photographer in Kingsport, Johnson City or Bristol? Start Here.

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably been thinking about family photos for a while.

Maybe it hit you while scrolling your camera roll and noticing you’re in almost none of the pictures. Maybe your youngest just lost that baby look overnight. Maybe Grandma keeps asking for an updated print for the hallway. Or maybe life just feels full and good right now, and you want to hold onto it.

Whatever brought you here, it’s a good instinct. Let’s talk about what you’re really looking for. It’s probably more than a nice picture.

• What You’re Really Searching For Typing “family photographer Kingsport TN” into Google sounds simple, but what most parents want is harder to put into words:
• Photos that look like you.
• Not stiff, matching, everybody-say-cheese pictures.
• Your family, the way you really are on a good day.
• An experience that doesn’t stress anyone out. Especially the kids. Especially your spouse who “doesn’t love having their picture taken.”
• Images that still feel right in twenty years. No trendy filters that date the photos by next spring. Just warm, natural, timeless images.
• Someone who gets it. Toddlers melt down, a dog gets loose, somebody’s sock goes missing in the field. That’s real life, and it can make for some of the best frames of the day.

If that sounds like your list, you’re in the right place.

Family Photography That Feels Like Real Life

I’m Brookney, the photographer behind Hux & Mae Photo. The name comes from my two kids, Hux and Mae. They’re the reason I picked up a camera myself, and they remind me every day how fast these years go.

My approach is simple: photos for real life. I’m not looking to pose your family into a perfect version that doesn’t exist. I’m looking for the in-between moments. The way your daughter leans into your shoulder. The look your kids give each other right before they burst out laughing. The quiet hand-squeeze you didn’t know I caught.

Those are the photos you’ll go back to.

A Background That Shapes Every Session

Before I photographed families, I spent nearly two decades as an art director in advertising, planning and directing photo shoots of all kinds. That’s where I learned how light works, how to make people feel comfortable in front of a lens, and how to tell a story in one frame.

Today that experience shapes every session. I know how to read a moment, find the best light in a field or a park, and keep things moving so nobody feels like they’re “performing.” You get the eye of someone who has spent a career on visual storytelling, with the heart of a mom who knows what these photos mean.

Hux & Mae is my passion project, so I keep my calendar intentionally small. That means each family gets my full attention, from the first message to the final gallery.

What Makes a Hux & Mae Session Different

It’s relaxed, on purpose. I travel light with minimal gear, so the session feels more like a family outing than a production. Less fuss, more connection.

Kids get to be kids. I love handing the camera to the little ones for a minute so they can see what I do and take a few pictures of their own. I grew up in a home that encouraged creativity, and I want to pass a little of that along. It also happens to be a great way to win over a shy kid.

Natural, airy, timeless edits. My style leans toward soft natural tones over heavy filters, so your photos look as good on the wall in 2046 as they do today.

Everybody’s welcome. Families of all shapes and sizes, extended family, milestones, couples, best friends, and yes, the dog too. If they’re your people, they belong in the photo.

Wardrobe without the stress. My best advice: wear what you’re comfortable in, then play it up just a little. Comfortable people photograph best, and a little something special makes the day feel like an occasion.

Serving Families Across the Tri-Cities

East Tennessee is home, and I photograph families across Kingsport, Johnson City, Bristol and the surrounding Tri-Cities area. Our region is full of beautiful backdrops: open farm fields, old barns, lakeside parks, mountain views and golden hour light that is hard to beat in the fall.

Whether you’re in Kingsport, Johnson City or Bristol, I’m happy to help you pick a spot that feels like your family, whether that’s a wide open field or somewhere that already means something to you.

Sessions I Offer

• Family sessions: relaxed, lifestyle-style sessions for your whole crew
• Milestone sessions: new babies, birthdays, first days, big moves and everything worth remembering
• Portraits: individual portraits for kids, teens, grads and grownups
• Couples sessions: for anniversaries, engagements or just because
• Friends and pets: because family looks different for everybody
• Mini sessions: shorter seasonal sessions, a great fit for a quick holiday card update
• Gift certificates: a meaningful gift for new parents, grandparents or anyone who loves their people

Let’s Make Some Photos You’ll Love

You don’t need a perfectly behaved toddler, a coordinated wardrobe or a family that “loves the camera.” You just need to show up as you are. I’ll take it from there.

If you’re looking for a family photographer in Kingsport, Johnson City or Bristol, I’d love to hear about your family. Browse my galleries to get a feel for my work, then reach out through my contact form and tell me a little about your people. We’ll find a time, a place and a plan that works for you.

Here’s to photos for real life.. and to finally being in the pictures yourself.

Brookney, Hux & Mae Photo