Category Archives: Family Photography

Wrightwood Park Family Photos |Lincoln Park IL

I was so excited when I got the opportunity to do family photos for Julia and Andy.

Julia is the hip, fun working mom who writes the blog “Lipstick, Lollipops and Life” for Chicago Now. I am not sure how she manages to work full time, raise young boys, and look incredibly fashionable at the same time, but somehow she does it!

Her insightful musings are always informative and fun to read.

Not only can you find great information about balancing the responsibilities of the working woman and toddler mom, she also has articles on fashion, nutrition, vacations, and everything in between!

At Home

When I first met the boys, I was immediately drawn to their gorgeous big, blue eyes. And while the boys were shy at first, they quickly warmed up and began showing me around.

My goal was to capture their daily memories in photos. And of course, we needed to get a nice group shot for the holiday card!

Wrightwood Park

Next, the boys wanted to get outside and play. Andy and Julia are so lucky to be raising their boys in the city with so many parks nearby to choose from. We decided Wrightwood Park would be a perfect place to enjoy the playground, the sand box, and ride bikes. And have I mentioned the adorable Mutant Ninja Turtles helmet? I told my sister-in-law about them and she immediately bought them for her boys. People always say girls have all the cute stuff, but I don’t think that’s true anymore!

Wri

Settling Down

After getting out all their little boy energy, we heading back to the house for quiet playing with their toys and dinner time.

I had such a great time getting to know Julia and Andy and the boys and capturing their family photos. Blending into the background and photographing the beautiful, simple moments of their day was effortless.

If you would like to see more family photojournalism sessions that document the beauty in your every day, click here and here.

Lifestyle Family Photos | Deerfield IL Photographer

I am proud to have been hired to photograph the “everyday” of this lovely Deerfield IL family.

Mom M was so relaxed for our shoot! And Dad J was right there in the mix playing with his sweet duo. We started with hanging out in the backyard. After a little bit of swinging and sliding, little G got dad J to shoot some hoops with him.

Little G with the AMAZING curly hair was shy with me at first. But after a time he really warmed up. And I loved it when he would flash me that infectious grin.

Miss S was such a sweetheart too. So independent! So determined! This girl knows what she wants and figures out how to get it done. Watching her help serve dinner was priceless! She is like a grown up in a little girl’s body!

After hanging out in the backyard, we were off to Maplewood Park for more slides and climbing! Photographing a family at the park always makes for great photos. Letting the kids be themselves and play allows for more authentic photos than asking them to sit a certain way and trying to coax a natural smile from them. I promise you, you will not regret having beautiful images of your kids having genuine emotion instead of staged smiles!

I love that the G family asked me to capture their memories. The little moments that make up our everyday are so precious. How special for this family to be able to look back for years to come and see with vivid detail the beautiful moments that tell the story of raising their children.

Memories of raising our children can get lost in a haze of diapers, playdates and carpool runs. Hiring a photographer to “stop time” and document these moments before they are gone is so important!

If you are in the Chicago area, I would love to photograph your family photo story. From Oak Park, to Evanston, even Milwaukee, I am available and ready to come to you and document your day in the life!

Here are a few examples of other family photojournalism sessions: Mom’s Morning, Train Trip to Chicago and Baking with the Kids

Family Lifestyle Photos – Deerfield IL

Maplewood Park

Playing at Home

Dinner Time Photos

Bedtime Photos

Deerfield IL | Get Mom in the Photo!

With Mother’s Day rapidly approaching, I am reminded of how often Mom’s are behind the camera instead of in the photo. For most of us, the visual history of our children looks like they were raised by a single dad!

Why not change that for Mother’s Day! Give Mom a gift certificate for a family photojournalism session! Let me capture your memories with mom IN the photo! I can document you doing your favorite Saturday morning rituals (pancakes anyone?), enjoying a beautiful Chicago Spring afternoon, or anything you like to do as a family!

For an example of a family photojournalism shoot, look here.

Purchase a gift certificate for a sitting and schedule the shoot before June 29, 2015, and receive a free 8×10 ($67 value).

Contact me through the “Inquire” button and we will make it happen!

Beautiful Moms and their Kiddos

Brunch at Kevin’s Place | Family Photography Chicago

Our family has many little rituals that make up our day. And while I know I will always have my memories, I like to document our stories with photos so I can look back and see the sweet little moments that make up our lives.

One of our favorite weekend traditions is having brunch at Kevin’s Place in Deerfield. We started going here years ago because I heard it was a good place to take kids. No one would give you a funny look if your children laughed too loud, ate with their fingers, or even melted into the dreaded tantrum. Now that my children can safely make it through a meal without these issues, it’s still one of our favorite places.

Lynn, Matt and Freddie always greet us with a smile. Matt always inquires about what we have been up to lately and tells me of his latest adventures. And the best part, he always tells me I look pretty. Now, this may not sound like much, but from a lady in her 40’s, I don’t hear this from anyone but my husband these days …

When Kevin comes to the table to get our order, he usually sits down and digs in for a good pre-ordering chat. The girls can’t wait to share with him. From dance performances, to plays, to school achievements, he gets to hear it all. They love to talk to him because he listens so intently. He focuses on each child and always gives the best reactions.

Thank you Kevin, for being a bright spot in our crazy, busy lives. You slow us down and remind us that good food, good friends, and connecting with each other is what life is all about.

Having a Chicago Adventure with the Girls| Family Photography

I love being on holiday break with my kids. During regular school time, it just doesn’t feel like we have time to breathe. I feel like we are constantly rushing to school, hurrying to after school activities, shoehorning in homework time, and then jamming in dinner before showers and bedtime.

I am cherishing lazy mornings and afternoon adventures.

Yesterday, my mother-in-law and I decided to take my girls and nieces to downtown Chicago.

The girls loved riding on the train, chitty-chatting, taking pictures of each other and playing games on their itouchs. This was a big improvement on the two-hour drive we took to the city last week. (Why do I always forget that a little rain can add an hour to our drive in a flash?!)

We started our afternoon in the city by collecting a dizzying array of colorful food a the French Market at Ogilvie Train Station. We then went to visit Daddy at his high-rise office and ate our wacky smorgasbord in one of his conference rooms. (Anyone care for a crepe? Or a Vietnamese spring roll? How about a lobster roll or butternut squash soup? And don’t forget the French macarons for dessert! )

Next was a quick hello to Auntie Amy before wandering the halls of the Art Institute.

And then back on the train for more silliness and selflies.

We had a glorious day of exploring different tastes, beautiful art, lots of hugs, and almost no bickering. A glorious day!