Tag Archives: Chicago Portrait

Daniel’s Whirlyball Bar Mitzvah | Highland Park

Bar Mitzvah Pre-Shoot

I always enjoy the bar mitzvah pre-shoot session. The pre-shoot is a great way to get to know each other before the big day. Daniel is such a creative guy. He had great ideas going into our photo session of how we could take cool photos. We met at Rosewood Beach in Highland Park and looked for interesting spots to take photos. I think our collaboration turned out fantastic!

Bar Mitzvah at Congregation Solel

When I met Daniel and his family at Congregation Solel for his bar mitzvah, I knew the day was going to be special.

Daniel did great and it was lovely seeing his family up on the bima with him. You could tell how proud they all were!

Time to Party at Whirlyball!

Once Daniel finished his amazing bar mitzvah at Congregation Solel, it was time to celebrate at Whirlyball Vernon Hills!

I knew we were in for a fun afternoon when I saw that Daniel had put on his light-up party shoes!

Energy Productions had the music cranked and got the crowd dancing. And of course, everyone loved playing laser tag and whirlyball.

I love shooting bar mitzvahs around the Chicago area. I typically book bar mitzvah shoots 18 months out. I am booked up for 2017, but I still have a small handful of dates available for 2018. Would you like to learn more about my rates and how to book with me? Click here to see my Bar Mitzvah Client Guide with answers to frequently asked questions.

Interested in seeing blog posts of other bar and bat mitzvahs I have photographed? Check out these links here, here, here and here.

Interested in working with some of the vendors from this fantastic event? Here is a list to help you connect:

If you would like to learn more about Whirlyball, click here.

If you would like to learn more about Energy Productions, click here.

Interested in learning about Congregation Solel? Click here.

Thanks so much for taking a look at my post today!

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!

Chicago Boys in the Forest Preserve

Can you believe how fast the beautiful fall leaves are quickly falling to the ground? Soon enough, it will be nothing but bare trees staring back at us from the Chicago landscape!

This Saturday, October 25, the weather is supposed to be a gorgeous and sunny. In honor of what might be one of the last nice Saturdays of the fall season, I am offering limited edition mini-shoots for the day. A $75 sitting fee guarantees you a 20 minute shoot. $175 check or cash secures your spot, with $100 in credit going toward purchases of prints, canvases or downloadable images for personal use.

Mini-shoots are for immediate family only. We can do up to three poses for the session. Ten images will be shared in an online gallery. Orders are due within two weeks of images being posted online.

And just to give you a sense of what lovely Chicago family photos look like on a gorgeous, fall day, I would like to share a photo shoot of my nephews from last weekend. Since I have three girls, it is always an exciting adventure to hang out with a family of boys.

Max and Duncan are funny, silly, inquisitive boys. One minute they are chasing each other around, the next they are examining a leaf, the next they are trying to break free to run through the forest.

My problem solver Max was a big helper when it came to coming up with new ideas for photos.

Fall Family Photos

I love getting an opportunity to do family photos at someone’s home. This Chicago family chose to do photos at their house, and then a handful at a forest preserve. It was a great combination! Capturing families doing their every day activities makes for the best photos! I know this family will enjoy seeing photos that capture their amazing connection and fun energy for years to come.

Lake County Il Family and Corporate Photographer

Susan Ryan Kalina is a Lake County Il Family and Corporate Photographer Specializing in Candid Moments and Events