• Modern. Artistic. Candid. Your family is unique. I am proud to be the type of photographer who can capture your family’s character and personality in a creative way. My passion is finding your distinct qualities and helping your family remember them for a lifetime.

    Please feel free to contact me with any questions or to book your session!

sneak peek: swap!

I have been talking for WAY too long about having photos done of my own family… I know, I know, I’ve even POSTED on my blog about how important it is to have someone take photos of your family.  And then, just like everybody else, my life has gotten in the way.   Last summer I attended the Pinkle Toes workshop and there I met the amazing Erica Freeman of Erica Freeman Photography.  She lives in Kokomo, Indiana so she isn’t too far from me, but somehow it still took us almost a year to put our photo swap plan into action.  Today, it finally took place!  I had a great time with her hubby and adorable kids, who are just as crazy as my own.  She already posted a sneak peek for me, which is fabulous and everything I hoped it would be!  Erica, thanks for today and I hope you love your images as much as I love mine… can’t wait to see more:)

inspired.

Dear Moms,

Thank you for allowing me into your families to photograph your children, your spouses, and yourselves.  I want you to know that I know what goes on behind the scenes, before a photo session.  I know that often times you are the ones who race around  to make sure everyone looks their best and then realize at the last minute that you forgot to blow dry your hair.  I know that  you make sure to pack snacks, blankets, bubbles, loveys, books and changes of clothes before you remember your shoes.

But more importantly, I know what goes on behind the scenes in the lives of your families.  I know how hard you work to provide for your children.  Whether you work in or out of your home, I know that raising your children is the most challenging job you have ever and probably will ever have.   Yet, it is also the most rewarding.

You probably know those things.  But what you might not know is how absolutely gorgeous you are- both inside and out.  You don’t see how you gaze at your children, but I feel blessed that I get to see that look.  That look of pure love, pride, and adoration as you smile at them.  The way that your eyes squint when you laugh with them.  The way that no matter how your shirt fits that day, how your hair is brushed, or if you had a moment to put on makeup, your children love you just the same.  I see the way your children look at you.   It’s a look that nobody else in the world will ever get.

You inspire me to be a better Mom.  Watching you interact with your children makes me work to ensure that my children will look at me the same way.  Happy Mother’s Day to you.  I wish you a Mother’s Day filled with love, health, and happiness.  A day where you can, if only for a moment, step back and really see how your children adore you.

Thank you for the inspiration.  I cherish the moments I have shared with your families and look forward to many more.

 

And just in case you are wondering why I am posting this a few days before Mother’s Day, this is the week I am packing up to head to San Diego for the next 3 months.  I will be without a computer for a week and a half, as it heads across the country with my hubby in the car.  So, at the risk of not being able to publish this post, I wish you a Happy Mother’s Day week:)

sneak peek: we have a winner.

You may remember this absolutely adorable family from a few months ago.  Well, the littlest member of the family is about to turn 1 year old.  How in the world did that happen so fast?  We celebrated his one year session with some outdoor fun.

Then, this little guy officially became the winner of the messiest cake smash ever award.   I am pretty certain that there was not an inch of the floor left untouched by blue frosting-covered hands.   It would be just plain mean to tell you all that Mom and Dad took out forks after I left and ate some of the cake off of the floor, so I will definitely keep that as their little secret;)

sneak peek: what a difference.

It’s hard to believe that a whole year has gone by since I last photographed this family.  Our session today was just as wonderful as the last one!  These girls are the absolute epitome of joyful- they have fun just BEING, which makes me feel so lucky to spend time with them.  I love that we held this session at the exact location where Mom and Dad got married, which is perhaps why I can’t get enough of this photo I chose for the sneak peek.  As these gorgeous girls stare up at their Mom and Dad, I feel like you can see the love they all share in their faces.

Another reason I adore this image is because it’s impossible to tell which one of these adorable girls was born with a heart condition and had open heart surgery at only 16 days old.  Her surgery was performed by the very same surgeon who did my daughter’s heart surgery when she was 11 months old.  And now, this beautiful girl is thriving, all thanks to the fabulous care she received at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago.  I have never promoted anything on my blog, but because this is a cause that is so near and dear to my family as well, I would love to share this opportunity with you all.  If you click here  you can make a donation to the Move for the Kids 5K Run/Walk so that this beautiful girl and millions of other children can receive the care that they need at the brand new Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, in downtown Chicago.

And one more image, simply because the before and after are too good to miss.

Then:

And now:

sneak peek: the perfect gift.

When Mom told me that her only wish for Mother’s Day was that her girls participate in this photo session, I felt so honored to be a part of her perfect gift.  Mom prepared me for 2 girls who HATE having their pictures taken and who may be slightly less than cooperative, but I am quite sure that she could not have been any more wrong:)  It was an absolute pleasure spending the morning with these gorgeous (both inside and out) girls.   Given that most of my recent sessions have been with the younger population, I loved stepping outside of my box and photographing this family.  Plus, Mom has a special place in my heart, which made this session even more special for me… Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your family for the morning, and thank you to A and A for going out on a limb, having fun with me, and even getting a little bit crazy.