Preschool Picture Day! (River Forest, Oak Park, Illinois)

“Grown-ups never understand anything by themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

Will I ever tire of photographing these tiny, adorable humans? I can’t even imagine that happening…

Though I’ve cut back on the amount of preschools that I photograph each year, there are a few that I get to come back to year after year. I love documenting these growing kiddos and it’s especially fun when a sibling or 2 is in the mix.

I know that many parents & caregivers are hoping for the perfect smile…I do have some tricks to make that happen but there are no guarantees, ya know? I will never force a smile and I will never force a child in front of the camera if they are clearly distressed. I would never want to make photography a stressful or traumatic experience for anyone, but especially young children! If a smirk or a serious face is how your child is feeling on picture day, that’s great. Wouldn’t you prefer to document who they are in this moment?

They’re perfect…just as they are!

it's september, y'all...time to think about fall photo sessions {oak park, il family photo sessions}

“I never put off till tomorrow what I can possibly do - the day after.”
― Oscar Wilde

Hey, friends!

Whether or not we care to admit it, another summer is wrapping up. Soon we will be pulling out our fall necessities: sweaters, warm socks…snow boots (I know…I know.).

It also means that fall photo sessions are beginning to fill up…have you booked yours or have you been putting it off? 

(tick, tock…)

Maybe you’re a planner and you’ve already booked your session. I tip my hat to you! Maybe you like to fly by the seat of your pants & wait until fall is a little closer before you can even THINK about scheduling. I think you’re fantastic (and I relate)!

If you’re still thinking about booking something this fall, now is the time. 

I look forward to seeing you soon❤️

Joey

fall updates, y'all!🍁 {oak park, il family photographer}

“Fall has always been my favorite season. The time when everything bursts with its last beauty, as if nature had been saving up all year for the grand finale.”
― Lauren DeStefano, Wither

Happy fall, y'all!

Outdoor photo sessions are in full swing & the busy fall season is upon me.

I wanted to take a minute to send out an update on the remaining sessions for 2022.

Here's a quick breakdown of the remaining October sessions:
Weekday Mini Sessions - 4 sessions (10/24 & 26)
Sidewalk Mini Sessions - 2 sessions (10/11 & 18)
Weekday One-Hour Sessions - 4 sessions (10/20, 21, 27, and 28)

There's also a handful of outdoor dates for November...

By popular demand, I've added two days of children's studio sessions. Two options are available this year...these sessions are perfect for updated children's portraits!

Find all available sessions here: Fall Bookings

I'm excited to see returning clients & meeting new clients in the coming weeks!

See you soon!
Be well.❤️❤️

fall photo sessions are live!🍁 (and a few summer sessions remain!)-Oak Park, Il Family Photographer

Hey, y'all!

It's that time again...fall session dates are live!

*For those of you who prefer a warmer session, I also have a limited number of summer sessions in June and July...beach sesh? city sesh? Let's mix it up!

Heads up-There are only a few weekend dates remaining but there are plenty of weekday sessions!

As always, I'm grateful for your continued support and trust.

Be well.

1-hour Session

Up to 1-hour session outdoors  
20 hand-edited, high-resolution image files
4x6 prints of your chosen image files
print release with rights to make prints for personal use
Option to purchase additional files, print products, and full gallery upgrade.

$600 weekdays
$700 weekends

Sidewalk Sessions

Up to 30-minute session on the sidewalks in your neighborhood, your front porch, or backyard*
10 hand-edited, high-resolution image files
4x6 prints of your chosen image files
print release with rights to make prints for personal use
Option to purchase additional files, print products, and full gallery upgrade.

$425
*due to time constraints, sidewalk sessions must be in or very near Oak Park

Headshot Sessions

Headshot sessions take anywhere from 15 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the package
Pricing is for one person only
Additional files & prints are available for an additional fee
Location: our Oak Park Studio*

Pricing starts at $250

*We can also come to you! For non-studio location headshots or office events, please reach out to plan your session

Want to be the first to know when we have openings? Join our mailing list! We promise not to send too many emails…we usually only send 2-4 newsletters a year. That’s not so bad, right?

spring is coming...are you ready?

“That is one good thing about this world...there are always sure to be more springs.”
― L.M. Montgomery

Hi friends.

How are you?

Today is the day.

On this day last year, our lives were about to change in a way that I don't think many of us could have possibly imagined. 

On this day last year, I spent the morning photographing a preschool full of beautiful children. 

On this day last year, I walked into Costco for my normal supply run & was taken aback by the crowds of people who were filling up their carts with toilet paper and bottled water (still haven't figured out why folks were hoarding water but you do you...). 

On this day last year, I picked my boys up from their afterschool program and was told that they had been advised to take home ALL of their belongings and anything they might need for the foreseeable future.

It's hard to imagine that a year has passed since this all began and yet...here we are.

Like many of you, I’ve spent the past 12 months navigating strange and unfamiliar waters. I've learned to be flexible with my time and energy even when I desperately want to give up from the exhaustion of trying to manage ALL THE THINGS. 

But I'm still here, y'all. There are days when it feels like I'm hanging on by a thread but I am still hanging on!

My amazing clients (that's y'all!) have helped me get through this and I'm so thankful and grateful. 

And because you all are the absolute best...you get first dibs on prime Fall 2021 session dates! These sessions fall during what is typically peak Autumn colors in Chicagoland.*
*I obviously cannot promise or predict the future...I have no personal intel on the comings and goings of Mother Nature but based on many years of shooting, these are the dates when colors tend to be the most beautiful.

Not ready to commit? No worries...my normal fall dates will roll out sometime in July/August & you'll be the first to know!

In addition to sharing these prime Autumn sessions, I have a few Spring sessions available including more Tiny Session School Portrait and Social Media Headshot sessions. Oh...don't forget about Motherhood sessions! I have a few openings for those as well

Don't see what you're looking for? Give me a shout (email, yo!) & we'll set something up!

I hope that everyone is doing well and staying safe and remaining hopeful…❤️

Find Your Fall Session

Find Your Tiny Session

Find Your Social Media Headshot Session

Find Your Motherhood Session

wrapping up 2020...{oak park, il photographer}

“Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

I really try to wake up each day without the heaviness of past missteps on my shoulders. I fail quite often but life goes on, as the saying goes.

I know that we won’t wake up to a problem-free world on January 1, 2021, but something about a new beginning feels very different than it has in past years. I would actually love to skip past all the holiday hubbub and go straight to 2021.

2020 has tested me in ways I never could have imagined. I know I’m not alone in this.

As a small business owner, the uncertainty of what lies ahead has been a lot to manage. Trying to plan for tomorrow when tomorrows limitations are not known can feel impossible. There are a lot of “what ifs” and “maybes” but the truth is, I’m not sure when I’ll be able to work again in any “normal” capacity.

So I take it day by day. What option do I have? Every day is a new day.

I’m grateful for the health of my family and friends.

I’m grateful for a business that will crawl across the finish line this year. It isn’t the year I expected but I’m sure I’m not alone in that.

So…as I wrap up the year and prepare to take some time off, I just want to say thanks.

Thank you to everyone who supported my small business. I am so grateful to all of you!

I look forward to better days in 2021!

portraits of motherhood {oak park portrait photographer, family photos oak park, il}

“Motherhood is a choice you make every day, to put someone else's happiness and well-being ahead of your own, to teach the hard lessons, to do the right thing even when you're not sure what the right thing is...and to forgive yourself, over and over again, for doing everything wrong.” 
― Donna Ball

Do me a favor and stop what you're doing (I know you just started reading this blog & now I'm asking you to stop reading...stick with me...or not?).

Take a look around your home and your Facebook/Instagram pages. 

When you look through the images that tell your story, how do they make you feel? 

Here's a better question: When your kids are older and they look back on these same photos (I hope you printed them...), how will it make them feel? Will the story make sense or will there be huge gaps? 

For somebody who takes up so much space in our hearts and lives, moms are suspiciously absent from our photos.

When you look through the photos in your home and on your social media accounts, how many include mom? My hope is that mom is in a lot of photos, but realistically, mom doesn't make too many appearances. I'm sure there are a million reasons why, including the fact that mom is usually the one behind the camera. 

"So when all is said and done, if I can’t do it for myself, I want to do it for my kids. I want to be in the picture, to give them that visual memory of me. I want them to see how much I am here, how my body looks wrapped around them in a hug, how loved they are."-Allison Tate

I think that quote pretty much sums up how I feel about mamas getting in the frame. Do yourself a favor and read the whole piece. It's a quick read, but maybe it will help give you the nudge you've been needing!

The Mom Stays in the Picture

I always try to make sure that my sessions include a few frames with just mom & kids, but I also offer a few mini sessions during the year that are only for mothers & kids. Any of the portrait sessions I offer can be Motherhood sessions, but since mom's tend to prioritize everyone but themselves, I like to give you the option to do something that is only for YOU. It's in the title, so it's just for MOM! Maybe you hadn't considered it before or maybe you just needed "permission"...

Whatever reason you've been using for not being in photos, can we agree that there is a huge reason why you need to put that aside & get in the frame? 

Our kids need to be able to see that we were there...we are/were part of the story. Part of their story.

So, whether you want to book a session that's especially for you or you want to book a regular session, just make sure that you grab a few frames with just you and the kids or just YOU. Why not?

*this blog post was originally posted March 25, 2019. All images and session dates have been updated for 2020*

welcome to the world, baby girl! {oak park, il newborn photographer, oak park documentary photographer}

“What strange creatures brothers are!”
― Jane Austen

This lovely family recently moved from California to Oak Park & I had the pleasure of being invited into their home as they welcomed their sweet, baby girl into the world.

This sweet girl is lucky enough to have 2 big brothers who are ready to jump in and help out…well…right now they have shenanigans to attend to but I believe that in time, they will be her biggest champions!

It is such a privilege to have the opportunity to document these moments for people. I recognize the trust that is being extended to me and I do not take that lightly.

going to the chapel, part 1...{holzer-hall wedding, oak park, river forest, il}

"Some day, when I'm awfully low

When the world is cold

I will feel a glow just thinking of you

And the way you look tonight” -Frank Sinatra

Yesterday, I spent the day documenting the wedding of Anna & Matt. These 2 could not have been sweeter or more gracious from the beginning of our talks of working together until we said our goodbyes last night. What an honor to witness such a lovely day!

I have a lot of photos to pore over, so I will share a little at a time…relax & enjoy the slow roll out of their day.

Huge thanks go out to:

Tina Harle Photography, who second shot for me and captured the groom & groomsmen while I was with the bridal party!

Hair and makeup by the fantabulous Sara Jean Stevens!

a month of mamas: day 21 {oak park family photographer}

“My mom smiled at me. Her smile kind of hugged me.” 
― R.J. Palacio

To this mama who does ALL THE THINGS but always has a smile, a hug, a shoulder, or a lap for her babies (and her friends!)…and she does it with very little sleep!

a month of mamas: day 20 {oak park family photo sessions}

“Mothers are all slightly insane.” 
― J. D. Salinger

To the mamas who are warriors…holding it all together…

a month of mamas: day 19 {oak park family photo sessions}

“Motherhood brings you to your knees in a way that doesn't leave room for you to judge others. It makes you see that there's no ideal - a constant struggle, constantly compromising, but ultimate love.”

- Maggie Gyllenhaal

To the beautiful mamas with smart mouths and a wicked sense of humor…(my favorite kind!)

a month of mamas: day 18 {oak park family photo sessions}

“Becoming a mom to me means that you have accepted that for the next 16 years of your life, you will have a sticky purse.” 

-Nia Vardalos

To the mamas who carry their sticky purses with style and grace…

a month of mamas: days 11 & 12 {oak park, il photo sessions}

“When you feel neglected, think of the female salmon, who lays 3,000,000 eggs but no one remembers her on Mother's Day” 
― Sam Ewing

This quote makes me laugh out loud…or LOL, as the kids say (geez…I’m old).

Today is the 1 day of the year when we are to celebrate moms. They are the people who literally bring us into the world…givers of life. They are usually the first to wipe our asses, wipe our tears, clean up all our messes, and then eventually teach us to do these things for ourselves.

Looking back, I don’t know how good of a job I did to celebrate my own mom. I probably made cards or crappy gifts, but I don’t recall it being a big to-do in our home. My memory is shit though, so hopefully I’m just misremembering. My mom would probably say that I’m misremembering, but that’s because she is too nice to say that we were self-centered assholes (to our faces, at least).

Because I’m surrounded by amazing mamas, I know that too often this day is a disappointment. I hear so many stories and they can all be summed up by this:

We don’t feel special. We don’t feel thought of or appreciated. We hope for a magical or, at the very least, semi-planned day.

Year after year, we feel let down by it all. Our feelings are hurt because it wasn’t what we expected it to be.

There are tons of places where you can read about the mental load that mother’s carry and so we hope that on this one day…JUST FOR TODAY…that we won’t have to plan & help execute the day to celebrate ourselves.

I’m going to propose a radical idea.

Ask for what your want and BE SPECIFIC…I know this loosely falls under “planning our day” but hear me out…

Even though my family has always had cards, flowers, and gifts for me, I’m often left feeling underappreciated. I’ve struggled with this and found myself feeling all the things from anger to sadness to guilt.

This year, I decided to go a different direction. I actually told my husband what I wanted and I was very specific:

1. let me sleep in. anything past 7am is considered a win.

2. make breakfast tacos & please do so before 10am so I don’t get hangry. PS: clean up your kitchen mess…

3. no obligatory gifts that feel forced. I can tell when you went out the night before & panic shopped.

4. if you must gift me something, a gift of experience is preferred. A massage, pedicure, or even a couple of hours alone would be delightful. Bonus: that last one doesn’t cost a thing!

   So far he has stayed the course. I slept in and then I had delicious breakfast tacos. I got a few handmade cards and a beautiful handmade gift from Oliver (a ceramic replica of our home), and a gift card for a spa day.

   And now all 3 of them are leaving the house…

To all the mamas, caregivers, and aunties out there…may you feel appreciated and loved today and ALL THE DAYS ❤️

Word to your mother!

a month of mamas: day 10 {oak park family photographer}

“Perhaps it takes courage to raise children..” 
― John Steinbeck

To the mamas overflowing with love…

a month of mamas: day 9 {oak park, il photo sessions}

“Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.” 
― Robert A. Heinlein

To the mamas adding to their stories…

word to your mother! {oak park portrait photographer}

“Motherhood is a choice you make everyday, to put someone else's happiness and well-being ahead of your own, to teach the hard lessons, to do the right thing even when you're not sure what the right thing is...and to forgive yourself, over and over again, for doing everything wrong.” 
― Donna Ball

Do me a favor and stop what you're doing (I know you just started reading this blog & now I'm asking you to stop reading...stick with me...or not?).

Take a look around your home and your Facebook/Instagram pages. 

When you look through the images that tell your story, how do they make you feel? 

Here's a better question: When your kids are older and they look back on these same photos (I hope you printed them...), how will it make them feel? Will the story make sense or will there be huge gaps? 

For somebody who takes up so much space in our hearts and lives, moms are suspiciously absent from our photos.

When you look through the photos in your home and on your social media accounts, how many include mom? My hope is that mom is in a lot of photos, but realistically, mom doesn't make too many appearances. I'm sure there are a million reasons why, including the fact that mom is usually the one behind the camera. 

"So when all is said and done, if I can’t do it for myself, I want to do it for my kids. I want to be in the picture, to give them that visual memory of me. I want them to see how much I am here, how my body looks wrapped around them in a hug, how loved they are."-Allison Tate

I think that quote pretty much sums up how I feel about mamas getting in the frame. Do yourself a favor and read the whole piece. It's a quick read, but maybe it will help give you the nudge you've been needing!

The Mom Stays in the Picture

I always try to make sure that my sessions include a few frames with just mom & kids, but I also offer a few mini sessions during the year that are only for mothers & kids. Any of the portrait sessions I offer can be Motherhood sessions, but since mom's tend to prioritize everyone but themselves, I like to give you the option to do something that is only for YOU. It's in the title, so it's just for MOM! Maybe you hadn't considered it before or maybe you just needed "permission"...

Whatever reason you've been using for not being in photos, can we agree that there is a huge reason why you need to put that aside & get in the frame? 

Our kids need to be able to see that we were there...we are/were part of the story. Part of their story.

So, whether you want to book a session that's especially for you or you want to book a regular session, just make sure that you grab a few frames with just you and the kids or just YOU. Why not?

Session date: April 27 & 28

Exact location to be determined as the date approaches.
If you'd like to book a Motherhood Mini, follow this booking link
(Motherhood session dates are not available on my regular booking calendar)
Motherhood sessions are for moms & kids only!

dinner with friends...{oak park, il documentary photographer}

Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.” 
― Anais Nin

After an exceptionally busy Fall season (thank you, my amazing clients!), I find that it is necessary to scale back & carve out time for myself. Alone time is crucial & needed, but time with close friends is equally important. These things act as a sort of reset button on my life & I am always grateful that I am able to make myself a priority, even if only for a moment.

Are you making yourself a priority? What are some ways that you do this?

Last night, I was able to share an amazing meal with some friends, made possible by the amazing Melissa Elsmo. My only regret is that there wasn’t room at the table for more friends…

Not only was I able to spend time catching up with some of my favorite people, but I got to do so while eating and drinking a fantastic meal.

As has been stated before, I’m not a food photographer, but I absolutely had to document the meal so I could share with everyone.

So…enjoy these images…and block some time on your calendar to do the things that make you happy. You’ll never regret doing it.

happy NEW year! {oak park newborn photographer}

“Sometimes,' said Pooh, 'the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” 
― A.A. Milne

It’s January 14 and my new year has been filled with new life.

My first clients of 2019 were a family of 4, whose newest member was a beautiful 6 week old boy. After that, I had the pleasure of photographing a long time client & her 3rd baby…a baby girl who was less than 24 hours old when I got to photograph her. Today, I got to photograph Tina Harle, a friend and fellow Oak Park photographer, and her family of 4, including her newest addition: a baby girl who was a little more than 24 hours old when I got to the hospital.

It’s always a little nerve-wracking when I’m photographing another photographer. You never know how it will all play out, especially when small children are involved. I know that my kids are terribly uncooperative with me, but they do ok with other photographers (usually). Tina and her family were amazing though…there’s nothing I love more than a client who tells me to do whatever I want & that nothing is off limits. I can just shoot what I see & document the moments as they happen.

Tina has a 6 year old who was there for the session. She was so sweet & caring towards her new baby sister…”teaching” her the alphabet, talking to her, combing her hair, and giving her lots of kisses. I was able to capture so many loving gazes from her…these were genuine moments! My newborn sessions aren’t staged, so what you see is what was occurring naturally. It was beyond adorable! It was not the experience that I had with my kids…Oliver wouldn’t go anywhere near Milo in those early days…I think he was terrified of him! HA! (We should all be a little terrified of Milo…just saying!)

It’s truly a gift to be invited into people’s lives, homes, and hospital rooms during these early, hazy, sleepless days. I do not take it lightly and I am so thankful that I get to be an observer of these real and special early days.

How’s your new year going?

twins! {n. family...oak park, il lifestyle session}

“Even twins have their differences.” -Mokokoma Mokhonoana

Last April, a client reached out to schedule a newborn session. She was expecting twins & her due date was early August. We both, her especially, expected they would make their debut sometime in July.

Throughout the summer, I would check in to see how things were going. Namely, how the babies were? Should we plan a session sooner than August? By late July, it seemed the target date was still August.

On August 8, we made our yearly pilgrimage to Texas & when we returned, I got to spend a couple of hours documenting this sweet family & their 2 newest members. Did I mention they also have a 3 year old?

Enjoy a few shots from this in-home session!