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 been a minute...{oak park, illinois portrait photographer}

I am often asked if I photograph high school seniors. The answer is YES! Am I a senior photographer? Not specifically but I am a portrait photographer.

What’s the difference? I guess it depends on who you ask…

For me, it just means that high school seniors are part of my clientele but aren’t my only clientele. I don’t have packages geared solely toward senior sessions…any of my portrait sessions can be a senior session!

Is your senior a minimalist who doesn’t want a big to-do when it comes to photographs? A fine art session or Anywhere Mini might be a good fit.

Does your senior want at least one outfit change & a little more time in front of the camera? An hour-long session is probably the way to go. This session also works if your senior is a minimalist but you’d also like to spend part of the time capturing sibling or family photos.

Maybe your senior is interested in multiple outfits and locations…an extended portrait session or Day in the Life session is perfect!

If you’re looking for a portrait photographer to capture your senior and any of these scenarios sound good, give me a shout. If you don’t see a scenario that fits your needs, reach out, and let’s chat about it!

I can’t wait to hear from you!

-Joey