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!

too cool for school (photos)? studio portrait session booking is live... {oak park, il photographer}

“There are no bad pictures; that’s just how your face looks sometimes” – Abraham Lincoln 

School picture day…the day when kids are forced into awkward poses, wear clothes they'd never choose, and smile as if they're being tortured. I suppose it’s a right of passage but if you find yourself wondering why they never quite look “normal”, maybe a studio session is the answer.

Skip the school picture order & bring your kiddos into the studio for a quick, updated yearly portrait. I promise not to force anyone to smile & I can almost guarantee that the photos will actually look like your kid. Wild, right?

There are 2 types of sessions to choose from: Tiny Studio Sessions and Fine Art Portrait Sessions.

Tiny Sessions

Fine Art Portrait Sessions: 1 Child | Fine Art Portrait Sessions: Up to 3 Children

What is the best session for you? So happy you asked… as always, if you have further questions or concerns, send me a message! joey@littlebittyproductions.com

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.❤️❤️

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

preschool photos {oak park river forest day school photos}

“Photography is the story I fail to put into words.”
Destin Sparks

This past fall, I was asked if I would be interested in taking school photographs for Milo's preschool, The Day Nursery. I immediately said yes & then I sort of panicked...

I'd never taken photographs of large groups of young children. They are definitely my demographic, but I needed to sort of figure out the logistics. I also had to make sure that everyone was on board with "non-traditional" school photos

There were a few hiccups, but all in all, it was a lovely experience. I learned a lot and the next time around, it will be a much smoother operation. 

I have to say...it was a lot of fun. It was a lot of work, but looking at those super cute faces for hours of editing was so worth it. 

I hope that I will be keeping The Day Nursery school pictures as part of my regular rotation and I would love to add a few more small schools! 

Here's a little snippet from the fall preschool photos...enjoy!