fall photo sessions are live!🍁 (and a few summer sessions remain!)-Oak Park, Il Family Photographer
“Taking pictures is savoring life intensely, every hundredth of a second.”
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?
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!
it's time...{oak park, il family photographer}
“Life is at its best when everything has fallen out of place, and you decide that you're going to fight to get them right, not when everything is going your way and everyone is praising you.”
― Thisuri Wanniarachchi
Hi friends.
It’s been a minute.
Like many of you, I’ve spent the past 6 months navigating strange and unfamiliar waters. I can’t say that it’s been great but since I’m still here and my family remains healthy, I can say that we are doing our best to remain positive and forward-moving. Is it easy? Nope.
School started this past Tuesday and our school district is fully remote. We are juggling our work schedules while being home with our boys and assisting with e-learning. My husband and I take turns (sort of) working from home…It’s going to be an interesting time and I’m hopeful that the coming months are not as hard as I imagine they will be.
Hopeful.
It’s become my go-to adjective.
With hope in mind, I’m ready to open up some fall session dates. October is partially booked but I’m hopeful that I’m able to offer enough options to fit most schedules.
I’ve had several inquiries about school photos & I’m working out details to offer studio and outdoor options.
At this time, I’m unsure of holiday studio sessions but I will revisit the idea by the end of October.
I hope that everyone is doing well and staying safe and remaining hopeful…❤️
click on the photos to find and book sessions
To find and book a session, check my full booking calendar here.
Questions or just want to drop me a line? Send me an email: joey@littlebittyproductions.com
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*
family road trip from wyoming...not me, my client! {elmwood park, il baptism photo session}
“I love these little people; and it is not a slight thing when they, who are so fresh from God, love us.”
― Charles Dickens
Today I met with new clients who drove a little over a 1000 miles to have their sweet 11 month old baptized. The ceremony was intimate and sweet, followed by a fun dinner at a German beer hall…
Are all baptisms this fun? If so, sign me up…
a month of mamas: day 16 & 17 {oak park family photo sessions}
“Art is the child of nature in whom we trace the features of the mothers face.”
― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
To the mighty mamas raising mighty girls…
a month of mamas: day 14 {oak park, il family photo sessions}
“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”
― Lao Tzu
To the mamas who always have time for extra cuddles and one more book…
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…
and then there were 5...{in home family photo session, oak park, il}
“[Kids] don't remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are.”
― Jim Henson
We live in a world full of “perfect” Facebook families, Instagram worthy photos of siblings who never fight and only ever get along in their perfectly curated, camera ready homes, and holiday cards that rival the royal family/Kardashians (take your pick).
Sorry, but nobody is buying your picture perfect life! We’re onto you!
I don’t know about you, but I’m always relieved to see photos of shit getting real.
I like to see messy, chaotic, funny, silly, sad, happy, frustrated, skinned knees, real tears…all of the things that come with life.
When I look through old photo albums, I prefer the candid moments over the curated moments because it helps me remember that moment. It transports me to another time and that is a beautiful thing.
That’s something that never happens when I look at the “fantasy” version of family photos: Everyone dressed impeccably. No hair out of place. Not a blemish to be found. All eyes on the camera and pained smiles across everyone’s lips (especially mom, because she has been threatening everyone within an inch of their lives).
My hope for all of the amazing people who hire me is that they are able to relax & enjoy the ride. I want them to know that we will get that “perfect” photo, but that they need to be flexible in what their definition of "perfect” is.
Also, bribes are a perfectly legit tool to keep in your bag of tricks! ( I almost always have lollipops to offer up)
Will everyone be looking at the camera? Maybe, but I can’t guarantee it. Will everyone have a smile on their face? Possibly, but I never force people to smile. I have tricks & sometimes they work, but not always!
What I will promise you: I will be there to document your family in this moment. When you look back on the images, they will make you smile, laugh, cry, or maybe all 3.
If this isn’t the reaction you have, I may not be the photographer for you…but, I hope I am.
I love being invited into the chaos and being part of these milestones.
I’d love to tell your story too…(you can book sessions here)
a month of mamas: day 4 {oak park, il photo sessions}
“I am a mother and mothers don’t have the luxury of falling apart in front of their children, even when they are afraid, even when their children are adults.”
― Kristin Hannah
To all the mamas who get shit done & keep on doing it, over and over again…
Interested in booking a session for yourself or someone that you adore?
A limited number of Summer & Fall Mini Sessions are available…book now!
a month of mamas: day 2 (sort of)...{oak park, il portrait photographer}
“Children are knives, my mother once said. They don’t mean to, but they cut. And yet we cling to them, don’t we, we clasp them until the blood flows.”
― Joanne Harris
Tough as a mother…
(Interested in booking a session? Find dates & times here: Booking Calendar)
a month of mamas {oak park, il portrait photographer}
“Sometimes when you pick up your child you can feel the map of your own bones beneath your hands, or smell the scent of your skin in the nape of his neck. This is the most extraordinary thing about motherhood - finding a piece of yourself separate and apart that all the same you could not live without.”
― Jodi Picoult
For May, I’m going to TRY to post a blog every day. Except for yesterday…I already missed that one…
I’ll only be sharing photos of mamas this month.
31 days of mom. Or, 30…
Let’s celebrate mother’s, shall we?
Starting with the gorgeous Q family…can you handle all the beautiful in this family?
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!
springtime? not so fast...{oak park & chicago area senior portrait sessions}
“The deep roots never doubt spring will come.”
― Marty Rubin
Every year it happens…March arrives and I’m certain that the ground will thaw and flowers will bloom and trees will once again be covered in green. By the time April rolls around, I start to feel a little defeated and I become desperate for warmer days and sunshine.
Everyday, I think “Today is the day. It has to feel like Spring. We NEED Spring.”
Finally, when we reach May, I forget how horrible and long the winter was.
Is it May yet? I would love to fast forward to May & be done with winter for now. Pretty please?
The next best thing that I can do is prepare for Spring’s arrival: plant seeds indoors and watch them pop out of their soil, plan for summer camp and maybe plan a few getaways.
Some of my clients are planning big things for Spring/Summer as well: I’ve got a couple of weddings booked, several corporate headshot events, and high school graduations.
Speaking of high school graduations…
My niece, who lives in Texas, recently came to visit & we spent a couple of days shooting her Senior portraits. You wouldn’t really know it by looking at her, but it felt very much like winter while we were shooting. On the plus side, the sun did come out…so…it could have felt worse, right?
How do you stay upbeat during these last months/days of winter? What are your plans?
is it autumn yet? {oak park, il photographer}
“Autumn...the year's last, loveliest smile."
[Indian Summer]”
― John Howard Bryant
Forgive me for overusing that quote, but it is so, so true…
We haven’t quite hit that autumnal feeling, unless you count several days without the sun, but it’s here. Now we wait for everything to change colors…tick tock.
In the meantime, I’m wrapping up the last of the warm shooting days.
In the past couple of weeks, I’ve reunited with several families. As much as I enjoy & appreciate getting new clients, I love my returning families. Over time, clients feel more like friends…some even become best friends and feel more like family.
There’s a certain comfort in that and I am so grateful for all the amazing people that I meet & who like me enough to put their trust in me, time and again.
So, thank you! Here’s a sampling of September and some of my amazing clients!
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!
summertime...{oak park, il photographer}
"We know that in September, we will wander through the warm winds of summer's wreckage. We will welcome summer's ghost."
-Henry Rollins
19 family sessions, 11 headshot sessions, 220 hours of editing (this is part time, summer hours, by the way), about 70 hours spent at a swimming pool, various hours exploring our city, 1 camping trip, road trip to for weekend trip to Iowa, road trip for weeklong visit to Texas...how did you spend your summer "vacation"?
Now that it's September, it seems like a good time to post some snippets of summer. I wish that I was better about blogging as I go, but apparently this is who I am. I have the best of intentions but my execution is typically lacking.
For me, summer is not the easy, laid back affair that I remember it being when I was a child. It's a struggle to fit in any & all fun things for my kids, while still working full time, from home. It's a rush to the finish line...and I always breath a deep sigh of relief when it's over.
So, now that school is back in session (holla!), here's what I've been doing all summer (client-wise)...
Enjoy! And...happy end of summer!
fall photo session booking is now open! {oak park, il family photographer}
“There is a subtle magic in the falling of old leaves.”
― Avijeet Das
It always feels strange to think about autumn when summer has barely begun, but here we are...
If you're a planner, like I am, this is the time to secure & book a fall photo session. My fall dates are now available for booking and once they fill up, there's no guarantee that additional dates will be added.
If this fall is anything like last fall, the rainy weekends made it almost impossible to squeeze in any last minute bookings.
So, now is the time...don't wait until it's too late!
Find your session time: Booking Calendar
sunset session with the hattaway family {oak park, il family photographer}
“The connections we make in the course of a life--maybe that's what heaven is.”
― Fred Rogers
On May 25, I had the pleasure of photographing Victoria and her lovely family. It was a beautiful, perfect sunset session. I'm working on completing the edits, but so far...the images are stunning and I'm very happy with them.
A lot can happen in a week and I'm so happy we were able to make this session work. I can't wait to deliver the full gallery...in the meantime, enjoy these images!
it's official...summer is here! {oak park, il family photographer}
“Photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again.”
― Henri Cartier-Bresson
I often hear that one should be "living in the moment", taking it all in, and bearing witness to that which is happening around us. In a world full of smart devices that are meant to make our lives easier, we often seem preoccupied and overwhelmed by "it" all.
I've heard it said that people spend too much time photographing their lives to share on social media, but they aren't actually living their lives. I'm sure there is some truth is this statement, but in general, I totally disagree with it.
Documenting our lives, and all the minutiae therein, is a gift to ourselves and those who come after us. I can spend hours sifting through old photo albums at my mom & grandma's house. I can't possibly be alone in this...
This past week, I finished a photo book I've been working on. It will be gifted to a friend & I can only hope that it brings them as much joy as it brought me, while putting it together. It covers a 3 year period and it's full of images from various stages and ages of my boys' lives.
These are the moments I want to remember. I want to be able to look at these photos in 20 years & smile or cry happy tears or both!
So, I'll keep carrying my camera with me...to all the places life takes me: a walk around the neighborhood, a vacation, a backyard bbq, or local park. No moment is too insignificant...they all matter.
Interested in booking a documentary/lifestyle session? Let's chat!
