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!
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!
