16 In Counting...

I loved this idea. They got all the cousins together and they wore t-shirts with the number in which they are in the order of he family. So cute! Sometimes when things don't go as planned or a toddler well, acts like a toddler during the photos you end up with what I think can be some of he cutest pics of all. (I'm sure mortified parents would beg to differ) But at least it gives us good photo sabotage when I shoot their weddings in 25 years. (:

Near & Dear...

Cori is one of those friends that's hard to find. She has been near and dear to my heart since college. We both were on the same soccer team in college (national champs, woot! woot!) (: we're extremely sarcastic, have an obsession with coffee and both well.. For a lack of a better way to put it are ones  to cut the crap and just be real. I can't tell you what his girl means to me. So it's a little hard to put into words when I say I'm so incredibly proud of the mom she has become. Lil Morgan was born 5 months ago and my oh my can she steal your heart!
 I obviously am glad to take some pics of that adorable face but even more than that, I'm glad I got to see that face pop up from the crib in the morning, or light up even though my thighs burned from doing a silly dance over and over to get her to laugh. I love living life with my dearest friend despite the fact that we live across the country from each other. So grateful for the past few days.

Photo Bomb...

This new dad, Chris, literally does such a good impression of "Borat" that I couldn't remember his real name for awhile because that's how I had come to know him.

He's hilarious. He once photo bombed a shoot of mine by wearing a jersey and a mullet wig. Might seem weird but the fact that it was a maternity shoot (that wasn't his) made it even funnier. And I may or may not have seen him "lingering" in the background of a few photos I had later today. (: 

Well, he and his wife (shot their wedding a couple years back) just had their first baby three weeks ago! Though no doubt exhausted they're still cracking jokes and seemingly are pro parents already.
Congrats guys!!

Solid Family...

There's something about this family that I just loved. The way they embrace life yet are seemingly still so grounded. Grateful for what each other means in their lives. And their kids are so incredibly polite. Leaving that session I knew those images were going to mean something to them and I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to be the one to provide that for them.

American Eagle Shoot...

Dear American Eagle, I found these kids first, I officially claim the rights to being he photographer for their first ad campaign. What middle schoolers look like this!? Maybe a better question would be what middle schoolers act like this!? 

They were so kind to eachother's and remarkably polite.

 There is hope in the world. (:
P.S- "F.R.I.E.N.D.S" fans... Does he not look just like "Ben" in the older years!?

Pinterest Family...

Yes... Mentally I name just about all of my shoots based off of total generalizations. (:

For example, this shoot was my "Pinterest" shoot. First, let me say that I have a minor obsession with Pinterest. I actually had to quite cold turkey because in photo season, I barely have time to go to my mailbox let alone browse how to turn my mason jars into soap dispensers. (:

All this to say I got my Pinterest "fix" after seeing this families outfits. 

Their personalities were as fun as their clothes!

And despite this shoot being across the country from where we are on a daily basis we actually have mutual freinds that we didn't know about. Love finding new connections and love me some Pinterest!  

Thank You Google...

People often ask how i get my clients to which I can honestly say primarily its through word of mouth (which p.s- thank you for passing my name along!) and considering this shoot was out of state (What? We don't have mountains in Chicago?) (: I assumed that a referral must have been the case. well, long story short, after a few confusing questions/answers  it turns out we had google to thank for having us meet. But not until the end of our booking did we realize that ironically, they know others that I was going to be photographing later that week. So glad they found me as this family is as easy as it gets. They're gorgeous, photogenic, and undeniably sweet.

Thanks guys for spending some time with me. And thank you Google for the connection. (:

So... If we saw mountains in Chi-town (like real mountains not the bunny hills that they charge a fortune for us to "ski" down) we'd flip right? Well...In Arizona, To find real trees (Not cacti) and grass is a mega big deal. So many a photos were taken on this little stretch of grass. (: 

Hittin' the Road!

Let me preface this with how I got the above photo....Drivin' down the gorgeous Arizona road on our way home from a photoshoot earlier this year. I thought it'd be a si

ck so I'm trying to take pics with my cell through the car dash when my friend turns to me and goes: "You know you have real cameras right? "

Ah... Yes... Yes I do. So we pull over and with my real gear snap a quick pic. LOVE traveling to new places for photos. And apparently there's many of you that wish that I would. So here's your chance....

Mini Sessions are comin' to AZ baby! 

I've heard rumors that people both on the west coast as well as the east want pics so let me state it now that if you get enough people together we'll make a couple days of it and I'll travel on out to you! To get a lot of people isn't hard by the way. It's already a killer deal plus if you get a friend to sign up your photo disc is free. So the word can spread pretty quick. Round up the troops, and I'll come to your state soon. (: 

Alright, all my friends & clients in the Tucson area I'm comin' to you Dec. 5th! Check out our facebook event page to see the details: And all you local Chicagoans... Holiday Mini Session Dec. 2nd. So check out the events page starting this Weekend. 

Here's to AZ! 

https://www.facebook.com/events/505058562846903/