Get a Baby to Smile in Pandemic Photos While Wearing a Mask?! {Logan Square/Avondale Chicago Family Photo Session}

My usual tricks don’t work in a pandemic for getting littles to smile or laugh! I rely so much on facial expressions, games and tickling while photographing kids but that doesn’t work when my face is covered and I can’t get close enough to play. It’s been a challenging year in every aspect for all of us, so this seems trivial in the grand scheme of things. And I know I’ve mentioned it before, but I do still appreciate a child’s natural expression over a forced smile anyway.

Miss O was not impressed with any of my antics! Peek-a-boo and her favorite songs weren’t working. Then again, she wasn’t falling for any of it from her parents or grandma either! I got lucky for a few photos with their help but most of the time, she really showed her disdain for having to perform in front of a camera! And we all laughed a lot! Her dad said he was so proud of her for not giving in ;P We think she may have started teething that day and just wasn’t feeling the smiles. Of course, Murphy’s Law. And it’s 2020. What can go wrong, will go wrong. Still, a lot of the mean-mugs and so-over-it photos were priceless gems for her family and they really make me smile!

We took some photos on their porch and then took a stroll through their neighborhood during the peak fall colors on a gorgeous afternoon here in Chicago. I had so much fun trying to get this girl to giggle, even though I worked up a sweat like it was a hot summer day!

Much love, friends!

Baby girl sits on mom’s lap in between her parents on their front porch in Chicago, IL.
Smiling baby girl sits between her parents feet on their front porch in Chicago, IL.
A family walks among the fall leaves in their Chicago neighborhood.
Mom and dad play a game with their baby girl while she’s on dad’s shoulders.
Mom and dad hug while dad holds & kisses baby girl on the forehead while on a walk in their Chicago neighborhood.
Smiling family photo in Logan Square among fall flowers and foliage.
Mom and dad hug and laugh together during their fall family photo session in Logan Square, Chicago.

Portage Park Lifestyle Couples Session With The Most Adorable Dog [Chicago, IL]

I’m going to preface this blog post with a warning that this may make you want to adopt a rescue pup.

Lifestyle session with a cute couple and their adorable dog? Yes, please! I met Mindy and Alex at their lovely home in the Portage Park neighborhood of Chicago for a fall session recently. We took some photos on their front porch with their Mr. Personality (Elliot!) and then headed to the back yard where Elliot ran and ran and ran in the leaves, playing games with his humans. He LOVES playing with Alex and he never leaves Mindy’s side. I think they’re all so lucky to have one another, especially this year. After playing outside, we went inside for some beers and doggy snugs for a few minutes. Elliot enjoyed his perch on the couch while his mom and dad enjoyed their beers. I love sessions like these sooooooo very much!

After their session, we all had a beer outside, in masks, on the most perfect fall evening in Chicago. Here’s to clients that turn friends, good beer and 70 degree fall evenings.

Mr. Elliot now has a furever spot in my heart and I love him so much. This may happen to you also. While we can’t have him, there are so many other pups searching for their forever homes. Adopt a rescue. If you need a Chicago recommendation, Alive is wonderful!

Couple in Portage Park Chicago sits on their front steps at home with their terrier rescue dog.
Couple in Portage Park Chicago is laying together on a blanket on the ground when their dog comes up and licks their faces while they laugh.
Terrier rescue dog at home playing in the fall leaves in his yard.
Lifestyle couples home session in Portage Park Chicago. Couple’s dog sits on their laps and gazes at the camera with the couples’ beer in the foreground.
Lifestyle couple session at home in Portage Park Chicago. Couple sits on the couch drinking beer together, and petting their rescue dog who is perched on the top of the couch.

Chicago Newborn Lifestyle Session [Roscoe Village, Chicago]

If you’re like me & are reeling in anxiety from the election counting process and you can’t go on anymore miles-long walks or stress-eat anymore, maybe some cute baby toes and big brother secret-telling will distract you?

Photographing newborns these days looks quite different than it did in the beginning of the year but I’m still safely photographing. Check out this sweet session with Mr. M, the smiliest baby I’ve had in a long time, and his proud big brother Jim. Although Marty was brand new, he was too excited to sleep and didn’t want to miss anything going on in the world so he partied like it was 1999 the whole time I was with him! That’s ok, though, because I love when babies open their eyes and I get a glimpse of who they are. And I really love big brothers that are up for the job of showing their siblings the ways of the world! Plus, these two have the coolest brother-name-pairing ever. Jim and Marty?! Come on! I never hear those names anymore. I was talking to their Mom during this session and we both agreed it sounds like a pair of two old guys getting coffee together. How adorable is that?!

I’ll keep the post short today and let the images do the talking because my head’s already back into anxious-land and I need to go check the NPR website and pour a glass of wine because I can’t concentrate anymore and am just producing run-on sentences… ;)

Hang in there, friends!

©COPYRIGHTCMP2020-20201001-21.jpg
©COPYRIGHTCMP2020-20201001-29.jpg
©COPYRIGHTCMP2020-20201001-66.jpg
©COPYRIGHTCMP2020-20201001-46.jpg
©COPYRIGHTCMP2020-20201001-43.jpg
©COPYRIGHTCMP2020-20201001-55.jpg