Bridgeport Lifestyle Newborn Session {Chicago, IL}

Lately I’ve been discovering that my most favorite sessions are the ones where I’m mostly just a fly on the wall. I will give direction when needed, but generally I just hang back and observe. I love watching how people interact naturally, without me telling them what to do. And then I go from there. I might have you look at each other or bring your noses or foreheads together occasionally but otherwise I follow your lead and just photograph it. Pure lifestyle nature, which isn’t what I was trained in so doesn’t always come naturally for me. This newborn lifestyle session in Bridgeport was just like that. Beautiful family with the sweeeeeetest dog, PLANTS and lots of natural light. All of my favorite things - It was a magical dream come true. They sat in their sun-filled living room and had coffee, laughed together at my obsession with their pup and snuggled the newest member of their family. Sweet baby A would get a little fussy now and then & dad knew just how to hold him to calm him down. It’s the moments like these, especially in those blurry first few weeks, that I want you to remember the most. It’s real. It’s raw. Full of love. It’s those small moments that make up a beautiful life. How lucky am I that I get to witness those moments and document them so you so you’ll never forget. I do not take that for granted and I appreciate each and every one of you.

Intimate Wedding at St. Mary's on the Lake [Uptown - Chicago, IL}

I don’t photograph many weddings anymore but when I do, I only take on intimate weddings & I fall in love all over again with them. Scott & Erika had a beautiful wedding in Uptown at St. Mary’s on the Lake, one of the most gorgeous churches I’ve been to in Chicago. The inside is stunning with golden ceilings, marble columns and awe-inspiring vastness, and the outside has more wonderful columns and arches and amazing places for portraits! Their wedding was the first I’ve photographed since before the pandemic began and while I was nervous, it was summer, numbers were low, I was masked and their wedding was the smallest I’ve ever photographed. It was a dream. Their sweet pup Ripley was even able to join us for some photos outside the church gardens in the beautiful sunlit afternoon. Congratulations to Scott & Erika, and thanks for having me along to document your lovely day.

Montrose Harbor Engagement Session with S & K {Chicago, IL}

When I first talked to Staci about her engagement session with her fiancé Kevin, she told me that they love to spend time outdoors & basically just be goofy and laugh together. All the time. She was not kidding - I witnessed this first-hand and got to document it for them & it was a blast! These two have the best time together, no matter what they’re doing. I was able to photograph their engagement session just a few days before their courthouse wedding last summer and I loved getting to know them. Staci even wore her wedding dress at the start of the session and then changed into a gorgeous jumpsuit. They love rock-climbing, hiking and being outside so they wanted to incorporate nature into their photos. Montrose Harbor is the perfect spot for that! It’s got a forest area at the bird sanctuary, it’s got the beach, the boats and it’s got that majestic view of the great Chicago skyline. We met just before sunset and the sun showed off that evening. The harbor photos are some of my favorite couple photos I’ve ever documented! Those colors, that sunset and this adorable couple - it all blew me away! Congratulations, you beautiful souls - I hope you’re loving newlywed life and enjoying your pups!

At the very end, they changed into their rock-climbing gear and we took a few more photos.