A Family Session in Lurie Garden In Korean culture, the 100th day after a child's birth is a significant milestone, and I was so honored to help this sweet Chicago family celebrate Eliana’s 100th day. It was a beautiful midsummer Chicago morning and the wildflowers in Lurie Garden (the family’s location of choice) were in peak color! We wandered the garden in search of flowers to sniff, shade to duck under, and pretty spots perfect for photos. There’s something really special about Lurie Garden in Millennium Park. The ..read more

Mother’s Day (gifted!) Mini Session in Ukranian Village I’m totally biased, but celebrating Mother’s Day with a photo session is one of the best gifts a mom can receive. If it’s a new mom and her first Mother’s Day, even better! That was the case with this mini session in Chicago’s Ukrainian Village. Marisa was gifted a session by her husband and we spent a beautiful spring morning walking the sidewalks in their neighborhood and visiting their home base playground. There’s something so special about choosing home as the location for a photo session. So many times we think we need to travel acr ..read more

Newborn Family Session in Naperville She had a fanclub from day one. What's not to love about two big brothers to keep watch and give hourly kisses? I spent some time at this sweet family's home when things had settled a bit after Nova's birth. I was offered invisible cups of tea and witnessed a few lion and leopard impersonations between taking photos of Nova in her natural element. She seemed quite at home in the middle of the action! Not to be ignored: the beautiful details and carefully curated space that Nova and her fanclub call home. Class act, I tell you! Ro is an Instagram-friend turn ..read more

Personal Portraits in Manhattan, NYC I always hesitate to use the word headshots because the word feels so stuffy. Instead, I use phrases like profile photos or professional portraits or just plain portrait photos. I meet a lot of people who feel the same way when they ask me for new headshots – they say things like "I need a new photo for a big work event coming up! But I don't want a stiff, awkward-looking picture; I want something that's more natural and true to myself while still being professional. Can you do that?" Why yes, I can. We're upping the headshots game, one savvy professional a ..read more

DUMBO, Brooklyn Family Session The thing about Brooklyn families is that they're resilient. We could have rescheduled this shoot on a different (warmer) day in the middle of spring, but we may not have been blessed by the crisp, clean sunlight that seemed to be winking at our determination. And besides, there was a coffee shop just around the corner. After chasing sun and shadows for a few minutes, we ducked inside to warm ourselves with hot drinks, peer out the window at passersby, and shriek with delight at the sight of a garbage truck. Brooklyn families are tough and resilient, and this fam ..read more

Blogger Photos in NYC Emily is a one of those creative souls who helps your own creative soul come to life a little more. I first met her at a retreat we both attended, and was drawn to her friendliness and effortless style right away! When we found out we were both moving to NYC at the same time, we promised to hang out as soon as the dust settled. This little photo shoot at Cafe Henrie and the real talk shared over matcha and coffee was our fulfillment of that promise, and I'm so glad we made it happen. Emily blogs her creative journey, styling, and photography at emilyweaver.space, and she ..read more

It's always a joy to step into a home where a new baby has just arrived. Even though the newborn weeks can be a challenging adjustment, there's a sense of wonder and gratefulness that comes with new life and it's almost tangible at times.  That was certainly the case at the home of our dear friends after they welcomed baby Isaiah. He was born early and spent his first weeks at the hospital, so the sense of relief and gratefulness to be in their own home was real! I'm honored to have taken these images during that sweet time, and they're easily some of my favorite newborn photos ..read more

You might know that my whole family fell deeply in love with Chicago's conservatory scene while we lived there, especially for combating cabin fever in the winter months and on rainy days. We visited the Garfield and Lincoln Park conservatories more times than I can count and found our favorite rooms and corners to visit each time.  I added the Steinhardt Conservatory in the Brooklyn Botanical Garden to my must-see list as soon as I discovered it here in NYC, and it was as beautiful! We visited on a sunny winter day, and the warmth of the greenhouses was enough to let us shed our parkas ..read more

This beautiful and classic session was a birthday gift for mom. It had been a few years since their last family portrait, so we picked a classic Chicago location and were gifted with a beautiful summer afternoon. If you know this family, you'll know they're some of the most warm-hearted people in all of Chicago. It took very little nudging to bring out the sense of love, respect, and connection this family shares. I just love Lurie Garden in Millennium park for the way it changes with each season. It's always beautiful, but the colors of the flowers and foliage are different every time I visit ..read more