Josh is on staff with Teen Challenge in Peoria & needed some updated head shots around the time I did the photos for the staff of First Assembly of God in Normal. It worked out well to do his at the same time! Very thankful for what Teen Challenge does!
Head shots are pictures that are basically what that word reads as 😉 Pictures of people from the shoulders up. Businesses usually want these types of pictures for websites, flyers, etc & I was THRILLED to be asked to do the head shots of the pastors & administrative staff at my church.
Some of you may remember this, but I actually worked as an admin at our church for 3 1/2 years right when Eric & I were getting married. To come “back” as the photographer & photograph everyone was a joy & an honor.
Two Mondays in a row I went & took pictures of everyone back to back. It was fun, fast & I loved what we got! The key to awesome head shots is great lighting & we had that for sure in our new church lobby! I personally also feel it’s very important if at all possible to take head shots in the environment that the individual is representing!
If you’re an owner of a small business, non for profit or even your own one man show business, feel free to reach out to me to get updated head shots!
I adore mini session days. I’m able to see so many of my favorite people all in one day! My summer mini’s this year were very special as I had just had our second daughter Ruth & hadn’t been behind the camera much. Being with these three special families was so uplifting for me & got me all excited & ready for the rest of my 2018 photography season. And our location was a very special & fun one!!! Here’s some of my favorites!!!!
When you’re a mom, you get a front row seat to the best show in town:
watching your kids grow up. – Rebecca
I love that quote from This Is Us. To me it really captures in one sentence motherhood. Course I would also add how I personally can’t do motherhood without the Lord. Or my husband. Or naps. Or…..ok, I think you get the idea 😉
This year’s Mom & Me Mini Sessions was a dream come true. I have envisioned having photography sessions with momma’s & their little’s & big’s in the colorful surroundings of a greenhouse. A friend from church connected me with Anne from Wendell Niepagen Greenhouses & Garden Center. From the very beginning, Anne was so gracious & welcoming when it came to using their grounds for our mini sessions. I felt so at home & so did my momma clients as they were personally greeted by Anne herself. I FIRMLY believe in supporting local businesses & I HIGHLY recommend any gardening needs you have, head to Wendell Niepagen & they will give you all the help & items you need. I just might have to have next year’s Mom & Me Mini’s there 😉
This year’s sessions were very special. I photographed a mom I think of as a friend & it was my 4th or 5th time photographing them (I can’t remember Kymber!). Her precious girls in all their pink just make me smile! Then, a friend I’ve photographed SEVERAL times, brought her baby girl (who I photographed when she was still inside her momma!) & her mother!!! Talk about a treasure- 3 generations of beautiful ladies! And then to make the morning just all around perfect, my friend Amber came with her men & I was able to do a mini maternity session with her just just about 2 weeks before their baby girl was born. My heart was full after this morning happened. I believe your heart will be too as you see these precious images!
Megan & her family is very special to me. We don’t see each other very often or even get to hangout but the Lord connected us about 4 years ago through our mutual love of photography. I think back to that lunch at meeting at Panera & how we are both totally different women & in different phases of life then back then. I was so gung-ho about meeting & connecting with other photographers & growing my business & little did I know the Lord would use our lunch to connect as friends. In the years that have followed, Megan did our newborn pictures with Elizabeth & most recently our maternity pictures with Little Wilcox #2. I in turn have done a family session with her & her in-law family AND now this session that I’m sharing from their youngest’s newborn session after he was a few weeks old. We also exchanged photo session one fall & I just love that I can count on Megan to capture photos I love of our family & I’m SO honored that she in return entrusts me to do that same. I think that is my favorite thing about photography- how it connects people.
Megan & her family have a farm about 45 min from Bloomington-Normal. I loved the weeping willow they have in their yard! Megan has put so much love & charm into their farmhouse & it’s just so inviting & homey! Get ready to melt as you see these images!!!
Sometimes there are families I get to work with where by the end of the session, I feel like I’ve become a part of their family & I felt like that with this foursome. We knew it was going to be a very cold December day when we scheduled their session & so they gladly invited me into their home. I’m SOOO glad they did! I loved their house! Such bright colors & patterns that reflected the brightness of their family’s love & connection. We took many pictures of them smiling at my camera that were portrait style, but I have to say my favorite ones we took were where I got to just sit back, be one of the family & watch them interact & be themselves. You’ll see lots of love & hugs in these photos. And please, if you’re in love with these photos as much as I am, please call me so I can come hangout with your family in your home!
I LOVE this family. Sincerely love them. I love their kids names, each kids personalities, how the Weeks Family does life together & how they love each other. I love how Peter & Lynne have chosen to raise & love their family. My Elizabeth has even been blessed with hand-me-down clothes from their girls! This was my first time doing a session at this fun park & I LOVE how it glowed with color & totally fit their family’s personality. See for yourself as you look through some of my personal favorites!
This was SUCH a special session for me! Brittany & I used to work at the same restaurant together back during our college days & have stayed in touch via social media. We’ve watched each other start & grow families & to asked to photograph her family was SUCH an honor to me!!! We had great weather & all her kiddos have the cutest personalities & most beautiful smiles! Here’s a few of my personal favorites- enjoy!
This couple friends, THIS couple! Ah! We have the greatest time together! Or at least I do & they say they do so hopefully they mean it 😉 😉 😉 I had the honor of photographing Robin & Nicole’s engagement pictures (see them here!) & so when Nicole wanted to do another session together I was completely excited to catch-up with them & work with them! Robin is just a goof & super sweet to his wife during pictures so basically I just watch them interact & take pictures! Easiest session ever! We also have an inside joke that if I ever want to be pregnant, I just need to book a session with them because I’m apparently ALWAYS pregnant when I take their pictures hahah!
Robin & Nicole have recently bought & basically completely renovated their entire house. I love that they work together on projects to make their dreams come true. And their dog is just BEAUTIFUL! Here’s some of my favorites from their session!
I know I’ve said it before, but I’m going to say it again 😉 I am SOOO thankful when I get to work with the same client time after time again. Building a relationship through the years is one of my greatest joys as a photographer! Plus, each session with that family just gets better & better because we’ve worked together before & we’re just so relaxed & ready to just hangout & have fun! And that’s what it’s like for me when I get to photograph the Rumley family! And if you know them, you know they’re already a hoot & like to get loud & have fun, so yeah, we just have a great time 😀
I’m sharing some of my favorites from my last session with them! It was a new location for me & they rocked it!!!!!!! Here’s the Rumley Family!!!!
