Chrissy Deming Photography

Keri : Sycamore, IL Senior Session

2012-03-09T14:01:00.002-06:00

This has been a strange winter in that it's barely snowed at all here in the Midwest. Usually at this point in the year, we're buried under many, many inches of snow, but instead, we've had some amazingly mild weather (It was in the 60's this past week. IN ILLINOIS!). We actually got some snow a couple of weeks ago, so I was contacted last minute by Keri's mom to head out for a quick senior session before it all melted, which it did pretty much the same day we had our session. I have to admit, as much as I dislike winter, it was nice to get out in the snow for a change of scenery. :)

Keri is a senior at Sycamore High School and headed off to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in the Spring. She's sweet, beautiful, and one of those rare people who actually like the snow. ;)

My favorite!!

Thanks, Keri, and good luck this fall!! :)

Lucas Weekly : Week 45 {12/26/11-1/1/12}

2012-03-05T10:42:00.002-06:00

We always have people over on New Year's Eve since it's Seth's Birthday. We don't get too crazy, but we definitely have a good time!! Apparently all the excitement was too much for Luc to handle. :)

Taken 12/31/11

35mm f/2.0 1/100 sec ISO 400

Luc with his friends, Katie and Titus, chomping on some grapes.

I'm getting close to the end!! Officially, I finished taking pictures for Lucas Weekly on February 24th, so now it's just catch up time for editing and posting. I'll be taking a break from any scheduled projects until the new baby comes, when I'm planning on starting a whole new 365 project!!! We'll see if I can actually keep up this time with much busier business and personal schedules. It may end up being a 365-ish project. ;)

Happy Monday, everyone!!!

Lucas Weekly : Bonus! {Christmas 2011}

2012-03-02T15:28:00.001-06:00

I know it sounds cliche, but having kids has profoundly changed our view of the holidays. Before Lucas was born, we'd spend every Christmas away from home, which was great at the time because we were with family that we love dearly. But in the five years that we had been married, we'd never established our own family traditions. After Lucas came around, we realized how important it was for us to start our own traditions. Last year, we started a family breakfast before gifts on Christmas morning. This year, we wanted to do a little bit more to include our faith, so we (well, I) baked a cake on Christmas Eve, and we sang Silent Night before blowing out the candles.

Check out some of the highlights of our Christmas Eve and Christmas morning!!

Seth's parents and sister joined us for dinner on Christmas Eve and our Silent Night singing.

I think this was right after Lucas said "Cool!!!"

Nana knows the way to a toddler boy's heart: noisy trucks!!

Christmas breakfast!! Crumb cake and an egg casserole! Mmmmm...

Bring on the presents!!

While shopping for Lucas, Seth was complaining about how awesome toys are these days compared to the ones we had as kids. He specifically pointed out this nerf gun and said how sweet it would have been to have something like that. I knew at that moment that I had to get it for him!! I love that I was able to capture his surprised look!!!

One of the selling points in the store for Seth was that it "even came with clips!!" Lucas enjoyed helping Seth load it. :)

It was the perfect compliment to the blazer I bought him. This is also the official bonus picture for the week. ;)

Taken 12/25/11
35mm f/2.2 1/100 sec ISO 800

Only a sweet baby could crack that tough exterior.

I'm so excited to see what the coming years will bring us in the way of traditions as Lucas gets older and baby #2 is thrown in the mix!!

Click here to see a fun little video of Seth, Lucas, and the nerf gun in action. :)

Lucas Weekly : Week 44 {12/19/11-12/25/11}

2012-02-20T10:04:00.003-06:00

Seth took this wonderful picture!! I think it's my new favorite!! It's creepy and cute, all in one. :)

Taken 12/21/11

35mm f/1.4 1/40 sec ISO3200

Lydia & Maddie : Lubbock, Tx Family Session

2012-02-17T09:24:00.004-06:00

Back in this post, I explained how I met and became friends with 7 other Strangers from around the world while watching the show Lost (that's right, Nerd alert!!). Well, on our family vacation to Arizona back in January, I was able to meet up with ANOTHER one of my Lost friends!!!! We were going to be driving close enough to Lubbock, Texas, that I knew if I didn't take the time to stop and meet Lydia I'd just kick myself. I was so thrilled when Lydia said she wanted to meet up as well, and BEYOND thrilled when she agreed to let me take some pictures of her and her beautiful little girl, Maddie! We met and chatted for awhile at Starbucks before heading out to this sweet little park in the middle of a vintage neighborhood in Lubbock, then after our little session, we met up with Lydia's husband, Dan, for some delish Mexican food!! We had so much fun!!

AHHH!! Isn't she just gorgeous?!?!?!?

Seriously, can't stand the cute! Maddie was so happy the entire time we were there!!

My absolute favorite!!!!

Thanks again, Lydia!!!!! :) :) :)

Happy Friday!

Lucas Weekly : Week 43 {12/12/11-12/18/11}

2012-02-16T09:49:00.000-06:00

I love this picture of Lucas and his cousin Linkan out in Iowa!! It's so much fun when we go out there to visit!

Taken 12/17/11
35mm f/2.0 1/60 sec ISO 1250

Seth grabbed this shot of Lucas in front of the Christmas lights a little earlier in the week.

Keela & Jeffrey : DeKalb, IL Couples Session

2012-02-15T14:50:00.000-06:00

I met up with Keela and Jeffrey back in December to take pictures of them and their dog, Gibson, for their Christmas cards. We had a wonderful, yet cold, time out at Afton Forest Preserve and downtown DeKalb! The two of them are sooooo cute and natural together! I'm keeping my fingers (and toes!) crossed that someday I'll be able to shoot their wedding. ;) (No rush, and no pressure, I just love you guys and think you are so great together!!!!)

Gibson was so well-behaved, and he is SUCH sweetie!!

A little birdie told me that Mr. Gibson is, um, a little spoiled by the Grandparents, so I just had to get a shot of him for the mantel. :)

One of my favorites from the day!!! They're so gosh darn adorable!!

Happy Wednesday!!

Lucas Weekly : Week 42 {12/5/11-12/11/11}

2012-02-14T14:42:00.001-06:00

"Please, no more pictures."

Taken 12/9/11

35mm f/3.5 1/200 sec ISO 1600

Lucas Weekly : Week 41-ish {11/28/11-12/4/11}

2012-02-13T12:26:00.000-06:00

Nothing cuter than a sleeping baby. :)

Taken 12/6/11

35mm f/1.4 1/80 sec ISO 1600

Lucas Weekly : Week 40 {11/21/11-11/27/11}

2012-02-10T09:30:00.002-06:00

Since Lucas and his cousin Linkan are only 3 months apart, Seth's sister and I thought it would be fun to have them dress up the same for Halloween this year. Unfortunately, his cousin lives in Iowa and we weren't able to see him on Halloween, so when he and his sister came to visit for Thanksgiving, we got them all dressed up again so we could see them together as little turtles. On the right is Ellie the fish. :)

Taken 11/24/11

35mm f/2.0 1/50 sec ISO 1000

Luc's Nana made all three costumes!!!

Happy Friday!!!!

Promo Video Blooper Reel

2012-02-07T12:01:00.000-06:00

This is why I stay behind the camera. :) (Also, isn't that a flattering screen grab? Thanks for making me look good, Youtube. ;])

I think this secures my future in Hollywood, don't you? :)

Seth should have the finished product ready for your viewing pleasure sometime next week!! EEEEEK!!

Amy & Nick : Chicago, IL Engagement Session

2012-02-06T12:28:00.001-06:00

Seth and I photographed our good friend Nick and his beautiful fiance Amy back in December. We've both known Nick since high school and are SO HAPPY he's met someone as wonderful as Amy to spend the rest of his life with!!! We just love them!!

Nick and Amy live in an AMAZING condo downtown Chicago with a beautiful view of the city, so it only made sense to start our session there!!!

Amy tried to warn me before the session that she was the most unphotogenic person in the world. Now, I'm not in the habit of calling people liars, so I'll just say, yes, Amy, you are unphotogenic. But only on opposite day. ;)

BAM!!! Nicely done, Nick. Nicely done. ;)

Nick and Amy met playing flag football at a field a short walk from their condo, so we headed over there for this next set.

LOVE this one!!

And this, my friends, is why we love Nick. He always knows how to bring the laughs! :)

They had their first date at this awesome little sandwich place in Wicker Park called Jerry's, so we stopped there to grab this photo, and to partake in some delish sandwiches.

Then we hit up the Michigan Ave area! I'm not gonna lie, it. was. COLD! I think we were only out for about 10 minutes because everyone was losing feeling in their hands. Totally worth it.

Chicago, baby!!

The Lucas-on-Lucas Interviews #1

2012-02-02T09:21:00.001-06:00

If you don't know already, my husband Seth is a very talented (and attractive!) video effects artist. Well, he had the brilliant idea of putting together a little interview between Lucas and, well, Lucas. It's hilarious, and INSANELY cute!!

Happy Thursday!!! :)

Lucas Weekly : Week 39 {11/14/11-11/20/11}

2012-02-01T12:36:00.004-06:00

Lately I've been thinking a lot about To Do lists. I can't decided whether they're helpful to me, or harmful. I feel like I have to have a To Do list if I'm going to remember to get anything done (HELLO, pregnancy brain!!), but then I feel like I become a slave to my list and beat myself up if I can't accomplish everything on it. Not to mention that it becomes more of a To Do MOUNTAIN since I keep adding way more things to it than I can ever get done in a day, week, or month, even.

I love this Lucas Weekly picture because it reminds me of how simple life is for kids. Luc must have spent 30 minutes just lining magnets up on the arm of the chair, then taking them off, and lining them back up again. He doesn't care if there's a schedule to stick to, what's for dinner, or if he forgot to switch the laundry over to the dryer before bed. He just lives right there, in the moment, enjoying whatever activity he's involved in at that time. So simple. I wish I could live like that.

Taken 11/16/11

35mm f/2.2 1/100 sec ISO 800

What do you guys think? Is it possible to find the balance between keeping yourself on track with lists and not letting them control your life?

Lucas Weekly : Week 38 {11/7/11-11/13/11}

2012-01-31T12:24:00.000-06:00

Lucas and his cousin Linkan. They're pals. :)

Taken 11/12/11
35mm f/2.2 1/60 sec ISO 1000

Becky & Dave : Moneka, IL Engagement Session

2012-01-30T14:17:00.000-06:00

I photographed Becky and Dave back at the beginning of December on a bitterly cold yet sunny day. I usually shoot sessions by myself, but Seth wanted to hone his skill more to better prepare for when he second shoots weddings with me, so he came along with!! It was AMAZING to have my partner in crime with me, especially when he volunteered to run to the Starbucks for some hot beverages for all of us! ;)

Becky and Dave are getting married in TWO WEEKS!!!! (AHHHH!) We had such a great time with them during their engagement shoot that I literally CANNOT wait to see these two tie the knot!!! One of my favorite things about engagement sessions is being able to talk to couples and get to know them in a low pressure environment, so that by the time their wedding rolls around, we're already friends. I'm not some stranger wandering around with a camera, and they aren't just some people getting married. We have a relationship, and I can truly be happy for them as they take the next step together by becoming husband and wife. I love it!!

And now, the cuteness that is Becky and Dave. :)

Seth wanted to try his hand at directing Becky and Dave, so he set up and took this shot! It's one of my favorites from the session!

My perspective.

Another favorite!

Lucas Weekly : Week 37 {10/31/11-11/6/11}

2012-01-27T11:55:00.001-06:00

HALLOWEEN!!! That sure was a long time ago, wasn't it?? I've been longing to get this post up because Lucas was so STINKIN' cute this year!!

Things started off a little rough, but don't worry, the tears didn't last long. :)

Lucas in a half-shell...

Taken 10/31/11
35mm f/2.5 1/160sec ISO 320

...LUCAS POWER!!!

A huge THANKS to Luc's Nana for making his costume again this year!! It was a huge hit!

After a few houses, he got the hang of it and started knocking on doors...

...and helping himself to candy! :)

Happy Friday!!!! :) :) :)

Lucas Weekly : Week 36 {10/24/11-10/30/11}

2012-01-26T08:13:00.000-06:00

I thought I was all cool back in this post when I cut Luc's hair all by myself. Then I tried to do it again. It turns out I'm not the stylist I thought I was. I COMPLETELY butchered his hair and ended up having to use the clippers to fix it, but even that didn't make it look completely normal. I almost cried. Now don't get me wrong, I know it's "just hair," and having a few months since "the incident" (as I like to call it) has given me some perspective, but I just loved his longer hair so much! Thankfully, as I type this, his hair has almost grown completely back to what it was, and you can bet your bottom I'll be taking him to a real professional for his next hair cut. ;)

Now, you may think it doesn't look too bad from this picture because you can't see the sides or back, but BELIEVE me, it was bad. Like, I was embarrassed to take him in public. (He still looks pretty darn cute in this picture, though, doesn't he?)

Fortunately, he didn't care as long as he had his cheese stick.

And the official Lucas Weekly picture.

Taken 10/28/11

35mm f/2.8 1/800sec ISO 100

Happy Thursday!!!

Lucas Weekly : Week 35-ish {10/17/11-10/23/11}

2012-01-25T11:58:00.002-06:00

This is the story of young boy named Lucas, and his trip to the pumpkin patch.

One fine Saturday in October, Lucas went to the pumpkin patch with his Daddy and his Aunt.

Taken 10/15/11 (by Seth)

Lucas looked at many pumpkins, but for some reason, none of them could hold his attention. In his heart, Lucas was sad.

He was sad because he had a story wanted to share with the world, but no one would listen. His Daddy recognized this, and put him in a crate so he could shout his story to all who were near.

It was a rousing tale, filled with giants...

...magicians...

...and scary monsters.

There was also princess, however, she had come down with a case of the cooties, and only made a brief appearance.

When he had finished tale, he became silent.

His heart was filled with happiness because he was able to tell his story to others, and he was satisfied enough to pick out the perfect pumpkin.

THE END.

Lucas Weekly : Week 34 {10/10/11-10/16/11}

2012-01-24T12:04:00.000-06:00

Move over, Ryan Gosling, there's a new heartthrob in town!

Taken 10/10/11

Hahaha! Sorry about that, I just couldn't help myself when I saw that picture! :)

Lots of pictures from this week!! Seth took all of the park pictures, as I was at home dying on our couch.

Static head!

And then Seth realized he put Luc's shoes on the wrong feet. :)

These pictures in our backyard were taken by me on 10/12/11 and were just too much fun for me not to include in this week's posting.

This next set is so funny to me! Lucas has always been really good at throwing things, so we gave him Seth's Frisbee disc to throw around just to see what he'd do, and he was actually throwing it the right way!! My little frolfer!

Click Here to see more Lucas Weekly pictures!

Lucas Weekly : Week 33 {10/3/11-10/9/11}

2012-01-23T09:14:00.000-06:00

Nothing like a good cuddle when you're feeling sick! I think I was around 9 weeks pregnant here, so I was feeling pretty nasty. Lucas isn't normally a cuddly person, so it was very special to me that he decided to get all cozy with me when I wasn't feeling well. :)

Taken 10/7/11

Lucas Weekly : Week 32 {9/26/11-10/2/11}

2012-01-20T11:45:00.000-06:00

Is it wrong that I think his crying face is so darn cute, and also kind of funny??

Taken 9/30/11

The Fings to the rescue!!

Matt, Gladys, Brianna, Mia, & Alex : Carol Stream, IL Newborn/Family Session

2012-01-19T09:51:00.001-06:00

A couple weeks ago I shared this session of Matt, Gladys and their two kids Brianna and Mia. A few weeks after that session, little Alex joined their family, and Gladys invited me over to photograph the sweet peanut!!! (Did anyone else just get hungry after seeing the words "sweet peanut?" No? Moving on...)

The guys. :)

Family of FIVE!!!

The face he's making in this next picture is my favorite baby face of all time. I love those wrinkles!!!

Little smile!!!!!!!

Congrats again, Matt and Gladys!!! :) :) :)

Maureen & Garrack : Afton Forest Preserve, DeKalb, IL Engagement Session

2012-01-18T11:58:00.001-06:00

I "met" Maureen about 4 years ago in a very exclusive group that formed through an application on Facebook dedicated to the TV show, Lost. We named the group "Strangers in a Strange Land" after one of our most loathed episodes, and would weekly discuss each new episode after it aired and the different theories we'd come up with. During the time between seasons, we'd continue dissecting the show, but we'd also share our lives with one another; our favorite books and movies, other shows we watched, our beliefs, etc. We all became fast friends and vowed to meet in person someday. Possibly on some mysterious island after a plane crash? (Although, I'd prefer a shipwreck, if we're being honest. Just sayin'.)

Maureen is originally from Crystal Lake, and so this past Thanksgiving when she visited her family, shet set up an engagement session with me for her and her fiance, Garrack. Eeek!! My first Stranger meeting!!!! I was so nervous and excited to actually meet in person someone I've "known" for years!! Isn't the internet a wonderful place??

My favorite!!

Maureen and Garrack just celebrated their one year dating anniversary yesterday!!!!! Happy Anniversary, you two!!! And Maureen, it was a pleasure to FINALLY meet you!!! :) :) :)

Lucas Weekly : Week 31 {9/19/11-9/25/11}

2012-01-17T09:58:00.000-06:00

Suckin' his fingers. Or as I like to call them, "The Fings."

Taken 9/21/11

This is another lovely shot by Seth, by the way!!! Leave him some comment love, let him know you care. ;)

Lucas Weekly : Week 30-ish {9/12/11-9/18/11}

2012-01-16T09:32:00.000-06:00

Well, it happened. I missed a week. :( I knew it was coming, especially since I think this was the week that my morning sickness really started to kick in. I still have pictures to share with ya'll, though! The stand in pictures for Week 30 were taken during the previous week, only TWO DAYS before the start of Week 30. So close!! So close, in fact, I still feel alright calling them the pictures from Week 30. And you know what, in my opinion, they're too cute not to share!! So there. :)

Taken 9/10/11

I almost walked into this little guy. Eek!!

Lucas Weekly : Week 29 {9/5/11-9/11/11}

2012-01-13T12:05:00.000-06:00

Another Lucas Weekly shot by Seth, edited by moi. I'm SO thankful for Seth and how much he's helped me over the past few months!! And he's getting pretty darn good, don't you think???

Taken 9/6/11

Lucas Weekly : Week 28 {8/29/11-9/4/11}

2012-01-12T09:12:00.000-06:00

Remember this post where Lucas HATED playing in his crab pool? Well, apparently he had a change of heart because when we set up the sprinkler on the pool, he LOVED it!! (By the way, that plastic you see in the background is Seth's homemade slip-in-slide. We're that cool.)

The official Lucas Weekly picture!! Isn't that an awesome face??

Taken 9/1/11

Lucas Weekly : Week 27 {8/22/11-8/28/11}

2012-01-11T20:41:00.000-06:00

Every year we try to make at least one trip to the Warren Dunes in Michigan. This past year, the wind was INSANE the weekend we went. There were riptide warnings all over, so we weren't able to get in the water, but Lucas enjoyed playing in the sand on the shore just the same! I know it's been a relatively mild winter so far, but with a huge snowstorm looming in the forecast, this Lucas Weekly post makes me long for summer!

Taken 8/27/11

Lucas Weekly : Week 26 {8/15/11-8/21/11}

2012-01-10T14:20:00.000-06:00

Anyone remember Lucas Weekly??? It kind of fell off the face of the planet when I got pregnant, but now, it's baaaa-aaaaaaaack!!! That's right!! I've still been keeping up with it with some much appreciated help from Seth, who picked up the slack when I was going through the dreaded 1st trimester. I'm actually a little nervous because I haven't gone through all of the pictures from my last Lucas Weekly post to present, and I think I may have missed a week in there somewhere when I felt like death. :/ Oh well! It just feels good to get back into it, especially since Lucas will be TWO next month and this project will be over! AHHHHH!!!!

Seth took the official picture for Week 26. I took a few that day as well (they're below), but I just loved the framing of his so much!

Taken 8/21/11

Lucas was VERY excited about the train on our walk.

I just love him!!

Matt, Gladys, Brianna, & Mia : Afton Forest Preserve, DeKalb, IL Family Session

2011-12-29T13:07:00.000-06:00

I photographed Matt, Gladys, Brianna, and Mia back at the beginning of October and it couldn't have been a more perfect day! It was gorgeous out, and the light was just to die for!! Seth and I have known Matt and Gladys for awhile now, but we don't get to see them that often, so it was great to have an excuse to hang out and catch up. Seth and Lucas even came along to keep us company, which came in handy when Brianna and Mia got sick of having their picture taken. They played with Luc while I got some pictures of just Matt and Gladys, and Gladys' ADORABLE bump!! :)

This is actually the first part of two blog posts. Gladys had her adorable little baby a few weeks after we took these pictures, and I had the pleasure of photographing him as well, so those pictures will be in the next post. :)

Isn't Mia a DOLL????

I'm jealous of your beautiful, smooth belly, Gladys. :)

Brianna was having a grand ole' time exploring the field!

Seriously, Gladys. Gorgeous!!

This next set is my favorite. :)

Stay tuned for part 2!! Happy Thursday!!!! :) :) :)

Beth & Dan : Afton Forest Preserve, DeKalb, IL Wedding

2011-12-27T10:19:00.000-06:00

It was almost a year ago that I met with Beth and Dan about their October 2011 wedding. When Beth told me that she'd be making her wedding dress, I flipped. Then she told me that she also planned on making Dan's wedding clothes, and that they'd all be modeled after 1800's fashion. I about DIED! I was so excited about the opportunity to photograph such a unique wedding, and was beyond myself when Beth and Dan actually booked me!! They must have known about the week I spent in depression after reading Pride and Prejudice because I didn't live in that time period. But I digress...

They knew from the beginning that planning an outdoor wedding at the end of October in the Midwest would be hit or miss, but they ended up with a truly beautiful day. The sun was shining, and it was actually kind of warm! A perfect fall wedding day. :)

Since Beth made Dan's wedding clothes and was the only person who knew how they worked, it made sense for them to get ready together so she could help him get everything just right. And leaving no detail out, Beth also made her undergarments. :)

One of my favorites from the day. :)

The ceremony was set to take place at Afton Forest Preserve, which is one of my favorite places to shoot, especially in the fall!

I don't normally do this kind of processing, but I thought it fit with the 1800's theme. :)

It was a very intimate ceremony, with only their closest family and friends in attendance.

Every aspect of the ceremony reflected Beth and Dan's personality, including the vows they wrote for each other.

The reception was held at Beth's parents house, and pretty much everything was homemade by Beth and her friends, including these dried leaf flowers...

...cupcakes...

...and the ENTIRE dinner menu!!!

When I met with Beth a couple weeks before the wedding, she described the reception as being very relaxed and, in her own words, "a time to hang out and drink beer." And that's exactly what it was!!

Thanks again, Beth and Dan, for the perfect end to the 2011 wedding season!! :)

Christina, Shannon, Abby, & Maddie : Sandwich, IL Family Session

2011-12-22T10:45:00.000-06:00

I'm so excited to finally share this next family's session with you all!! It's been 2 months to the day since I shot their session, which is just insane since it feels like it was just yesterday. Seth and I wish we could hang out with Shannon and Christina all the time because they are seriously AWESOME and we have so much in common with them! And their daughters Abby and Maddie are two of the cutest girls in the world!

We started their session out on their front porch. They recently bought their house and hadn't gotten a picture of themselves out in front of it yet. I loved the idea!

We headed out to a forest preserve in Sandwich next.

This next picture was both hilarious and heartbreaking. Seconds after I took it, Abby started crying because she thought Shannon was going to throw her into the river! So sad, but so sweet. :)

This was about the time Abby finally started to warm up to me. I just love her personality and spunk!!

Maddie was so chill through the whole session!

I have a rule that if there are leaves, you must play in them. :)

Maddie!!! We had to do some creative moving of leaves to keep her from eating them. :)

I couldn't not take some pictures of Shannon and Christina together. :)

Imelda & Jared : Starved Rock State Park, IL Engagement Session

2011-12-07T08:02:00.000-06:00

'Tis the season for family Christmas pictures, so it's been awhile since I've had a couple here on the blog! I actually shot Jared and Imelda's session back at the beginning of October (just to give you an idea of how far behind I am with blogging!!), so It's great to finally be able to share these pictures with ya'll!!

We met up at Starved Rock State Park, and due to the unseasonably warm weather that weekend, it. was. packed. Pretty much every picture we took was either squished between people that I had to creatively crop out, or shot between groups of people hiking by on the paths. It was quite challenging for me to have to shoot that quickly without being able to take my time like usual, but really, it was a good challenge. What really helped was that Imelda and Jared were so laid back and patient during the whole session. When we had to stop in the middle of shooting to let people pass, then jump back into position, they did it without missing a beat. It was impossible for me to be stressed or annoyed with the situation when I was working with such an awesome couple! On top of that, they are incredibly sweet and SO in love with each other. It's always fun for me to observe how couples interact when I ask them to do weird things for posing, and I can tell a lot about their personalities by how they choose to interpret what I'm asking them to do. Jared was so gentle and caring towards Imelda, you can tell he just wants to take care of her. It made me really excited for their wedding in October 2012!

Well, enough of my blabbing. On to what you really came here to see. :)

One of my faves from the day. I just love the colors, and J and I are so stinkin' cute!!

My favorite time of day to shoot!! I just love that golden light!!!

Imelda and Jared, thanks again for being so wonderful! I really had an awesome time getting to know you guys during all of our downtime (and also,remember all that walking?!?!?). I can already tell your wedding is going to be awesome because you guys are awesome. :) I can't wait!!!!

Have a great Wednesday!!

Courtney, Jason, & Lorelei : DeKalb, IL Family Session

2011-11-29T08:30:00.000-06:00

Let's face it, Mondays and Tuesdays just plain stink. So I'm getting this post of Courtney, Jason, and their darling little 6-month-old, Lorelei, up early in the week because I know you won't be able to frown after seeing this little one's AMAZING cheeks! Seriously.

Jason and Courtney have an such a sweet house and I'm absolutely IN LOVE with their decorating...honestly, I wish I could move in tomorrow. (Don't worry, guys, I won't really move in...)

After the pictures at their house, we moved on to the NIU campus. Honestly, I'd never really thought to shoot around NIU besides at the Lagoon, but Jason is a philosophy professor there, so he and Courtney were very into the design of certain buildings and suggested we walk around campus. It was a great reminder to me that any place can be a great place for a session! Also, I love shooting at locations that are meaningful to my clients, and NIU certainly is since it's the reason Jason and Courtney live here!

How anyone could get anything done with those cheeks around is just beyond me.

Just try frowning right now. I double-dog-dare you.

LOVE the colors here!

CHEEKS!

Thanks so much, Jason and Courtney, for a fun session, and for putting up with my obsession with your daughter's cheeks! :) It was a pleasure photographing you guys!!!

And to everyone else, you feel much better now, don't you? ;) Happy Tuesday!!

Sarah, Dave, Ben, Danny, & Isabel : Afton Forest Preserve, DeKalb, IL Family Session

2011-11-18T21:34:00.001-06:00

About a year ago, I had a conversation with Seth about how much I'd love to have some photographer friends that I could get together with from time to time to share the joys and frustrations about our industry. About 90% of what photographers do takes place behind a computer, and as much as I enjoy my introverted alone time, it can get pretty lonely behind the screen. I was craving to physically talk with someone else who did what I did. Not even two weeks later, I received a Facebook message from photographer Sarah Aranda saying that she would love to get together for coffee sometime just to chat about the biz. I. about. died. I knew right at that moment we'd become friends. It was just too coincidental to be coincidence, if you know what I mean. Since then, we make every effort to get together once a month. It doesn't always happen, but we try. And let me tell you, it's been so awesome to have someone to bounce ideas off of, and to just talk about the general day-to-day of being a photographer. I'm always refreshed after our hangouts!

Anyways, back in October, I had the wonderful honor of photographing Sarah and her family. I just think these kids are SO adorable (and well-behaved, I might add!!). And, um, Dave, it's a good thing you're a cop because your Izzy is going to be a HEARTBREAKER! ;)

For real, they are too cute!

The light was AMAZING!

I swear these kids could be models!!

Ben

Danny

Isabel

This one literally kills me.

While we were up on the lookout tower at Afton, the kids found a caterpillar up on the ledge...

...which later ended up on the ground about 10 feet below.

We grabbed a some pictures of just Dave and Sarah before we left, and I was cracking up because I had them kiss for a couple shots, and the kids were so grossed out by it! At one point I overheard the following conversation:

Danny (very serious and disturbed, with pauses between each word): "Ben, mom and dad kissed!"

Ben: "Eww!! How many times?!?!"

Danny: "Twice!"

Ben: "EWWWW!!"

Hilarious!!!!! When they get older, they'll appreciate how adorable their mom and dad are together. :)

Sarah, I'm so thankful that you were willing to put yourself out there and contact me, because honestly, I'm not sure I'd have had the courage to do it myself. I just want you to know how much it means to me. :)

For those of you who are photographers and feel like you're floating around out there on your own, I can't stress enough to you how important it is to get to know other photographers in your area. Our job is unconventional in that we don't have coworkers to gather around the water cooler with and shoot the breeze about such-and-such account or how much of a jerk our boss has been (for the record, my boss is a slave driver). It's just us. And people aren't meant to be islands. We were made to share life together. So here's any open invitation to any DeKalb/Sycamore, or anywhere around here, photographers: Let's get coffee and chat about the biz. :)

Happy Monday, lovelies!!

Beth & Dan | Sneak Peek : DeKalb, IL Wedding

2011-11-09T21:47:00.000-06:00

A little preview from Beth and Dan's 1800's inspired wedding from a couple of weeks ago! Here's a fun little fact for you: Beth MADE their wedding clothes!!! How awesome is that???

Check back in the next few weeks for a full post! Happy Almost Friday!!!

Megan, Steve, Jamyson, & Arizona : Johnson's Mound, Elburn, IL Family Session

2011-11-07T09:27:00.000-06:00

It's been good getting back into the habit of sharing pictures with all of you fine people. I'm still getting caught up from being down for the count with my morning sickness (woohoo 2nd trimester!!), so you can be sure there's still plenty more bloggy goodness coming your way. :)

This adorable family belongs to fellow photographer, Megan Dibblee. I take every session I do very seriously, but when it comes to sessions for other photographers, I get over the top nervous!!! But I really have the best clients EVER, so there's never any reason for it besides my own craziness. :) And since Megan knows the occasional challenges of photographing kids, she was so laid back, and even came prepared with marshmallows!

We started our session out at Johnson's Mound in Elburn, which was beautiful in early October!

Arizona was soooooo darn cute during the entire session! She was pretty much up for anything and always had a smile ready for me.

She loves her daddy!!!!

This handsome little guy is Jamyson, and he was having a grand old time going on adventures and exploring the Mound, just like a little boy should. :)

Look at those lips!

Marshmallow break. :)

Steve and Megan just celebrated their FIVE YEAR wedding anniversary back in September, and hadn't had professional pictures of just the two of them since their wedding day! Thankfully we were able remedy that. :) They are still so in love, and so, SO cute!! I barely had to give them any direction!!

After we were finished exploring Johnson's Mound, we headed over to Kuiper's Family Farm in Maple Park to grab a few pictures in the orchard.

I love these next couple of pictures!!

Happy Monday!

Riley : DeKalb, IL Kids & Family Session

2011-11-04T13:54:00.001-05:00

Riley was the winner of my Silly Portrait Contest back in March, and her parents chose to use the session for Riley's 1-year pictures back in September. Riley is such a little darling! As a parent of a 1-year-old, I just LOVE this age!! They're really starting to come into their personality and come out of their shell, and it's such a fun thing to photograph.

Riley's mom brought along some balloons for the session, and they were perfect for the first part of our shoot!!

Next we headed out to Afton Forest Preserve with another amazing prop, courtesy of Riley's mommy. :)

Riley was getting a little sleepy near the end of our session...

...but she rallied for a few more family pictures.

Love them!!!

Happy Friday!!

Isabel : Rock Falls, IL Newborn Session

2011-11-01T12:51:00.000-05:00

Sweet Isabel was only 6 days old when I had the privilege of photographing her, making her my youngest client ever!!! My session with Isabel was a very special one; I found out I was pregnant with my second child about 12 hours before meeting her (I found out on Labor Day, ironically enough!). Being able to cuddle her knowing I was going to have another one of my own made the session even more precious. And considering how rarely I have the chance to photograph little newbies, it was perfect timing. :)

Isn't she just darling?????

It's always amazing to me how small they are as newborns!! They change so fast that it's easy to forget.

After our little indoor session, we headed out to a local park for a some family pictures where Isabel's brother, Ethan, joined us.

Such a sweet family!!!!

Chrissy & Andrew : Davenport, IA Wedding

2011-09-26T11:16:00.002-05:00

This isn't the first time Chrissy has graced my blog (check here and here). She's a good friend of mine, and has supported me from the beginning of my journey into the photography world. When she called me last year to tell me that her and Andrew were engaged and asked if I would shoot their wedding, I was overjoyed, flattered, and incredibly nervous. A lot of people that I shoot weddings for are either new friends, or friends I haven't seen for years. But Chrissy knows me. And I'm a self-conscious person. I'm just so thankful that Chrissy is so amazing and doesn't ever think less of me when I act like an idiot while taking pictures of her. :)

The day of their July wedding was gorgeous, and the wedding itself was beautiful. Chrissy and Andrew are so in love with each other, and it was a privilege for me to be a part of such a wonderful day in their life.

The only specific picture Chrissy wanted the entire day was one of her and her baby--I mean, dog, Wrigley. :)

Remember this little guy???? I love this picture of Jaxson with the ladies!!

The ceremony took place at St. Malachy Catholic Church in Geneseo, IL.

Chrissy told me the other day that she was so nervous walking down the aisle that she was shaking uncontrollably, but the moment Andrew took her hand, all her nerves went away and she was completely calm. Love!!!

BUBBLES!!!

After the ceremony, we headed to Davenport, IA and the Vander Veer Botanical Park for pictures!

I just can't get over how gorgeous she is!

The reception was at the Radisson in Davenport.

I love this shot Seth got of Chrissy and Andrew cutting the cake with the cellphone flash in the background!

What's a best man speech without an embarrassing story??

The ring bearer waiting to dance with the bride during the dollar dance was sooooo precious!!!!

People gettin' jiggy wit it make me happy. :)

Dancing is hard work!!! ;)

Thank you so much, Chrissy and Andrew, for making Seth and I a part of your day. Your love for each other is a beautiful, inspiring thing!!! Love you guys!!!!!

Lucas Weekly : Week 25 {8/8/11-8/14/11}

2011-09-08T09:50:00.000-05:00

Remember this post where I tried to grow a garden from seed and completely failed? Well, I did end up buying tomatoes, green peppers, and cucumbers as mature plants and planted myself a little garden in our backyard! It's been so exciting going out to the garden to pick a fresh tomato or cucumber for sandwiches, salads, and whatever else I can add them to. I've only gotten a couple of green peppers. I think I waited too long to plant them, but regardless, I've been in heaven these past few weeks! I also planted a bunch of herbs in planters that sit on my porch, and that's been amazing, too. It really makes me sad that summer is almost over. Next year I have plans to plant many more veggies, none of which will be from seed. :)

Here's Lucas, showing off his mommy's prized plants.

Taken 8/14/11

Lucas Weekly : Week 24 {8/1/11-8/7/11}

2011-09-07T08:38:00.000-05:00

He's one cool dude. :)

Taken 8/1/11

See more Lucas Weekly pictures HERE!!

Lucas Weekly : Week 23 {7/25/11-7/31/11}

2011-09-06T08:56:00.000-05:00

I try to take as much opportunity to brag as possible, so really, this Lucas Weekly is about my awesome skills as a child barber. Okay, I'm not really that awesome, but I had you thinking I was, if only for a second. :)

In the past, I've taken Lucas to a budget salon to get his hair cut, but it grows so darn fast that I felt like we were needing to go every few weeks! And to be honest, I'm just way too lazy to change out of my PJ's to leave the house if I can possibly avoid it, so I thought I'd try cutting it myself. I could stay in my jammies and save a few bucks! Sounded like a win-win situation to me!

Exhibit A: Lucas' mullet

This haircut wouldn't have been possible with a little bit of Cookie and Elmo (or Meh-mo, as Lucas calls him)

Ready to start!

Halfway there and doing great so far!

Now time to rinse off all that scratchy hair!

The official pictures for this week. :)

Taken 7/28/11

I can't believe how much older he looks just by cutting his hair!!

Not too bad, if I say so myself. :)

Lucas Weekly : Week 22 {7/18/11-7/24/11}

2011-09-02T08:57:00.000-05:00

Lucas doesn't get to spend much time with older kids. He mostly hangs out with kids his age, either in the nursery at church or on a play date, and at 1, they all mostly play by themselves. But when Luc's cousin comes to visit, it's a completely different story. Ellie is 3 and just loooooooooves Lucas! She's always playing with him, giving him toys (and taking them away!), asking where he is when he's sleeping, trying to pick him up, etc. At first, Lucas had no idea how to take her and would usually just stare at her when she would try to play with him. But now, he's really starting to love when she comes to visit!! I love this picture of the two of them! They're BFF's!!!

Taken 7/23/11

Click here to see more Lucas Weekly pictures!

Happy Friday, everyone!! Hope you all have a great Labor Day!!!!

Lucas Weekly : Week 21 {7/11/11-7/17/11}

2011-09-01T09:11:00.001-05:00

Lucas is crazy. He's always been a daredevil, and honestly, I'm a bit worried about the things he's going to do when he gets to be a bit older. It wouldn't scare me half as much if he didn't seem to be cursed with my coordination, but I can already see the clumsiness in him that put me and my siblings in the ER at least couple times a year. For instance, yesterday he bumped his head, fell and cut his eyelid on a mega block which is now swollen and bruised, hit his lip on the corner of the ottoman leaving a small bruise, fell down a couple stairs, and GOT STUNG BY A FRICKING WASP!!!! Now I realize that getting stung by a wasp has nothing to do with his coordination, but people who are accident prone are not confined by the limits of their own ability to hurt themselves. Speaking from experience, these things just happen. Now before you get all DCFS on me, please understand that there is nothing I could have done to prevent any of these things, short of wrapping him in bubble wrap and never letting him leave the house. And believe me, I've thought about it.

So back to his craziness. He and Seth have developed a game involving our bed, a ton of pillows and blankets, and a flying baby. They call it "Rocket Lucas". (Seth just told me that) Lucas can't get enough of it! Every time Seth goes into the bedroom, Lucas follows in the excited hopes that he'll get launched onto the bed.

Taken 7/17/11

I'll be honest, I'm a bit concerned about escalation. :)

Lucas Weekly : Week 20 {7/4/11-7/10/11}

2011-08-31T09:39:00.001-05:00

Everyone warned me that once Lucas started walking I'd be chasing him everywhere. They were so right!! :)

Taken 7/10/11

Click here to catch up on previous Lucas Weeklies!!

Lucas Weekly : Week 19 {6/27/11-7/3/11}

2011-08-30T08:40:00.000-05:00

Every year since we've been married, Seth and I have gone out to Dubuque, Iowa for the fireworks on the 3rd of July. It's always so much fun!! We go down to the Mississippi River around dinner time and have sandwiches while watching the air show, then hang out with our family and friends until dark.

Last year, Lucas was only 5 months old, and while he was alert enough to watch the fireworks, he wasn't quite old enough to appreciate them. I'm not sure how much he appreciated them this year (read on and you'll find out why) but he LOOOOOVED the air show!!! Whenever a plane would fly overhead, he would point up at it and shout "Whooooooooaaaaaa!!" It was more entertaining watching him then watching the planes!

Luc's cousin Ellie loved the planes, too!

Cousin Linkan

Seth wanted to practice taking pictures, which resulted in a rare picture of me and Luc. :)

He loves drinking through a straw.

Seth took this lovely pictures as well.

I love the picture on the right; he's such a small fry!!

I was totally thinking of this picture when Lucas was staring at the glow stick!!

And the official Lucas Weekly picture:

Taken 7/3/11

He made it all the way up until the fireworks started, then fell asleep!! Maybe next year. :)

Stephanie & Josh : Rockford, IL Wedding

2011-08-29T09:28:00.000-05:00

I know it gets redundant and probably sounds cliche with how much I say it, but I absolutely without a doubt have the best clients. Ever. I love it when I say goodbye to the bride and groom at the end of the night and they hug me. And I'm not even a huggy kind of person (just ask my poor husband)!! But we've bonded over one of the most important days of their life, so when it comes down to the end of it, we can't shake hands. We've gotta hug. :)

Stephanie and Josh were married at the beginning of July at Forest Hills Country Club in Rockford. It was sunny, warm, and beautiful. A perfect day for a wedding.

Stephanie and Josh didn't want to see each other before the wedding, and Stephanie was so cute peeking out the door to make sure she wouldn't be seen every time someone would knock.

I love Stephanie's mom. She was so sweet the entire day!

Josh and Stephanie's bridal party was the best! This pose was 100% spontaneous. And 100% awesome!

Seriously, these guys were cracking me up! Groomsmen on the left, I didn't realize how awesome your pose was until I was editing these pictures when I literally LOL'ed!

They are way too cool for school. :)

Josh's best man made a list of all of the shenanigans he and Josh have been up to since they've been friends. It was very impressive! Kudos to Lee for actually taking the time to make such an awesome list!

Here was another awesome moment!! Stephanie and Josh decided that instead of having to kiss when people clink their glasses, their guests would have to come up and show them how to kiss and then Stephanie and Josh would have to replicate it. (Where the heck was that game when Seth and I got married??) Well, Stephanie's maid of honor and her boyfriend took it to a new level of amazingness!! I just loved this!!

Josh and Stephanie are both cops, so instead of taking off the garter first, they set it up so that Josh would pull out toy handcuffs and a toy gun. It was hilarious and totally them!!!

So many fun moments at the reception!!! I was pretty much laughing the entire time!

Stephanie and Josh, it was such an honor for Seth and I to be a part of your day! We still talk about how much fun we had at your wedding, and how we actually felt like we belonged there because of how great you guys were. Here's to many, many happy years. :)

Lucas Weekly : Week 18 {6/20/11-6/26/11}

2011-08-12T10:12:00.001-05:00

We're still working on learning to share toys, but Lucas loves to share his food! Especially with Daddy. :)

Taken 6/26/11

Happy Friday, my friends!!!!!!! :)

Lucas Weekly : Week 17 {6/13/11-6/19/11}

2011-08-11T09:25:00.000-05:00

I, like most of you out there, am the kind of person who has to have at least one piece of chocolate a day. I used to have homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies on the counter all the time, but Seth requested I stop making them due to the gradual tightening of his pants. To satisfy my daily cravings, I've started to buy little candies here and there when I can get a good deal (holler to you other couponers out there!!), that way I just have a little piece whenever I want.

Lucas, on the other hand, doesn't get chocolate every day. In fact, aside from a special occasion, the poor fella doesn't get dessert-type foods that often. It's not that I'm terribly uptight about it, but we usually don't have dessert unless we have guests, and the candy we do have isn't exactly baby-friendly. ;) Seth thought it would be cute to see what he'd do with a piece of chocolate, and since it was such a rare opportunity, I thought I should capture it.

The official Lucas Weekly picture for Week 17. Signing for more. I think he liked it. ;)

Taken 6/15/11

The Zoo!

2011-08-10T09:33:00.000-05:00

Back at the beginning at June, Lucas and I went to the zoo with Seth's sisters, AJ and Mariah, and Luc's two cousins, Ellie and Linkan. I LOVE the zoo, and hadn't been there in about 4 years, so I was way excited go! It was a lot more fun going to the zoo with kids, especially since Ellie (who is 3) is old enough to really get excited about the animals. It was also fun for me to take my camera and shoot just for the fun of it!

Lucas enjoying his favorite food for lunch, bananas.

Beautiful Ellie.

Little Link!!

Since most schools were still in session when we went, there were hardly any crowds and the zoo was almost empty (which was awesome and kind of creepy at the same time), so we were able to get a good view of all of the animals!!

Waiting for the sea lions...

...and they showed off for us!

BABY ORANGUTAN!!

Ellie's mommy painted her face and she was VERY proud!

We just happened to be at the polar bear area when it was time for it to eat. It was pretty awesome!

The infamous Brookfield Peacock that just wanders around the zoo.

Liz & Kris : Afton Forest Preserve, DeKalb, IL Couple Session

2011-08-09T09:03:00.000-05:00

Once when I was around 5 and she was around 3, I made her scream the "S" word at the top of her lungs, which resulted in her getting her mouth washed out with soap while I stood there gloating. Then there was the time I pushed her off of a utility sink in the basement we used to climb up on to swing off the water pipes in the basement ceiling. Obviously we weren't supposed to swing on the pipes, so when we heard our mom coming down the stairs, I panicked and pushed her off the sink, causing her to sprain her ankle when she landed. I knew we'd be in huge trouble if my mom found out we were swinging on the pipes again, so I quickly whispered to her under my breath that she'd better say I ran her over with the big wheel. I'm not sure if it was because I promised to clean her room if she said it, or if I threatened to even things out on the other ankle if she didn't, but my mom only recently found out what actually happened. I was a great older sister. Really.

I'm so thankful that after all of that (and much, much more), Liz had the courage to approach me to take pictures of her and her boyfriend, Kris, just because. Kris is a great guy who has made my sister so happy, so I was excited to have an excuse to get to know him a little better. :)

We had an awesome time together out at Afton Forest Preserve. No one forced anyone to shout curse words. No one sprained anyone's ankle. We just had fun. And laughed, a lot. :)

She's a cutie. :)

The lookout tower at Afton is a special place to Liz and Kris. I love taking pictures of people in places that mean something to them. :)

Lucas Weekly : Week 16 {6/6/11-6/12/11}

2011-08-08T08:47:00.000-05:00

I was soooo excited to get Lucas a little kiddie pool this year! I pictured myself lounging in the golden sun reading a book, while he splish-splashed for hours. I thought, "He loves bath time, right? He's going to LOVE a pool!!" I couldn't have been more wrong. Maybe it's because he wasn't used to have a breeze and bugs flying around his head. Maybe it's because he was scared that the crab would close his mouth (I'll admit, it is kind of creepy). I don't know. Whatever the case, he freaked out the second his little toes hit the water.

Taken 6/7/11

We thought it would help if he was completely wet. The water was as warm since it had been sitting out all day, maybe if we splashed him a bit it might make it feel more like he was taking a bath. Wrong again.

This moment makes me feel like an awesome parent because I'm pretty sure I was laughing behind my camera. How can you not think that face is hilarious?? His eyes are little crescent moons!

Well, needless to say, his time in the pool that afternoon was short-lived. I have tried to get him in a couple times since then, and he wasn't over the moon about it, but he didn't cry. He just stands there and occasionally splashes, but he doesn't sit down if he can avoid it. I guess there's always next year, right? :)

Here's just one more from that day. Who doesn't love a little diaper wedgie???

Click here to see more Lucas Weekly pictures!

Happy Monday, my friends!!!!! :)

Katie & Heath : Blumen Gardens, Sycamore, IL Wedding

2011-08-03T14:02:00.000-05:00

It was one of the hottest weddings I've ever shot. In the 90's and humid, we all felt like we were melting. While having an outdoor wedding during a heat wave might have dampened the spirits of some and stressed others out, Katie and Heath remained calm and collected. It was their wedding day. It didn't matter that it felt like a mouth outside, they were finally going to be husband and wife.

As I said in their engagement session post, I just love these two. One of the greatest things about my job is that it's not just about the wedding day. I don't just walk in there, introduce myself to the couple and start shooting. There are meetings, emails, phone calls, texts, and in most cases an engagement session, so that by the time I get to the wedding, I feel like I'm watching my friends get married (this often leads to me getting teary during the first look, ceremony, and first dances, making me very thankful I have a giant camera to hide behind!). Katie and Heath have such an easy way about them that I felt like I knew them from the very first meeting I had with them. The great thing was that when Seth met them for the first time at their wedding, he felt exactly the same way. By the end of the night, he and Heath even had inside jokes! I have the best job, and the best clients. :)

The girls had their hair done at Dolce Vita Salon and Day Spa, in Sycamore before moving over to the Country Inn and Suites to do their makeup and get dressed.

After reading Katie and Heath's story, I was DYING to see a picture Heath's long hair and goatee!!! This picture is all kinds of awesome. :)

I love this shot of Katie and her mom getting all pretty together.

Something blue. :)

Katie and Heath opted to see each other before the wedding for pictures. These moments are always so sweet and emotional. :)

Katie, even in the sweltering heat, you are absolutely radiant. :)

Their son, Blake was one of two ring bearers. He's soooooo sweet!!!

Blumen Gardens is the perfect venue for an outdoor summer wedding.

This gorgeous arrangement was put together by the amazingly talented Joni Watson of Wedding Flowers By Joni. A special thanks to her husband, Jason, for climbing up there to hang the fabric and flowers that made Katie and Heath's day extra beautiful. :)

Katie had planned on using Blake's bubble machine for the recessional, but Blake found it during the ceremony. He turned it on, and started laughing, which in turn made EVERYONE laugh. It was adorable!!

He couldn't let his cousin, the second ring bearer, miss out on the fun!!

Married!!!

About 80% of the time, flash from guests will completely bomb an image. This was a rare case where it actually improved it. :)

Remember what I said about getting choked up during the first dances? This moment with Katie and her father had me hiding behind my camera. :)

Congratulations, Katie and Heath!!!! Seth and I had an AMAZING time at your wedding, thank you so much for allowing us to be a part of it!!! Happy 1 month and 1 day anniversary!!!

Chrissy & Andrew | Sneak Peek : Davenport, IA Wedding

2011-08-02T08:59:00.001-05:00

My dear, sweet friend, Chrissy, got hitched this past weekend!!! Here's a little preview of what to come in the next few weeks!!!

Lucas Weekly : Week 15 {5/30/11-6/5/11}

2011-07-28T22:34:00.042-05:00

Going outside with Lucas at the beginning of summer was always very amusing. He absolutely HATED being the grass! I've heard this is pretty common, so maybe you other mommies and daddies out there know what I'm talking about. Whenever I would try to put Luc down in the grass (especially without shoes), he would do one of two things: immediately freeze and start crying, or fall down on his butt and lift his legs up so no exposed limbs were touching the grass. I'm a horrible mother, but I'd laugh either way.

So whenever we'd go outside, I'd have to bring a blanket for Luc to sit and play on. He'd crawl to the edge of the blanket and look at the grass, and even occasionally pull out a few blades, but he wouldn't venture off.

Taken 5/30/11

I just love his face in this picture! He looks a little upset that I left him on his blanket then went somewhere he can't follow. My little munchie-munch!!

So, it's been, oh, about two months, since I've updated my Lucas Weekly pictures. Feel free to click here if you need a refresher on past pictures. I'd promise you that I'm going to catch up soon, but whenever I make that promise I seem to get further and further behind. So, until next time! :)

Stephanie & Josh | Sneak Peek : Rockford, IL Wedding

2011-07-26T09:37:00.000-05:00

Here's a quick peek at Stephanie and Josh's wedding from a couple of weeks ago!!! Can't wait to share the rest, this group SO much fun!!

Katie & Heath | Sneak Peek : Blumen Gardens, Sycamore, IL Wedding

2011-07-25T10:19:00.000-05:00

A little preview from Katie and Heath's beautiful wedding!! More to come in the next couple of weeks!

Happy Monday!!!!

Christy & Jake : Blumen Gardens, Sycamore, IL Wedding

2011-07-21T15:55:00.000-05:00

Jake and Christy were married last month on a sunny, warm Monday evening. We've known Jake since he was little, and I can't believe he's all grown up and married! Makes me feel old, but I'm so happy for them both!! They've spent their entire relationship apart from each other (click here to read their story), and it's such a joy for Seth and I to see these two finally together. :)

I was slightly frantic the day of their wedding. The Weather Channel was calling for severe storms all day, and the wedding was supposed to be outdoors. I spoke with Christy the morning of, and she was very calm had a great attitude about it! We worked out a game plan in case of storms, but despite her positive outlook, I knew how much Christy wanted to get married outside at Blumen Gardens. We all set about praying at once, and wouldn't you know it, not a single drop of rain fell all day!! :)

Blumen Gardens is such a beautiful place to shoot, and when it came to the ring pictures, I couldn't decide on my favorite shot. :)

Christy looked like someone right out of the movies, she was so glamorous!

Could she BE any more beautiful????

Jake was looking extra dapper in his dress blues.

Seriously, Christy, you're killing me!!

I just love the look on Christy's face when Jake saw her for the first time!!

So much sass going on here...it's awesome!!

Christy had a very particular place in mind for the ceremony to take place, which was right outside of the Tea Room, and if you've ever been to Blumen Gardens, you know it's not a very large area. Everyone had to stand and squish together, which made it a much more personal and intimate environment.

Jake's family is very close, and his dad, Dan, officiated the ceremony.

Jake's mom, Laura. :)

In your face, severe storms!!!

My favoritest first kiss shot ever. :)

Jake thought it'd be awesome to cut the cake with his sabre. It was.

Congratulations, Jake and Christy!!! We love you guys so much!!!!!!!!!

In the Kitchen #2 : Old-Fashioned Beef Pot Pie

2011-07-20T09:21:00.002-05:00

It's been a little while since I've done a recipe post, and after the response I received yesterday on Facebook for posting a picture of the following recipe, I thought I'd share another new family favorite. This one's from The One-Dish Bible, a recent Birthday gift from my sister-in-law. I've only tried two recipes from this particular cookbook, and so far both have made the menu rotation!

Last night, I was in a kind of frenzy to get dinner done, which isn't out of the ordinary, but usually when that happens, I say to Seth, "Sooooo, what do you want for dinner?", which is actually code for "We're eating out tonight, what do you want?" I'm trying to avoid eating out as much since we do it way too often, so I quickly scanned my monthly meal menu to see if there was anything I could make in about 30 minutes that didn't come out of a box. I saw the Beef Pot Pie recipe and thought it looked simple and quick, and I just happened to have some mostly thawed beef. Game on! :)

Old-Fashioned Beef Pot Pie

(I've added my own notes on this recipe in italics, but really, it's super easy!)

-1lb ground beef
-1 can (11 ounces) condensed beef with vegetables and barley soup (I used Campbell's Select Harvest Vegetable Beef with Barley soup. One can is 18.6 ounces and doesn't require adding water, so I just skipped adding the 1/2 cup of water the recipe calls for)
-1/2 cup water
-1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas and carrots, thawed and drained (I used a bag of frozen veggie mix with peas, carrots, corn and green beans. I didn't thaw it beforehand since I was on a tight schedule)
-1/2 tsp seasoned salt
-1/8 tsp garlic powder
-1/8 tsp ground black pepper
-1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided (I pretty much always add more cheese than a recipe calls for, so my 1 cup was rather generous)
-1 1/3 cups french fried onions, divided
-1 package (7 1/2 ounces) refrigerated biscuits (I used a 16 ounce can, which is why in my picture I have a biscuit in the center of the casserole)

Preheat oven to 350 F. In large skillet, brown ground beef, drain. Stir in soup, water (if using), veggies and seasonings; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in 1/2 cup of cheese (I probably added 3/4 c) and 2/3 cup french fried onions.

Pour mixture into 12x8-inch baking dish (mine was 13x9, whatevs :). Cut each biscuit in half; place, cut sides down around the edge of casserole. (I sprayed the sides of my casserole dish before I did this because things ALWAYS stick to the side of my dish. And as a side note, biscuits are the worst to open!! I almost had a heart attack!) Bake, uncovered, 15-20 minutes or until biscuits are done. Top with remaining cheese (or whatever looks good to you ;) and 2/3 cup of french fried onions; bake, uncovered 5 minutes or until onions are golden brown. Makes 4-6 servings.

It took about 45 minutes from start to finish, which was a little longer than I had hoped, but still not too shabby since most of it was baking time, and I let the meat and soup mixture simmer for a bit longer than the recipe called for. Still, it was super DELISH!! Can't wait to have the leftovers for lunch today! (Please excuse the quality of the cell phone picture :)

Well, that's that!! If you end up trying it out, leave me a comment and let me know what you think!!

Also, I'd love to make this a more regular post, but I don't seem to have the motivation to do it with the new recipes I try on my own. So, if you have a favorite recipe that you'd like me to do a post about, feel free to email it over to me at chrissydemingphotography@gmail.com! Seth loves when I try new recipes, and I'm always looking for new recipes to spice up the menu, so we'd both be forever grateful to you! :)

Enjoy, and Happy Wednesday!!!! :) :) :)

Ella & Finn : Blumen Gardens, Sycamore, IL Birthday Party

2011-07-18T10:13:00.000-05:00

I recently had the honor of photographing Ella and Finn's Birthday Party at Blumen Gardens in Sycamore. Ella and Finn are 2 out of 3 children belonging to Ashley and Eric, the talent behind ae photography. I had never shot anything for other photographers before, let alone photographers as awesome as Ashley and Eric, so I was SUPER nervous!! Thankfully, I had nothing to worry about because A and E are both totally cool people. :)

Ashley put a lot of work into decorating the already awesome Tea Room at Blumen. It was vintage and kid-friendly all in one! Just check out this dessert table; beautiful AND yummy!!

Mmmm, Sweet Dreams cupcakes....

The Birthday Girl, Ella

The Birthday Boy, Finn

Presents!!

The party itself was sweet! I found myself wishing I was a kid again, and that I was friends with Ella and/or Finn so I could take part in the awesomeness. As it was, I had a blast watching them have fun!

Finn and Ella's older brother, Taite, was the one break the pinata.

Ella and her best friend teamed up for karaoke to sing Katy Perry's "Firework".

Finn singing "We Will Rock You" was one of the cutest things ever. He's a bit young for reading, so his dad helped him out by singing the words in his ear along with him.

Adorable family alert!!!

Eric and Ashley have been together since they were kids, and they're still so much in love!! I just love these pictures of the two of them!

Happy Monday, my friends!! :)

Maddy : Afton Forest Preserve, DeKalb, IL Kids Session

2011-07-13T09:34:00.000-05:00

I had so much fun photographing Maddy last month out at Afton Forest Preserve! She is such a little sweetie, and I'm pretty sure she has the most beautiful brown eyes on the entire planet. She was a little shy at first, but once we brought out the rocking horse, she had the time of her life!!!

Seriously, best. eyes. ever.

What did I tell you?? She had a blast on that rocking horse!!

We ended the shoot with family pictures, and this was my absolute favorite!!

If you're interested in where Maddy's ADORABLE headband came from, her mom, Kristin, makes them!! Check them out here!!

Happy Wednesday!!!! :) :) :) :)

OUR Family Pictures!!

2011-07-11T13:38:00.000-05:00

Back in May, we had our own family pictures taken by the talented Tim Tabailloux over at Tim Tab Studios. I was soooo, SO nervous! Obviously, I'm not used to being on the other end of a professional camera, but really, who is? I certainly had no reason to be nervous, though; Tim was incredible and did a great job at making us feel comfortable almost immediately. The combination of nerves and the fact that Tim is stinkin' hilarious had me laughing for about 90% of the shoot! We made some great memories that day while Tim documented them with his camera.

The most precious thing I took away from our shoot was how important is for us as a family to actually HAVE pictures taken. Since I'm usually the one taking the pictures of our family, I'm usually not in ANY pictures. How sad is that?? I've made a vow to myself to have pictures taken once a year so that I'm at least in SOME pictures with my family! ;)

We have so many beautiful pictures from our shoot, but I wanted to share just a few of my favorites. And by a few, I mean about a bunch! ;)

My guys. :)

Probably my most favorite picture of us ever.

Seth was feeling particularly thoughtful that day. I was just trying to help him out. ;)

After we were finished with the family pictures, Tim and I headed out to grab some pictures of just me for my website. I was much more nervous for these pictures. I don't think I've had professional pictures of just me taken since Seth and I got married almost 7 years ago!! (I'm not counting my maternity pictures here, because, let's face it, my Lucas bump was the main focus there. This time, I didn't have a cute belly to hide behind!!) But once again, Tim was awesome. :)

Tim, thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU so very much for using your gift to capture my family at such an amazing time in our lives. I will cherish these pictures always. :)

Kaden & Jaxson : Atkinson, IL Kids Session

2011-07-06T14:58:00.000-05:00

When I say I have the best clients EVER, I mean it from the bottom of my heart. One of my brides, and a dear friend, Chrissy (who has an awesome name, I might add), wanted to do something special for her maid of honor, Katie, to show her how much she appreciates all of the hard work she's doing for her upcoming wedding. Instead of getting her something that would gather dust on a shelf, Chrissy booked me for a kids session as a surprise to Katie. How sweet is that??

I was excited about this shoot for two reasons: 1. I so rarely get to photograph newborns, and HOLY COW are they small! and, 2. I love my friend, Chrissy, and knew how awesome she is and figured that anyone she's friends with has to be awesome as well, which Katie certainly was. :)

We started the shoot out with 3-week-old Jaxson. He was so precious and, even though he pee'd all over me, I loved him to pieces. :)

Love his little smirk!!!

Then we headed out to a farm that belongs to one of Katie's friends for some pictures of Kaden. Watch out, ladies, he's gonna be a heartbreaker!!

I could just eat his cute dimpled face all gone.

We found a little toad maxin' and relaxin' in a tire.

"EN GARDE!!"

Jaxson joined his big bro for a few photos.

Nicole & Brandon : DeKalb, IL Vow Renewal

2011-07-05T12:52:00.001-05:00

I'm pretty sure everyone will agree with me when I say that planning a wedding is a lot of work. That's why when Brandon and Nicole got engaged, they decided to elope. With the blessings of their families, they headed to Las Vegas one year ago to tie the knot. But even though their wedding was awesome, they missed having their family physically there. So for their 1-year anniversary, they gathered their family for an intimate vow renewal ceremony here in DeKalb over Memorial Day Weekend.

I was so excited when Nicole contacted me! Nicole and I went to school together, so I was looking forward to catching up with her, and meeting her husband. And let me tell you, they are seriously SO cute. It's completely obvious how much Brandon loves Nicole. He had some very sweet surprises planned to make the day even more precious for her. One of which was her bouquet, which he gave to her right before we started pictures. It was so gorgeous and matched her beautiful hot pink dress perfectly!!

Nicole's nieces and nephew came along for some family pictures, and they are soooo adorable!!!!

We started off at the Ellwood House in DeKalb before heading over to the church for the ceremony.

The ceremony was held at Glad Tidings, the church Nicole grew up in.

During the ceremony, they had planned to show the video of their vows in Vegas, so when they turned to watch it, Brandon surprised Nicole again with a slideshow of pictures of the two of them set to "Marry Me" by Train. It was very sweet, and have to I confess, I got a little teary myself. :)

Wedding vows. :)

Congratulations, Nicole and Brandon, on one year of marriage!!! Here's to many, many more!! :)

Kristi & Philip : Mount Morris, IL Wedding

2011-06-21T12:35:00.000-05:00

Kristi and Philip were married one month ago today on a muggy afternoon in Mount Morris, IL. They gathered with the support of their friends and family to proclaim their love to each other and vow to uphold that love forever. Kristi and Philip were so awesome to work with! They were super laid back, and thoroughly enjoyed every moment of their day, which was beautiful. :)

This handkerchief was very important to Kristi--it was given to her when she was a baby in the form of a bonnet, then was meant to be used on her wedding day!

I love ivy, and it looked so beautiful her her bouquet.

Seth captured this beautiful shot of Kristi walking out to meet Philip...it's one of my favorites from the day.

Kristi and Philip chose to see each other before the wedding. I just love being a fly on the wall during these intimate moments. It's one of the things I love most about shooting weddings. :)

Isn't she just so cute???

The ceremony was held at Mount Morris Church of the Brethren

The reception was at this beautiful place on the Rock River in Oregon, IL, called Maxson Riverboat and Restaurant. I couldn't resist grabbing a few pictures out on the back deck before heading in to the reception!

Fun Fact: Kristi and her sister MADE the bridesmaid's and jr. bridesmaid's dresses!!!

A very sweet speech by Kristi's sister, Jenny.

Lots of fun moments at the reception!

Kristi and Philip, thank you SO MUCH for allowing Seth and I to be a part of your beautiful wedding day!

Lucas Weekly : Week 14 {5/23/11-5/29/11}

2011-06-09T14:00:00.000-05:00

This week of Lucas Weekly may as well be titled LUCAS IS WALKING!!!!! Wahoo!!!!!!

Taken 5/27/11

And if that pictures isn't cute enough, I have it video on, too!! He had only been taking two or three steps to Seth and I for a couple of weeks before this, then I randomly asked him to walk to me from the other end of the porch, and he just got up and did it! This video is the second time he did it...I wasn't prepared for the first time since I really didn't think he'd do it!

Makes me smile every time. :) After that, I think he realized that he could do it and he started walking without us prompting him to, and doing it more frequently than crawling. He's so cute just toddling around!!

Nicole & Brandon | Sneak Peek : DeKalb, IL Vow Renewal Photos

2011-06-03T09:48:00.000-05:00

In honor of Brandon and Nicole's 1-year anniversary this weekend, I wanted to share a few pictures from their super sweet vow renewal ceremony last Saturday!! I'll have a full post to come in the next few weeks!!!!

I love this moment!!!

Happy Anniversary, Brandon and Nicole!!!! :) :) :) :)

Lucas Weekly : Week 13 {5/16/11-5/22/11}

2011-06-02T08:18:00.000-05:00

I have to apologize for being so horrible about updating my Lucas Weekly pictures. I always have the best intentions of posting once a week, but I seem to be in an epic battle with life and my own laziness. I'm really trying to get better!!! I guess I'm just not as cool as I thought I was. :)

The picture from this week (which was actually a couple of weeks ago) is one of Lucas with his new favorite toy: His toothbrush. Every morning after breakfast, I put him down on the floor and if he sees that his bedroom door his open, he immediately goes in and grabs his toothbrush and chews on it for awhile. The ex-dental assistant in me loves it!

Taken 5/19/11

Seth was very excited about this picture. He worked hard to build a Lucas-sized robot out of mega blocks and it was important to him that I take a picture of Lucas next to it. :) (Taken 5/22/11)

Katie & Heath : DeKalb, IL Engagement Session

2011-06-01T09:46:00.002-05:00

I like Katie and Heath. As in, I think I might have a crush on them. They are just sooooo cute, and are two of the most caring people I've met in a long time. Their passion for life is infectious and most evident when they are together and with their son, Blake. They're the kind of couple that make me love my job. In fact, they're the kind of couple that make what I do not even feel like a job. They've been through a lot as a couple (feel free to read their story as told by Katie here), and have come out of each trial stronger and more in love. I'm crazy excited for their wedding next month, a fact I expressed to them so much during their session that I think I might have creeped them out. Is it too soon to make them a mix tape? :)

We started the session out in downtown DeKalb, outside of the apartment Heath lived in when he and Katie started dating. They had so many precious memories there, and it was a real joy for me to be able to capture images in a place that is so dear to them.

Katie, you are beyond beautiful!!

Next we headed out to a park where Blake was able to run free and hunt for sticks.

Aren't they such a beautiful family???

I love this one. Blake was a little upset because he had to give up his "really big stick"...

...the stick is back, and life is good!

Kristi & Philip | Sneak Peek : Mount Morris, IL Wedding

2011-05-31T08:39:00.001-05:00

Kristi and Philip have been married for a little over a week, and their wedding was a great way for me to kick off the wedding season! I can't wait to share the rest, but for now, here's a little preview of what's to come. :)

Kristi and Phil, hope you guys had an amazing/relaxing/crazy awesome honeymoon!!!!!

June Mini Sessions Are Here!!!

2011-05-29T22:44:00.008-05:00

Mini sessions are here for the month of June only!!! A mini session is a great way to get a few beautiful pictures of your family, children, or you and your special someone for half the price of a full session.

The Mini Session includes:

-20 minutes at 1 location

-password protected gallery with 8-10 images

-1 free gift print (8X12 or smaller)

-30% off of any prints

-disc of creatively edited images (8-10) with printing rights

$225

Session times are limited and are first come first serve, so please contact me at chrissydemingphotography@gmail.com as soon as possible if you are interested in setting up a session!!

Weekend Availability (unavailable if crossed out)

June 10th : ~~Morning~~ ~~Evening~~

June 11th: ~~Morning~~ ~~Evening~~

June 12th: ~~Morning~~ ~~Evening~~

June 17th: ~~Morning~~ ~~Evening~~

June 18th: Morning ~~Evening~~

June 19th: ~~Morning~~ Evening

June 24th: ~~Morning~~ ~~Evening~~

June 25th: Morning ~~Evening~~

June 26th: ~~Morning~~ ~~Evening~~

Weekday Availability

Please email to inquire chrissydemingphotography@gmail.com

Lucas Weekly : Week 12 {5/9/11-5/15/11}

2011-05-21T09:21:00.000-05:00

I love that Lucas is getting to the age where he's really starting to develop his personality and become his own person. He can be so crazy sometimes, and he's always cracking me and Seth up. One of his favorite things to do right now is to play catch, especially with Seth. He has surprisingly good accuracy, and most of the time he actually gets it to who he intends to throw it to! I thought it would be fun to try and capture one of his favorite pastimes for Lucas Weekly.

Taken 5/15/11

Another thing that has been cracking me up lately is how he eats bananas. Once it goes into his mouth, it doesn't come out, but slowly disappears until it's all gone.

This picture just doesn't do it justice, so I thought it would be fun to share this little video of him. It's kind of long (a little over 4 minutes), but you can randomly skip through to get the idea.

Isn't he silly???