Impressions of the Heart Event, Libertyville IL Photographer
This is the second event I photographed for Little Lake County and I am again so impressed by the organization, originality, and fun of each event. For those who do not know, Little Lake County is THE best resource for kids activities in lake county IL. Not only do their website provide endless updates on free "what to do" and "where to go" with your little ones, but also there is this handy calendar where you can look up kids activities by day. I use it when I need something to do on the fly or to plan out the weekend. The amount of dedication the Little Lake County team put into their website, articles, and events is apparent. The Impression of the Heart event was no exception.
The moment I stepped inside the Artist at Heart studio my heart started racing from the paint splashed tables and whimsical decor. This place got so much character! It's hard not to be creative at a space like this one. The staff was beyond nice and did I mention talented? Now I have been to a number of paint your own canvas/pottery places but have not been to one that have their own artist on site to add the finishing touches. With a few stroke of the brush, the baby footprints are turned into a personalized piece of art. I stood their in awe as baby names are artistically added to the pieces. Right there and then I decided that Artist at Heart will be my go to art studio even it's half an hour from my house.
The event was sponsored by Advocate Condell Medical Center , organized by Little Lake County, and hosted by Artist at Heart in downtown Libertyville. Moms of non-walking infant brought their babies in to do foot/hand imprints on canvas or plate. The timing of the event could not have been better for Mother's Day. It was such a joy to see so many babies come in and how they reacted as they get their tiny little hands/feet painted. Some slept right through the process and some squirmed at the touch of the brush. All of them are to die for adorable! Aside from painting, there was a pediatrician on site to answer questions, Language Star offered a free German lesson to the toddler/preschool siblings, raffle of great prizes, healthy breakfast, and a gift bag for each mom! All in all it's a wonderful opportunity for moms to connect with others while documenting their baby's tininess. Check out the heartwarming moments below.
Spring Milestone Photography Session at Kildeer IL Studio
Another 9 months girl stole my heart during her baby milestone photography session. It was not hard at all to get her to giggle. Her face lit up every time she looked at mom. I also love the slight variations in her smiles. Those tiny variations in a baby's expression are seen everyday by the parents but how will they be remembered 10 years from now? That's why I can't stress the importance of milestone pictures the first year of life. Parents can schedule the sessions based on the age or developmental stage depending on what you are trying to document. Below is a general timeline but will vary by baby
3 Months (Lifters): Poses will mostly be baby lying down and if possible with baby on his/her tummy with the head lifted.
6 Months (Sitters): Poses will be laying down, on their tummy/knees, and sitting if ready.
9 Months (Standers): Now we can do a great variety of positions sitting and standing without the baby being too mobile.
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Clifford the Dog First Birthday Party at Westmont IL
The first thing I noticed upon arriving at Benjamin's birthday party was the adorable doggie mailbox at front of the house. Immediately I thought "yay, this is a dog loving family". Boy was I right. I was greeted by the birthday boy in the arms of his mommy decked out in the cutest little tie with Clifford all over it. The Clifford the Big Red Dog theme followed through out the entire birthday party including a 60 lb cake! I enjoy being a baby birthday party photographer not only because how much fun the kids are, but also I love to photograph the little details the parents put so much work into. This party was no exception. I can see the effort and thoughts the parents and Lili Marie Parties put into the flow of the decor plus entertainment. Please follow me through the blog to see some of my favorite moments captured.
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Benjamin's smash cake photos showed what a sweetie this little guy is. He shared his cake with everyone around him and had an intimate moment with mommy. It took some encouragement for him to break into the rainbow colored inside of the smash cake but he got the hang of it.
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Understated Spring Easter Photos by Kildeer Photographer
I have been photographing this little angel before she was even born since I was her mommy's maternity photographer 2 years ago. I was also her milestone photographer for every stage. Each session was perfect and I consider her my favorite little model to test out new photography ideas.
Emily threw us for a loop during her 2 years old birthday session. She is now her own person and had her own agendas for the photo shoot. Although we did not get the usual smiley and giggly images we did in the past session, but I love how these pictures captured the calmness of a two years old we don't often seen.
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Winter Military Newborn Photography at Kildeer Illinois Photo Studio
I'd be lying if I say this newborn session was easy breezy. Ever since the mom reached out to me a few months ago I started to feel the pressure of the session. The mom and dad of the new baby are both in the military. The father was actually flying out to his station in Tennessee only a few days after the birth of his daughter. So I know we only had very limited window to get the pictures done. On top of that my heart tells me that I want this to be the best session possible because of the sacrifice this family is making for us and this country.
Ella's mom sent over some Pinterest Newborn Photography inspiration photos which really helped me see their vision. Every photographer have their own distinct style but I very passionate about merging my style with my client's vision. I prepared everything I can think but the session did not go anything as I planned since baby Ella was so alert. We all rolled with the situation and I want to thank my lucky stars that mom and dad stayed so cool. They were calm and patient with the feeding and so cooperative the entire process. With a change in direction, we captured some amazing emotional photos that really speak volume of the love between this family. Looking back photos turned out so pure and genuine that I would not have done it any other way.
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