“Great photography is about depth of feeling, not depth of field.” — Peter Adams

When I chatted with Kirsten before her session, she admitted that she cried a little when she came across my portfolio of newborn photos on my website. It was part of what convinced her to hire me to photograph her own little family as baby Marin joined their world. And it was possibly one of the sweetest compliments she could give me.

Because that is always one of my goals in a portrait session. Not necessarily to make people cry (though I feel like I’ve done something right when they do!), but to make them feel something when they look at the images I create.

Each season of our lives are full of so many feelings (“all the feels” as they say), but in the swirl of life, in the exhausted haze of the newborn stage, then the constant motion of the toddler years, and later in the rush of soccer practices and dance recitals and science club, we barely have a moment to take in those feelings and we struggle to live present in the moment (or at least I struggle to). But when I create images that evoke those feelings, they offer a second chance to savor those feelings and moments all over again (and again and again as you look at them on your walls or flip through them in an album).

What feelings do you want to savor in this season of life? Let’s chat about how a photo session could help you do that (message me to start the conversation!)

It may still be above 80 degrees outside these days, but right now I have my hands wrapped around a mug of spiced tea and I’m making plans to go apple picking this weekend while dreaming of one of my favorite months (October!) 

Fall is one of my favorite times of the year, with its mix of crisp, cool air and bright blue skies. I love the excuse to add fragrant spices to all sorts of baked goods and pull out my big soup pot to simmer. And I can’t wait to pull out my sweaters and scarves again. I know all that sounds so cliché, but I think there’s a reason why so many of us feel drawn to those cozy pieces of fall! There’s a sense of connection and tradition that comes with all these fall details that builds our anticipation for the changing seasons.

Fall is also one of my favorite seasons for photo sessions. The warm browns and cool air seem to beckon families to snuggle closer and highlights the rosy-cheeked love of couples of all ages. Apparently a lot of you feel the same way! September and October are almost completely booked this year (although I still have November dates open)! I’ve decided to set aside one of the remaining fall days at the end of October for a select few mini sessions for those of you who still want to squeeze a session in to one of my favorite months! These sessions will be scheduled on a first-come, first-serve basis and because there are such a limited number of them available, the full session fee is due at the time of booking to reserve your time slot.

Like my full-length sessions, these mini sessions will be lifestyle sessions, focused on the connections between you and your loved ones and the simple joy you share together. My goal is to help you create a sweet memory together during one of the most beautiful times of the year while capturing some of those moments for you in images that you can treasure for years to come.

So pull out those flannel shirts and cozy blankets. Set aside some time to pick apples, bake muffins, watch football, take a walk through the leaves, or whatever your fall tradition may be. And snatch up one of these few mini sessions to make some fall memories with the ones you love! Let’s build that anticipation for this change of season!

Are you interested in more details about fall mini sessions? See below:

Date, times, and location:

Sunday, October 29:
Location: Anita Gorman Nature Center

3:45 - 4:15 p.m. -- Booked
4:30 - 5:00 p.m. -- Booked
5:15 - 5:45 p.m. -- Booked
6:00 - 6:30 p.m. -- Booked

(Sunset is at 6:20 p.m.)

UPDATE:

The last day of mini sessions was so fun and I'm continuing to receive inquiries for mini sessions, so I've decided to open up one more fall date. Do you to snag one of them? Message me to start the booking process!

Saturday, November 18:
Location: Anita Gorman Nature Center

3:00 – 3:20 p.m. -- Booked
3:30 – 3:50 p.m. -- Booked
4:00 – 4:20 p.m. -- Booked
4:30 – 4:50 p.m. -- Booked

(Sunset is at 5:10 p.m.)

You may be wondering….

Why might I choose a mini session over a customized full-length session?

Maybe you had photos taken recently and just want a few updated images for Christmas cards or family gifts. Maybe a full length session is a little out of your budget right now but a lower-priced mini session is more doable for you right now. Or maybe your children are at that wiggly stage and you feel like a shorter session would be a better fit for them.

How do I sign up for a session?

Send me a message with your first and second choice for date and time. Sessions will be filled on a first come, first serve basis. I will send you a confirmation email of your date and time, along with a contract and invoice. The contract will need to be signed and the invoice paid within 48 hours of receipt to hold your spot. Otherwise that slot may be opened up to another client.

Why do you have such limited times available that day?

I want you to have the best light for your session, that beautiful soft golden light that flatters your skin and adds dimension to your photos. And that light happens during the last two hours before sunset (the “golden hours”).

Can I bring my aunt/cousin/sister/grandma to my session?

Because these sessions are shorter than my typical sessions, I have to limit them to singles, couples, and immediate family (parents and children) only. If you’d like to schedule a session with your extended family, I would love to set one up with at a different time! Send me a message and we can start that process!

What should we wear?

I love to talk with clients about possible outfits for their session! What you wear definitely effects how your final images looks and the colors that stand out in them. When you book a session, I’ll send you a “what to wear” guide that I’ve put together with some tips for putting together outfits. I also invite you to send me snapshots of potential outfits you’re considering so I can help you choose outfits that are both comfortable and that photograph well.

What happens if I (or my child) get sick the day of the session?

Unfortunately, the session fee is non-refundable. However, in the case of illness or other unavoidable emergency, I may apply your session to another mini session if there are any still available or it can go towards the balance of a full-length session (but this would be at my discretion).

Do you have other questions that I haven’t answered here? Or are you ready to book a fall mini session? Send me a message here!

Maybe it’s the former creative writing major in me, but I love telling stories. It’s one of my favorite things about this business of portrait photography. When I work with a couple or family, I get to hear a bit of their story and then I get to share a little glimpse of that story, first through the images I create during our session and then later through the blogs I write.

This year, though, I’m discovering that I also deeply enjoy hearing and sharing the stories of small businesses. As I dig deeper into my own business journey, I’m realizing that, like me, most businesses have stories, born out of their owner’s dreams and passions, personalities and relationships, and life experiences. For most business owners, their business is about so much more than just a product (though most have spent months or even years perfecting their products). Instead, their brands encompass so much personality and story. And I love hearing and capturing those stories through lifestyle branding and headshot photography. These sessions give me the opportunity to not only photograph beautiful products, crafted with passion and excellence, but to also capture the people behind those products or services and the joyful work that spurred them to start their own business in the first place.

Kate is one of those business owners and Seven Swans Creperie was definitely birthed out of a sweet story of passions, dreams, and perseverance. As Kate’s friend, I’ve had a bit of an insider’s view of her business story. And let me tell you, it’s beautiful. Her crepes and soon-to-be-finished mobile creperie (which is the sweetest little renovated trailer!) are the product of years of dreaming, longing, and waiting, of excitement and passion mixed with plenty of discouragement, shifting plans, and a TON of hard work.

I think that’s a big part of what I love about her story. I can connect with it. I’ve never made a crepe in my life (and maybe never will, if I can keep eating these fantastic ones that Kate makes!) but in my role as an entrepreneur, pursuing my passions through the ups and downs of starting and growing a business, I can relate to the mountains and valleys of Kate’s story with her creperie and feel encouraged by her tenacity through it all. Stories like Kate’s, chronicling perseverance through challenges, are my favorite kind. And now it’s so fun to celebrate with her as she watches this dream finally materialize.

And so it felt especially sweet to spend the evening with Kate and a small group of lovely people, taking these photos and watching the next step of her business unfold in the form of lovely, mouth-wateringly delicious crepes arranged on beautiful plates, surrounded by fresh fruit and flowers, glasses of wine, laughter, and chocolate covered faces.

I especially loved getting to capture some photos of Kate at work in the kitchen, prepping the crepes, because I think one of the things that makes her crepes so outstanding is that everything she uses is fresh, high quality (often local), and homemade. You can taste that quality in even the simplest of her crepes.

(The theme of Kate’s branding is “Russian fairytale” -- a nod to a bit of Kate’s personal story, which includes some extended time in Russia -- and I think with the rich reds, worn wood, and dreamy greens here, we managed to capture that!)

How about you? Do you have a business with a story, perhaps a tale of ups and downs and perseverance through obstacles? If so, I’d love to hear it and maybe chat with you about how I could help you communicate your business’ story and heart through images for your website and social media. Send me a message to start the conversation!

(And if you’re local to the Kansas City area, you should definitely follow Kate’s story on social media and visit her creperie soon as it opens!)

Cancer has altered the course of Danielle’s life. Diagnosed at just 17, cancer undoubtedly changed many areas of her life and family and ultimately led her to a career with a cancer organization.

Cancer has also defined Donna’s career as she has worked as an oncology nurse for years, helping countless patients walk through the practical and emotional side effects of their diagnoses. 

And cancer is what initially brought these two together, when Danielle first met Donna in that awkward doctor's office visit, shortly after her diagnosis. 

But this session was not about cancer. It was about two friends, sitting by a lake on a spring day, catching up on life. It was about sharing stories of children and grandbabies. It was about laughing (a LOT of laughing) and maybe a bit of hugging. Because that’s a huge part of what set Donna apart as a nurse for Danielle: she cared about Danielle as a person, not just as a cancer patient, and she made her feel comfortable enough to laugh, even in the most uncomfortable situations. 

I'm so grateful to CURE Magazine for connecting me with these two extraordinary women and featuring a few images of their sweet reunion in the latest edition of their Extraordinary Healers publication. If you're able, I suggest reading Danielle's moving tribute to the impact Donna had on her cancer journey, along with the other essays in the collection. (And I have to say, it's super fun to see a few of the photos in print in the book of essays that CURE just published!)

Even a gloomy, rainy day couldn't dampen the sweetness of this family's in-home session. These moments are simple, cuddled up by the window, reading a few favorite books, but they're the kind they will treasure in the years to come, as their daughter grows and changes. 

Everything about this session feels like spring to me (despite the chill wind that day!). The fresh green grass. The cascading apple blossoms, touched with just the faintest pink on the on the buds. The tiny leaves unfurling from the branches. And these two, so in love and so joyfully awaiting the arrival of their daughter whose birth will usher in a fresh new season for their family.

It was such a sweet privilege to photograph Rachel and Daniel in this season as a couple. They’re still in their first year of marriage and now share the sweet anticipation of this little girl who will utterly change their life. They both have great style, but more than that, they wear their love for one another. You can see it in the little things: the way Rachel looks up at Daniel as they walk, the way Daniel wrapped his arms around Rachel to warm her up between shots, and the way she nestled into his arms and the soft kiss he planted on her forehead.

To me, this is what maternity sessions are all about. Though I find pregnant bellies incredibly beautiful as they curve around the growing new life and I feel that it’s worth documenting that unique stage of a woman’s life, I particularly love capturing the parents together. I love to take that time to document their love as they stand at the cusp of a dramatically new season, drawn closer together than ever before by the anticipation of this new life, the embodiment of their love. There’s nothing quite like it!

On New Year’s Day, when the year was as fresh and new as it will ever be, I had the privilege of photographing a newly-born baby. Little Ezra was not quite two weeks old, his life as fresh and new as the year.

Ezra was born just as the world prepared to celebrate the birth of another long-awaited child, Jesus, born over two thousand years ago now. This timing of his birth felt appropriate because Ezra himself was long-awaited, a precious gift that his parents waited several long years to finally hold in their arms. But their long wait and the difficult circumstances of this past year (including a house fire that displaced them from their house part-way through their pregnancy) seemed to only increase their joy and wonder over him now that he is finally here. As we prepared for their session, Margriet shared that the difficult waiting process convinced them more than ever of what a miracle his birth (and the birth of a child in general) is and how every step of the process is so wonderfully, uniquely, and intricately designed. Her words brought tears to my eyes as I read them, especially as I remembered the painful wait for my own son.

Now as they finally hold Ezra, still so tiny and fragile in their arms, they wonder who he will be and what kind of calling rests on his life after such a process of waiting. Who knows? For now, though, he is still just their precious baby, content to rest in their arms, cradled by their love.

In the five plus years that Derek and I have lived in Kansas City, we have seen many of our friendships from back in Ohio slip away over the distance. But not our friendship with the Jones family. Through visits back home, skype dates, and joint photo projects we have stayed in touch and continued to share life together.

And this month, they finally made the trip to Kansas City to visit, now that their three boys are old enough to handle the long drive. We spent a few days showing them around the city, sharing some of our favorite places (including Joe's Kansas City Barbecue, Prospero's Books, and Thou Mayest Coffee Shop) and discovering a few new places as well.

Jeff has been a staunch supporter of my photography from the beginning (in fact, he sold me my camera), so it only seemed appropriate to document their visit.

My church community here in Kansas City celebrates people well. In the little over five years that we have lived there, I have attended many birthday parties, baby showers, going away parties, wedding showers, and more. Each one has been carefully planned, full of details that celebrate who that person is, what they love, the unique and beautiful ways each of them functions, and the story emerging in their lives. These experiences of celebrating others and being celebrated myself have influenced the ways that I, in turn, love to celebrate birthdays and other significant events in people’s lives. This has also influenced the way I photograph people, though, because it has helped teach me to look for and celebrate the unique beauty in each person and story.

A couple weeks ago I had the privilege of both attending and photographing one such celebration, a wedding shower for the beautiful Wendy. Wendy was on our church’s leadership team for many years and hosted many of these celebrations herself. About two years ago she moved to Hong Kong full time where she later met her fiancé Tad, a beautiful story of long-held longings fulfilled. Her wedding shower was a sweet time of hearing and celebrating that story, accented by vibrant, rich colors, delicious hand-crafted foods, and easy laughter.