This is Jacqui.  She looks adorably adorable in my vintage skates.  I cannoooot shake my love for pink, lace, and pom-poms…nor do I want to!  So, I decided to incorporate them into one of my senior sessions.  Jacqui was so laid back and up for anything.  Seriously, what is it with these senior girls?  I was so awkward (and still am) in front of the camera.  Maybe one day when I’m brave, I’ll post some of my own senior pictures.  For those of you who have seen them, you know what I’m talking about.   But not Jacqui.  She just stood in front of me, looking beautiful, and knowing exactly what to do.   We shot on a side street right at dinner time.  There was a restaurant right behind us and we had people coming out to see what the commotion was all about.   The head chef was also amused for awhile.  I suppose it’s not every day you see a girl wheeling around in vintage roller skates with pink balloons in hand.  But oh you wait Milwaukee….those babies are getting new pink wheels and then it’s on!  Yup, that’s just how I roll…

…yes we do. My boys and I.  Michael cannot say “together” quite yet so he says it adorably so as “togedder” and it makes Brady and I smile every time.

This weekend was a much needed one.  Tis the busy season for me and I am not complaining. I love my “job” with all of my being, but I love my boys more.  It kills me when I’m putting in late hours in front of my computer screen and they’re cuddled up on the couch watching movies or playing with one of Michael’s 2,000 Star Wars figurines. SO, this weekend I turned the computer off and just enjoyed our family time together.  We hiked, hung out at the beach, met special friends for lunch and dinner, bought new books, had ice cream, played basketball, caught frogs, and just relished in being together as a family.   Mikey starts Kindergarten this week (gulp) so we spoiled him before he heads to school…

…and me. Well, I’m trying to finish a lot of clients sessions and find a bit of balance. I feel like my head space is filled to max capacity so hopefully one day I’ll get back to what I originally intended this blog to be – a journal of our every day life and my work….changes to come in 2011 people.  Changes.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend! Above: Mikey at the beach…we found a secluded area of Lake Michigan right off of a hiking trail – complete with a tree teepee fort and all.

Much Love,

Krysta

Remember this?

Well, we gave it another go around and this time Mother Nature was nice to us.  I must say that Sierra totally rocked.this.shoot and I am in LOVE with Confetti System. 

This shoot speaks to me. It’s what I love doing most…creating, styling, making something come to life.   Thank you to Sierra, Ali, and Stacey for dancing in this vision…

Much Love,

Krysta

You will be seeing more of this chubby blue eyed baby girl, but I know her mommy and daddy (…and aunties…and grandparents) have been waiting for just a little peek so I thought I’d give them something to tide them over!

Happy weekend!

Much Love,

Krysta

I say “dancing” in the streets of Chicago because I think little Miss Ellie really did dance her way through Chicago.  She never stopped moving and a shaking (as you’ll see below)…and I loved it.  Amy is a photographer herself and as it goes in the life of a photographer, she doesn’t have many pictures of herself with her children.   Living in Oklahoma, they were going to be coming to Chicago to vacation with good friends and explore Chicago.  She e-mailed me asking if there was any way she could schedule a shoot.   It just so happens her trip fell right in line with my Chicago sessions.   We decided to meet at Millenium Park and then we just walked and explored and danced and ate cookies and found little alley ways and met people walking their puppies and just enjoooyyyyed. I really wanted to capture them just enjoying their time together.   A mother and her children just happy to be in one another’s company.  Another reason I wanted to just explore is because Amy’s children, just like my Mr. Michael, have photographer child syndrome as I like to call it.  They see the camera and they instantly smile.  But I wanted candid and real.  I wanted to catch them when they least expected it.   My favorite image above is of Amy giving Walker a piggy back ride.  He was tired and waiting to go to the Lego store.   Amy picked him up and carried him for awhile…and as I looked over he had his eyes closed and looked so peaceful  – watery eyes for me…

…and you know what? Amy’s husband couldn’t be on this trip with them so Amy thought about not doing the shoot.  She decided to go through with it so that one day when her children were older, she could look back and remember these days with them.  She also did it so they would have these images.  There have been so many posts lately about “the right time” to do your session.  As Amy said, “I could be gone tomorrow and they wouldn’t have any pictures so I decided to do it!”  There is never the “right” time or the “perfect” time.  The here and now is what should be captured.  I’m so so so happy she did.

Amy – Thank you, beautiful girl, for such an incredible time with you and your babes in Chicago.  I called Brady after parting with you and he asked how the shoot went and I said, “I wish it would’ve lasted longer.” :(

Much Love,

Krysta