As I’ve mentioned before…this year has been crazy! In so many wonderful ways, it has definitely been crazy.
In 2009 I shot 9 weddings in Chicago, in 2010 I shot 43. The growth that those numbers imply is really amazing, and I can hardly believe it myself. I have been blessed in so many ways this year, no doubt about it. Because of 43 weddings (not to mention the engagements and other portraits I also shot) the pace this year has been alarmingly fast! I have had so little time to reflect on things and make deliberate choices about how to continue to move forward. For that reason, December and January became this peaceful oasis in my mind…I’ve been looking forward to this time of year to re-charge, re-evaluate and rest.
In the last couple of weeks I scanned through all of my archives from 2010, thinking that I’d post some of my favorite shots from this year in a blog post. Ummm…set myself up for failure on that one! How can I possibly choose a few favorites from all of the amazing weddings and beautiful people I shot this year? Impossible. SO I decided to do a few ‘Year in Review’ posts, and finish up with some thoughts/reflections in another post.

For starters, here are some of the adorable kiddos I’ve had the pleasure of shooting this year. I don’t know how it works out this way, but somehow I always manage to photograph the cutest kids around!

Sweet Sarai outside the Newberry Library downtown.Emerie Rose – LOVE her name. This is Dashiell, and I think this shot is priceless. Classic little boy…I also had to include a couple of Dash and his Smash Cake…Thomas!! I miss this little guy. I think he looks sort of like a little old-man in this picture, and I love it.Rox the Fox.Photographing siblings is another thing altogether…it was hilarious watching Joel & Gabe interact.This is one of my all time favorite child shots, there’s just something about it. Henry! I love diaper shots, kids just get in the groove when you cut them loose in their diapers. (Henry & Nathan from the picture above are twins)Elaina Kaye, such a sweetie. She was my little model one day, and slept through multiple wardrobe changes : )And of course, Vivy! Couldn’t get enough of this sweet girl and her curls.Dancing Queen Leah.Sweet Conrad! I love baby toes!
“See my flower?!” Precious. My favorite is when kids want to show me things they find.LOVE. This. Shot. of Esmee! I still think that she looks like she was just shocked by whatever she was reading (upside down)….and her eyes? They really are that blue.Because of becoming so busy with weddings, I mainly did child sessions for people I had worked with in the past or of children of my previous brides/grooms!

It is a really great thing to be with a couple on their wedding day and then see them again when they have a new baby…or to photograph a little one when they’re brand new and then see them again on their first birthday. Things like that are part of what makes my job so great.