a rainy evening of sibling joy

I’ve photographed many families and always enjoy a seeing the different personalities come out between siblings, and for the first time, I photographed three adult siblings, and I had such a blast! The personalities were just the same as with younger kids — lots of giggles, jokes, recalling memories, and pure joy in being together (even when your brother is jokingly messing up your hair…).

And for the first time, this photo session happened almost at dark when it was sprinkling rain — definitely not the most ideal photo weather! And yet, we still had fun! I could have kept following these dear siblings around all evening, but we eventually had to call it quits in the rain!

fresh from summer seniors

I have really enjoyed getting to do some senior photo sessions at the start of this school year! All of the seniors are so excited for the year ahead and refreshed from summer! I love getting to hear from them their hopes for what’s next and all that their eagerness for the many last moments of high school.

September is a great time to capture your high school senior before the end of the school year hustle begins! Contact me today if you’re interested in a senior photo session! Check out a some photos below from one of my recent senior photo sessions.

one beautiful year

My sweet friends are celebrating their son turning one year today, and I just cannot stop gushing about them! It’s a gift to take photos and a gift to be in deep community with dear friends, but when those two intertwine, my heart bursts! We spent an evening at a local forest preserve taking some family photos after their dear little guy had already done his own one year photo session that afternoon (before his dinner and change of clothes break, heehee), and we had a delightful time. I love that some of the best family photos are just the small moments of smiles, hugs, and laughter. I am beyond thankful to have gotten to watch their sweet son grow this past year and am expectant of many more precious moments to come!

flowers in the golden hour

A new friend recently asked me if I’d be up for coming out to her flower farm, Proclamation Flowers, to capture the field a bit around sunset, and my oh my, that was the easiest YES! I have ever given (I didn’t even check my calendar). The hour I spent meandering the farm, following the light, searching for the flowers, and breathing in the beauty of this dear flower farm was the most refreshing evening I’ve had in ages. These flowers amidst the wide open spaces convey such beauty, especially in the sunlight, and I’m so thankful to have gotten to soak in that beauty. If you ever need to be reminded of the beauty in the world or need flowers in your life, I cannot recommend Proclamation Flowers enough!

backyard bash

Earlier this August, I enjoyed getting together with a lovely group of families for an evening photo session in a delightful backyard of one of the family homes. It was such a gift to me to see all the different family members interacting — cousins, siblings, nephews, nieces, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and more! There was so much beauty in all the small moments between family members, the multiple generations being together, and the abounding faithfulness of God’s love and provision in the family. I felt quite privileged to get to view all of that from behind the camera!

Blueberries for Days!

A friend and I took a whirlwind trip to southwest Michigan to explore the lake, the quaint towns, the beautiful trails, and most importantly the blueberries! We even attended the National Blueberry Festival, which include more blueberry joy than I had ever known. We picked blueberries — both of us for the very first time — and had such a blast. The fields of blueberries were gorgeous, bountiful, and such a gift to wonder through. I marveled at the many different colors of the blueberries as they were growing and the different tastes of sweet and tart. There were beautiful butterflies landing on branches and pockets of sunshine that burst through the orchard layers. The hour it took to pick a bucket full went by faster than I imagined, and each bush I picked from felt like a new one. I walked away with abundant blueberries and even more abundant joy.

Fall Family Photos Adoption Fundraiser

Some dear friends of mine are in the midst of adopting a young one, and they are working to raise funds for the many different expenses in the adoption process. As a way to partner with them, I’m excited to announce that this fall, I’ll be hosting fall family photo sessions where half the profits from the session cost (see investment cost) will be going to the adoption fund. These weekends will not only be a chance to capture the beauty of your own family, but also partner with a family that’s growing.

The weekends I’ll be hosting these fundraising photo sessions are:

• September 14th & 15th - Oakhurst Forest Preserve (Aurora)

• September 28th & 29th - Fabyan Forest Preserve (Batavia)

• October 12th & 13th - Springbrook Prairie Forest Preserve (Naperville)

Any sessions scheduled during that time will mean half the cost of the session will be donated directly to the adoption fundraiser, which I will coordinate for your convenience. To celebrate this fundraiser kicking off, the family you have the opportunity to partner with and I got together for some family photos. Check out their photos below, and if you’re interested in booking a session during the adoption fundraiser, click here to book.

to the neighbor that taught me about light

I have the joy of having dear friends that live in my neighborhood AND who have one of the most adorable babies (slightly bias, but also, look at him!). This little guy came into the world amidst a season of my life that was full of refinement , lessons to learn, and loneliness. Amidst all of that darkness though, he has been a constant source of light to me — his giggles, his many first moments, his noises, his cuddles, and especially his bright smile and eyes that fill me to the brim with light and love. And on top of all of the light he has brought my heart, he has also been the subject of a lot of photography learning for me too. Since he is a cutie baby and is in close proximity to me and my camera, he often goes out on photo adventure walks with me in our neighborhood (the adventure is really just the game of keeping him awake during that pre-dinner hour and somehow not losing his pacifier). He’s taught me about new angles, lighting, different poses, and more, and he’s just contentedly happy to let me try things out, to let me mess up and try again. As I have been growing (in a whole heap of ways), so has he. He’s taught me to be content with the growing process and take things one day at a time. He’s taught me to giggle a lot. And most importantly, he’s taught me to go in search of the light, both when taking photos and in remembering the ever present Light that scatters all darkness.

happy 11 months, sweet bright light. Cannot wait for the big ONE in a month.

a sweet remembrance

a dear, dear friend of mine visited last weekend, and the number of times I made her turn around and let me take her picture was fairly ridiculous, but as with any best friend. she swimmingly put up with my antics and requests. This friend of mine has a way of reminding me of the love of the Lord in everything we do and say, and it all feels so carefree and joyful. Though we are miles apart, our reunions are all the sweeter because of our distance, and as I snapped her picture a million times, I realized how powerful that captured moment was to me. I recognized how deeply the Lord was loving my friend in that moment, how that captured moment was a miracle in time, filled with abundant grace, mercy, and joy. Though the Lord’s love is constant, what I am coming to appreciate most about photos, especially those of simply one person, is that a photo reminds me afresh of the Lord’s tangible love of me. Just as the Lord was filling my friend and myself with his love in that moment of the photo, he continues to do so. I love getting to remember and proclaim the Lord’s love through photos, and as if that’s not enough, my heart just bursts with gratitude for my dear friend whenever I see her picture. What a joy and gift it is to have photos!

wednesday women

Each Wednesday, the team I am part of at work gathers together at one office to collaborate — this is always a life-giving activity in my work week, as those of us with similar jobs that spend our weeks out and about with the volunteers we work with all get to come together and enjoy sharing stories from our weeks. Not only have these dear co-workers been foundational in my understanding of my job, but they have become friends, and that is such a gift to me. We snuck away from the office this past week to snap some headshots, and I had so much fun with these dear women.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!

Thanks to a very brief google search, I learned today that the phrase “I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!” actually comes from a fox trot song written in 1925! Fun fact!

This past weekend, I enjoyed taking pictures for a few hours at Kimmer’s Ice Cream in St.. Charles, IL for their grand re-opening celebration. They were celebrating a variety of improvements and renovations made to the shop, and my oh my do they know how to celebrate! Balloons, ice cream, face painting, live music, and more — it was too much! Special shoutout to my housemate, who happens to be the manager-extraordinaire there! There isn’t quite anything sweeter than photos of folks eating ice cream together, and I’m so thankful for the chance to capture all the wonderful moments at this celebration.

swinging through life

I babysit quite a bit whenever I can squeeze it in (this is being typed from a living room where the kids are hopefully sleeping upstairs…), and I almost always walk away from babysitting with a smile of appreciation on my face for the joy that kids bring me. A couple weeks ago, I had one of those dear, dear mornings of babysitting that brought more warmth to my heart than I even knew I needed that day. Everything throughout the morning was just the right amount of simple and joyful — sleepy snuggles, warm coffee in a good mug, sunshine pouring through the windows as birds sang, generous bowls of cheerios, and playing outside in the morning glory. Oh such beautiful morning mercies that I received!

Amidst the snuggles and play and cheerios, I realized I had my camera with me and quickly snapped a few pictures of a dear girl who could probably live most of her life on a swing. She creates imaginary worlds on that swing; she acts out intense dramas on that swing; she sings at the top of her lungs on that swing; she lives out joy on that swing. I so often get caught up in the todos and tasks of my day that i forget to let the Lord carry me through, to let the wind take me on a ride, to swing through life trusting in God’s goodness.

as the garden grows

The last couple summers, I have enjoyed having a small garden, and this summer I even added a few new plant babies to the garden to try out. I have been daily surprised by the lessons to be learned in the garden.

• The garden takes time — no matter how fast I want to harvest my herbs and veggies, I must be patient. If I begin harvesting too soon, I won’t have as much for the season. Waiting is good.

• There is a simplicity in the garden — water, sunshine, soil, and seeds. Those four simple yet profoundly miraculous elements join together to burst into plants. I love these four elements — getting to hold the seeds in my hand, digging in the dirt, feeling the sunshine as I visit the garden, and drenching the plant with refreshing water. I don’t think I’ll ever lose wonder in witnessing seedlings burst through the soil.

• Plants require growing and pruning — sometimes I find spots in my garden that look like they have died, and in a last ditch effort, I prune away what is dead and hope for new life. And so often, that spurt of life comes once the dead parts have been pruned.

• The garden requires work — though I sometimes wish I could plant the seeds in the pots and come back a few weeks later with a bountiful harvest, that’s not how it works. Tending to the garden is a daily act for me, a liturgy of my life that often brings me joy but also takes time and effort.

• Much of the work of the garden happens beneath the surface — without the deep roots and transformation beneath the soil, the plants would not thrive or produce much fruit. That work beneath the surface is simply miraculous.

• The garden needs a home to thrive— midwest summer are full of more ups and downs in temperature, rain, humidity, and everything under the snow. I cannot control the weather, try as I might, and I just have to make the best of what the weather gives the garden.

So all that to say, my garden is a tender place for me where I am not only learning about the beautiful simplicity of plants but also about the beautiful simplicity of tending to my soul, tending to what’s beneath the surface, allowing the Lord to nourish me and bring forth growth. Oh how thankful I am for this place to experience God’s presence so tangibly.

downtown musician

I had such a great time capturing a friend, Andy, an up and coming singer songwriter that loves any chance he can get to pick up a guitar, write music, and lead others in worship. As Andy launches his website and hopes to tour with his band eventually, he needed some updated photos, so we hung out in downtown Aurora. I thoroughly enjoyed not only getting to capture Andy but also walk around downtown hearing him do his thing!

memory lane

Like every other person, I have a slew of childhood memories — plenty of great ones, a fair share of hard ones, and everything in between. I found a few old photos recently that have me enjoying the bubbling up of nostalgia for childhood, the yearning for more space to play and fewer anxieties to hold. But then I remember who I am, who has named me and called me HIs own. I remember afresh when staring at a picture of little Rachel that I am still a dear child in the Lord’s care. I may have a fleet of adult responsibilities that fill my day, but the deepest part of my identity is that I am a child of God. There is such joy and rest in that!

These pictures remind me that though I may experience hard times in each season of life, God is ever faithful and has not once abandoned me. These pictures are a gift of that tangible faithfulness, and I’m deeply thankful.

clearly thrilled to have a camera AND a cow dress; my dear little cousin doesn’t seem as thrilled

there is too much goodness to take in! (Alaska, 1999)

summer clouds

I can’t say the midwest is exactly my favorite place to live, but something I do love about the midwest are the sunsets and the summer storms. This summer has been particularly robust in quality clouds, sunsets, and storms, and I cannot get over it. Storms and clouds help me feel small, where I am aware of God’s massive power and infinite goodness to me. The other day, a summer storm rolled in, and the clouds changed colors again and again over the course of an hour. I was amazed, thankful, and full of peace.

sweet 15

A dear sister-friend of mine turned 15 recently, and we celebrated with a photo shoot by the Fox River in Batavia! Sitota is sweet, abounding in kindness, always willing to help, and full of joy. I love watching her grow, take on new challenges and seasons, and walk through life with grace and genuine care for others.

welcome, friends

I work for a non-profit that serves the refugee and immigrant population in the community, and I am daily challenged, encouraged, and deeply moved by these wonderful neighbors I get to meet. I get to hear their stories, that include some depths of pain that I have never experienced and likely never will. I love getting to know these friends, to know them in their sorrows, in their joys, and in their many transitions.

World Refugee Day was at the end of June, and some of my friends and co-workers decided to share why they choose to welcome, why they choose to keep welcoming our neighbors — those who are already here and those who are not yet here. Amidst a heated and divisive political climate, these people teach me again and again to keep welcoming.

*the opinions shared on this site are not affiliated with any organization

a memorable meal

Due to a variety of health needs, I have a quite restrictive diet, but recently, I wanted to celebrate a friend with a birthday meal, and thanks to seasonal organic produce and a bounty of herbs from my garden, I found a meal that I’d definitely try again!

At the base were carrot and parsnip noodles, mixed with sautéed greens and onions that were drenched in lime juice, ginger, and garlic. Next came balsamic grilled chicken on top that had marinated overnight with plenty of basil and oregano, and then to top it off: blueberry balsamic compote and crispy sage. This meal brought me a lot of life - it was full of flavor; the herbs and greens came from my garden, and the chance to sit down to a meal together with someone was a gift.

Moments of Joy

I attend a church where we follow the Church calendar, and we get to celebrate plenty of different special days! Everything from Christmas to Good Friday to Easter to Pentecost - each week is a chance to celebrate the Lord and the story he is writing in our lives and the stories in Scripture. I love these feast days, and this spring I enjoyed capturing an ordination service, baptisms, and Pentecost Sunday. What struck me about these services were the many little moments that were happening all around me. In any given moment, I couldn’t possibly take in all the tender moments of worship and community. I am so thank to be able to take a step back and see the Lord at work in the room.