Nora 1 Year :: Chicago Children's Photography

It seemed like my summer was filled with birthdays! This was my second shoot with adorable little Nora... the first being back when she was only 4 months old. It was great to see that she still looks the exact same, and that she's still just as happy and easy-going as she was 8 months ago.

I met with Nora and her family at Montrose Harbor in Chicago. The views of the skyline are fantastic, but it was a tad bit foggy that morning. But who would notice the cityscape anyway when they have this adorable face to admire...

Miles 1 Year :: Fort Wayne Children's Photography

I've had the privilege of photographing Miles numerous times over the past year (see here, here, and here). It was only fitting, then, that we rounded out the year with 1st birthday photos.

Steffen Family :: Fort Wayne Family Photography

The Steffen family is growing so fast they can hardly keep up. In fact, they told me the last time they were all together and had photos taken, there was only one grandchild. Now... there's six! So, it was about time to update the family photos.

We started off bright and early on Saturday morning at Parkview Field. It's a great location because it's the perfect mix of lush and urban.

Mia Katherine :: Fort Wayne Birth Photography

Back in February, I had the pleasure of doing my first birth shoot. Little Mia Katherine had a scheduled arrival time, which made the whole thing run much smoother.

I arrived at Lutheran Hospital just as Mia was being cleaned up in the nursery...

Truesdell Family :: Fort Wayne Family Photography

It was a March day so gloriously warm that you would have thought it was May. I met the Truesdell family downtown at Freimann Square to capture them in this brief moment of time... one grandchild just learning to stand, and another on the way.

It's so great when a family makes time to have their photo taken. I don't think it happens enough once children move out of the house, get married, and start their own families.

Nora 4 Months :: Chicago Baby Photography

Nora was surrounded by loving family when I arrived for her portrait session. Having her photo taken was a Christmas gift from her aunt, Cate. It was originally supposed to be a surprise, but it turned out to be much harder than she imaged to sneak some Sunday morning "aunt time" with little Nora without her parents becoming suspicious.

It all turned out for the best in the end, because Nora had her whole family there to bring out that gorgeous smile.

Luke and Alexa :: Fort Wayne Baby Photography

On Sunday, I had my first experience photographing twins. I knew going in to the shoot that my biggest challenge would be getting them to look in my direction at the same time. But Luke and Alexa were good sports, and let their eyes wander (too much).

This was my last scheduled photo shoot of the year, and it feels so good to be wrapping up my first year as a professional photographer. I look forward to photographing many more adorable faces like these in the years to come.

Miles Christmas 2011 :: Fort Wayne Baby Photography

I was overly excited for my first Christmas Card Mini Session of the year. I spent my free time wrapping empty boxes and hoarding holiday props like my life depended on it. I was high on Christmas.

But when I showed up at Miles' house... it seemed he hadn't gotten the "holiday spirit" memo. He was all tears, and would rather spend his afternoon clinging to mom than having his photo taken.

But that's the great thing about photography... it only takes a few great photos to turn things around. From looking at these pictures, you'd never know we were in the presence of a little scrooge that day...

Owen 10 Months :: Chicago Baby Photography

A friend of the family had a brain aneurysm. It resulted in a lot of hospital time and tons of physical therapy to regain her basic motor functions. The therapy was really helping... until the insurance company said "no more".

So back in August, some of her friends held a benefit and silent auction to raise money for continued treatment. And that's where a woman named Cara won a 60-minute photo shoot with me.

It was a horrible circumstance that led us to meet... but the day we photographed Cara's son, Owen, was one full of smiles.

Miles 3 Months :: Fort Wayne Baby Photography

After the rain stopped, it turned into a pretty good day. Three-month-old Miles was in a pretty good mood, and ready for his very first photo shoot. I was in the presence of an internet celebrity. I was introduced to Miles through his blog. Okay, so it's really his mom's blog... but she likes to post photos and stories about her little one as well. Check it out if you're interested in health, fitness, and running (like me!).

In case you're wondering, these photos were all shot at Miles' home. I don't have a studio, and at this point, I don't feel the need for one. What's better than photographing your kids in the comfort of their own home? What's more special than photographing them with the clothing and props that they use on a daily basis? After all, my photography is about telling the story of you.

So on with the adorable-ness...