Golden Photography

M Family | Long Grove Family photographer

March 22, 2021

I think each year this guy likes to pretend he is shy. He starts out hiding behind either his Mom’s or Dad’s leg and in no time he is hamming it up! So many giggles and smile come from this little dude. And the poses are all him, haha. With currently having to wear a mask I don’t really know how kids are going to react to me, but this kid was awesome with it!

Downtown Long Grove offers a lot of options for scenery for family photography especially when the covered bridge hasn’t been hit by a truck and is under construction (whomp whomp). Regardless of the broken bridge we lucked out with a beautiful sunset and no bugs! After his initial shyness was over, he was all about being tossed around, tickled, and snuggled by his parents. Let’s be honest – what little kids doesn’t love all of that?

boy sitting on railing during family photos

dad holding son upside down for family photos

family of three by covered bridge for photography session in Long Grove IL

couple hugging photo session in Long Grove

boy at Long Grove covered bridge for family photography session

mom snuggling son during family photos in Long Grove

That face, gah! I can totally hear him laughing in so many of these, too.

For over 10 years I’ve been working with families throughout the Northwest Chicago suburbs such as Long Grove, Mundelein, Barrington, Arlington Heights, Highland Park, Palatine and more. I do have a studio in downtown Lake Zurich however when the weather is nice, outdoors is definitely where it’s at! I have some of my favorite spots I love to use, as well. If you’re needing help styling you family and selecting outfits, rest assured I would love to help you with that! Sessions tend to book early so please don’t wait until days or a handful of weeks before you’re wanting to schedule. Earlier is always better!

For more information about family sessions click here, or if you’re on the maternity and newborn hunt, that info is here.

Of course, go ahead and contact me for all the details and to book your spot.

Family photography Barrington IL

March 15, 2021

Aren’t they perfection? This lovely family has a talented photogra-momma, as well! She has quite the eye, herself, so no pressure on me to deliver something good, right?

I’ve photographed this family before and they’re seriously so fun. Mom was on it, too! She knew she wanted this location near Barrington, IL and I was happy to meet her there! In the fall it gets some of the most amazing colors and light. Plus, the variety available in a small area is pretty amazing. She did an amazing job at selecting the outfits. It’s all about coordination and not matching, my friends!

We had an evening of lots of play, some tickles, nose boops, and two well-dressed little girls which all led to a fun evening. I’ll admit I always have a bit of nerves whenever I’m near the water at this location, but luckily these girls were old enough to not go too near the edge without holding someone’s hand. Now if I could stop myself from getting too near the edge and scaring myself that I am going to fall in, that would be great. Especially as I tend to walk around while I am shooting, Haha.

girls sitting on a ledge at a lake outside Chicago IL

sister hugging near a lake in Barrington IL

sisters sitting on a Lake County IL dock at sunset

parents snuggling chiuldren on a Lake Barrington dock for family photos

family posing on a dock for fall family photos in Lake Barrington IL

husband and wife posing for family photos at a Barrington IL lake

family sitting for outdoor photos near Barrington IL

mom hugging two young daughters for family photos in Lake County IL

dad posing with daughters during family photo session near Chicago IL

family posing for photos on a dock in Barrington IL

black and white of mom with two young daughters

That last photo of mom with her girls I love so much. Don’t you agree?

If you’re needing family photography near Barrington IL I would love to chat! I have several spots throughout the area I use for family sessions in both Lake County and Cook County and I am happy to find the perfect location for you. My outdoor sessions tend to book weeks in advance. However my fall sessions tend to be fully booked by the end of the summer. But don’t worry, I’ll help you each step of the way leading up to your session, during, and then after to help you make the perfect order to help display in your home.

For more information, you can check this page or you can go ahead and contact me! I cannot wait to meet you and your family!

Family photographer Long Grove

March 8, 2021

Welcoming a new family into my line of work is always so fun for me. New faces, new ideas, new personalities for me to work with. This family hadn’t had family photos taken in awhile and I was so honored they chose me. As a family photographer in Long Grove IL, this is one of my favorite spots this time of year.

Fun fact: I always offer styling help for a session. Leading up to this session mom texted me some photos of outfit options (because we all know how tricky it can be to figure out what looks perfect for photos). She nailed it, right? The colors looks amazing together!!!

Their kiddos were so sweet, too. Both were a bit shy at first but they totally opened up by the end and let their personalities shine. They were so awesome at following my loose directions and filled in the gaps, so to speak, to get those personality-filled portraits.

I loved working with this family of four! Laid back and relaxed is definitely my style and they fit right in.

family posing for family photographer in Long Grove IL

family of four posing for outdoor photos in Long Grove IL

brother and sister posing for outdoor photo session near Long Grove IL

parents posing with children in a field in Long Grove IL

kids smiling for photo session in Longe Grove

family walking and posing for family photos on a trail in Long Grove IL

siblings posing for photos in a field near Chicago IL

This family session was in Long Grove however I photograph outdoor sessions all throughout the area. Northern Cook and Lake Counties have some of my favorite locations to use. If a studio session is more your thing, then my private Lake Zurich studio would be great for you.

I help you each step of the way from outfit and location selection to posing, so don’t stress! I’ve been doing this for over a decade and I promise I can photograph your wild bunch, too.

For more information you can check out this page or you can go ahead and contact me for all the details. Sessions book weeks in advance (fall is months in advance), so please contact me early!

Chicago outdoor family photographer

March 1, 2021

I first met this family when I photographed their baby girl as a newborn in my studio. And now I get to see her again as a one year old at this beautiful location outside Chicago! I cannot get over how precious she is with that big smile and cutest ringlets of hair.

Stranger danger is totally normal at this age. Once she warmed up to me she was all smiles and happy as can be! She loved being tossed in the air and she would give the biggest smiles for that. Of course, snuggles with mom and dad were also big winners. Between the flowers and the light, this session gave me all the feels as a photographer.

Oh, and let’s not forget the cake. She absolutely loved the cake! Can you believe mom made this work of art? I assumed it was from a local bakery until she said she did it herself! I was super impressed by her skills (and a little jealous, too).

little girl holding parents hands and smiling at sunset near Vehe Barn

mom cuddling 1 year old daughter for outdoor family photos near Chicago

little girl posing for outdoor photo session

parents holding 1 year olds hands at sunset in Illinois

dad cuddling daughter for outdoor family photos near Chicago

family of three holding daughter for outdoor family photos Chicago

1 year old smashing birthday cake near Chicago IL

girl eating smashed cake near Lake Zurich IL

cake smash photo session in Lake County IL

If you’re in the Northwest Chicago suburbs I would love to photograph your cutie, too! Family session? Cake smash? Just your kiddo? I’m down for whatever you’re wanting. Plus, I have a rack of adorable little outfits you can help yourself to (the little romper she’s wearing for the cake smash is one of mine). Outdoor sessions are always beautiful, but sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate (like Chicago winters, brrrr) so my cozy studio in Lake Zurich is always an option for you!

Sessions usually book months in advance, so I suggest contacting me early to ensure your spot on my schedule. Of course I always try to squeeze in last minute sessions when possible, but booking early is always best. That also give enough time for my recommended baker over at Blawesome Cakes to create some magic for you (unless you have mad skills like this mom does).

I cannot wait to hear from you! Please contact me today for more information.