This sweet couple contacted me to do their engagement photos and I was pumped! Their love story centers around Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, MI so we trekked through campus at sunset on the most perfect fall day. Their sweet pup tagged along and we actually managed to get her to cooperate a little! I’m so bummed that I can’t photograph their wedding but I know it’ll be the most perfect celebration! We had tons of fun and I’m so excited to watch them grow through marriage.

Lindsey and Nick wanted a quick mini session with their sweet pups for a Christmas Card photo! These two braved the cold, rather fashionably I might add, and we snagged some great ones. The energy they all had made it super easy to work with them and I love anytime I get to hang out with furry friends too! I think they probably had a tough choice picking just one for their card.

Mycah and Kyle radiate joy and love. From the minute I met them their connection was obvious and I was so excited that they were down to get cold and snowy and hang out at the tree farm! I’d been wanting to do a tree farm session forever, especially with Michigan snow that makes it so perfect! These two are tying the knot next October and I’m especially pumped because Mycah is my best friend’s twin! So now that we’ve officially met and worked together I can say that all the good things I heard about these two are totally true. Kyle’s rugged personality matches Mycah’s sweet  disposition and I am so excited to watch them walk down the aisle. All I have to say is these two made the bitter cold totally worth it!

I met Lindsey my freshman year of college and we bonded over lunch, stressful classes, and the excitement of her pregnancy with her first born son. Throughout the year we became super close and meeting Aidan for the first time at the hospital was so special! Fast forward to this fall and Lindsey contacted me about doing family photos for them! It was the first time I had met Ruben but seeing him interact with Aidan and Lindsey made it clear how special of a guy he is. Although life has gotten crazy the last few years and we don’t talk very much I love keeping up with her life and accomplishments! She truly has beaten all obstacles and is crushing her biggest goals! I’m so proud to know such a strong mama and loving family!

I’ve had the privilege of working with the lovely ladies over at Dynamic Essence a few times now! In fact you might recognize Lisa and Brit from their beautiful greenhouse wedding this past February. They have both been working super hard and have just recently opened up their own chiropractic center in Grand Rapids! Hearing them talk about this dream at their wedding makes it so special to see it come to life! These team photos, taken right before the grand opening, were so much fun! Their focus on being in tune with your body and nature is a mission I can definitely get behind. It’s so exciting watching this family grow and fulfill their purpose and I’m so grateful to capture the moments along the way!

I’ve known Gene and Paula my whole life, in fact they are family! I was super excited when they asked me to do a quick anniversary session for them. These two celebrated 50 years of marriage this year and it’s not surprising when you see them together. Their sweet personalities compliment each other so well and I’ve looked up to them for a long time. We decided to get some photos with my aging grandmother while we were all home too, you’ll see those at the end. I love when work doesn’t feel like work and I’m able to share my passion with loved ones. Even if these two live the furthest away out of all of our family it’s so special when they come to see us in Michigan!

I’ve known Jason and Janine pretty much my whole life, I grew up in the church they attended for many years. When I was younger they were the first family I really got to witness go through the adoption process. As a little kid I was amazed by their capacity to love and care for a child that wasn’t biologically theirs. It taught me so much about what family really means. Getting to photograph their now family of 5 was such an honor.

Jason is an avid outdoorsmen so seeing him interact with his girls and showing them all about the plants and wildlife we encountered during our session was so sweet. These girls are so full of spunk and balance sweet and thoughtful Isaac so well. His care and concern for them was great to capture. Janine is the same warm and friendly person I knew years ago, she is the perfect mother for her children and a partner to Jason.

One of the things I love most about family sessions is how different each one is. With this session the kids were all about exploring and showing me tons of places they wanted their photo taken. I was happy that they got involved in the process and were able to enjoy it as much as I did!

Sammie reached out to me after finding a few photographers who weren’t experienced or comfortable with working with LGBTQ couples. As much as it saddens me that some people still have problems with it, I love getting to work with these couples and giving them the treatment and experience they deserve! We instantly clicked and Sammie’s bubbly personality got me so excited to work with them! They woke up at the butt crack of dawn and met me in Kalamazoo for this sweet fall couples session.

Interested in learning more about my availability for your wedding? Head over to https://livlyszyk.com/ and click on booking to shoot me a message!

When Rachael reached out to book her session with me I was floored. I had offered up a canceled mini session spot in Kalamazoo and Rachael, from Grand Ledge said she wanted to take it! They drove all the way from Grand Ledge to get their family photos taken by me, an honor I didn’t think I deserved. Rachael is a photographer herself so I had put a lot of pressure on myself but when we first met it was as if I knew her for years. It was such fun chatting with her as we walked around Asylum Lake Preserve.

Their daughters are so full of spunk and personality and warmed up to the camera right away! You can tell they have a momma who loves photographing them. I was so glad that we were able to get out and enjoy the fall weather! These photos totally sum up the joy and love that this family has, they were all so great to work with and I really hope we can do it again soon!

When I met Eleni at my day job we instantly clicked. She lit up telling me about her son and I was so exited when she asked me to do his 2 year photos. She knew she wanted something less posed and focused on those candid moments. We headed out to Riverside Park in Grand Rapids and let Carl run around on the playground. I think it’s pretty obvious that he had a great time! This kid loves smiling and chasing geese. I’m so thankful to have met Eleni and gotten the opportunity to work with them!