Alex and Jordan are definitely one of the most fun couples I’ve worked with! As soon as I met them they felt like old friends and it was great walking around Riverside Park during their engagement session. These two are new to the Grand Rapids area but they are loving checking out all of the amazing places it has to offer. I’m so happy that these two are together because their love for each other is so clear. Both of them make each other laugh so well.

While I’m so bummed I can’t photograph their wedding I know that they will have an amazing time. It was seriously such an honor to work with them and I’m so in love with these photos. Stepping around goose poop and almost getting hit by frisbees was so worth it. Thanks for trusting me with my ridiculous looking ideas!

 

Zoey and I recently reconnected after having some classes together in college. Luckily her humor matches mine and we get along swimmingly. She told me at the beginning of the Summer that she and her husband, Jake, were excepting their first child and I think I actually screamed! It’s so fun to watch a friend walk through pregnancy and I was so honored when she asked me to do maternity photos. Little Harrison is due in December so I knew we’d have to take advantage of the gorgeous fall colors before his arrival. We headed out to Robinette’s Orchard and Provin Trails in Grand Rapids for their maternity photos!

This was actually the first time I met Jake and I can tell why he’s so perfect for Zoey. They were constantly laughing and seeing him look at her made my heart so happy. They say a woman becomes a mother when she gets pregnant but a father becomes a dad when he meets the baby. Seeing how excited and caring Jake is already he’s totally prepared for the dad role! Harrison is so lucky to have you both and I’m incredibly lucky to call you friends.

When I was in high school I can remember hanging out with Morgan’s little sister at their house and always seeing Morgan and Abe together. Even then their love was so apparent and when Morgan hired me it was like a dream come true. Photographers talk a lot about “ideal clients” and while I have nothing but great things to say about all of my couples, these two really are my people. Their passion for activism, nature, and radiating joy makes them so much fun and so easy to work with.

We headed to Blandford Nature Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan almost a year to the day before their wedding. These two wanted to take advantage of the fall colors and I am so happy that they did. Morgan is an artist and designer herself, so she was totally game for all of my experiments and quirky ideas. I played around with reflections, movement, and contrasty shadows, something I don’t always get to do! It was a session that was good for my creative soul.

When I asked Morgan about what she’s most excited for she happily said “Besides being legally bound to my partner and favorite person, it’s hard to pick one thing! I can’t wait to dance with all of our friends and family in a stony cabin under amber Edison bulbs, take pictures with Liv all over camp, eat apple cider donuts, and spend a beautiful fall morning getting ready with my five favorite ladies”. It’s clear to see why I’m so pumped and cannot wait to celebrate with them at their Michigan Camp Fall Wedding!

When meeting with this cute engaged couple from Mason, Michigan for their engagement photos, I instantly fell in love. These two are constantly smiling and joking with each other through their whole engagement session. I was excited when Kalee introduced me to McNamara Landing in Mason where they have such a gorgeous view of the river, and some amazing fields and trails. I love fall photos especially with all of the color that we get here! These two were up for all of my crazy ideas and I’m so happy with how everything turned out.

Kalee and David met in the 6th grade but just never got the timing right. Kalee says “We’d always talk about our ‘what if’ story, and joke about how we were the other person’s ‘one who got away’. Fast forward 4 years, the timing was finally right. We met up for drinks and the rest was history”. I’m so honored to get to capture their wedding next May at the Bengel Wildlife Center near Lansing. Their vision is coming together and I know their day will be everything they have been dreaming of! Congrats again guys!

It’s always so intimidating to photograph another photographer, but I was totally up for the challenge! Kelci messaged me and wanted to get some photos of her and her adorable daughter while they were in Michigan visiting family. We decided to head to Riverside Park in Grand Rapids for a mini session! When they arrived we instantly clicked and Brooklyn opened up in front of the camera so quickly. Being a Grand Rapids based photographer I’m always looking for new locations and Riverside was beautiful. Brooklyn got to play on the playground, chase the geese, and look at the water. Such a fun time with them and I’m super excited about the sweet photos we captured!

As Summer winds down and kids are going back to school you are probably sitting there thinking how fast time is flying by. It seems like just yesterday that your baby was born and no matter how hard you try, they just keep getting older! One of the best ways to preserve time is doing family photos. It’s one of those things that always sounds like a good idea but it’s hard to find the right photographer or the time to do it. I’ve compiled some tips to help you get the most out of your experience and create the best possible photos for you to cherish.

1: Let things go

It might be counter intuitive to let things go during a photo session that will last forever, but perfectly ironed clothes and toothy smiles might not be genuine to your family. If your family loves playing tag outside maybe think about including that in the photos. The goal as a photographer is not to force authenticity but rather capture things as they are. Your kids will only fight back if they are being prodded to pose a certain way. By allowing family interactions to happen naturally you’ll ultimately get better photos with more emotion and less bickering. It’s hard as a parent to step back and let things happen sometimes, but I promise the end product is worth it. Just relax and let your photographer guide the session.

2: Coordinate, don’t match

I can’t tell you the amount of times people ask me for outfit advice for family sessions and this is always my answer. Coordinate, don’t match. Picking a color scheme or type of material to work with helps kids when choosing clothes, and it lets them feel like part of the experience. Wearing all denim and a red bandana isn’t going to look cute, I know it might sound like it, but maybe wearing all jeans and letting your family choose pops of red would work better. It’s important not to overwhelm the image with your clothing, and just let the emotions speak for themselves. If you are looking at the photos 10 years from now the photos will turn out much better with a classic look rather than one that can be dated. That being said, if your family always wears a certain type of clothing, wear that! We want you to be comfortable in what you have on, so you can focus in the moment and not on the tag poking your neck.

3: Think of this as an investment

I get it, photos can be expensive, but when you look at it as an investment it starts to become more doable. When you think of your grandparents or even your parents they probably had tons of albums filled with photos. I know my Grandma has hoards of albums filled throughout the years. She always tells me that film was one thing she spent more money on because she wanted to remember all of the moments of her life. In the world of social media I can bet that you probably haven’t had a professional photo taken in the last year, or even printed a photo on paper. If social media disappears what is left? I want to make sure that families have tangible memories of their years together. While photography might not be in your budget right now, think of saving some extra money and investing in your family.

4: Location, location, location

I’m sure you all have heard how much location matters in real estate, but what about photos? If you are going to invest in photos we want to make sure that the location of them speaks to your values and family lifestyle. There are tons of great city locations especially here in Grand Rapids, but also super close to the beach and wooded areas. Lots of the best locations are hidden so find a photographer who has lots of experience with finding locations!

5: Have fun!!

It may seem obvious but photo sessions themselves can be super fun and can be a great bonding experience. Finding activities or locations that mean something to you an your family help you relax and just enjoy the time spent together.Let your kids be a part of the planning and get excited about being in front of the camera. If you are like most people once you get a professional family session done you’ll be coming back for years to come!

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This sunset engagement session gave me all sorts of nostalgic feelings! Lia is one of my oldest friends, I knew her in kindergarten, and to see her fall in love is so special. When I found out she had gotten engaged on the 4th of July I was giddy! I knew that I wanted to get these two in front of my camera, so we made it happen! We headed to Asylum Lake preserve around sunset and trekked through the grass and only got poked a few times. I loved how enthusiastic they were to get down and dirty to get the shots I had envisioned. During our time together I got to witness how special this relationship is. I saw Lia open up in front of the camera and Wil was so supportive and just fun to be around. I’m so happy that we got to do this and can’t wait to see them grow together <3