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Client-share Monday! – Baby Photography Chicago

Posted on July 2, 2018
in Chicago Baby Photographer, Chicago Children's Photographer, Chicago Family Photographer, Chicago Newborn Photographer
by Shalimar

I love Mondays. For so many reasons. I’m not going to lie, part of it has to do with everyone else in my house going off to work or school (or camp in the summer). I love the quiet and the calm – even if it’s just for an hour or two while my day gets started. But I also love Mondays because that is the day that I share images from a recent client session. I’m trying something new with my blog – Mondays will be a client share, Wednesdays will be a how-to, and Fridays will be an interview with someone. So, there you go. I’ve already done one interview and you can find it here.

This sweet family came back to me to get photos of their new, sweet baby girl. I loved seeing them again – meeting the newest member of their family and seeing how much their first daughter has grown!

babyphotography

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Slow down! – Chicago Family Photographer

Posted on May 7, 2018
in Chicago Baby Photographer, Chicago Children's Photographer, Chicago Family Photographer
by Shalimar

familyphotography

I’m feeling sappy today – and I’m not really sure why. I even made my kids let me take their photos before they went off to school, as if it were the first day of school. (to be fair, though, I am taking a class so I was practicing some new techniques.) When I sat down to write this post and I started looking at these images of this sweet family, it really made me think of time and how quickly it goes. Could I be anymore cliche? But, man, is it true.

Before I meet a family for their session I send out a form that asks questions about their family and kids. One of the questions I ask is what is it about this age of their children they want to remember. This mom mentioned that her daughter is teething and she’s constantly putting her hands in her mouth, so I was sure to capture that. (Could she be any cuter?) When kids are little, they often will do something for a few weeks, or a month and that’s it – they don’t do it again. Be it funny faces, or hands in the mouth, or feet in their mouth! Sometimes it’s hard to keep up because they are growing and changing so incredibly fast. Time doesn’t slow down for anybody. It goes so quickly. But, we can slow down. I’ve been trying to do that more these days and soak in the time I have with my kids.

What is something your kid(s) did that you miss?

 

 

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Unsolicited Advice – Chicago Newborn Photographer

Posted on April 6, 2017
in Chicago Baby Photographer, Chicago Maternity Photographer, Chicago Newborn Photographer
by Shalimar

I’ve been going through lots of our photos lately in preparation for my oldest son’s 8th grade graduation. Gasp!! It’s a tradition in our school to do a short photo montage of each student at the 8th grade dinner/dance (parents at my school if you’re reading this – get your photos in ASAP!!) Going through these photos makes me wonder how this now 5’7″ 14 year old was ever an itty bitty baby like the one below – how did this happen? Didn’t I “just” find out I was going to have a baby? Didn’t we just FINALLY agree on a baby name? This all makes me think about when I was pregnant and a new mom . . .

When you’re pregnant or even once you have your baby everyone loves to give unsolicited advice. They also love to touch your belly (and your newborn), but THAT’S a completely different blog post! Strangers will stop you and tell you that based on how you look they know “for sure” that you are having a (insert gender here.) They will tell you that it’s too cold out and you shouldn’t have your baby outside, or it’s too warm out, you shouldn’t have your baby outside.

Here’s my unsolicited advice. Take pictures of your baby. Ha! What did you expect!? It doesn’t have to be by me (but I would love it if it was!) Make it easy on yourself – if you want newborn photos – plan for it while you are pregnant! Don’t wait until you have your baby, things will be coo coo crazy once you deliver so take care of all of the planning ahead of time so that when your sweet little peanut arrives you can just enjoy! Even if you don’t want a professional newborn photo session, still take lots of photos of your newborn – believe me that those babies change very quickly! Before you know it, he (or she) will be heading off to high school and riding the CTA on their own. Sniff!

newbornphotography

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Sitting up!!! – Chicago Baby Photographer

Posted on February 27, 2017
in Chicago Baby Photographer, Chicago Children's Photographer, Chicago Family Photographer
by Shalimar

Sitting up sessions are some of the best sessions!! Babies smiling, parents laughing, so much fun to be had! When babies are around 6 months old, I always recommend that families wait until their baby is sitting up solidly on their own to schedule their photo session. All babies are different, but the majority are doing so by about 8 months. It’s worth the wait to wait until this milestone! These sessions are much different than newborn sessions in that the baby is smiling, their personality is REALLY coming out, they are interacting with their parents and they don’t have “stranger danger” yet, so they want to play, play, play!!!

family

 

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All in the family! – Chicago Baby Photographer

Posted on April 7, 2016
in Chicago Baby Photographer, Chicago Children's Photographer, Chicago Family Photographer
by Shalimar

Chicago children’s photographer | Chicago baby photographer | Chicago portrait photographer | Chicago family photographer

Being a dog owner, I realize that dogs (and any type of pet!) can be a part of the family! So if a family wants to bring their pet to the studio to be included in family photos – I say bring ’em along! But, I’m not going to lie, when this doggie walked into the studio, she made me stop in my tracks!!! She was so big!! After I got over the initial shock of her size, I realized she was seriously the sweetest dog and so well behaved. She was almost as sweet as her human little brother.

Almost. I mean, look at him and that smile. He was such a peanut – it was love at first sight!

babyphotography

childphotography

 

kidphotography

 

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How Fun to be One!!! – Chicago Baby Photographer

Posted on January 28, 2016
in Chicago Baby Photographer, Chicago Children's Photographer, Chicago Kids Photographer
by Shalimar

Portrait Photography | Family Photography | Child Photography | Baby Photography

 

What a treat to have this little beauty in the studio to celebrate her first birthday! First some photos, then some crawling around and playing (and more photos!), followed by some singing (and even more photos). And then, CAKE!!! (and yes, even more photos!!)

babyphotography

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City or suburbs? – Chicago family photographer

Posted on October 29, 2015
in Chicago Baby Photographer, Chicago Children's Photographer, Chicago Family Photographer
by Shalimar

I love seeing clients that have been coming back to me year after year, kid after kid, new town after new town. When clients move from the city to the suburbs (as some do!) I’ll often get the panicked question – “do you come to the suburbs?!!?”  I assure them, yes! I do!! While I’m a city girl at heart, I love to get out of the city and explore the amazing parks that so many suburbs have to offer. So, if you are living in a suburb and have been wondering about a session – give us a call!

This is one such family who recently made the move and I loved checking out their new digs, seeing their new school and playing in a nearby park with them!

familyphotography

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Labor day weekend and double digits! – Chicago Children’s photographer

Posted on September 3, 2015
in Chicago Baby Photographer, Chicago Children's Photographer, Chicago Family Photographer
by Shalimar

Every year at this time I’m brought back to my own “labor day”.  Ten years ago this weekend, my youngest son was born – which means he will be double digits this year, baby! I can hardly believe it. How can this be happening?

Whenever one of my boys’ birthday comes around I always try and take a moment out of the day and think about the actual day they were born. I think about the events of the day. How I felt. How things progressed. Things we said. The timeline of the day. I won’t lie, as the years go by, it’s harder to remember everything, but I try. Does anyone else do this? Am I the only one?

I’ve had a lot of newborns into the studio over the last couple of weeks – which is always a good way to get a baby fix! Now that I don’t technically have a “baby”. According to my soon to be double-digit, “I’m not a baby Mom” son! Stay tuned for images from those sessions soon – you won’t want to miss those gorgeous baby faces!!!

Until then – take a look at this sweet baby, who I fell in love with instantly! I love seeing this family – and it was this guy’s first time!! He was a champ – just like his big sister and big brother!

babyphotography

childphotography

kidphotography

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Daddy and Me – Chicago Baby Photographer

Posted on August 28, 2015
in Chicago Baby Photographer, Chicago Children's Photographer, Chicago Family Photographer
by Shalimar

When you’re the dad and you’re the photographer of the family, it’s rare that you get to see yourself in photos with your child, unless they are selfies or taken in a photo booth. I speak from experience. Not about the dad part.

So I’m always thrilled when this good friend and his wife ask me to photograph their family, not only because they are one of the most gorgeous families on the planet and I love them, but also because I want my friend to be able to see how he looks with his child. Not only the looks of joy on his sweet baby boy’s face, but also the looks of pure joy on his own face. There is no mistaking the love he has for his son in that moment. You can’t fake that, you can’t solicit it with a “say cheese!” and you’d be hard pressed to capture it with a selfie-stick!

Parent and child photos are some of my favorite images to capture and I always encourage parents to get in the photos with their kiddos!!! Call or email to schedule your family session today! hello@shalimarbphotography.com or 773.230.5441

 

babyphotography

 

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