hi… i want to talk about something i see ALL the time as a photographer here in wheaton and the surrounding chicago suburbs.
and also something i’ve personally lived through.
the feeling of…
“i’m not ready for photos yet.”
i didn’t book my own family photos for two years
and not because i dind’t want them.
i literally do this for a living….
but life got really hard!
my daughter, Remi, was diagnosed with PANS a few years ago and everything shifted. her health, her behavior… our day-to-day life just became really heavy.
and right in the middle of that, my dad passed away.
so yeah… photos weren’t exactly at the top of my list.
but if i’m being honest, it wasn’t just that.
it was the running list in my head:
- we can’t afford it right now
- i don’t feel good in my body
- what if she has a hard day
- my house is a mess
- nothing feels “ready”
and i hear these SAME things from moms all over wheaton, naperville, glen ellyn, and the western suburbs
but here’s what i realized…
life didn’t slow down while i was waiting.
my daughter kept growing.
she lost teeth
her hair changed
her personality shifted
she became a whole new version of herself
and i was there for all of it…
but i don’t have the photos i wish i did.
this is the part no one really says
you don’t suddenly arrive at a version of life where everything feels calm, organized, and perfect enough for photos.
that version?
doesn’t really exist.
especially not when you have kids.
especially not in this season of life where everything feels like it’s pulling you in a million different directions.
moms aren’t lacking photos… they’re lacking intentional time
this is what i’ve been thinking about a lot lately.
it’s not just about the photos.
it’s about the fact that it’s SO hard to find real, intentional time with your kids.
no distractions
no rushing
no trying to keep up with everything else
just being with them.
and most days?
that doesn’t happen the way we want it to.
your life right now is the story
your home doesn’t need to be perfect
your kids don’t need to behave
you don’t need to “feel ready”
the messy, chaotic, in-between version of your life?
that’s the part that matters.
that’s what you’ll want to remember.
if you’re a mom in wheaton, IL thinking about family photos…
this is me gently saying:
don’t wait.
not for your house
not for your body
not for things to calm down
because this season you’re in right now?
it’s already changing.
this is exactly why i photograph the way i do
i’m not here to create perfect photos.
i’m here to document what your life actually feels like.
the connection
the chaos
the moments in between
because one day… that’s what you’ll want back.
thinking about booking?
if this has been sitting in the back of your mind, i’d love to talk.
i’m based in wheaton, IL and photograph families all over the chicago suburbs in a way that feels real, easy, and not forced.
no pressure. just a conversation.
