TO THE BLOG

Senior year, what a time of your life. Flashbacks appear when I think of it. The friends, the fun, the excitement of a new chapter ahead. Classroom memories, maybe, but more the experiences created during that time.

Kaitlyn’s mom reached out to me in the fall of 2024. Her daughter was not pleased with her original class photos and was eager to retake them. Kaitlyn wished for a forest like location. Challenge Accepted! ✅

I was so excited to provide an exceptional experience for Kaitlyn! And to create beautiful memories for she and her family to look back at.

Kaitlyn accepted the challenge to dress to impress! We decided on an outfit and location change as well. Starting off in beautiful Riverside, IL.

It was fun getting to know Kaitlyn during her session. A smart little cookie, she was also completing her cosmology certification along with her senior year workload. She plans to study business in college and open her own salon one day! Love the goals she has created for her future! You go girl!

Next, we moved over to Brookfield to capture whatever was left of the color in early November.

Kaitlyn, just a beautiful soul inside and out! I wish you nothing but the best! Congrats on your 2025 graduation & best of luck in your next ventures!!

Until next time friends!

Renée

Hello! Welcome back to the blog! I hope you are enjoying longer days and sunshine! I sure have.

Today we have a new family session feature- the Malcom Family! Brooke reached out to me as a referral from a past client, always love when that happens! As I was getting to know Brooke over the phone, I found out, she has twins (too!) It is wild to think how many of my clients have twins. The Malcom twins are teenagers! Considering my twins are approaching five, this was fun to witness. Kids grow up, they turn into teenagers. And also on the verge of becoming a teenager is Luke! Their younger brother.

Our days get so busy, plans for weeks and months in advance. Everyone going a different direction, it can be hard to plan a family photo session. Then you realize, like Brooke, it has been too long, and you’d love to capture your kids ( or teens) and your family as it is, right here, right now.

And don’t forget Logan, the precious pooch!

The Malcom family is so adorable! Soon the girls will be looking into schools or their next chapters after graduation. It could just be Luke at home. Hard to imagine that, but time really ticks faster and faster with each year.

I will say, this family was just as perfect as shown here. They were simply charming, kind and friendly.

Mr. & Mrs. Malcom have done a great job. I know they are proud of their kids, and they should be! They are something to be proud, of.

Thank you for allowing me to capture your picture perfect family!

Until next time,

Warmly,
Renée

Hello, and welcome back to the blog! It has been sunny & warm (ish) in Chicagoland and that makes my heart so very happy! It is almost like spring is in the air! I hope you are happy & well as we move closer to March and April!

There is nothing better than a notification that has just arrived from a potential new client via your website! It is sooo exciting (to me!) 🎉

A referral from a past client (whom I just adore) had come in! Maggie was looking for a family photo session in Chicago. We were able to find a date, time location that worked just before busy season was going to pop off in the fall. Maggie and Sam were enjoying life with their baby boy Owen and wanted to capture their adorable family. My pleasure!!

After all that hard work of fitting them in, the morning we planned for our session, Mother Nature wanted to bring some rainfall over Chicago. I NEVER want to cancel a session, I will wait…it … out…. So we all agreed, we would let Mother Nature do her thing, wait in our cars and meet once the weather cleared. I was so happy the Pranckus family was willing to go with that plan- it all worked out!

I could clearly see, Maggie & Sam are the kind of parents who were warm and kind, radiating love and patience, while their little one was full of giggles and curiosity. Watching them interact was heartwarming; every smile, every gentle touch, spoke of a deep, unbreakable connection. They were the kind of family that made you believe in the beauty of simple, everyday moments.

Owen is now one years old. That little baby face that once existed is changing and it will bring back tears when you look back at photos. He will never be this young again. And all those “firsts” are all just so fun and exciting with your first born.

Thank you Pranckus family, for allowing me to capture these moments for you, for waiting in the car until the rain was finished and bringing sunshine to our session.

Until next time friends,

Warmly,
Renée

Do you ever wish you could freeze time? I know all parents have those moments where they think to themselves….Where. Did. The. Time. Go? One moment you are waking up at night to feed a baby and the next second you are getting them ready for their first day of Kindergarten.

A memory pops up on your phone or social media and you can hardly remember those moments while in the midst of what, can sometimes, become a crazy moment in your parental life. It is something that you are warned about, it all goes so fast, but you never really “feel it” until it’s your children on the screen, in the photograph, in the video, before your very eyes.

The days are long, but the years fly by. Some days are so, so hard and other days are filled of so much joy, you can’t imagine how you got so lucky. ✨

Marci is a long time family friend. I have known her since she was a young lady. Her three children are her life. She is an amazing mother to these three precious children. They really are so lucky they get to call her momma. Marci is kind, she is loving and she is sweet. And so are her babies!

It is always an honor to capture your family memories. I hope each time you look at your pictures, your heart is reminded of this cherished time in all of your families’ lives.

Oh, and may I remind you how colorful and cheery summer sessions can be! Love all the florals too. We met in River Grove in a garden near Triton College for this fun family photo shoot.

Until next time,

Renée

Meet Samantha, a Downers Grove Lifer.

It was the end of Summer of 2024. Samantha was looking for new headshots to match her new real estate career! Middle of September and it was hotter than hot, but we had a plan and we stuck with it! Meet in downtown Downers Grove and utilize the locations as the backdrop to her photos.

Samantha has a strong financial background and she coaches girls basketball. She is like a real life cheer leader. She is positive, fun and is always looking at the bright side. You really enjoy being around her!

Together, we walked around town, chatting and finding unique little nooks to bring some variety to her images. Downers Grove is full of charm and that wonderful small town appeal you look for in a community. She can tell you all about it! 😉. If you are looking for a wonderful realtor in DG, she’s your girl! She works out of the Downer Grove BHHS Chicago office. https://samanthaaycock.bhhschicago.com/

Well that is it for now folks. I hope you are enjoying 2025 so far! See ya next time!

Cheers-

Renèe

Hello, welcome back to the blog! Winter is slowing dragging itself, per usual. When it feels like the cold months will never end, it is nice to look back at some sessions from warmer seasons! The Pasia family reached out to me for a photo session. Jennifer has twins, she learned about my business from another twin mom. There is an awesome twin mom connection. I should know, I am one too! My oldest daughter had the spotlight for almost three years before her twin brothers entered the world. Now she just demands it! LOL!

Being a twin mom is such a wonderful experience. When you see other twins out in the wild, it is just neat to acknowledge it, you know what those other parents are experiencing or experienced. So the Pasia family had come to me just as their fraternal twins turned two. I always loved that age, it seems sweet and special. For me, it’s three that really shows its true colors.

We met at a gorgeous park and garden in Chicago. When kiddos are this age, you let them explore and capture the moments along the session.

I could tell, Jennifer was worried about the results, she was hoping for some great shots, but us mostly following the twins around the park didn’t exactly feel like we were getting anything.

I hope when they look at these images, they have fond memories of how special this time was in their lives. Jennifer reached out again for fall photos, that was a great feeling! This time we meet in Riverside, the colors were vibrant and the season was glowing with goodness.

The twins were definitely more used to me this time, following them along with my camera in hand, saying silly things for a smile! Just look at those cuties! It was an honor to capture their family photos and create lasting memories for all to cherish!

When clients call for another session, it means so much! Building these relationships along the way, even better! Thanks for following along! Until next time.

Fondly,
Renée

Welcome back to the blog, it is now mid January and freezing here in Chicagoland! Brrrr

I’d like to think about something that warms my heart, and let me just tell you, Jean and Rob will do that!

A little background on my client, Jean, she is the cousin of my best friend. I have personally known Jean and her family for many years. The sweetest bunch of people you could ever meet.

In October of 2023, Jean & Rob booked an engagement session. I was so happy to hear Jean had found her perfect match and they were mapping out their future together!

This session was so sweet, they are soulmates and you can feel that when are around the two of them. It was calm, loving and tender.

Wedding planning began for their intimate wedding for fall of October of 2024. I was so honored to get the call to capture their big day! I thought we connected at the engagement session. That became clear once they wanted to book again. (Repeat clients mean so much.)

Look at these two, just so happy to have each other.

Jean and Rob got ready at their venue, we were able to capture their couple photos before the ceremony which was scheduled for sunset (it was stunning.) Their event was small, but the love that filled their day was anything but. I personally love small weddings, they really focus on the couple and the most important people in their lives.

Jean’s daughter was in the get ready room. I love how Jean spoke of both her children. They have such a connection rooted in love and care. P. S. -Those pearls belonged to Jean’s grandmother!

Both Jean’s son and Rob’s son were also there to share these moments.

Who could make a better best man, than your son?!

Jean looked so beautiful! Just glowing with joy. They both the outdoors and their venue showcased that stunning time of year. Fall and full of splendor. When I saw the tears in Jean’s eyes as Rob recited his vows, I knew their love was based on unconditional love. The sun set as they were pronounced husband and wife. Their next chapter had now begun.

Jean and Rob, I wish you all the best as husband and wife. Thank you for allowing me to capture your romantic, heartfelt and meaningful wedding.

Cheers, Renée!

Hello! Hope all is going well during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. I am going to jump to the holiday themed seasons I had this year. I am still posting summer and fall sessions, sigh… I will get back to those with time. That is the life of a busy photographer!

Just a few weeks ago I meet up with Tamika and her adorable twins for their holiday card photo session! They got all dressed up and looked fabulous (I always love that 😉!)

This was the second time Tamika booked a session this year, we originally met for my Mother’s Day sessions held back in May! The excitement to meet with clients more than once a year is real! It is a real honor to capture these precious memories of Tamika and her kiddos!

Dressed to the nines and looking fabulous, they were ready for their time in front of the camera. Just look at these adorable faces!

Time just flies so fast, one minute you have newborn baby twins and the next they are four, fun and so very jolly! They will always have these images to look back upon and share. I just love that so much.

Tamika is such a hardworking, fun loving mom, she does it all -just for them. It warms my heart.

Happy Holidays! Till next time!

Hello! Welcome back to the blog! I am excited to share a beautiful, intimate wedding shower I photographed this summer! Way back in 2004 (ish) I met a wonderful woman by the name of Alisa Coghill. While in college I worked at a real estate firm and she was a realtor there. Her energy is infectious, she is always happy, smiling from ear to ear. You can tell, she just enjoys life! I like being around Alisa for many reasons. One of the things that made Alisa smile the most was her young niece, Stephanie.

Flash forward to 2024, that little girl that made Alisa smile from ear to ear is now getting married!! You bet Alisa hosted the most incredible and stunning shower for her girl! She called and asked me to photograph the event, I was absolutely honored to do so. I know first hand how much Stephanie means Alisa and I wanted to provide her long last memories of this joyous day!

Stephanie is getting married this month, (December) so there were some touches to honor their wedding date. All of the details were just so beautiful! I am excited to share some of the pics with you!

A few more details shots to share…

So bright & beautiful! Great job Auntie A!! Stephanie and her bridal party were all coming in from out of town. So we did fun quick session with the ladies! Alisa made sure that these memories were also captured for Stephanie to look back at!

Aunt Alisa is Spectacular! I wish Stephanie, Mark and their entire families the best day ever! This event was intimate and small, but the love their families have for them both was bursting from the seams.

Hey friend, welcome back to the blog! This blog will definitely date my work and my relationship with a great friend. I’d like to introduce, Evelyn. She is a real estate broker at BHHS Chicago. The moment I met Evelyn, I would we would connect. She has killer style, a tell it like it is personality that I admire, and she is a great listener! We’ve been friends for some time and she trusted to me to take some photos of her back when I started to dabble in photography in 2019. She was so sweet to trust me, still learning the ins and outs of a DSLR camera!

I remember the date we booked for our session. It had rained a bit, it was not exactly a sunshiny kind of day, but we walked around Oak Park and made the best of what we could (with the light and humidity!)

So here are some of the images from that session…it makes me realize, there is growth with each session, each year, every new gadget and technology you invest in too!

Four years later, Evelyn was ready to update her headshot. We were able to use a fancy condo building that was for sale by BHHS at the time. A change up from her previous location. Again a rainy and dreary day. I remember raindrops on the windows and NO LIGHT coming in the unit…of course. Again, we made the best of this high end location. Evelyn looking all so fancy as all we really needed anyhow!

This year, Evelyn was once again looking to update her headshot. We were brainstorming on location ideas. An idea came to me, there is an adorable new cafe/lounge in Westchester called Aviator. I always admired those Pinterest cafe photo shoots and would love an opportunity to actually create one! Luckily, Aviator agreed to host us! We picked a good time in between serving cappuccinos and espresso martinis- there was a break in customers.

Told ya, she has killer style. Thinking back on the sessions with my friend, I think about growth. How much you can you improve at something without even really noticing. Practice, fine tuning, retrying and trying again. We are all improving, growing, learning something new each day, each year. Evelyn, too, has grown in real estate. I watched her, from new to the business, to now helping repeat clients buy and sell homes. I know she loves helping them achieve their real estate dreams. She gives good advice and will not beat around the bush just to get a sale. A friend, a realtor you can trust!

Evelyn’s Website is HERE. Click to read more about Evelyn and her real estate services.

Until next time!

Renée