The twins went into their cribs for a nap immediately after their sprinting spree. Love the diffuse nursery light…

Back-to-back sibling sessions like these guarantee that children are captured in the same lighting and style, so when their portraits are ultimately put on display at home they look cohesive.

Thanks for the smiles!
— heidi

1. Sweet little 10-day-old baby who if he could talk would say, “Me? I’m too happy to sleep for my photoshoot. Thanks all the same!”
2. Angelic toddler obsessed by all things truck, car, train, fire engine and digger.
3. Fabulous mom with the grace and confidence of pro. Gorgeous.
4. A dad who’s ready to play. I see a lot of dads just bide their time until the session is over, trying their best to cooperate and not think about the football game. This dad was really key to making a great session. He was hands on with the toddler and the baby.

You made it hard for me to edit these images down to a manageable number. Thanks for a cool morning — Heidi

Today I wanted to take a break from session posts and share these two brothers. They are not clients. Sometimes I just photograph people because I really really want to. For example, I will always photograph a child with two different color eyes for free. Seriously. Photographing children for the pure joy of it is why I do what I do — and it’s fantastic to step outside the expectations and boundaries of a traditional portrait session occasionally. Keeps ya on your toes.

While chatting to Cass and Pierce’s mom during a July afternoon we got onto the subject of their hair. I have been secret fan of their hair for quite a while. She said that the boys work hard to take care of their lovely locks. So then the opportunity hung out suspended before me during our conversation, my chance to finally photograph those curls. It was agreed that we would meet at the studio 45 minutes later.

It’s nice to share the simple joys. Thanks for being so cool, guys.

With all the parents being so upbeat, we worked fast to get some great images. (Didn’t anyone tell the kids it was super hot? Where do they get their energy?) I especially loved how the parents wanted to embrace the sculptural and architectural elements within the park and capture some of the magic that we all experience when we are there. It seemed like the whole day had great balance. Soft childrens’ faces with strong architectural lines. 4 boys and 4 girls. Strong sun and diffuse shade.

The fall GIMME 5 sessions are booking up quickly. They are the perfect way to get holiday cards images and presents for grandparents crossed off the to-do list!

All these previews are displayed as diptychs (that’s the Fancy Nancy word for “two pictures together”). Diptychs are a great way to display images in your home too. They can tell a little story and give a greater sense of a child’s personality.

Heads up: Next month’s GIMME 5 sessions at Millennium Park are fully booked, but there are time slots open on August 21st at Wolf Road Prairie. The available times are 10.30, 11, 11.30 and 12. Please get in touch to snag one of these!

Thanks to all the kids and parents for making GIMME 5 days run so smoothly and happily!

— heidi

I was about to post something on Facebook, maybe “suggesting” a client would like to shoot there. As if by magic, one of my regular clients called to request a sunset session. Hello good karma.

So we met before just before sunset and after running through the field and falling down in hilarious laughter about 10,532 times, Sarah (and her mother and I) cooled off at the village fountain. Playing in the fountain is one of Sarah’s expert skills!

Thank you, Sarah, for making this all happen.

— Heidi

Speaking of which, except for Beach 2010 sessions this summer, I am now booking from September onwards. Fall sessions are the most popular, so please get in touch if you want to hold a date. I hear you saying to yourself, “It’s June! She can’t be serious!”. No, most of us do not have the slightest clue what our schedules will be like in the fall (back to school. sports schedules. I feel your pain. I do.) The shooting schedule is always jam-packed in the fall so declare your interest in a shoot *now* and we can nail down the particulars as the time draws near.

I’m so delighted to post some pictures of this family, who I last photographed two years ago when their little girl was six months old. Now she is the big sister to a six-month old brother! They are such a calm and relaxed bunch of people and I feel that as a result I was able to capture some classic portraits, and a portrait of their whole family. Ya know, the bigger picture. The different sides to their personalities and how they interact together. The real stuff.

Great to see you again!

— heidi

Just a note that the June and July GIMME 5 sessions are now completely booked. The next available date is August 21st at Wolf Road Prairie. Email me to hold a time slot.