Category Archives: Family

Gates Family {Godfrey, IL}

November 3rd, 2009

This family session turned out amazing!  Believe it or not this session was shot in grandma’s back yard.  Corby ask me to come to her mom’s house to shoot Amia’s 1 year photos and some family portraits as well.  I didn’t think we where going to get the session in but the rain held back and Pam (grandma) was a my umbrella holder when we had sprinkles.  Over all we had a ton of fun creating backdrops and using the yard to create beautiful photos.  Toby and Corby thank you for allowing me to capture this special moment in your life!  Pam thanks for being my assistant and happy birthday Amia!  I hope you all enjoy your sneak peak.

blog1blog2blog3blog4

Orr Family {Rosewood Hieghts, IL}

October 30th, 2009

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I’m caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won’t turn back
I know you are near

And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?

Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low

Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

As heard the lyrics of Matt Redman’s song, “You Never Let Go” (above lyrics) tonight I was editing the Orr family pictures.  God reminded me that through all troubles in life He will walk through it with His children.  Kevin, the Orr family father, deployed earlier this month for his 4th combat deployment since he enlisted in the Army National Guard 20 years ago.  Kevin has served his country in Bosnia, The Gulf War, and Iraq.  So with that in mind, this photo shoot was  a bitter sweet moment for this family.  On one hand they celebrated their family on the other they are said that their father and husband will be over seas for the next year.  One thing is for sure  God will see this family through in the highs and lows over the next year.  Please pray with me for Kevin’s protect and peace for his family as he serves our country.  Thank you Kevin for serving our country!

blog1blog2blog3blog4

Gabrielle Lynn {Rosewood Heights, IL}

October 16th, 2009

Every baby session I do is so neat because every family is different and I get a chance to spend a year building relationships with a family.  Well a week ago today, I meet little Gabrielle for the first time.  I have known Gabrielle’s dad, Jared, since high school and this session allowed us to get caught up on each other lives.   Little Gabrielle was born on Labor Day, September 7th, and entered the world weighing 8lbs and measuring 20 inches long.   She was such a beautiful little model and a good sport.  In those fussy times of the shoot Gabrielle amazingly respond to her daddy’s “funny” noise.  I wish there where words to describe the noise but they just don’t exist, however the “funny” noise was a life saver the shot below of Jared holding Gabrielle (picture #3).  Danielle and Jared thank you for using me to shoot your baby girl’s newborn photos and I’m looking forward to getting to know you all and your little girl better this year!  Enjoy your sneak peak!

blog1blog2blog3blog4

Ethan Maxwell’s Birth {Maryville,IL}

October 9th, 2009

Monday was an incredible day for me.  I was hired to photograph the birth of Josh and Chrissy’s son.  This day was so special to be apart of and to witness a miracle happen.  Little Ethan enter the world weighing 7lbs and 1oz and measuring 19 inches long.  As I watched Josh and Chrissy experience every moment of the day I to was flooded with emotion from my own daughters birth, two years ago.  My goal for the day was not to just give the Dutton family great images but to capture the day so they can live all the emotions and memories of the day over and over again.  The images below tell the story of the day and there are so many other great images that will be precious images in the years to come.  Josh and Chrissy thank for letting me be apart of you family and help you capture one of life’s special moments!  Enjoy the sneak peak and congratulations!

blog8blog2blog11blog9blog4blog1blog3blog5blog7blog12blog10blog6

Lily Jane {Dorsey, IL}

September 28th, 2009

Happy Birthday Lily!  I can’t believe a year has already gone by since she was born.  I remember holding Lily the day she was born and  remember witnessing some proud parents and grandparents that day at the hospital.  Well the only thing that has changed is Lily’s size.  She is now walking and starting to talk.  Wow!  Brian and Jen you are so blessed.  Thank you for being apart of my daughters life and allowing Sarah Jane and I to be apart of Lily’s life.  I look forward to watching the girls grow up together.  It’s going to be fun!

Thank you guys again for allowing me to take Lily’s one year photos.  Enjoy them and here is a sneak peak of her session!

blog2blog3blog4blog1blog6blog5

Dutton Family {Rosewood Heights, IL}

September 11th, 2009

On Labor Day I got a chance to meet up with the Dutton family to do a combination session of maternity and family portraits.  It  was so neat to capture this moment in the life of the family.  For the past three years it has been just the three of them and the beginning of next month baby Ethan will here and then there will be four Duttons.  This session has been so hard to edit and choose which pictures to post because this family is incredibly photogenic.   So I have narrowed it down to my favorite 9 photos.  Here’s the sneak peak!

blog1blog6blog4blog5blog2blog9blog8blog3blog7

Josh and Chrissy thank you so much for letting me capture this chapter of your life.  I look forward to documenting the beginning of the your next chapter… baby Ethan!

Paisley Rae {St. Charles, MO}

August 24th, 2009

This past Friday was a crazy day for the Drury family.  We closed on our new home and shot Miss Paisley’s newborn session   Paisley Rae was born on August 14 to the proud parents, Joe and Kelli.  Joe & Kelli are great friends of my family so this session was fun to shoot.  Joe is a great artist/musician so we had fun putting our heads together to create some of the fun shots in the session.  While we where working our daughters Ella (Tim’s) and Elle (Joe’s) played in Elle’s room.  Our wives also enjoyed each other’s company during the session.  All around this shoot was just a great way to celebrate all the new changes in both the McGill family and the Drury family.  Thanks Joe and Kelli for using me for Paisley’s newborn photos.  Enjoy the sneak peak!

blog5blog3blog4blog1

blog2

To view the McGill family portraits from last November click here.

Nathan Lew {Brentwood, MO}

July 16th, 2009

Last weekend I had the opportunity to photograph an incredibly handsome baby boy.  Baby Nathan made is way into the world on June 20, 2009 weighing 6lbs and 4oz.  This little guy is growing fast.  I think he will probably be tall like his daddy.  Nathan was a trooper through the whole session and allowed me to pose him and for mommy to do outfit changes.  It is going to be fun to watch this little guy grow over the next year.  Tiffany and Kevan thank you so much for allowing SJ and I to capture some wonderful images of you and your little boy!  I look forward to getting to know you all more over the next year.  Hope you all enjoy your sneak peak!

blog1blog2blog8

blog4blog3blog5blog6

Alexis Michelle {Cottage Hills, IL}

June 19th, 2009

Tonight I had the opportunity to catch up with friends and make a new friend with little Alexis.  This little six week bundle of joy was instantly a natural for the camera.  She didn’t mind outfit changes, different poses, temperature changes, or if we were indoors or out she was behaving for mommy and daddy tonight.  Justin and Renea, thank you for allowing me to capture beautiful photos of your family.  There are so many good ones I didn’t know which ones to post, so here is a sneak peek from the session.

blog7blog1blog2blog4blog3blog6

Thank you guys for a fun time and alot of laughs.  You are truly blessed with an amazing little girl!

The McGill Family {St. Charles, MO}

November 14th, 2008

Last Friday morning Sarah Jane, my wife & trusty assistant, and I drove over to Historic St. Charles, Missouri to meet our long time friends Joe and Kelli McGill. Kelli and I have been friends since we where two years old. We went to school and church together all the way through high school. Over the years we have watched out for each other and helped one another through incredibly hard times of life. We have also been able to celebrate life together through out the years. While we were in our early college years Joe and I were band mates and became great friends as well. My friendship with both Joe and Kelli became the link that brought the two of them together. They start dating and eventually got married. I was able to be in their wedding and both Joe and Kelli were in Sarah Jane and I’s wedding.

As you can see our lives run deep together. So when Kelli called me and ask me to shoot a family portrait I jumped on the opportunity. The McGill family is absolutely irreplaceable to me and my family. Our daughters, Elle and Ella, get to grow up together and hopefully they will have just as special relationship with each other as we do as parents.

The family session turned out so great I couldn’t settle on just a few photos, so I gave you my top ten from this session. Enjoy!

The Family:
blog9blog7blog2blog3

blog6blog10

Little Elle:
blog4blog11
blog8

Joe & Kelli:
blog1blog5

To see more photos of the day and read funny things that little Elle does go read Kelli’s blog. – click here