life with a newborn :: evie

Evie is six weeks old. Her papa, Ben, recently finished up his medical residency, and their whole family is settling into new normals in the wake of both her birth and the change in seasons for his vocation. But these four take it all in stride. This is a naturally-minded, plant-growing, espresso-loving, good-humored family that doesn't sweat the small stuff. And they did a great job of not showing off for me, which means the rawness element that I so cherish is really present and beautiful in these images. 

While I was at their home, Evie woke from a nap and got changed and nursed with her mama Alisha while Ben and Ginnie made coffee together. They all had a porch sit, did sidewalk chalking, and sampled herbs from the garden. In the backyard, we picked cherry tomatoes and gathered eggs from the henhouse, then moved to the back room for a breastfeeding break and some creative art time. Lastly, Ginnie showed me her cardboard airplane and got some rides in it before they all loaded up to walk to nearby Riverside Park as I waved them off. 

Wishing this family all the best as they continue to find their new normals and dig deeper into their life in Grand Rapids (they're from Australia)! 

family photojournalism :: tessa + claire

Tessa and Claire have a special connection, characterized by hope and joy. Together with Claire's "big sister" golden retrievers, they've got a lot good going on. I joined them at home for a couple of hours one day to simply capture their ordinary life together, mother and daughter. From play time on the floor, to a little laundry, picnicking in the yard, getting the mail, taking a walk with the dogs, diaper changes, feeding time, and going down for nap, it was sweet to see how in sync these two are. We ended our time together with a few snapshots of some of what Tessa does when Claire is napping! I loved including this, and I think it was a first.

Here's to mothers and daughters, and the sacred ordinary.

family photojournalism :: the marsalese family

This summer, Cherith and I did a session swap! What a gift to know another gifted family documentary photographer in the greater Grand Rapids area! I joked with Cherith that she is the town mouse and I am the city mouse, but though we live in different scenery, there's a great deal we have in common (including the fact that we are both birth photographers and had our babies at home with the same midwife). It felt familiar in some ways to go out to her home and photograph her with her little tribe. They live with intention and grace, quietly and simply, complete with homeschooling, chickens, and backyard bonfires. The boys have a tree fort and rope swing, and their littlest one loves eating the blackberries that grow on their property. I'll stop talking and let the photos speak for themselves. 

family photojournalism :: the deboni family

They inspire me to no end, this family. They are wild + free, engaged and invested in things that matter in our city, they adventure together, and they are crafting a life of intentionality, sowing into dreams. 

I got a little emotional looking back at the last session I did for them, back in 2015 because oh my goodness, how much these little people can grow over the course of two small years. It reminds me why being photographed over and over again across time makes such a meaningful story of a family's life together. 

Come along with this amazing little crew as they go for a walk around their neighborhood, enjoy strawberry shortcake on the deck, play in the garden and yard, examine bugs, and read together. 

I'm scheduling for October now. Reach out!

fresh48 :: elias dean

The quiet hours of the morning after birth, tucked into bed with the new little person you grew on the inside, with whom you formed a bond for 9 months, but whose face you've only just seen for the first time and whose weight against your chest you're still getting accustomed to. This is the scene I got to photograph for Kristen, Micah, and their new son at the birth house where they labored and birthed him.

vacation photojournalism :: the P family visits MI

My home state is the vacation destination for many Chicago-land families we seek out the small lakeshore towns Michigan has to offer as a get-away from city life. This summer, Laura reached out to me about doing a family photojournalism session for her and her family during their MI trip. We met up in Holland for ice cream, picked blueberries along Us-31, then drove north a little ways to visit a farmer's market, taco truck, beach. 

Laura is such a great mom of boys. She loves them deep and communicates her cherishing of them and their childhoods by her quality of presence and using her cameras to record the happy life they're living in video and on film. As an inspiring hobby photographer, Laura rekindled my own old love of 35 mm SLR cameras! And watching her with her husband and boys reminded me to love out loud and to be present with my entire self. 

Truly an inspiring morning of exploration and play with these guys. And LOTS of photos to prove it. :)