The Schenk Extended Family Session at Jean Klock Park in New Buffalo, Michigan
The Schenk family gathered together on a brisk but beautiful night along the beach of Jean Klock Park in southern Michigan. There was dancing, there was laughing, and there was a sunset to remember.
If there ever was a perfect way to start a friendship, I would say my dear friend Brandon and I found it. Our freshman year in college we were assigned to the same residence hall, just a floor apart. While I started off my college career as a painfully shy, introverted, scared freshman…Brandon was singing show tunes through the hall lobby and becoming bff’s with the hall director. And I thought “I want to be friends with that guy….”
And for some reason my mind had decided that the best way to introduce myself and become friends was to bring him a bowl of my mom’s homemade mashed potatoes. So with an awkward knock on the door and probably even more awkward introduction, Brandon and I became lifelong friends.
So when he called to plan a session, I knew it was about to be a night filled with personality and flair. Living in the DC area, we only had a short window of time to make stars align for his session during a trip home. Potential poor weather had us debating on if it would happen as he insisted that it would be a beach session or no session. And (for once in our 10+ years of friendship) I was glad he stubbornly held strong on a decision. Though it was windy and a surprisingly chilly evening, we got the most beautiful images! So let me introduce you to the Schenk Family!
Beautiful Mama Teri
The matriarch of the family! And God bless her because she raised two confident, independent, opinionated, and sassy children. I can only imagine the amount of moments she was left speechless by Jammie and Brandon :)
It felt so good to hug Terri upon arrival. She has always just been the sweetest whenever I see her and she’s such a gorgeous lady!
This was not the first time I’ve had the pleasure of photographing Brandon’s older sister, Jammie. Brandon previously gifted Jammie and her family a holiday session with me in 2020 and we had a gorgeous evening together and a lot of fun. It was great to see them again. Jammie can rock some red lipstick in a way I’ve always dreamed of being able to, plus that gorgeous red hair. But more on Jammie later…
There’s also her husband Tony, who, like Teri probably is kept on his toes quite a bit between his spitfire wife and handsome sons. Charlie and Vinny are seriously the cutest guys. Charlie is so cool and laid back, and Vinny has a smile that will melt your heart in about two seconds flat. I love seeing these boys with their mama, and also with their grandma and Uncle B!
This was the first time I got to meet Brandon’s partner, Daniel. And I was absolutely giddy going through these images post-session. Getting to see my friend in love is so sweet. The way they look at each other, the moments they share when off on their own, and their little family of the two of them and their pups. My romantic heart was bursting with every click.
So now let’s jump to the part of the session that featured outfit changes and a catwalk featuring both Brandon and Jammie…
Did I not say this session had laughter, dancing, and there was definitely some strong personalities and sass!
So Jammie came in strong with an outfit change into this shimmering gold number. Combined with that red lipstick, she is looking drop dead gorgeous! I love her fire and heart and have so much fun when I get to click away with her! Brandon couldn’t be outdone though and did his own quick outfit change. That top left photo of him may be my all time favorite (appropriate) photo of him. So handsome and happy - just how I like him to be!
Give me every cloudy day on a beach from here on out because the lighting and the fresh air were everything. Even though I got a little lost and turned around a few times when finding this spot, it was definitely the spot. We had so much fun that we even caught some time watching the sunset.
Thank you, Schenk family, for being the beautiful souls that you are! Anytime you want to head back to the beach be sure to give me a call!
The Paul Extended Family Session at Diamond Lake
The sun was beaming on the Paul Family during their summer session on Diamond Lake and had this whole family glowing!
I was able to travel next door to the neighbor lake for this beautiful extended family session! I don’t get to spend much time on Diamond Lake, but it always takes my breath away for a moment. And couple that with a stunning family dressed in crisp whites and you know you’re in for a good looking evening!
If you’re seeing a few familiar faces, you may recall the extended family session that took place just a night or two before this one that also featured Jake, Liv, and their little guy Cole. A huge kudos goes out to this trio for putting up with me two nights in the same week! I felt a little extra lucky to have a second chance to try to win over Cole, but he definitely still made sure I knew he was the boss!
In fact, to achieve the smile on him in the photo above, we paused between every click and the entire family broke out into applause. Cole would pause, look around in confusion, and then smile and join in on the clapping. Whatever it takes to get the shot!
There’s no shortage of gorgeous ladies in this family, as mama and her daughters all knocked it out of the ball park!
Every extended session includes different groupings (grandparents and grandchildren, individual families, nuclear family, siblings, etc). I laughed a little at this trio when I asked them all to get “just a little bit closer…a little closer…a smidge more.” But they grinned and got through it!
Also impressive is everyone being able to keep their whites so white! I can’t tell you how many times I arrive to a session and am immediately asked “Can you photoshop this out?” with a point to a ketchup, applesauce, yogurt, water, etc spot. And typically I can, but seriously how impressive is it to have this many folks and not a stain in sight!
One shot I can’t show you here is a quick “outfit change” for the family Christmas photo! Such a cute addition to their session - especially since I would celebrate Christmas year round if it were up to me!
Thank you all for a great session on a beautiful lake evening!
The Micinski Extended Family Session at Donnell Lake in Vandalia, Michigan
There will be cookies!
I am all about food bribes in pretty much any situation, and I learned the Micisnki grandchildren feel the same.
These troopers held it together during what seemed like the hottest evening to date this summer and managed to come out looking like models. That’s a true talent, and a good gene pool!
Lon and Kathy gathered their family together to update their family photos for the first time in quite awhile this summer and I’m so happy I got to be the one to capture them. This family is one of those that makes you feel more like one of the gang than a stranger in their midst.
A few of the highlights I definitely want to share include the “passing of the torch” from the oldest grandson being known for never having a normal smile in any family photo, to now his younger brother taking the reins. In their sibling photo it was even … strongly encouraged … by big brother “you better not have a weird smile and ruin these!” Luckily every single one of these grandkids is cute as a button! The youngest did make me work for it but I was glad to catch an ornery grin before wrapping up!
It wasn’t just the little ones running around that were the stars of this shoot. It’s become quite a family event at the lake for the grandchildren to find and look after turtles each day. They’ve created an ecosystem for them to hang out in and at the end of each day they return them to where they were originally found. And these kids love their turtles!
The second “tradition” to come to life during this session was the reenactment of the current family photo hanging in the Micinski cottage, featuring high school aged children. It took a few corrections from son-in-laws regarding the correct arrangement, but it came out pretty stinking cute. I can’t wait to see them side by side!
Between Kathy and Lon being such a cute couple, and each of their children being a part of good looking couple, and their adorable grandkids, this was a session filled with gorgeous smiles and the best heads of wavy and curly hair (well….give or take one or two - ha!).
I loved having all of these couples snuggle up and commit to some serious PDA while everyone else gave some hoots and hollers from the sideline. We even had a pontoon boat take the time to give some cheers for the happy couples as they passed by, making them feel like newlyweds once again. I think all of the cheering and noise from the peanut gallery really made everyone feel super comfortable in front of the camera :)
Thank you, Micinski family, for being so fun during what could have been a miserably hot session! Your humor and laughter made it easier to ignore the heat and really enjoy our time together!
The Baxter Family at Cobus Creek Park in Osceola, Indiana
You may remember this gorgeous family from their previous session where I first really introduced you all to my assistant pig! Well they are back and as beautiful as ever!
We kicked off the session with Miss Viv giggling, “Hey lady! You’ve got a pig in your pocket!” The perfect start :)
The Baxter family (Kevin, Stephanie, Griffin, Vivian, and Miss Lola) were joined by Kevin’s parents this round for some updated family photos. I last was able to capture them in the fall at St. Patrick’s Park, and it’s still just crazy how much their kids have grown in that amount of time!
Viv just celebrated her fourth birthday, and Griffin was just a few weeks shy of his seventh birthday during this session. Seemed like the perfect time to capture their ornery smiles and sweet giggles.
One of the most fun things about this family is that you get to see their true selves, including all of the hilarious jokes between them all. I won’t share all of them (you’re welcome, Stephanie) but one line that definitely had me laughing and will always stick with me is hearing Stephanie say “I get licked all the time. All the time.” But I definitely wasn’t stopping anybody when it let me snap photos of her laughing this much!
Originally Grandma and Grandpa came along to handle Lola when she wasn’t in images, but I gave fair warning that they wouldn’t be able to sit out the whole session. How cute are these two? They willingly jumped right in and followed along with all of my prompts of “Whisper something I shouldn’t hear!” and “Pull in her like ‘Yeah that’s my woman!’”
Cobus Creek has easily become one of my favorite places to have sessions. Every season it presents something new and beautiful to serve as the backdrop of every click. The sensory garden was blooming beautifully on this summer eve and it glowed a little extra something special with such a gorgeous family enjoying it!
Thank you, Baxter family, for trusting me once again to capture this chapter and attempt to freeze time while your children grow so fast! And thank you, Lola, for being a patient and regal subject to capture in the golden hour glow. You are a very sweet girl!
Extended Family Session for The Turners in Winona Lake, Indiana
A rain delay brought us together on a beautiful Sunday morning to capture all the love in the Turner Family!
Rain. Rain. More Rain. Storms. Rain.
The radar was not looking promising as our date approached for the Turner Extended Family Session this past week. With juggling very busy schedules, they didn’t see another date to get together for family pictures until November, so we just had to figure out a way to make it work. So the morning of, we finalized a Plan A (great, no rain!), Plan B (A little rain won’t stop us!), and Plan C (try again in the morning and cross fingers).
As I loaded up and began my drive to Winona Lake, I checked in with Janelle, Turner coordinator extraordinaire, to let her know I was on the way. It had just started raining pretty heavy as I started out and Janelle said my phone was breaking up a bit. And that happened to be because a tornado warning was coming through for the area. So instead of heading to Winona Lake, I was headed to the basement. And each time I thought I might be able to leave again, another wave of storms came through.
So we moved to Plan C.
On Sunday morning, the Turner family gathered together on Grace College Campus and we enjoyed what turned out to be an incredibly beautiful morning together!
Placed amongst the grand white columns and pergola of Westminster Hall on Grace College, between the bright, budding flowers, the Turner family had chosen the perfect backdrop to kick off their family session. Honestly, it’s hard not to find a beautiful spot in Winona Lake!
Dave and Claudia’s three sons are all married off to three wonderful women, and they are blessed with 7 grandchildren. The oldest of those grandchildren, their two grandsons were eventually put in charge of corralling the five younger grandchildren: five lively little girls, each as cute as the next. But more on that later…
This particular session was a birthday gift to Claudia from her children. Now I’m not just saying this as a photographer, but I truly do think photo sessions make the perfect gift to give for multiple reasons. The top reason being that often times mothers and grandmothers tend to be taking the pictures rather than existing in them. Having someone else behind the camera allows them to be captured enjoying their greatest treasures in life, their children and grandchildren.
It’s also a gift you can give again and again and it will always be a great update. Especially with little ones in the family, imagine how much these images change from year to year! These grown guys used to be as tiny as their little cousins!
One of my favorite parts of this session took place while we were focused on just the grown ups. Just feet away from this image were five very excited little cousins catching up with one another. And as their happy little feet danced around they would slowly drift into frame. We would laugh and reset and repeat.
So we had to call in reinforcements to make these shots possible. AKA: grandsons Josh and Sam were summoned to keep the little gals busy. And they did so by forming a small parade of “Do what I do!” commands with clapping and marching and arm waving and more.
Claudia and Dave will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this September and are still just smitten with one another. What a huge milestone in their life, and a gorgeous family to show for it.
Claudia has the kindest heart and gentlest spirit, and a genuine laugh from Dave will always make me smile. Their eyes light up when they are with their grandbabies and they are clearly so very proud of their grown boys (even if I told their middle child they requested some photos without him).
Thank you, Turner family, for bearing with me as we weathered the storm, rescheduled, posed in the humid air, and endured one scraped knee along the way. It was a pleasure capturing your family and families in beautiful Winona Lake!
Baby Keough Newborn Session in Osceola, Indiana
Buckle in for a crazy timeline that eventually brings us to Francis Charles Keough and his newborn lifestyle session!
You all might remember this crazy whirlwind of time in 2020 where we were learning all sorts of new words…like pandemic.
I’m kind of chuckling to myself as I prepare to write this blog because Chris and Allie Keough pretty much book-end this entire pandemic in the best but craziest ways. Chris and Allie were set to be married on March 14, 2020. This happens to be about the weekend everyone was trying to figure out if we were supposed to be staying home or if we were ok or if the world was closing down. Or in a more familiar measurement of time, toilet paper shelves were just starting to thin out.
Their entire guest list went from “Can’t wait to celebrate!” to “Can’t….wrap our heads around what is happening and have no idea what to do!” just days before their wedding. It was honestly at the point that no one had too much information and no one really knew anyone who had Covid or its symptoms. So, my husband and I and our dear friends had our very last outing pre-pandemic to celebrate the marriage of these two beautiful souls. And I’m just going to say we all had a great time. Like a really great time. And I’m glad we did because that was the last time we went anywhere or celebrated anything with our friends for quite awhile. Chris and Allie certainly threw a party right before we were all locked into our homes for quarantine.
So, in a unique twist of fate, Chris and Allie had a very long….honeymoon.
In their home.
Spending their first year of married life quarantined with one another.
Now that’s how you kick off a marriage.
And during the same week that they both ended up having to take Covid tests, Allie also was taking a pregnancy test. Two of the three were positive. Chris was locked up and Allie was knocked up. (I typically wouldn’t use that term but the rhyming just felt really good.)
Can you guess what the first official gathering of our friends was as things began to return to normal and we felt we could safely gather together? It was a Diaper Party for Baby Keough! What did I tell you? The Keough’s were our personal book-ends of the pandemic!
So, welcome to a wild world, Francis Charles Keough. What a story you have to tell!
How about that timing of taking newborn family photos next to freshly hung wedding photos!
When Allie reached out to schedule family photos, she reiterated that they really wanted them to be largely focused on just Baby Frank. Neither her or Chris are huge fans of being in pictures, which I 100% relate to. The great thing about a lifestyle session with your newborn is that my main objective is to capture your life in this moment so that you will always remember what it felt like to snuggle your tiny baby as you breathe in that newborn scent. Or always be able to look back at that nursery that you spent so many nights in both before and after baby arrived, rocking and wondering what lies ahead. I want you to have images of these fleeting moments in this overwhelming but wonderful chapter in your life. Will I tell you to smile at the camera or have you posed here and there? Probably. But for the most part my goal is for you to just be a family and embrace the minute and the moment.
I loved chatting with Allie throughout this session to learn more about how everything went and is going for her. Everyone’s story is so uniquely theirs. Allie, owner of Bell’s Academy preschool, had to deal with such a whirlwind of a pregnancy. Unable to operate for a time period during the Covid lockdown, it was hard not knowing what to expect month to month or week to week. But as her kids returned, they immediately joined in the excitement of Baby Keough growing in their favorite teacher’s belly. Now parents have reached out wanting to know when Miss Allie will introduce Frank to their kids so they can' stop being bugged about going to Miss Allie’s house to meet this baby!
Figuring out so many things throughout pregnancy and throughout those first four weeks in particular is exhausting on top of being exhausted. I’m so proud of Allie for being so strong, even in her vulnerable moments, and working her way through the twists and turns that babies bring. In almost every single shot of this mama holding Frank, he’s staring straight at his mama. You know he was meant to be hers and she was meant to be his.
And he may even be smiling at his mom in this one!
In the world of nursery creation, Frank is a lucky little guy. Chris and Allie happen to be the local version of Chip & Joanna Gaines. Allie’s eye for style and design is brought to life by Chris’ handywork. Many a time I have envisioned a project and thought, “I wonder if Chris could make this.” And the answer is probably yes. From the accented green wanes-coating and perfectly paired wallpaper, to the gold mirror and dresser handles or even the customized closet….this nursery is Pinterest worthy thanks to the style and labor of Frank’s mom and dad. Chris and Allie decided not to find out if they would be welcoming a little boy or a little girl, but yet somehow this nursery seems perfectly outfitted for Baby Frank. Funny how that works.
I happened to be at the Keough’s on Chris’ very first Father’s Day. When Allie slipped away to nurse Frank, I jumped on the opportunity to ask Chris some questions and allowed him (forced him) to reflect on life now that he’s been a dad for four weeks.
What were some of the top things occupying your mind when you first found out a baby was on the way?
“That’s a crazy question. Is he going to be safe, happy, healthy? And then it goes deeper to what is he going to bring to the world and what impact will he have? And what kind of person will he be? Like…I think I’m a pretty nice guy (he is) so I want my kid to be a nice guy! Who is this kid going to be?”
What was it like as a newlywed husband to experience a pregnant wife?
I mean we got married a day before the world locked down. Our first six months of marriage were home and quarantined. She had to close her school. The pandemic was happening and you didn’t know what to expect everyday and then to find out we were pregnant. I just had to remind her, and me, that everything would be ok again someday. But it was definitely scary not knowing exactly what the world would be like when he arrived. But we had to be optimistic.”
What is your advice to partners of those expecting/carrying a child?
“Just nod and smile and be supportive. They are going through so much, so you just want to make their job easier. Bring the ice cream home on the way back from work. Do the dishes. Cook the meals. Try to be understanding of what they’re going through.”
At this point Allie returned to the room which was fun to see her reactions and responses to Chris’ responses.
Was there anything in particular that you enjoyed about the pregnancy process?
“She got a sweet tooth! She never has a sweet tooth. Like ever. One day she baked a cake entirely from scratch. I capitalized on that sweet tooth. We are still working on the pregnancy wait. (Both Allie and I pause long enough to allow him to correct himself) I mean my pregnancy weight! Me!”
What has changed about you or life in the first four weeks?
I mean seeing how strong she is…holy cow. Going back to work was really tough but knowing how capable and great she is, I knew everything was ok.
How would you describe fatherhood prior to having a child compared to after?
Before I would say being a role model and support system and someone they could depend on. And now it’s all those things, but more. You want to be somebody to look up to and dependable. It’s just … more of all of it. It changes life.
It was no surprise at all to me to learn from other friends in the hospital system where Allie delivered that Chris got rave reviews as an awesome coach and support team. When he says “I think I’m a nice guy,” he’s right on target.
Welcome to the world, Francis Charles Keough. You are already so loved and in the best of hands with your mom and dad. I can’t wait to see all that you become, and I bet you’re going to be a pretty nice guy.
Lizzie’s First Birthday Session at Potawatomi Zoo in South Bend, Indiana
Lions, and monkeys, and Lizzie!
Whenever someone has somewhere unique they would like to do a session, I am always up for the adventure. This time, we adventured to the Potawatomi Zoo in South Bend, Indiana to celebrate Lizzie’s first birthday!
I first met The Verdeyen family when we did their very first family session at the Potawatomi Conservatory in November 2020. Born in the midst of a pandemic, they hadn’t had an opportunity to really capture their baby girl prior to this session. It was an honor to take these initial photos for them and I could definitely relate to their experience as my son was 6 months old when we went into lockdown. It was very tough as new parents to not be able to share the joy and baby with loved ones during that time.
But we made up for lost moments during that session.
Now that squishy cheeked, gummy smile little girl from that first session has turned one year old and the Verdeyens were ready to capture some more memories!
When they arrived at the zoo and stepped out, my heart burst at Lizzie’s curls and big grin. Please know that I will have a hard time emotionally coping with how quickly your children grow between sessions! Walking, babbling, exploring. She had become a toddler in what seemed like such a short time!
This sweet toddler is definitely on the go these days! It was so much fun to trail behind mom and dad, and grandma and grandpa, to soak up the family fun with each snap! As they moved throughout the zoo you could see the excitement and fun as Lizzie stared in wonder at the animals and laughed with delight as everyone else tried to keep up.
I loved that grandma and grandpa were able to join us for the day, especially knowing how much Bekah and Paul were missing having family love on the little girl that they had prayed for for so long when the pandemic prevented family and loved ones to gather. To see them all reunited was really heartwarming.
I know it’s special for parents to see their babies become parents. But it’s equally as special to be able to see your own parents become grandparents to your baby.
Like reliving pieces of your childhood but with an extra coating of sugar.
After a ride on the carousel, a timid hello to the donkey, checking out the lion and the monkeys, a very excited observation of the turtle, a pop over to the otters, and a stop by the macaws (you know…just a simple meandering about that beautiful zoo as Lizzie lead the way!) we were all feeling the heat and decided to head across the parking lot to the splash pad!
I’m so grateful for a community that has such great spots for family outings and opportunities to capture special memories. From the Conservatory to the Zoo to the Park, Potawatomi is well maintained and makes it so evident that they care! It’s the perfect backdrop to capture the joy of gorgeous families.
Thank you, Veredeyen family, for allowing me to tag along and celebrate Lizzie’s first birthday. A session at the zoo was so much fun and I hope to do it again!
And Lizzie, somehow you just get cuter and cuter! I hope you had the best birthday and zoo day, and I hope to get that sweet smile and those cute curls in front of the camera again soon! But maybe stop growing up so fast, sweet girl!
Dunfee Family Session at St. Patrick’s Park in South Bend, Indiana
This adorable family of four soaked in the sunshine during their June family session!
When your client steps out of their car with two of the cutest little girls ever in knee high socks and matching mary jane flats, it’s hard not be a little too excited to get the session going! Enter the Dunfee family!
Beau and Courtney along with their daughter’s Ruby and Winnie joined me at St. Patrick’s Park in South Bend this past week for a summer family session. We had a warm evening with gorgeous sunlight and the promise of ice cream after. No wonder these littles did so well!
Beau and I met through the South Bend/Mishawaka Leadership program (shout out to Class of 44) the year his oldest daughter, Ruby, was born. He was also a high school classmate of my husband, Kyle. And Kyle and I have been working with a member of Beau’s realty team as we recently sold our house and look for our next home. So plenty of little connections there! But it was so nice to meet his wife and little ones!
Courtney is a gorgeous mama with an eye for style, and she made my job easy with off camera tickles and calming breaks whenever needed for her baby girls. It truly is a gift when a mama can gracefully enjoy sessions with young children and be in the moment, enjoying the laughter and silly poses. I could tell Courtney had motherhood written all over her heart and soul, and it shined through every minute of this shoot.
Before the Dunfee family had joined me, I took a quick lap around my favorite area in the park to map out a plan. Knowing it was a later evening start with little ones, and not wanting to lose too much sunlight, I wanted to be sure to grab the spots that looked the best that night and have a plan in place to flow through. This (along with them being a stinkin’ cute family) made our time together relaxing and fun knowing we would be getting great shots as we kept moving through the park!
Between flower picking, dandelion hunting, and air tosses, Beau was a stand out dad! I wish you could hear Ruby squeal with anticipation when I asked Beau to go ahead and lift her high into the air. Well, the instruction was to give her a little toss up, but Ruby was so full of nervous giggles that she couldn’t let go of her dad!
And does your heart just absolutely melt in these pictures of dad giving his little girl flowers?
The real boss of the shoot, though, was little Winnie. This girl was on one and had me cracking up! We wanted to be sure to get some great images of these sisters, and Winnie wanted to be sure to make us work for them. She’s got some feist in her soul, and I am here for it! Ruby is such a great big sister and handled every tackle with grace and a smile. Even when she was being pinned to the ground by Winnie, she would find the camera and smile! Plus Ruby was always ready to make baby sister laugh whenever I asked for her assist!
Thank you Dunfee Family for being the cutest and making your session so much fun. Normally I wouldn’t include so many outtakes in a gallery, but I definitely included them all just because they made me laugh and felt like such an accurate depiction of life with toddlers: fun and wild!
Is a caption even necessary with an image like this?
Per usual, I had my trusty pig with me during this session. After receiving their gallery I had to laugh at Courtney’s text of “It can’t be easy to balance a pig on your head while taking perfect photos.” I promised her it’s all I practice from sun up to sundown. And it’s worth it!
But she also gave me one of the greatest compliments a client can in letting me know that she got teary-eyed looking at her family’s gallery. It really is such an honor and a blessing to serve families in this way, and delivering galleries of precious moments and memories will never get old to me. Life with this age of children can be a non-stop cycle of “I just need a minute” and “I don’t want to miss a minute.” My love of family portraits is in giving families frozen moments of life, well lived and well loved.
You’re a fantastic family, Dunfees, and I hope I have the pleasure of capturing more of your joy and laughter in the future!
