“Smile. Just her smile.”

Can I hang out with the Forzley Family all day and photograph them? Seriously. It is so much fun because they truly want the candid and personality photographed- not just the posed images and as I photograph them year after year it feels more like catching up with friends than just clients. When I asked what was most important to photograph in their session Matt responded, “her smile. Just her smile.” Just their family interacting and loving on each other!

That is a photographer’s dream- and actually when I first started was the hardest thing because posing feels safer and reacting to the real moments requires a bit more paying attention and action but Hannah is just amazing and they brought “her new brother Hugh” (their new pup) on this year’s session. See how much their family has grown from here and here. When I sent their gallery Matt texted me back:

This is why I am so grateful to be invited into your lives and stories.

Thanks you Matt, Christie, and Hannah- and Hugh! Blessings! And I am running the Chicago Marathon Sunday and will indeed crush it!