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Having a photo printed on a canvas to display in your home as a piece of art has long been my favorite way to enjoy special memories. My friend Brianne is taking that product to the next level. With a talented eye for both photography and painting, Brianne oil paints on a photo that has been printed on a canvas. (She can assist with printing a new canvas, or work with an old favorite piece that you already have made). This enhancement is so unique, and the finished product is stunning. The paint makes the photo pop, and turns the canvas into a vibrant, even-more-special piece of custom art. I recently gave Brianne a canvas that I had made of a favorite vacation photo. The canvas was faded, after several years of hanging over my mantle, and I can’t believe the amazing change her enhancement made to it. (I am kicking myself for not taking a “before photo” so I could highlight the difference for you now…hindsight, right?!) It’s such a special piece of art, and I love it even more with her treatment.

For anyone interested, click here for more information.

THANK YOU, Brianne! Out of all of the photo canvases I have in my home, this is by far my favorite.

As a follow up to the four blocks of mini sessions I announced last week, I want to explain a few key differences about my mini sessions vs. my standard 1-hour photo shoot. If you are on the fence about which session type to book, here is the down and dirty:

Mini Sessions: $170, 10-20 retouched images via download, full rights

• Half the price of a regular session. Perfect if you want multiple shoots during the year (takes the pressure off one big shoot!), want to capture an extra milestone moment, or just want a handful of updated photos for holiday cards.
• Only 20 minutes. Perfect for those kiddos (and, let’s be real, sometimes dads, too!) who just don’t have more than 20 minutes of patience in them for photos.
• Quick and down to business. Everyone is busy…this is a small time commitment with a really big pay off! If you are a new client, have little ones who might take a little more time to warm up to me/the situation, haven’t had professional photos taken in a long time, or want some variety in backdrops and setups…this may not be the session type for you. It’s one backdrop, and a handful of poses. Our time together moves very quickly.

1-Hour Sessions: $300, 90-100 retouched images via download, full rights

• More flexibility. The number of locations we can shoot at in and around Chicago are nearly limitless for a typical 1-hour session. I can meet you just about anywhere, and we can take time to really explore.
• A lot of variety. You’d be amazed at how much ground we can cover in an hour. Lots of different backdrops, varied setups, and it gives us the opportunity to get to know each other, or, in many cases, catch up.  We can also do wardrobe changes, something key when you have a ton of adorable baby clothes to document!
• Relaxed. Running a few minutes late? It’s no big deal when we have an hour. Or, if we are having so much fun that we run over a few minutes…not a problem. If a baby is having a rough start…there is time to try different techniques and figure out what is going to make them comfortable and happy so we can get some happy, smiley shots. By the end of the hour, we have gotten the “must have” shots out of the way, everyone is more relaxed, and we can play around…capturing some light-hearted, fun, or more artistic candid shots.

I still have spots left for September-November Mini Sessions Downtown, in Libertyville, at Lighthouse Beach, and in Studio. And I also have some 1-hour spots available August-December, as well. My calendar is filling fast, so don’t wait until the Fall to think about holiday card photos. I’m excited about both of these options, and can’t wait to catch up with your beautiful families this year!