No Upgrade Necessary

On Friday afternoon, I called a local camera store to see if they had the new Nikon I wanted in stock. I had been eyeing this new camera for months and decided I really, really wanted it. It's a great camera, one is different from and better than my other two cameras for a few reasons, and by Friday afternoon I decided those reasons were enough to pull the trigger and make the purchase. I was certain I'd have it before the weekend was over.

However, yesterday I had a shoot and did something I haven't done since the early days of my photography business. I used only one camera and one lens. Typically, during a shoot, I'll use both cameras and interchange any one of three lenses depending on the shot I am trying to get. But yesterday, I used only my Nikon D300s and a 50mm/1.4G lens. I didn't set out to do this. It just kind of happened, but I am glad it did. This reenforced something I've heard time and time again: Better equipment does not make you a better photographer.

I am pretty proud to say that with limited equipment, I was still able to capture all of the images below. It didn't hurt that I had Nicole, Steve and Maddie in front of my lens either. This family is just the best. And such good friends to boot.

So will I get this new camera? Yes, probably sometime next year. But yesterday's shoot made me step back and realize that it's not an immediate need. I can do just fine with the equipment I have and the skills I have learned over the past three-and-a-half years. Confidence is so much better than a new camera.

To Nicole, Steve and Maddie, thanks for a fun afternoon. I can't wait to do this all again with baby number two!

Instagramming: July

If I had to put July in the fun or lame column, it would be so far in the fun column that it couldn't even seem lame. It was that good.

I got to hang out with my favorite people in the whole wide world during the month of July and got to see a lot of my fair city. My fair city was also my hot city, as Chicago baked under 90+ degree temperatures for most of July. I complained about the heat, but not too much because there was too much fun to be had.

Here is a little of the fun I had in July.

 July

- the heat, my God the heat - MY BACHELORETTE PARTY - Chicago architecture cruise - 

spending a lunch hour in Millennium park with my sister and nephews - watching my garden grow - drinking on my back porch - a photo shoot in Lincoln Park - sending out my wedding invitations and getting some responses back - a weekend in Michigan at my parents lake house - ordering wedding decorations - getting my passport renewal in order so I can go to Panama(!!!) - a Sunday concert in my hood with Mike - charity dog wash - hanging up artwork on my walls

Instagramming - June

I know, I know, I know. It's already half way through July. But it's been a busy summer so far. Fun, but busy.

Here is some of what kept me busy in June.

June

- Bonding with Taylor at his favorite dog park  -  the best homemade banana split ever  -  watching the flowers bloom in our backyard  -  Wisconsin for a weekend  -  lots of time spent on my back patio  -  supervising playdates with Taylor's girlfriend  -  lunch hours spent wandering downtown  -  seeing Roger Waters play The Wall at Wrigley  -  tasting the first fruits of my garden  -  getting my two week vacation for the honeymoon and wedding approved (!)  -  mole removal  -  reading "Love in the Time of Cholera"  -  my firm's annual summer outing on a steamy rooftop downtown  - 

Here's hoping I post all about my July sometime before September.

Full Circle

You may remember these faces. They weren't supposed to be featured on this blog again. So you can imagine how excited I was when Kathleen reached out to me and asked if I could take one last round of photos. The reason?

You may remember that the first shoot I ever had with Kathleen and Paul, she was pregnant with their son - their first child - Jack. Jack is no longer a baby. He's all little boy, wanting to run and jump and kick a soccer ball and explore things. He's also pretty darn excited to be a big brother. And as for this baby, I can think of no luckier kid than the one being born into this family.

Last time I thought it was their last shoot in Chicago. They had plans to move out to the burbs before they moved to Virginia this summer. They did decide to stick around Chicago just a little bit longer, but I am pretty sure this will be our last shoot for a while. A few days after I took these photos, they hopped in a moving truck and began their trek south.

So now, here's hoping for a reunion either here or in Virginia. I know I'm already crossing my fingers.