Tag Archives: Family Photos

Lake County Il Child Photographer | Bernie’s Book Bank

I had the pleasure of photographing a Bernie’s Book Bank book distribution at Dever Elementary in Chicago this past week.

Bernie’s mission is to increase book ownership among at-risk children throughout Chicagoland.

Bernie’s sorts the books into individual bags for the children. Each child receives a collection of books appropriate for their grade level.

Watching the excited smiles and hearing the oohs and ahhs as the kids opened up their individual bags was a lovely site to behold.

The kids had a great time perusing their new treasures, as well as trading the books they received with friends.

Bernie’s Book Bank book distribution at Dever Elementary in Chicago. February 17, 2017

I also love doing day in the life sessions with families. If you would like to see some examples of those photo shoots, click here and here.

Interested in seeing my bar mitzvah photography? Click here and here .

And my favorite thing to photograph is Grandparent Sessions. There is nothing quite like the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren. To see examples of a Grandparent Session and hear why those are so important, click here, here and here.

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Susan Ryan Kalina is a Lake County, Il, Family Photographer, Lake County, Il, Event Photographer, Chicago Bar Mitzvah Photographer, Chicago Event Photographer, Newborn Photographer, Grandparent Photographer, Day in the Life, Documentary, and Candid photographer servicing Chicago, Deerfield, Glencoe, Highland Park, Libertyville, Lake Forest, Buffalo Grove, Northbrook, and Glenview.

Grandparent Photography | Lake County IL Photographer

Why You Need Grandparent Photography

I am obsessed with doing storytelling photo shoots with grandparents and grandkids. I think it’s one of the most beautiful, under-photographed, yet cherished, relationships that exists.

Why do I care so much? Let me tell you about my father-in-law, Elliot Kalina.

Like many people of a certain age, my in-laws couldn’t wait to be grandparents once my husband and I got married. When I was looking at wedding dresses with my mother-in-law, she asked if she could give my future child (no, I wasn’t pregnant) her first American Girl Doll.

They Couldn’t Wait!

You could almost say they “practiced” with their great-nieces and great-nephews, lending a helping hand whenever it was needed and generally spoiling their niece’s and nephew’s children every chance they got.

It Was Love at First Sight

When my oldest, Gabrielle Mairead, was finally born 13 years ago, her grandparents adored every inch of her. Like many hard working daddies, my father-in-law did not have hobbies to fill his time when he retired. He was thrilled to spend every moment I made available with my daughter. He would drive to the Chicago twice a week, picking me up a coffee on the way, and send me off while he read Gabrielle books, changed her diaper, played with her on the floor, whatever her heart desired.

They developed such a close relationship that when my father-in-law would hand her back to me, HER MOTHER, she would cry. I can honestly tell you that did not happen with anyone else, even her father.

As Gabrielle got a little older, her special twice-weekly “Poppy” visits were something she looked forward to more than anything else. She would stare out the front window waiting for her beloved grandpa to arrive. That drive from Buffalo Grove to Chicago could be 45 minutes or 90 minutes, so we never knew exactly when they would get to our house.

Unforeseen Tragedy

When Gabrielle was 19 months old, and I was due in three weeks with Eliza, Elliot passed away in the middle of the night. No illness. No warning. He was 64-years-old.

We miss Elliot every day. His next six grandchildren can only know him through our stories and photos. And I’m embarrassed to say, I don’t have many photos. And the ones I do have are snapshots. I am so thankful I have even that. How special would it be if I had beautiful, artfully shot storytelling photos that told the story of their beautiful relationship?

Please, learn from my mistake. If your children have grandparents that are in their lives, let me document that relationship for you. Grandparent photography is a gift for the grandparents, you and your children. Call me at 773 510 7105 and let’s make it happen.

The end result will be a beautiful book, slide show and wall art that future generations will enjoy. I promise you won’t ever regret having these photos taken.

If you would like to see some examples of my grandparent photography shoots, please click here, here and here.

Want to learn everything you need to know about Grandparent Sessions? Click here to learn about how to book, common questions and general pricing information.

The Trending Family Photos You Need | Chicago Photographer

Family Memories Captured … Or Not

Do you have great memories of your grandparents from when you were growing up?

I do! I loved wearing my grandmother’s nightgowns, high heels, and all the jewelry I could find in her drawers. She used to let me drink “coffee” with one drop of coffee and copious amounts of warm milk. I loved finding mint leaves to chew on in her back yard. Her overfed, miniature poodle used to sleep at the end of my bed for sleepovers.

Now ask me if I have any family photos of these precious memories. I don’t. And that makes me really sad. I can tell my stories to my children, but I can’t SHOW them.

I can show them pictures of me standing next to my grandparents. But I can’t show them how it felt to be with them, how much I loved them and how cherished I always felt in their presence. I can’t show them our story.

Here is How I Can Help You

But you know what I can do for you? I can capture that beautiful story for your family. Don’t let your children continue missing out on having this family relationship photographed.

I can spend time documenting your children’s precious grandparent memories as they are unfolding. Do they do sleepovers? I can photograph it. Do the grandparents help with daycare? I can photograph the beauty in the little daily moments they share. Or, like the Meyers family pictured here, I can photograph a favorite activity, like baking.

Do you think these family photos are something you would love to have? Call me at 773 510 7105 and let’s discuss the perfect situation to photograph your family. As a Chicago family photographer, I know we often think of family photos as just the parents and children. But grandparent-grandkid photography is so special! How awesome would it be to have these grandparent photos for your family?

Would like to find answers to common questions about Grandparent Sessions and how to book? Click here for all your answers.

If you would like to see more examples of my family storytelling photography (also known as family photojournalism photography), please click here, here, here and here.

The Photos You Need to Take | Grandparents and Grandkids

Why I Love Photographing Grandparents and Grandkids

Do the grandparents and grandkids in your life live in different cities? Mine do. My parents live a five-hour drive away in St. Louis.

We try to see them as much as we can, but the reality is life is busy. Having three children means my family has a hectic schedule. Between school, dance, swimming, plays and sports, our weekends don’t always belong to us.

So, when we make the trek to St. Louis or my parents come to town, I make sure I document every minute my parents and children are together. My children are now 10, 12 and 13. As they have aged, the visits with my parents have changed too. In the early days, just getting to town and surviving seemed like an accomplishment. We would go to Demun Park, the St. Louis Zoo, maybe hit the Magic House.

Now that they are older, my children are capable of being out from dawn to dusk, soaking up all the opportunities and adventures St. Louis has to offer. Want to know the bad news? As my children have grown older, so have my parents. My parents can’t spend the whole day on their feet anymore.

Finding Ways to Connect

Because my kids are always off running around having adventures or on the couch with their heads buried in their electronics, getting them to have meaningful interaction with their grandparents has become more of a challenge. Having a meal together has become a cherished time for my kids and parents. Sometimes I need to prod the conversation a little to get things going. I like to ask my dad to tell the girls about how his parents put him on a public bus BY HIMSELF with a ticket pinned to his shirt to go to a World Series Cardinals game when he was 8-years-old. And I ask my mom to tell the girls what it was like to be in middle school in the late 1940’s. Now, staying at the table long after the food has been eaten to hear stories about Nonnie and Grandpa’s childhood has become a favorite part of our day.

So what I have realized is it’s becoming more important that my children and their grandparents just get time to connect, it doesn’t really matter where or how. And if they need a little “talking points” inspiration from my carefully placed questions, so be it! I am happy to help get the conversation going.

I make sure to take my camera out for all of these get togethers. Because life moves too fast. The kids are growing up at a rapid clip. And my parents continue to age. But I want my children to always remember the precious moments we carved out for them with my parents. I want them to have pictures to go with those stories of the time they went to the Science Center or when grandpa took them to lunch at Crown Candy for a special lunch outing.

I want them to remember they were loved and cherished by their grandparents, long after they are no longer here to tell them. I want them to have albums they can show THEIR children some day.

Want Some Help?

And if you feel like your camera or phone camera won’t do the situation justice, call me! I would love to spend time following your children and their grandparents around, documenting their beautiful relationship. The best thing about these photo shoots is you won’t end up with a bunch of static, awkward photos of people standing there looking at the camera. I call my style of photography “family storytelling” or “family photojournalism.” I am very passionate about capturing this beautiful relationship for future generations to enjoy.

So, next time the grandparents come over, let’s make a plan to photograph them. Or next time you go to visit the grandparents, I can follow you. I may be a Chicago family photographer, but I am available to travel out of town to do your grandparent photography shoot. Especially anywhere near St. Louis! Give me a call at 773-510-7105 and let’s talk about it.

Interactive family photos with the grandparents and grandkids might be a new idea for you, but I promise you will never regret having these grandparent photos taken. Let’s have fun with this new twist on family photos!

If you would like to see more examples of family storytelling shoots, please click here , here and here .

Would like to find answers to common questions about Grandparent Sessions and how to book? Click here for all your answers.

Brunch at Kevin’s Place | Family Photography Chicago

Our family has many little rituals that make up our day. And while I know I will always have my memories, I like to document our stories with photos so I can look back and see the sweet little moments that make up our lives.

One of our favorite weekend traditions is having brunch at Kevin’s Place in Deerfield. We started going here years ago because I heard it was a good place to take kids. No one would give you a funny look if your children laughed too loud, ate with their fingers, or even melted into the dreaded tantrum. Now that my children can safely make it through a meal without these issues, it’s still one of our favorite places.

Lynn, Matt and Freddie always greet us with a smile. Matt always inquires about what we have been up to lately and tells me of his latest adventures. And the best part, he always tells me I look pretty. Now, this may not sound like much, but from a lady in her 40’s, I don’t hear this from anyone but my husband these days …

When Kevin comes to the table to get our order, he usually sits down and digs in for a good pre-ordering chat. The girls can’t wait to share with him. From dance performances, to plays, to school achievements, he gets to hear it all. They love to talk to him because he listens so intently. He focuses on each child and always gives the best reactions.

Thank you Kevin, for being a bright spot in our crazy, busy lives. You slow us down and remind us that good food, good friends, and connecting with each other is what life is all about.