Don't Let This Happen To You

 

DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU
March 5, 2025

Does this sound familiar: It’s early November, and it suddenly occurs to you that you should send out a holiday card, only to remember you don’t have any updated family photos? You look at your completely packed calendar and realize your family will never be in the same place at the same time until… January! If you’re lucky, maybe you find an hour here or there that would work to squeeze in photos between kid activities, but then you’ll likely be confronted by another unfortunate reality: by then my schedule is also jam packed (just like every other photographer’s that time of year). Now you are having a panic attack! You spend hours looking through your phone hoping you can find just one photo with everyone in it. Then you spend even longer trying to think of something witty to say about the fact that your youngest child is picking his nose in this photo or that your oldest’s head is completely cut off. So much stress and you are still unhappy with the end result.

Skip the panic attack this year and
schedule your family photos NOW!

That way you’ll have plenty of dates to choose from and time to reschedule if something comes up or someone gets sick. Plus, everyone will enjoy your family photo session, because your nerves won’t be on edge. Then when you finally remember the holiday card thing—because let’s face it, we are ALWAYS going to procrastinate on that one—at least you’ll already have photos ready. And in case you can’t already feel your stress melting away, I have even more good news for you!

Take advantage of my FLASH SALE and Book your 2025 session before March 19th and you’ll get $100 off your session! Less stress, great family photos, and savings! Use the link below to book your 2025 session now. Seriously, don’t walk away from your computer. Do it right now!

Tips for Organizing Your Digital Photos

 

Tips for Organizing Your Digital Photos
January 16, 2025

In the age of digital photography we have all become photo hoarders. It’s so easy to take photos and so cheap to store them, so we have millions of photos! Unfortunately most of them live in a digital space that quickly becomes so cluttered that it is really hard to find the photos that you love.

This blog post is about giving you some helpful tips to tame the chaos so you can save what really matters and trash the rest.  These tips will makes it easier to get your photos off your photo and into albums or onto your walls. 

Stop trying to catch up and just start with today
When you are trying to organize your photos, it’s easy to want to start at the place you left off.  But if you made your last photo album five years ago, digging through 5 years of photos is going to feel overwhelming and you’ll probably quit almost immediately.  So just start with today.  From this point on, use some of these tips to keep your photos organized.  You can tackle that other stuff later, but start by establishing some good routines in the present.

Make a 2025 folder on your phone and put photos in there as you go
It’s a new year and the perfect time to build a new habit, so create a “2025” folder on your phone right now. After you take a photo you absolutely love, put it in that folder immediately. The goal here is to be able to pull up this folder at the end of the year and just put those photos into an album without sorting through anything else.

Be selective about what you put in your 2025 folder
If you want your 2025 Folder to save you time, you have to be pretty selective about your favorites.  Here’s a helpful guideline for you. When I make a Year in the Life album for clients I usually put 80-120 photos in there.  That gives a good sample of what the family did over the year without it being super overwhelming to look through. So if you plan on making an album at the end of the year, keep on an eye on the number of photos in your 2025 folder.  If you get to the end of February and you already have 60 photos in there, you are NOT being selective enough. Adding 8-10 photos to your folder each month is perfect!

Pick your favorite and delete the rest
We often take multiple photos of the same thing as we work to get a photo of everyone looking at the camera or the action shot at just the right moment.  This means we have tons of photos of the same thing.  Right after you finish taking them, pick your favorite and delete the rest.  This one is really hard for people because you’ll probably have multiple photos you like.  But they really aren’t that different.  Just pick one! Having all these variations on your phone will just be overwhelming later.  

Make Individual Folders for Trips or Events
There are definitely events in our life that justify more photos, like trips or events.  Don’t put those into your 2025 folder because that will fill up your folder super fast and make your organization system more confusing. Make a separate folder for these trips or special occasions. The goal is to be able to take all the photos in each folder and make a photo album without any additional culling or sorting. This is all about building routines so we can organize as we go. You can always combine folders later, but separating them out is a MUCH harder process.

Start a tradition that will force you to print your photos
We are most likely to print our photos when it is part of an established routine.  A prime example of this is the holiday card.  Tons of people who never print any other photos will make a holiday card because that is just part of their routine.  If you can start other traditions that will force you to print photos it will help you stay on top of organizing and printing your photos.  Here’s one tradition that I’ve found easy to maintain over the years- The Birthday Poster.    

Lots of people make some sort of photo display for their kid’s first birthday. I just kept going with this idea and make a birthday poster for my kids every year. Each of my girls has a 16x20 “birthday poster frame” that hangs in our house year round. Then at their birthday, I replace the old photos with a new one. I just have to gather 8-12 photos each year and pop them into my template. It’s easy and manageable and my kids LOVE it! They look forward to seeing their new birthday poster each year. But more importantly, I love that I can stay on top of this routine without any extra stress. Plus when my girls turn 18 I can put all the birthday posters into an album and see their development over the years.

Life is crazy, I totally get it. So find easy ways to integrate organizing and printing your photos into your routine. That will make sure it actually happens.

All the Fun and NONE of the Stress

 

All the FUN and NONE of the Stress
December 13, 2024

Enrollment for the 2025 Year in the Life Experience is now open. I designed this experience based on what I want as a parent, so I know it’s perfect for busy families! Watch this video to learn more about what went into the design process and why you’ll love having your family memories captured in this way.

Use the button below to complete an interest form and I’ll get back to you with lots of information. Space is limited so I’ll be offering Year in the Life contracts to families based on the order I receive your interest form. I cannot wait to start this incredible journey with you and your family!

If you have any questions or want to schedule a coffee date to learn more about how this works, please get in touch with me.

What is a Storytelling Session?

 

What is a Storytelling Session?
March 8, 2024

A Storytelling Session is all about spending quality time with your families. Instead of thinking about your session as photos, think about it as doing a fun activity with your family and the photos will just naturally happen during the outing. But why would you hire a photographer for something like this?

Great question! It is SOOO hard to be the parent and the photographer at the same time. I’ve tried…many, many, many times! You miss the moment you want to photograph because your kid needs your help or you miss the opportunity to celebrate with your kid after an exciting moment because you were taking the photo. You are constantly being pulled in multiple directions and it feels like you are always just a second too late for both the photo opportunity and the parenting moment. Plus, you will never capture the complete story because you won’t be in the photos. And your presence is a HUGE part of your children’s memories. Seeing you in their photos matters!

During a Storytelling Session you get to be completely present in the moment, you get amazing photos that include the whole family, and I’ll take care of everything for you. I’ll even provide activity recommendations based on your family’s interests. Imagine how great it will feel to spend a wonderful afternoon with your family and then get a beautiful album full of precious memories without doing a thing! Your ONLY job is to have fun with your family.

You can do anything during a Storytelling Session, but these sessions are perfect for really active, hands-on, or messy activities. These are the memories we love but are so hard to take photos of while you are actively involved in them.

I just went biking with a family during a storytelling session last weekend! I kept thinking about how much I love biking with my own family. But of course I don’t have photos of us biking together, because as a parent my primary concern is for the safety of my own kids. I can’t take photos and look out for my kids’ safety at the same time. But as the photographer tagging along with another family, I could bike ahead or let the family pass me so that I got photos that included all the context that is important to the story. I could take photos while I was biking because I wasn’t also pulling a kid on a tag along bike. And most importantly I could get photos of the whole family in their line of bikes, which you cannot get if you are trying to do photos yourself. I cannot emphasize enough how happy it will make you feel to see photos of your whole family doing something you love together.

As many of my clients can attest, I am up for ANYTHING! If it’s important to you, I’ll find a way to photograph it. I’ve taken photos while boating, in the pool, on ice skates, riding a bike, on the sledding hill… My clients’ kids think I’m crazy and I love that. Capturing these adventurous moments is so exciting and giving your kids an album full of unique memories is worth the investment!

You can book a storytelling session here or contact me with any questions you have. I can’t wait to go on an adventure with you and your family!

Updated Location Guide

 

Updated Location Guide
September 13, 2023

Finally, the Location Guide has been updated! Over the last year I’ve explored so many new places so I wanted to add them to my list of favorite Madison area locations for family photos. In this guide you’ll be able to see some of the photos I’ve made in each of these places, along with some key factors to consider (location, parking, walking required, space for your kids to run around, available bathrooms, etc).  I hope this will help you select the best place for your family photos!

YOUR HOME

Believe it or not, my very favorite place to do family photos is in your backyard!  Kids are so much more relaxed in their own home, which makes it easy to capture their authentic personality.  And let’s be honest, it’s less stressful for parents too.  You don’t have the hassle of loading them into the car and making sure you brought all the pieces of their outfit that you want.  You be right by your closet when the baby spits up all over your shirt.  And you’ll have easy access to bathrooms, snacks, and toys if one of your kids needs to take a break for a moment.  I know what you are thinking, “My house isn’t nice.”  Don’t worry about that.  Your house is not the subject of the photos- your family is.  We can pile everyone onto your bed and make some great memories. 

UW Arboretum
2880 Longenecker Drive, Madison, WI 53713

The UW Arboretum is a great location for your winter, spring, and fall photos!  The mosquitoes can get a little out of control here in the summer, so I don’t usually recommend that.  This is my absolute favorite location in May when the Magnolia and Crabapple trees are in bloom.  It is gorgeous! Easy parking at the visitor center, lots of space for your kids to run around, and bathrooms available when the visitor center is open (Monday-Friday from 9:30am-4pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 12:30am-4pm).  You will have to do some walking at this location. 

Picnic Point
2003 University Bay Drive, Madison WI 53706

Picnic Point is a great place for photos any time of year! You have beautiful trails, a few small beach areas, the lake, lovely colors in the fall, and wildflowers in the spring and summer.  Plus they just added lots of additional parking, which is fantastic.  You will have to walk at this location and there are no convenient bathroom options. 

Allen Centennial Garden
620 Babcock Drive, Madison, WI 53706

Allen Centennial Garden is beautiful and compact!  This is a great option to get a variety of settings without having to do lots of walking.  There are tons of flowers, a bright red bridge, a nice grassy space, cute little benches, stone work, and a koi pond (this is a kid favorite). There are no public bathrooms available here, so keep that in mind.  And this location charges a $30 photography fee; so if you want to do photos at Allen Centennial Garden that fee will be added to your invoice.

Wingra Park
824 Knickerbocker Street, Madison, WI 53711

This is one of my favorite summer time locations! It’s right on the lake and absolutely beautiful. It’s great for portraits or candid family fun. If you are doing a Storytelling session Wingra Park is perfect because you have lots of activity options. You can swim, fish, play on the playground, rent a boat from Wingra Boats, go to the Chocolate Shoppe for ice cream, have a picnic, or play soccer/frisbee.

Monroe Street Murals
2531 Monroe Street, Madison, WI 53711

These colorful murals on Monroe Street will add a pop of color to your family photos. With two different murals right across the street from each other you get multiple options without having to travel. Plus they are right by the Chocolate Shoppe so you can get some ice cream after your session, or during! Lots of color and ice cream, your kids will love it!

Aldo Leopold
330 Femrite Drive, Monona, WI 53716

Beautiful location for fall photos!  Tons of trees with bold fall colors and you don’t have to walk to get to them.  This is a great option if you are bringing grandparents that may not be very mobile because there is convenient parking right by ideal locations.  There is also a lovely prairie you can walk into for more variety if you want to walk around. 

Olbrich Botanical Gardens
3330 Atwood Avenue, Madison, WI 53704

Olbrich Botanical Gardens is one of my favorite places in Madison. It is absolutely gorgeous! Not only will the gardens look beautiful in your photos, but your family will have a wonderful time exploring the unique plants and flowers in each section. Olbrich does require a photo permit and a $40 photography fee. If you want to do photos here I’ll need at least two weeks to request the permit and the $40 fee will be added to your invoice.

Owen Conservation Park
6021 Old Sauk Road, Madison, WI 53705

Owen Conservation Park is on a hilltop overlooking Madison’s west side. It has lots of trails that take you through both the prairie and woods and it looks beautiful any time of year. My favorite part of this park is a secret playground hidden in the woods. The surprise of finding a playground here is always a big hit with the kids.

Lakeview Park
6300 Mendota Avenue, Middleton, WI 53562

Lakeview is another great park for both formal portraits or a storytelling session. There is so much to do at this park- playground, splash pad, pond for fishing, lots of space to run around, beautiful wildflowers, and weeping willow trees. This park is great for a longer adventure because it has a really nice public bathroom and shelter for having a picnic.

Hilldale Murals
726 N Midvale Blvd, Madison, WI 53705

Another great option if you want murals in your family photos is Hilldale. There are five different murals in that commercial area, plus lots of fun activities like giant chess, yard games, and sweet treats. Hildale is a great spot if you want to explore and get some more candid photos. Then when you are done with photos you can get lunch or dinner at one of the Hilldale restaurants.

Olin Park
1156 Olin-Turville Court, Madison, WI 53715

Olin Park provides a variety of background options in one place.  You have the lake Monona with a nice little beach, open space for kids to run around, and a beautiful wooded area with wildflowers. There is also a playground here, which is a big hit with the kids for after their photos (or during, I love that too).

Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA)
227 State Street, Madison, WI 53703

The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art is the perfect location for the winter when you don’t want to be outside in the cold.  There are huge glass windows that let in tons of natural light.  And if you want to pop outside for a quick second you are right on state street with a great shot of the capital in the background. MMoCA charges a $25 photography fee; so if you want to do photos here that fee will be added to your invoice.

Pope Farm Conservancy
7440 Old Sauk Road, Verona, WI 53593

Pope Farm Conservancy has a lovely farm landscape with a variety of crops growing, tall grass, rolling hills, and some wooded areas as well. In August there is a field of sunflowers in bloom, which makes it a very popular location for photos. This is a great location if you have active kids that need space to run around. It’s not a great location if you are not interested in walking.

Vilas Park
702 S Randall Avenue, Madison, WI 53715

Vilas Park is right by the Zoo! So if you have kids, you know what I’m talking about. There are cute ponds, open space for running around, a sweet little bridge, and lots of trees that look lovely in the fall. And since it is right by the zoo and a Playground you can stop there after photos, OR we can just start there and take photos of you family having fun.

Marsh Woods Park
5399 Marshwoods Drive, McFarland WI 53558

If you live out in McFarland and don’t want to come into Madison, Marsh Woods Park is a great option. This park includes a wooded area, prairie, large pond, and a boardwalk that wraps around a giant weeping willow tree. It’s beautiful and peaceful!

Yahara River
2025 Yahara Place, Madison, WI 53703

The Yahara River is the perfect way to add some water to your photos without all the wind you get right on the lakes. There are even nice little spots your kids can dip their feet in the water, which is always a source of delight. There is plenty of street parking available so you won’t have to walk far, but there are not public bathroom options.

Tenney Park
1414 E. Johnson Street, Madison, WI 53703

Tenney Park sits right where the Yahara River feeds into Lake Mendota. If your kids like boats they will love this park because there is a working lock they can watch. This park has also has a beach, playground, multiple bridges, and plenty of space for kids to run around. The fall colors look really nice here and in the winter it’s a popular ice skating spot with a warming shelter and public restrooms.

Epic Campus
1979 Milky Way, Verona, WI 53593

Epic is a place like no other. If you’ve never been you should definitely check it out. Each building on the vast campus has a unique theme and every single detail goes along with that theme. It’s pretty wild! It feels more like an amusement park than a software company. The beautiful grounds are great for family photos and the themed building are a big hit with kids, especially Harry Potter fans. If you want to do photos here come prepared to walk. This place is big!

Stricker's Pond
7214 Longmeadow Road, Madison, WI 53717

Stricker’s Pond is right were Madison runs into Middleton. It has a walking path that goes all the way around the pond and takes you through both open and wooded areas. There is a playground along the way and several benches to stop and enjoy the view. Great location for families that live in Middleton or the west side.

Westmorland Park
4114 Tokay Boulevard, Madison, WI 53711

Westmorland Park is beautiful year round. There are beautiful wildflowers in the spring and summer, gorgeous leaves in the fall, and it is a great place to sled and/or ice skate in the winter if you want some action photos (which are my favorite)! Plus, there is a playground and public bathrooms here.

Enchanted Valley Acres
5047 Enchanted Valley Road, Cross Plains, WI 53528

Enchanted Valley Acres is a great way to get your family photos while you enjoy a family tradition- cutting down your Christmas tree. Not only is the tree farm is a lovely background for your family photos, but when you do your family photos here, your children will have the memory of finding the perfect Christmas tree. And believe me, that will mean more to them than any of the photos you take at a park.

Hann’s Christmas Farm
848 Tipperary Road, Oregon, WI 53575

Hann’s Christmas Farm is another great location for a tree farm session. Plus, Hann’s has an adorable little shop where you can get hot cocoa or cider, lots of yummy treats, and choose the newest ornaments to put on your Christmas tree. AND Santa is at Hann’s Christmas Farm, so you can see him and knock that off your list too!