Autumn in the Midwest is such a special time of year. The vibrancy of the foliage and the crispness of the air seem to draw us out into nature in droves. It was no exception a few weekends ago when I met up with The Steele Family at Cox Arboretum. Families walking with their children, seniors posing for their portraits, a wedding party with a large, loud & boisterous crowd, and countless photographers all shared the beautiful space of that park. Due to the large number of people walking about that day, I decided to start our session in the sparsely populated grass field as the sun started setting. Isaac and Annora both seemed eager for their turn, showing me their best ninja moves and princess waves. And Matt and Sarah took the session in stride as every parent of little kids must do (to preserve their sanity 🙂 Eventually we meandered through the park, surrounded by the glorious coloration of the sugar maples and sycamore trees. Everyone in the park was looking around in awe, as it seemed to be one of the peak weekends for gorgeous fall leaves. Part of the appeal, I would have to guess, would be the fact that it is fleeting. And as a mother of three, I would have to say the same could be said for every stage in childhood. Sometimes I look at my children completely astonished as they continually and frequently seem to change overnight.

THIS is why I love photography, honored to capture these moments and keep them in a still frame, treasured and preserved. And I’m honored when parents like Sarah and Matt entrust that enormously important undertaking to me. Matt & Sarah – you are both amazing parents of two fantastic kids. I see you enjoying these small precious moments of childhood and I’m so very happy I was there to photograph you all 🙂