Welcome to my corner of the world. I’m Jenn. I’m a photographer. I’m a dreamer. I’m a romantic. I love to laugh. I cherish tears. I adore travel. I crave adventure. I live for the present moment. I’m a lover of light, texture and vibrant colors. I’m smitten by art in its many forms. I’m a reverent observer of what it is that goes on in people’s hearts. I’m a visual storyteller.  And I am blessed to do what I love.

These are your stories. I’m passionate about creating images that capture the essence of who you are. I specialize in lifestyle sessions with dramatic flair. One of my greatest joys is capturing your uninhibited expression of love for each other. I want to get to know you so your images reflect your authentic self. I am so thankful for the many friends I have met through my photography. This is where I share with the world how wonderful you are!

This is my journey. Life sometimes gets so busy that we stop to revel in the present. My blog is a way for me to take a deep breath and focus on what I am experiencing NOW. This is where I will share my own joys and struggles as I learn to live passionately, embrace my humanity, and open my heart to life, love and adventure. Dive in with me!

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(ALERT: Sensitive intimate portraiture in this post. May not be suitable for children, office viewing or conservative readers.)

Two years ago I began offering boudoir sessions as a way for women to celebrate their individuality and beauty, and if they so desired, to have a tangible gift to give to the man in their lives. And what emerged gave intimate portraiture an entirely new meaning. In boudoir we honor a woman’s sexiness, but it is by disclosing her inner strength in those intimate moments that she truly becomes empowered. While it is very much about her sexual appeal, it goes even further in portraying a deeper aspect of a woman’s exquisite character.  It becomes a way to express her sensuality in a classy and tasteful way rather than being overtly sexual as in pinup photography. It’s a celebration of every one of her beautiful features- both inside and out.

Another essential part of my philosophy as a photographer is to get to know you on a personal level so you are relaxed and comfortable and your photos genuinely reflect who you are.  This is even more important in intimate portraiture where there must be an even greater element of trust and comfort. I am there to coach you so you’re at ease in front of the camera and feel absolutely gorgeous!

What mood do you want to convey? Are you playful and flirty? We’ll focus on bringing out your natural charm. Do you want sultry and glamorous? Get those high heels and pouty lips ready! Are you looking for more simple and understated? A little lace slip and your sweet smile is just perfect.  Do you want to accentuate certain details, or show just a tease? No problem! The session is about YOU and we’ll spend some time talking about what makes you uniquely sexy.

So you walk away from this experience feeling fabulous about yourself- what’s in it for your guy? How much would he love an 8×8 nightstand album of your most smouldering images? Or a fine art book designed like a magazine spread that features you? There’s no doubt he’d linger over every delicious page…and come back often.  You can even purchase a miniature 4×4 keepsake version if he wants to bring your sexy little self with him on his next trip.  Not only is it a physical memento of your hotness (!), but it can be a powerful reminder of your sacred connection or a visual cue to rekindle some romance.

And guys, it’s pretty clear how you’ll benefit from this sexy little session, but what if you gave this entire experience as a gift to your girl?  She can bring a friend with her and she’ll get to sip champagne, have her makeup done and feel completely pampered in an hour long photo session all about her.  And we promise, you’ll love the end results too! So really, you both win.

So how do we move forward? Collections begin at $350 and each level includes an online gallery and a select number of high resolution digital images. Most even include an album. Prints, album upgrades, additional digital images, and makeup sessions are included in subsequent collections. And if you book your session through the month of February, you’ll get the Winter Special of 10% off any collection! (If you do not need the images by the end of February, you can still book at this rate and we can get your appointment on the calendar for a later date.) Turnaround for Valentine’s Day sessions is 4 days for digital images and 1-2 weeks for gifts, so make sure you plan accordingly.  Wanna make it a party? Book with a friend and you’ll both get an additional $50 off any collection! Please feel free to give me a call for more details! 773.789.8706.

(Many thanks to Lillian Toma of Starlight Makeup and Diem Angie Nguyen for makeup artistry in these images.)

Among my favorite Chicago weddings of 2011 was Shweta and Jay’s beautiful Hindu ceremony at the Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Itasca, Illinois. I cannot express just how much I love the vibrant colors and beautiful customs of Indian weddings!! I am looking forward to posting more next year, but in the meantime, here is a sneak preview of Shweta and Jay’s gorgeous day.

I cannot get enough of Shweta’s beautiful eyes. She glowed with her jewelry and ornate saree.

After their ceremony, we spent some time at the Hyatt Lodge at McDonald’s Campus once Shweta and Jay completed their outfit change.

We ended the day at the the fabulous Waterford Banquet Hall in Elmhurst. I cannot wait to share with you how dramatically the room was transformed!! All the best for a fabulous 2012!

A few months ago, I had a the honor of shooting Tosha & Chris’s fabulous wedding in St. Louis, MO at the Hotel Frontenac.  The best thing about these two is that they can be incredibly glam one moment, and laughingly affectionate the next. A month before their wedding, I spent some time with them at their home in New Smyrna Beach, Florida for their engagement session, and got to see the many fun sides of their personalities! They truly have an incredible story, and are beautiful individuals inside and out. It was such a joy to witness the joining of their hearts and families. The entire day had a warm glow to it, and I’m excited to show off some of their fantastic wedding details.

Seriously, Tosha can you be more radiant? And Chris looks like he’s straight out a magazine!

There was not a detail missed at their romantic ceremony and their elaborate reception. Travis McBurney of True Colors Events truly outdid himself. (They are based out Seattle, Washington and work worldwide.) With a tremendous vision in mind, Travis assembled a team of incredibly creative and talented individuals to make Tosha and Chris’s fairytale wedding come true.

The reception room was breathtaking!

Erin at Exclusive Events was the artist behind the decor, draping, lighting and dance floor. Randy at Aristry Florist designed the gorgeous florals and additional decor. Rentals were by Premier Party Rentals and linens through Connie Duglin Linens.

I am so thankful to have been invited to capture their dream come true, and I am so very happy for Chris and Tosha’s new beginning together!! I wish you both the very best!

I adore warm autumn days, yummy food, and photographing pretty things. So naturally the preview luncheon Chicago Botanic Garden hosted to show off their fantastic new wedding venue, the Pullman Barn, was a dream. There was already quite a buzz in the air about their gorgeous new rustic space for intimate weddings, rehearsal dinners, showers, and smaller celebrations. As a big fan of the shabby chic, vintage, organic feel, especially for weddings, I knew I would love it.  So when the trolley dropped us off and I beheld the wooden chairs set out in the ceremony site and the lovely yellow wreath of flowers by Jan Channon on the barn door, I was smitten. We walked through the gate into a lush garden dedicated to the ceremony area.

Once we walked in, we were greeted with self serve lemonade and iced tea, sweet potato bisque shooters, and warm Peach-Bourbon tea.

The tables were decked in gorgeous cream flowered table runners and napkins fastened with raffia from BBJ Linens. The florals were simple, elegantly understated, and absolutely stunning. The yellow flowers seemed to bask in the golden light that streamed in through the windows.

After connecting with several new wedding professionals and taking in the decor, it was time to satisfy my appetite. Chef Jake Peck of Culinary Landscape, CBG’s exclusive caterer, created a menu that was as tasty as it was visually appealing. The buffet style meal was served on Hall’s Rental lovely vintage china.

The jalepeño cheddar cornbread muffins and BBQ spiced shrimp were phenomenal.

But the sweets were to die for. I wished I had room to eat all of them: Stone fruit with simple syrup, peach cobbler, campfire s’mores flamed to order, Mississippi mud pie (mmmm) and pumpkin cheesecake with caramel corn.

As a parting gift, Chef Jake sent us home with his homemade apple butter. I am savoring every bit of mine.

Connie Bolle and Kristina Perez of the Botanic Garden really outdid themselves with this event!  I adore Chicago’s newest rustic wedding venue and I’m looking forward to seeing the Pullman Barn in use.

For more fabulous images, be sure to check out these posts by Jeremy Lawson and CBG, as well as the lovely write-up from Beth Bernstein of SQN Events.

Remember Lesley and Matt’s winter engagement session on Landlocked Bride? Well these two tied the knot this past Saturday at Chicago’s Newberry Library! I am squealing over Fleur‘s beautiful florals and the gorgeous light we had before their ceremony!!! Lesley and Matt were their playful, fabulous selves and thanks to Heather Vickery of Greatest Expectations, we had an incredibly smooth and glorious day. I couldn’t help but share this quick preview from their day. Stay posted for more loveliness!

Lesley is just ravishing, and her look was styled by Brandon of Sonia Roselli Makeup and hair by the amazing Livia Caporale.

I may be a little biased, but I think I have the best clients in the world. No, in fact, I’m sure of it. And every once in awhile I get to meet a couple that I feel like I’ve known for years. That’s what it was like when I first met Nikki and Eric. So much so that before we had even met in person, Nikki and I were chatting like old friends on the phone. To the point where she unabashedly asked me about my dating life…and I indulged! And when I got together with the two of them, I just knew I had to shoot their wedding.

You may remember when I shared Nikki and Eric’s story from their downtown Chicago engagement session in the spring. And true to form, their wedding day was filled with much more laughter, emotion, and many tears as their loved ones celebrated with them. Here are a few of my favorites.

I loved Nikki’s Vera Wang shoes and her Enzo Angiolini sash!

We started in downtown Chicago at the Seneca Hotel before heading to St. Paul’s United Church of Christ for the ceremony and further preparations.

Huge thanks to Otto for capturing these beautiful moments before the ceremony.

One of the biggest factors in having spectacular wedding photos is planning enough time in the day to capture the entire bridal party as well as moments between the couple. To truly capture genuine emotion, it’s important to allow things to unfold naturally. While I do some coaching, the real magic happens when people’s true personalities emerge! Nikki and Eric created plenty of margin for this, and even though it had been pouring rain hours before, we ventured to Grant Park and Millennium Park for their photo shoot!

We ended with some fun quintessential Chicago photos on Michigan Avenue before heading to their reception at Spiaggia downtown.

I loved that Nikki & Eric provided flip flops for their guests so they could get their dance moves on!

And Nikki surprised Eric with the ultimate pro football groom’s cake: Green Bay Packers on one side and Wisconsin State on the other!!

Nikki’s Dad got the laughter and the waterworks going!

As did her Maid of Honor…

Nikki and Eric, thank you so very much for inviting me to document your special day. I am so very grateful our paths have crossed and I wish you many years of joy together!

I continue to be blown away by the amazing clients I meet.  Laura and Brian are one of those couples that make me so very grateful to do what I do. It was truly an honor to capture each beautiful moment of their wedding day.  I am so thankful to Brian’s brother, Erwin Delfin, for connecting us and to Jaclyn Simpson for shooting with me.

I confess this shot was inspired by another artist I admire, but I loved the folds of her dress as the light hit it!

Laura’s hair and makeup were flawless thanks to the exceptionally talented Lillian of Starlight Makeup, and she was radiant!

One thing I most love about Laura and Brian is that they are complete romantics like me! They both wrote each other letters to read before the ceremony expressing their love to one another.

Laura tried REALLY hard not to cry!!

Their ceremony was rich with emotion from the moment Brian saw Laura and her father gave her away…

Among the stolen glances of joyful adoration, there were also a few tears…

There were some poignant moments and those full of laughter.

St. Paul of the Cross in Park Ridge was full of beautiful light and incredible arches.

I loved Brian’s glee after their first kiss at the altar!!

In Filipino tradition, there are several sponsors that bring gifts of coins, and drape them with a cord and a veil. It was so beautiful to see this incorporated into their wedding ceremony.

Think these guys were excited at all??

After the ceremony we braved the rain to capture some more moments together.

Here’s a quick peak of the beautiful florals from Kathy of Palomino Floral Designs.

Once at Cafe La Cave, we took advantage of the beautiful arched windows.

The ballroom at Cafe La Cave was transformed by florals from Kathy of Palomino and Laura’s own labors of love in creating the menus and bookmarks as well as her mother’s careful hand with the favor boxes.

One of their friends prepared a little “musical treat” for them, and had the place in stitches!

One of the most moving parts of the night was when JJ Kim of Orange Wedding Films helped Laura and Brian surprise their friends and family with an amazing slideshow and same day edit of their wedding footage. I’m repeatedly blown away by JJ’s talent, and this was no exception. JJ and his team truly went above and beyond in delivering a beautiful experience!

Laura and Brian also had a photobooth where guests could wear props and take 4 frames of fun and silliness together!!

Their dessert and sweets table was to die for!

They did not hesitate to party it up the rest of the night.

Laura and Brian, thank you from the bottom of my heart for inviting me to capture memories from your special day. It was truly an honor and getting to know you has been such a joy! I am so thankful to have been a part of your wedding celebration and I wish you both all the very best!!! xoxo

She was the new girl in Chicago. He was the seasoned resident. When Nikki moved here from St. Louis almost three years ago, she never imagined meeting a guy within the first few weeks of arriving. Mutual friends set the two up, and their chemistry was instant and compelling. It was clear Eric was just the man for the task of showing her the city.

They continued to cultivate their relationship, and as their connection deepened their hearts confirmed their desire to continue their journey in life hand in hand. Two years later in the stunning Riviera Maya in Mexico, Eric professed asked Nikki to spend the rest of her life with him. She jubilantly consented.

I was captivated by Eric’s devotion and Nikki’s honesty and laughter. They are lovers of life, and their warm spirits drew me to them instantly. They are the kind of people that leave you feeling rejuvenated after having spent time with them. And I am so grateful to have spent an afternoon capturing their expression of love!

We stopped off the get Ollie, their beloved dog, for the last series of photos at Montrose Harbor. He was such a doll!! I hear he is going to make a special appearance at their wedding…

By far my favorite time to shoot is in the evening right before the sun sets to get that warm glowy light.

Eeeeeee, don’t they just make you squeal with delight?! Seriously cannot wait for their wedding!!!

One of the things I most adore in the wedding industry is the talent I am surrounded by from my fellow creatives- photographers, floral designers, event planners, stationery designers, and blog editors. Whether it’s a styled shoot, a wedding, or an engagement session, I am continually challenged by my colleagues’ work to see things differently, think outside the box, and push myself to a higher level of artistry.  One of my greatest sources for inspiration is the ingenuity that shows up almost daily on my favorite wedding blogs. With a knack for finding the most unique trends for weddings, the best blogs appeal both to brides and industry professionals. I started following Landlocked Bride last year, a modern wedding blog dedicated to providing design inspiration for Midwest and Mountain weddings. Brit Tucker Stewart started the blog in 2009 and has since been sharing her exquisite taste and fabulous resources in a fresh and creative way. I am so honored to have Matt and Lesley’s Naperville engagement session featured today on Landlocked Bride. If LLB isn’t on your radar,  you’ll definitely want to start following to see what else Brit has in store!