Everything you need to know plus booking links
It’s that time of the year again! We are getting ready for Fall photoshoots – the best time to do pictures in Chicago!
First of all I’d like to talk about Covid. I am fully vaccinated. I arrive to every shoot with a mask. If you are vaccinated as well and you’d like me to take off the mask so you can understand me better I feel comfortable to do that with outdoor shoots, though I will still keep some distance to the kids. I am also totally fine with keeping the mask on so if you don’t specifically ask me to take it off, I will just keep it on.
I am still going to be very flexible with rescheduling if you or any family member feels sick at all. I just ask that you give me as much notice as possible so I’m not already on the way to our shoot.
Now – October is always my most busy month. There are several reasons why October is so popular – it’s cooler and less humid, sunset is earlier and sunrise is later so we catch that amazing golden light without having to worry about sleep schedules or cranky kids and most of all – of course the beautiful Fall foliage. However – October is also notoriously rainy. In October I cannot postpone shoots because we have an overcast sky or a windy day – there simply aren’t enough days. I will shoot in any weather except full on rain or very strong winds. If you have kids under 3 I highly recommend booking your session for August or September (my August booking is in the previous blog post). Small kids do not do well with cold winds and rain. If you are really set on late October/early November, just book a mini session or wait for my studio sessions to open up in November.
About studio sessions: at this point I am not sure how I am going to proceed about studio sessions. I will most likely offer my holiday minis in November in a studio but I haven’t decided yet where this is going to be. Stay tuned! I wish I could tell you more right now but I think I won’t know for sure until school starts in September. If you want to do an indoor shoot, for example newborn shoot – I do indoor shoots at your home – so that is an option. Send me an email to info@alinesternphotography.com to inquire about indoor sessions!
Here is my Fall pricing for 2021:
$350
Do you need an updated family picture? Do you just want some nice pictures of you and your kids but you don’t want anything time consuming? Then the Mini may be a good option for you.
Outdoor Mini sessions are 20 to 30 minutes long. I shoot most of my outdoor Mini sessions at Winnemac Park. It’s the perfect place for Minis because we can get a good variety of pictures in a short amount of time and the foliage there is gorgeous. I sometimes shoot Minis in other places if I have a Full session before or after.
Included in the price of a Mini are ten edited photos in both color and black-and-white. You may purchase extra pictures for $25 or upgrade to a full gallery. You will receive an online gallery with your photos to download as high-resolution files and an option to order prints.
$490 on weekdays $550 on weekends
In the Full sessions we take our time and try to capture moments and emotion. We spend 40 to 60 minutes together. We start out with the sort of pictures we’d do during a Mini session – smile in the camera, the perfect family portrait. After we get those shots, we play, we laugh, we run around. I’m going to make this experience as relaxed and positive and fun as possible for you and your kids. My goal is to get everybody out of their shell and to just capture love and personality.
With a Full session you receive at least 60 pictures, usually more, in both color and black-and-white versions. You will receive an online gallery with your photos to download as high-resolution files and an option to order prints.
$550
Since Extended Family Sessions are very popular this year I have decided to officially put them in my price list. For booking just book them as a Full Session but please mention in the comments during booking that it is an extended family session and how many people will be part of it. I do not travel further than 45 minutes from Lincoln Square/Chicago for sessions so if you are in a far West or South suburb, let me know, I know lots of photographers and should be able to send you some recommendations.
My extended Family sessions are always posed sessions. We simply don’t have enough time to do fun, unposed shots in extended family sessions and these kind of sessions can be very overwhelming for little kids so I try to not drag them out. A lot of clients book both a full session for their extended family photos as well as a mini or a full session for their own family on a different day if they want to get more pictures of just their family.
If you have more than 20 people, please contact me for pricing.
October/November Mini Sessions
September/October Weekday Full Sessions
September/October Weekend Full Sessions
If you’d like to change the day of the shoot (Sundays are my backup days for rain so I will only book a Sunday if absolutely no other day works) or if you’d like a different kind of session, like a newborn shoot, please email me at info@alinesternphotography.com
Thank you for your support and I hope to see you this Fall or before!
I am writing this today, on the first day of Spring. It’s been quite a year, my friends. Somehow we made it work. But I am looking towards a better future. I just got my first Covid vaccine yesterday and will be fully vaccinated by the end of April. The sun is shining, it’s warm. I hope you are doing well!
Even though I will be fully vaccinated – I am still going to be wearing a mask to your session (double mask or KN95 for indoor shoots), I will avoid touching you. If you want me to bring props like blankets or a box for littles to sit on please let me know! I totally understand that not everybody will be comfortable with using my props quite yet.
My studio will remain closed until Fall which is really a bummer but I have big plans for the Christmas shoots this year and will have an indoor space again for those (Covid numbers and Governor permitting) so stay tuned! For now I am still doing indoor lifestyle newborns and family session in your home if that’s something you are interested in. Please send me a message if you’re interested in an in-home newborn session and I will inform you about pricing.
As always I am offering two kinds of sessions – Mini Sessions and Full Sessions and I have kept my pricing the same for the last three years.
For Spring and early Summer (till the end of July) there is no weekend fee. From August till December the pricing is higher on the weekends since those spots are so popular.
There are several reasons to book a Spring/Early Summer sessions:
$290
Do you need an updated family picture? Do you just want some nice pictures of you and your kids but you don’t want anything time consuming? Then the Mini may be a good option for you.
Outdoor Mini sessions are 20 to 30 minutes long. I shoot most of my outdoor Mini sessions at Winnemac Park. It’s the perfect place for Minis because we can get a good variety of pictures in a short amount of time and the foliage there is gorgeous. I sometimes shoot Minis in other places if I have a Full session before or after.
Included in the price of a Mini are ten edited photos in both color and black-and-white. You may purchase extra pictures for $25 or upgrade to a full gallery. You will receive an online gallery with your photos to download as high-resolution files and an option to order prints.
$490
In the Full sessions we take our time and try to capture moments and emotion. We spend 40 to 60 minutes together. We start out with the sort of pictures we’d do during a Mini session – smile in the camera, the perfect family portrait. After we get those shots, we play, we laugh, we run around. I’m going to make this experience as relaxed and positive and fun as possible for you and your kids. My goal is to get everybody out of their shell and to just capture love and personality.
With a Full session you receive at least 60 pictures, usually more, in both color and black-and-white versions. You will receive an online gallery with your photos to download as high-resolution files and an option to order prints. Grandparents may be included in a Full Session but if you want to include cousins or friends or another family, your session becomes and extended family session – please contact me for custom pricing (depending on how many people, where, …).
Below you will find all my open dates until the end of July. The weekdays are flexible – if you really want to shoot during a specific week because your baby’s first birthday is that week or grandma is visiting that weekend but you can’t make the Thursday for the full session – let me know and I will work with you to find a day that works for both of us. On weekends I try to only work on Saturdays – because I have a family too! But should we be rained out on Saturday or if there is really no other day than Sunday that works for you, let me know and we’ll find a way!
Something else I wanted to mention – you don’t have to be a traditional family to do mini or full sessions – every year I do couples, maternity and even friendship sessions. Or maybe just you and your dog or cat – it is really up to you! If you’d like a headshot let me know though because those are cheaper than a mini session!
I am so looking forward to seeing and photographing you and your loved ones this Spring and summer!
As of today (January 30th) my studio is still closed and I am not sure when I can safely re-open but my guess is not before summer. This time of year is always slow for me but this year, due to not being able to utilize my studio, it is extra slow.
So to entice you, my dear client, to give this weather a chance and maybe get some pictures with stunning winter sunsets and sparkling snow or even some Spring blooms, I am updating my prices from now until the end of April.
The Winter Special
Outdoor winter minis or porch sessions
$200
If you’ve booked a regular mini session with me you know we can get quite a bit done. They always end up being longer than I planned, almost like a full session but done faster. Not this session – this is a 10-15 minute session and it includes 5 pictures. I am keeping these short because while it may be pretty out – it is still winter in Chicago and it’s cold! But if you want a pretty family picture in the snow plus a couple of close ups of your kids or yourself, this is the session for you! These are limited to the Lincoln Square/Andersonville/North Center/Ravenswood Area! Porch sessions can be done anywhere on the Chicago North side.
The Winter Special Plus
Snow session, longer porch sessions, …
$290
These are slightly longer sessions, more like my regular minis. These are 20-30 minutes long and include all the pictures that turn out during the session (at least 10 pictures), so you don’t have to pick later! We will talk ahead of time how you envision this session – want pictures of your kids having fun in the snow? Some snuggle under a blanket pictures? Some more formal family pictures to send to the grandparents?
I am also going to start offering indoor hands-off newborn lifestyle sessions in mid February. Please be aware that this could change depending on the regulations made by the mayor. For these sessions I will be wearing KN95 masks to guarantee everybody’s safety. I will not be posing baby but I will advice you how to pose and we will still get beautiful and natural photos of those first early moments. Please send me an email for pricing.
Covid safety is of utmost importance to me. I follow all the guidelines and I expect the same of my clients. Rescheduling even if last minute if you notice any signs of sickness no problem at all.
And since it will most likely still be cold – please be prepared for these sessions and dress appropriately. I have never met a kid who enjoyed being cold. If you invision pictures of your family in pretty, light dresses, please consider booking a summer session instead.
I miss you all and I hope to get to see you soon!
Read On
First off – due to Covid – both the regulations and to keep my clients and my own family save from Coronavirus, I have decided to only do outdoor sessions for holiday photos this year. I have two options: Porch Sessions and Festive Holiday Minis.
10-15 minutes, 5 pictures included
$200
These kind of sessions have become very popular during the early stages of the pandemic. I didn’t do them back then because we were still under a stay-at-home order and at that point we didn’t know how easily the virus was transmitted. We now know outdoor with proper distance is unlikely to lead to infection which is why I decided to make this an option for holiday minis.
How does this look like?
I will come to your home (outside only) and we will take pictures on your front porch or if you don’t have a porch – on the sidewalk by your house. This is a good choice for people with small kids (under 4) that may not tolerate being out in the cold and feel more comfortable in a trusted environment. You could decorate your front porch whichever way you like and you could even dress up in your fanciest clothes or wear Christmas pajamas. It is completely up to you! These sessions are quick and as easy as they get for you!
These are quick 10-15 minute sessions. You receive 5 pictures that are chosen by me (when you book you can leave in the comments what kind of pictures you’d like – for example all pictures of the whole family, close up of one kid each …). If you’d like to pick your pictures or choose more please send me an email and upgrade to a regular mini session ($340). At this point I can only do these sessions on the Northside of Chicago.
https://alinesternphotography.bigcartel.com/product/holiday-porch-pictures-november
If you live close to Winnemac Park or Lincoln Square and need a different date, please send me an email at info@alinesternphotography.com and I can see if I can fit you in on a different day.
Lincoln Square Holiday Minis
$250
10-15 minute sessions, 5 pictures included
Every year in late November Giddings Plaza turns into a winter wonderland. I’ve always wanted to do holiday minis there but I didn’t like that it gets crowded and it is usually pretty cold by the time the holiday decorations are up. But since I can’t do studio sessions this year, I am opening up two mornings, the week of Thanksgiving for holiday mini sessions. Please be aware that turnaround for these pictures is about a week. You may pick your own pictures but it will add at least four days to the turnaround (depending how fast you pick!) so if you need your pictures fast, you can let me know that you would like me to pick your 5 pictures for you. These are quick sessions meant for holiday cards, so no outfit changes please!
Both dates are in the morning from 8am till 10am to avoid crowds. Here are the dates and booking links:
I am sad I am not going to be able to offer traditional studio minis this year. I hope to see you all again for holiday studio minis in 2021. Until then – we will make this work!
It’s the middle of summer and a lot of people are starting to think about their Fall pictures – so like every year I am putting all my booking information and links in this blog post.
But first we need to talk about the obvious – the COVID-19 pandemic is still raging across our country and none of us know how the next few months will look like. Here is what I will do to ensure your and my safety and conform to state set regulations:
Now for booking :
Before you decide on when to book – every month has it’s advantages. August and September have warm weather and beautiful flowers but may not be great if you’re afraid of sweat or if your hair gets frizzy in humid weather.
Mid to late October usually has the best Fall foliage but it also rains more, so if you’re looking for a golden sunset you may want to book in September instead.
November has gorgeous colors – a mix of Fall colors with beautiful long wild grass and usually empty parks for photos – but it can be cold (make sure to dress yourself and the kids accordingly) – if you have little kids under 4, I recommend booking in the warmer months.
$340 in September/October or $290 in August
Do you need an updated family picture? Do you just want some nice pictures of you and your kids but you don’t want anything time consuming? Then the Mini may be a good option for you.
Outdoor Mini sessions are 20 to 30 minutes long. I shoot most of my outdoor Mini sessions at Winnemac Park. It’s the perfect place for Minis because we can get a good variety of pictures in a short amount of time and the foliage there is gorgeous. I sometimes shoot Minis in other places if I have a Full session before or after.
Included in the price of a Mini are ten edited photos in both color and black-and-white. You may purchase extra pictures for $25 or upgrade to a full gallery. You will receive an online gallery with your photos to download as high-resolution files and an option to order prints.
I am only offering one mini session a week right now. I know these are popular sessions and I may decide to offer more in October but currently this is all I am going to offer.
$490 on weekdays $550 on weekends
In the Full sessions we take our time and try to capture moments and emotion. We spend 40 to 60 minutes together. We start out with the sort of pictures we’d do during a Mini session – smile in the camera, the perfect family portrait. After we get those shots, we play, we laugh, we run around. I’m going to make this experience as relaxed and positive and fun as possible for you and your kids. My goal is to get everybody out of their shell and to just capture love and personality.
With a Full session you receive at least 60 pictures, usually more, in both color and black-and-white versions. You will receive an online gallery with your photos to download as high-resolution files and an option to order prints.
Below you find the links to book your session. I generally plan to shoot one weekday – mostly that will be Wednesday but if you can never make a Wednesday, please send me an email and I will try and be flexible! On weekends I only shoot on Saturday – I reserve Sundays as backup days in case the weather is bad or we have to postpone for other reasons. Also the best time to to take pictures is within two hours after sunrise and two hours before sunset, so I generally try and schedule my sessions then. Of course at the end of October the sun sets as early as 5pm, so please keep that in mind. These links are only to pay to reserve your spot – the rest of the payment is due on or before your photo session. Since November can be quite chilly I am only scheduling mini sessions for November right now – I will re-evaluate should we have a very warm Fall!
September/October Mini Sessions
September/October Full Sessions Weekdays
September/October Full Sessions Weekends
Thank you for your trust and support! I hope to see you all this Fall – happy and healthy!
For any questions please send me an email at info@alinesternphotography.com
Last week I found out that starting May 1st photographers in Chicago are allowed to take pictures again. At least for May there are some rules we have to follow:
I have added a rule to this for myself: in May and June I will only take on two clients a week and never on the same day. This is for your and my safety but also because it looks like I will keep homeschooling my own children for the foreseeable future and I don’t want the quality of my work to suffer. That also means I am booking up fast!
Another big change for May and June: I will LOWER my prices. I know most of us are suffering financially right now so I want to make photography more accessible but I am also still figuring out how this all will work, with me not being able to be close to my clients. I will go back to my pricing from two years ago which means:
$300 for full sessions
$200 for mini sessions
$150 for porch minis
Since I can’t do regular newborn sessions right now, I will do them (and price them) as regular full family sessions and mini sessions.
I will only do mini sessions and porch sessions on the Northside of Chicago though.
Locations: You may want to consider your backyard if that is at all possible. Most parks and nature preserves are not allowing photography right now. Hopefully that will change in June. Urban and downtown shoots are also a great choice right now! I have a few coming up and I am very excited.
So while this is definitely not the photography Spring and Summer I imagined, we will get through this. Please be patient with me since I am figuring all of this out just like the rest of us but my goal is to provide you with the same quality of work you are used to from me and to make you feel normal and comfortable … at least for a little bit.