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. Porch Sessions 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 […]

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: I wear a mask to every photoshoot. I do this to protect you and your kids. I also try to stay 6ft away at all times. Unfortunately I also can’t bring my own props for safety reason right now but you are welcome to bring your own. I am drastically reducing the number of sessions I offer this Fall. This should give us some leeway should we have to reschedule due to sickness. Which leads me to the next point: if you or anybody in your surroundings – or myself or anybody in my surrounding – feels sick or is sick or is running a fever, we will postpone. Safety first. Photographers received permission […]

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: No multi-household photoshoots (no extended family sessions) Keep 6ft distance at all times Photographer has to wear a mask All photoshoots have to be done outside No physical contact (so no physical exchange of money – it will have to all be done online and I will not be using props that you or your kids would touch) 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 […]

Hi there! Chances are you are stuck at home right now. If you are reading this blog you are probably at home with your kids and maybe your partner or your pets. You may want to use this time to get better at a skill or maybe you just want to document what is going on right now. Either way, in this blog post I have some advice on how to take great pictures of your family – not on vacation or in the studio but in your home or while you are out on your walks and hikes. Now first off – I am at home and homeschooling my own two kids so trust me, I don’t have time for elaborate photoshoots right now. This is not my goal for this blog post. This post is about how to capture your everyday life. The pictures are supposed to be natural and really capture your kids’ spirit (this is my goal for my family photo shoots too). You don’t need props or fancy equipment. I used three different kinds of cameras for this blog post: my professional cameras (Canon 5d Mk III and 5d Mk IV), my mirrorless “vacation” camera […]

It’s that time of the year again! Fall booking is open! In this post you will find all of the info and booking links for my Full family sessions and Mini family sessions since these two are my most popular options. I offer a lot of different packages but if you’re interested in other sessions, for example senior, newborn, or “Day of Lifestyle” sessions or studio, please contact me directly at info@alinesternphotography.com. I don’t want to overwhelm you! Please be aware that my package prices changed in 2019 – make sure you check out my new pricing before 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 […]

  As I am writing this post it is 14 degrees with a -2 degree wind chill and outdoor sessions seem far far away. BUT! Spring will be here before we know it. And I’ve had people inquire about my Spring and Summer calendar since September of last year, so here we are! In this post you will find all of the info and booking links for my Full family sessions and Mini family sessions since these two are my most popular options. I offer a lot of different packages but if you’re interested in other sessions, for example senior, newborn, or “Day of Lifestyle” sessions, please contact me directly at info@alinesternphotography.com. I don’t want to overwhelm you! First of all – if you’re worried about the weather let me tell you – every month is different and has different things to offer. April has Spring flowers popping up. There are no bugs and we still get the clear and clean winter light. It’s also empty in all the outdoor spots which is a bliss! We often get the prettiest flowering trees in April and early May. I know some spots that have really stunning Spring foliage! May is beautiful […]

  September and October have been crazy busy! I got to photograph so many families! I originally planned to play November by ear but the trees changed colors so late this year and now it’s warmed up a bit, so I decided to make it official and post all my family session dates for the rest of the year! This includes mini-sessions and full sessions! I am going to take December off to spend with my family (except newborns – newborns are ALWAY welcome in my studio :)) so snag your holiday spots now!   Outdoor Mini-Sessions $200 Mini-sessions include 15-20 minutes of shooting and 10 digital files with print rights. You pick your 10 favorites from the session and you will receive hand edited pictures in both color and black and white. I only do mini-sessions in Winnemac Park or close by Winnemac Park (I will do Giddings Plaza once they put up the lights!). I shoot minis only on weekdays. If you want a mini booked on a weekday morning between 9.30am-1.30pm, please send me an email at alinesternphoto@gmail.com. If you want to snag up one of my Monday spots (I shoot every Monday in November at 3pm […]

  As it’s getting colder every day, the leaves are changing, it’s time to think about holiday pictures! I host mini-sessions every year for two days in November. I will have two set-ups – one very neutral for those of you who don’t celebrate Christmas or who just prefer a simpler style one and one more Christmas-y one with props and a holiday backdrop. Where? At my studio in Lincoln Square/West Andersonville, close to Winnemac Park – easy street parking! What do I get? A 20 minute session and 10 edited pictures that you get to pic from a proof gallery – the pictures will come in both color and black and white, so really, you are receiving 20 pictures total! How much? $200 I require a $50 non-refundable deposit (if you don’t show up to your session, there will be no rescheduling! If you let me know you can’t make it, we will find a different date that works for you!) and $150 are due on the day of the session – I accept QuickPay/Zelle, cash or check. Here are the booking links: Saturday, November 3rd Saturday, November 10th Saturday, November 17th What else you need to know: -Please […]

My favorite thing about living in Chicago is Lake Michigan. I love that we have beaches right at our doorstep. Still, I had never done a professional shoot at the beach. That was until this family suggested it. I am so glad they did! We went to Montrose Beach. We started out at the Bird Sanctuary for some nature shots and then moved on to the beach. We found a patch of beach that we had all to ourselves. It was a hot and muggy day but by the water it was just perfect. The hour went by so fast as the girls were looking for seashells and jumping in puddles. I loved, loved, loved taking these photos. More beach shoots please! Well, maybe once Spring comes around …  

Fall is upon us and I get lots of requests, so I decided this year I will put my left-over dates together and people can book which day works for them.   A few important things to consider: -My Family Sessions are usually $300 – on those precious weekends between September and December they are $350, weekday shoots are still $300 -My weekends book up FAST so if you want to book a weekend spot, don’t wait! -I am somewhat flexible on dates and times. If you can only do Tuesdays or Fridays for example, I will see if I can move a session to that day. Also the times in the booking link are “Golden Hour” – that magical hour when the light is the most beautiful and most flattering – I will shoot an hour later in the morning or an hour earlier in the evening – just be aware that in general – this is when you will receive the best results. The only exception is a very dark and overcast day. In that case, we may want to decide the day of to have our session a bit earlier. Anyway – when booking, please tell me […]