Washington Island | Lavender, Tattoos, and Family
It was surreal having the whole deck to myself. Apart from the crew and a family who never left their car, I was only person on the ferry. Traditional ferry etiquette is to find a seat, gaze at the passing Plum Island, and maybe engage in brief smalltalk with a nearby retired couple. Instead, I circled the deck at least three times and explored in a way that I normally wouldn’t have for fear of social judgement.
Fish Creek Airbnb | Just Hanging Out With Family
At the end of the day, you don’t drive up from Chicago, fly in from Kansas, or travel from Europe for a photograph of your family “existing together”. Instead, it’s the moments like tossing a football with your cousins, competing to see who’s truly the best “Uncle John,” or watching your grandkids play with rubber lizards in the bed of your truck that make the journey worth it.
Ellison Bay's Bayview Resort | Three Sisters and Their Families
Every year, three sisters (who are now grandmothers themselves) spend a week at the Bayview Resort with their families. That’s incredible! I don’t know about you, but I can’t imagine coordinating my schedule with 31 other people for an entire week. It’s also amazing how close a family this size is. I know that my grandparents have brothers and sisters, but I don’t think I’ve ever met them (and certainly not their children or their children’s children).
Four Generations of Women | All Over Ephraim
This four-generation family session is proof that you don’t need a holiday to celebrate the special women in your life. These ladies have navigated life’s ups, downs, bumps, and bends together, and their bonds have only strengthened through the years. Do you have special women in your life? Here’s your reminder to let them know how much they mean to you :)
John and Diane's 50th Wedding Anniversary | Conner Family Rocks 2019
I had the pleasure of photographing John and Diane’s 50th wedding anniversary, and there are three statistics I’d like to share with you!
Frank E. Murphy Park | Doris and John's Big Family, and a Change of Plans
My mouth dropped when I pulled up to Harbor View Park. It was Friday morning, and the city was setting up for their Farmers’ Market. The problem? We were scheduled for a large family photography session there in ten minutes. Oops.
Along Sturgeon Bay | Four Generations Hanging Out
What made the day even more special was that it was the first time Wally met his newest great grandson; it was love at first sight, and Wally had him on his lap with every opportunity.
Björklunden in Bailey's Harbor | A Photography Session for Many Celebrations
You might not know that Lawrence University has a small campus in Door County called Björklunden, and in addition to university affairs it’s also home to a variety of concerts, plays (including Door Shakespeare), weddings at Boynton Chapel, and hiking trails. With a Lawrence graduate in attendance, Björklunden was the perfect spot for a family photography session celebrating Pam (the matriarch of the family)’s 60th birthday, a couple of engagements, and an absence of two front teeth.
Sturgeon Bay's Bayshore Inn | Five Generations Family Session
I photograph families of all different sizes, and with 29 people the DeVries family session was twice the size of my second largest of the year so far. 29 is a lot of people, but it’s understandable when you have FIVE generations in a single photograph! That’s incredible!
Fish Creek's Sunset Beach Park | A Door County Family Vacation
We start every extended family session with full-group shots, and I could tell that one of the small girls didn’t fully understand what was going on. As you can imagine, the idea of a photoshoot is really confusing if you’ve never been part of one before! I crouched down and ask what her favorite funny words was. She was a little shy, but her dad said “coyote.”
“Coyote,” I said, “that’s pretty funny! When I count to three, I want you to say ‘coyote,’ ok? One, two, three!”
“COYOTE,” she said, and she did great every photograph after that :)
Marti and Morry's 50th Wedding Anniversary | Ephraim, WI
Marti and Morry celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this year, and they called me and scheduled a photography session for themselves and their family. One of my favorite moments from the morning was when the kids came up to me (they were very photogenic) and said “We want to jump!”
Door County's Crossroads at Big Creek | Kids, Dogs, and Family
With six kids and three dogs, we had a lot of energy in our session and focused more on the in-between moments than traditional portraits. Each family takes photographs a little differently, and it’s important to tailor sessions accordingly. We started by the Heritage Village’s historic buildings for large group shots, walked to my favorite foot bridge, stopped in the fields, found a nice spot along the trail, and finished in the tall cedars by the parking lot. With all that covered ground, I was pretty tired by the end!
Fish Creek's Homestead Suites | Gary and Marsha's 50th Anniversary
To make the day special, Gary and Marsha rented a house in Fish Creek for their entire family to stay the week. Everyone had such sparkling personalities, and they welcomed me with open arms. I learned which of Gary and Marsha’s three boys was the biggest trouble maker growing up, their grandchildren’s favorite ice cream (chocolate and cotton candy), and narrowly escaped a $20 bet that the kids couldn’t wrestle their uncle to the ground in five seconds (I’d never been so relieved to count to six).
Jacksonport Beachfront Airbnb | Cheers to 80 Years Extended Family Photography Session
Beth scheduled a photography session for her mother’s 80th birthday, but she and her family got so much more than just a group photograph. After getting a few awesome pictures of everyone together, we split into smaller groups and got a TON of work done in an hour. In addition to the large group photograph, we captured grandma with all her grandchildren, each individual family, a mini engagement session, a champagne pop, and candids of everyone having a great time!
Casadont Family Christmas | Large Family Photography Session
The holidays are a time for family reunions, and for the Casadont crew that means several flights from California back to Sturgeon Bay. If you’re thinking of hiring a photographer for your family, I’d love to walk you through my process.