Kaleigh and her siblings bought a gift certificate for family photography for their mom to give to her at Christmas, and we just had their session in New Buffalo, Michigan a few weeks ago!
(Best kids ever, am I right?!)
But seriously, as a mom of 2, I totally endorse photo session giving for any gift for a parent! I actually have a standing annual birthday gift request of a family photo session each year, and my husband happily obliges... he doesn't have to worry about getting the "perfect gift" (spoiler alert - he got it!!) and I do all the hard work... outfit shopping! haha. I love that we get updated photos each year with our kiddos and us together, and I don't have to be the photographer for once!
Anyways, back to the Barretts! We scheduled our session for spring - April - and mom said that she would love a location of either a beach setting, or a cute town with a main street type setting and that SCREAMED New Buffalo, Michigan to me, so we went with it and it was absolute perfection!
We decided on the first half of the session downtown, using cute store fronts, sidewalks, alleyways and the harbor as our backdrop. They were coming in from out of town so I suggested apps and drinks at The Stray Dog before their session, and we met there! If you haven't been to this restaurant while visiting New Buffalo, I highly recommend it! So cute and if your party is over 21 and the weather is nice, the rooftop is AMAZING!
We walked from the Stray Dog all around the downtown/main street. New Buffalo is pretty compact and very walkable, so it was perfect. We found the best spots with beautiful backdrops and gorgeous lighting, and knocked out all of our photo combinations that we wanted.
We then headed over to the beach for the last half of our session! It was a chilly day (only 41 degrees during our session) so the beach was pretty empty (yay!), but you'd never guess that it was so cold based on this family! They were such troopers and stuck it out and acted like it didn't phase them!
I loved how their outfits complimented and coordinated with the sand, beach grass, sky, and water. They were both coordinated, but not too matchy, which I love in a group family photo! Take notes, guys! So, so pretty!
I am so excited to photograph all kinds of families, extended families, and family reunion groups visiting the area this summer! I photograph families, couples, proposals and more in a wide array of destinations, such as Michigan City (hello Beachwalk Vacation Rentals!), Union Pier, Lakeside, Grand Beach, Long Beach, Michiana Shores, Sawyer, the Indiana Dunes, etc! If you're visiting the area and still need a photographer to capture your family this summer, please reach out now via the contact form on my website!
1 Comments
Aug 19, 2023, 8:37:46 AM
Katie Cishcke - My family is renting a house in union pier on September 8-10. We are looking to do an extended family photo shoot. Please let me know if you have any availability.