I can’t believe that almost a year after the great Groundhog Day Snowpocalypse of 2011, I am still in love with this winter. Yes, we’ve had a little wind and cold here and there, but it wouldn’t be Chicago without it. I’ve been able to enjoy long nature walks at lunch and as of January 31, I have yet to experience one day this winter so cold that my eyes tear up, only to have the tears freeze on my lashes. Winter 2011-2012, who are you, and what can I do to convince you to stay?

The Chicago Botanic Garden has been extra lovely this winter. The occasional snow blankets the grounds and shows off landscapes that are often eclipsed by the plant life in other seasons. Color, texture, shapes – everything is better with a little snow.

It might be the best winter ever, but I still need the occasional chance to escape the cold, and the greenhouses at the botanic garden are the perfect refuge. Being able to see the cold outdoors makes the toasty desert and jungle plant life all the more inviting.

Oh no! That plant will eat you! (if you are a bug)

How’s the winter in your neck of the woods? Have you been able to enjoy any winter adventures? Winter 2011-2012 is making me all the more excited for my December 2012 wedding! If you’re planning a winter wedding, drop me a note – I’d love to brainstorm with you.

My stop at The Grove in Glenview a few weeks ago was part “I need a non-botanic garden nature fix” and part wedding venue scoping. While The Grove is a bit outside my budget, it was nice to walk around and check out the grounds. Speaking of budgets, my brief time as someone planning a wedding on a budget has made me assess my packages and pricing. I will not be increasing photography rates for 2012, and I will also be introducing a special package for clients on a very tight budget. To qualify for the budget coverage, you will need to be willing to see your partner before your ceremony (this allows us to cut down on your contracted hours while not sacrificing any portraits of you as a couple) and your event should have under 50 guests. If you meet these criteria, you might qualify for photography coverage that begins at only $500! This package is perfect for those planning their second marriage, a vow renewal, an elopement or anyone who wants to have a small lovely wedding without going into debt! Contact me for more information.

Enough of the infomercial – on to the photographs!

The grounds at The Grove are lovely. It’s very much a nature preserve type of environment, and we know how I love spots like that!

There’s a lot of ground to cover at The Grove and in my wandering, I came across a lovely pile of fire wood and chickens!

While The Grove in Glenview, IL will probably not be the wedding venue for me, it will definitely make its way into my rotation of nature photography spots. I can’t wait to head over there and wander some more.

I’ve had a little more freedom the past few weeks due to my sweet new ride. Trusty and reliable fuel efficient transportation has allowed me to return to some spots I’ve neglected. You’ll remember the Garfield Park Conservatory from, well, from my last post. After having fun with my niece, I made a trip back this past weekend by myself for some quality alone time with my camera. Since I’ll be planning a wedding of my own this year (eep!), I’ve cut back on my photography schedule. I want to make sure I give my clients fantastic service, so I’m lightening the load a bit. As I mentioned in the last post, I’m totally booked up for 2012 weddings, but I still have lots of space for portraits. Anyway, back to my point. What was my point? Oh! Expect a lot more personal work to show up on the blog this year. I hope you won’t mind. I fell in love with photography wandering through greenhouses and forest preserves, and I can’t wait to share more of that work with you! Getting back to my roots has been a joy. I hope these photographs bring a little peace and color to a cold January day.

I loved loved loved the name of this plant.

Bringing camera gear into the warm, super humid conservatory from the cold, dry air outside often results in some fogged lenses until the gear comes up to temperature. While it occasionally tries my patience, sometimes I love the results. The fern photograph is a result of a slightly fogged macro lens.

Love.

BLOG! We have so much to catch up on that I hardly know where to begin! Since last we spoke, I’ve…

been featured on the Chicago Sun-Times blog

gotten engaged!

and I’m completely booked for 2012 for weddings! I still have several portrait spots available, and I’d love to spend an afternoon with you and your family capturing your loveliness. Do you have cabin fever already with the recent snow? Bundle up and head somewhere fun with me and we’ll have a photo adventure you’ll never forget!

Speaking of photo adventures, I had a lovely time hanging out with my very favorite photographer of all time, my niece, at the Garfield Park Conservatory last month. How can you not have fun with this girl?

I was so lucky to get to photograph Juliann & Brent’s Wisconsin wedding at Schultz’s Country Barn with the ever amazing Eau Claire wedding photographer, Kate Bentley. The wedding was beautiful and so many of the amazing details were made by Juliann. She was definitely a wedding planner in another life. For a detail girl like me, it was an absolute dream wedding! Thanks again to Kate for inviting me up and to Juliann and Brent for allowing me to share in their special day!

This is what happens when some of your wedding decor includes gorgeous vintage mirrors.