A Very Special Family Portrait Session

Tanya + Lavender’s family embodies a spirit of warmth, light, and love

I first met Tanya + Lavender many years ago through mutual friends, and our paths have crossed many times over the years at various pregnancy and infant loss remembrance events. Tanya + Lavender have had their share of heartbreak over the years, including losing 3 dear little ones during pregnancy (Sam, Oren, and Miriam). Recently they were blessed with the spunky little kiddo you see in these photos, Cedar.

When I ran into Tanya and Cedar at the most recent Forever in Our Hearts event (for pregnancy and infant loss awareness month, which is in October), we started planning family portraits for Tanya, Lavender, and their kids; Alana, Derek, and Cedar, as well as three teddy bears meant to symbolize Sam, Oren, and Miriam. This marked the first professional portrait session that the whole family has had, and it was so meaningful to be able to include Sam, Oren, and Miriam in these portraits as well.

Tanya + Lavender have been through so much, but I am continually impressed by their kind hearts, resilient spirits, and loving natures. These photos are in celebration of the sometimes brutal complexity and beauty of life, and are a well-deserved ode to an amazing family.

—Sam

Fall Family Fun Session!

Grace, the oldest of the three kids, insisted that family photos be included on the ‘fall family fun’ list she made for their family

And I couldn’t be happier! This family is always a joy to photograph and are such good sports when I make them do goofy things for pictures (like the expand and contract game, and the ‘let’s have a flossing competition!’ game). And after all, the family that flosses together, stays together (that’s a saying, right?)

Enjoy these fun family photos!

—Sam

Erin + Matt: An Engagement Session with Major Fall Vibes

An Engagement Session that’s Full of Fall Fun and Just a Little Witchy? Yes, please!

Erin + Matt’s engagement session was a blast! For one, it was a perfect and beautifully crisp fall day, and for two, what adult doesn’t love throwing leaves at other adults? (None adults, that’s who).

We can’t wait for Erin + Matt’s Halloween wedding next year, but in the meantime, enjoy the photos of their rad engagement session!

— Sam

Aisa's Fall Portraits

Aisa and her parents on a fall portrait adventure

Alright, so not only is Aisa just about the cutest name ever, but so is Aisa herself! We had fun tromping through the UW Arboretum and taking photos, and Aisa even made a good-natured demand that I carry her while we were walking around (which made it a little hard to take photos but was adorable). Enjoy these sunny and fun family photos!

—Sam

Evelyn + Carly and a Great Game of Tag

Family Portraits and an epic game of tag

Evelyn + Carly gave chase in an epic game of tag during their family portraits. They threw leaves, did cartwheels, and gave their parents (and me!) a run for our money! Enjoy these fun fall family photos!

—Sam

Eliza's 6 Month Photos

There is nothing sweeter than summer family photos!

I photographed Erin + Eric’s wedding in Spring of 2018 (check out the photos here) and was so happy to be able to photograph their daughter Eliza for her 6 month portraits!

We had a good time at the UW Arboretum, and Eliza was fascinated by the camera (I feel ya, kiddo, they’re super neat)!

Enjoy these sweet family photos!

-Sam

Aubrey + AJ: A Downtown Madison Engagement Session

a fun jaunt around iconic madison landmarks and ending with a summer Thunderstorm!

Aubrey + AJ, who live in the great state of Texas but are having their wedding up in the Madison area to be closer to family, came into town mid-July to scope out wedding plans and had their engagement photos at some of the most iconic downtown landmarks.

We started off at the Memorial Union Terrace for waterfront photos (and Babcock hall ice cream!) then scooted over to the Capitol Building (look at that dramatic sky) and then hit the Monona Terrace just as the rain started pouring and by the time we got back to the car we were all soaked to the bone but laughing!

We can’t wait for Aubrey + AJ’s wedding! Enjoy these fun engagement photos (and go get yourself some Babcock hall ice cream while you’re at it!)

- Sam

Ann + Sam: An Early Summer Engagement Session

Ann + Sam had perfect weather for their early summer engagement session in Fitchburg, WI

And it wasn’t even too buggy! (A minor miracle in a humid Wisconsin summer)

We started off snapping some photos with Ann + Sam’s adorable kitty friends at their apartment, then stopped by a little random stretch of woods that I thought was very striking (all dark evergreens and shadows, I love it!). We also had a blast at McKee Farms Park, singing ‘I Want It That Way’ while Ann + Sam slow-danced and giggled and it was pretty magical.

We finished up at the Vintage Brewing Company with some cocktails and good laughs, and I can’t wait for their wedding in June of next year! *squee* Enjoy the photos!

-Sam

Spring Family Portraits on the Farm

These family portraits took place on a lovely spring day with perfect weather!

We got to feed adorable baby goats, play tag, and blow on dandelions during this family’s portrait session. It was so lovely to see these kiddos run around and to see their parents play right along with them! Also check out some of the cutest goofy faces ever!

Many thanks to Michelle + Jon for inviting me to come spend time with you and your family!

-Sam

Family Portraits on the Rooftop at MMoCA

A rainy day forecast led to some beautiful rooftop portraits at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art

When the weather is iffy, Madison offers some fun indoor or mixed-use spaces for photos, such as the Madison Central Library, the Overture Center, and one of my faves, the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (which boasts both indoor and outdoor spaces in case there’s a break in the rain).

Enjoy these fun extended family photos!

-Sam

Rad Photographers Retreat - Bathtub Boudoir

You know you’re in a rad group of ladies when an impromptu bathtub boudoir session breaks out

But that’s just the kind of thing that happens with the kickass ladies who attend the Rad Photographers Retreat that is hosted annually by Natural Intuition Photography. Kailey + Krista were both game for some awesome bathtub photos in the AMAZING claw-footed bathtub (complete with skylight just above it) at the Rad Barn!

If you want to check out more thoughts on the Rad Photographers Retreat and the experience of attending, check out my review of the 2017 retreat here and the 2018 retreat here, and enjoy the photos of these two photography badasses!

—Sam

Feeling Yourself

A great boudoir experience is one of the most empowering, sexy things you can give yourself

“I feel vain loving these pictures so much!" — M

Girl, I get it. We live in a world where women are bombarded with how much we’re either not enough or too fucking much. How we’re not pretty enough, or are too smart, too intimidating, or are not thin enough, are too bossy, are not confident enough (men love confidence!), or too confident (men hate women who are full of themselves), and the list just goes on and on and on until you die.

Well I’m over it. And although I don’t want to be one more person telling you what to do if you’re a lady, I’m going to lovingly suggest that maybe you should be over it too. No one can live up to those super sexist expectations, and if even someone like the lovely Miss M pictured here (who is basically the epitome of the western world’s beauty ideal for women and also like the nicest most humble person on the planet) wondered allowed who I had photoshopped her head onto because she could not believe these gorgeous pictures were of her, then we’re all screwed if we can’t just give up trying to be this perfect, impossible, does-not-actually-exist woman.

Boudoir doesn’t have to be about impressing a partner (in fact I’d argue that impressing a partner shouldn’t be the main goal at all), and it doesn’t have to be only for the young and perfect, because most of us aren’t. What it can be about is taking an hour or two to really feel yourself. To celebrate yourself in all your fucking amazing glory, exactly as you are right now. To feel empowered and sexy and just pretty damn cool.

So if the concept scares you, I get it. But I think there are some pretty compelling reasons to do it anyway and to finally give yourself an opportunity to impress the one person that matters most… you. After all, you’re a pretty impressive person.

—Sam