Family photography and video Chicago it’s something I’ve been wanting to explore for a long time, and this little film of my own kids at Starved Rock is where I finally took that first step.
No crew, no plan, no script. Just me, my kids, and a camera at one of our favorite places in Illinois.
Experimenting with Family Photography and Video in Chicago
I’ll be honest video has always intimidated me. As a photographer I’m comfortable in the stillness of a single frame, but video is a whole different language. This little film is imperfect and short, but making it taught me so much about the power of moving images alongside photography.
Watching it back, I was struck by what video captures that photos simply can’t the sound of little feet on the trail, the way my kids move through a space, the energy of a whole afternoon condensed into a few minutes. It made me want to offer this to my families too.
Why I’m Bringing Video Into My Family Sessions
My work has always been rooted in documentary storytelling. I don’t ask kids to pose or families to perform. I follow, I observe, I wait for the real thing. Video fits that philosophy perfectly — and pairing it with photography feels like a natural next step.
If the idea of having both photos and a short film from your session sounds exciting and let’s talk about what that could look like for your family.
Starved Rock is one of those places that does the work for you. The canyons, the waterfalls, the way the light filters through the trees it’s impossible not to feel something there. For my kids it was all about the adventure, and watching them explore completely on their own terms was a good reminder of why I photograph families the way I do. No prompts, no cheese. Just life.
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