chicago family photographer – CHICAGO AND SUBURBS FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER

chicago family, chicago weddings, children

The Anderson Family | a beautiful cloudy morning at Busse Woods In Elk Grove Village

Featuredby Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

So we managed to see a few beautiful elk cows in the grass on this lovely morning. I love when I meet new families especially close to the holiday season. I learned that Mama is a native to Minnesota and Dad is originally from Wisconin so naturally baby was not even going to be remotely bothered by the slight chill in the air. We had originally planned for a sunset session but you know how weather is and we landed on this lovely cloudy morning. It honestly worked out perfectly. The rich beautiful colors in this gorgeous backdrop have to be a new favorite. & can we just talk about the adorable pup. Oh my goodness. I hope I get more and more clients with their dogs. I couldn’t be more of a dog person if I tried.

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family

Charlie is four, mom and daughter session in Downtown Chicago | Adri De La Cruz photographer

October 7, 2020by Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

I cannot belive this little beauty is four already. We were there to welcome her, the weekend after her birth. She was so insanely beautiful and tiny with the darkestlittle curls all around her head. I have a photograph of my baby zo holding her and its one of my favorite photos of the two. They’re so close and inseparable. I love that they have each other and I bet that they become the best of friends. I got to photograph Charlie with her beautiful mama by the river a few weeks ago, and the weather couldn’t be more perfect. It was sunny and warm kinda like this duo. You can see just how much they adore each other. This location was bustling with life. We are still so careful to watch out for covid. But it was fun to see people on the river and enjoying the lovely fall weather. We had a blast during this session mainly because Chalie is such a little ball of energy and loves to dance.

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children, family

Orland Park IL, Meha family session | Adri De La Cruz family photographer

Featuredby Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

A few weeks ago I did this beautiful session at 3:30 pm. Why is that relevant? well if you’re a photographer, then you know how difficult brighter light can be for a session especially with little kiddos. They move fast and they’re unpredictable. Most of the space in this location was also very open. But if you know me, you know that I love a challenge. The Meha family was so beautiful ( as you can see from the photos obv) the babies are actually twins and it’s so funny to me how genes work and how unlike each other they actualy were. I absolutely enjoyed getting to know them, twins run in their family. For mom in both of her parent’s families, so it was def set in the stars to have her be a twin mom. They came in looking so sharp and I am so in love with these images, wide open spaces and a beautiful family in front of it is one of my favorites. I loved the beautiful blue contrasting sky. I hope that they trasure these for years to come.

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maternity

Becca + Miles Jefferson Park Chicago Maternity session | Adri De La Cruz photographer

August 28, 2020September 1, 2020by Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

I photographed the beautiful Becca and Miles expecting their first daughter a few weeks ago. It was the perfect cool summer weather for an outdoor session. Their dog Kip was such a sweetheart, in his old age he was able to explore and be a part of this session for his owners. This location was so insanely beautiful and I think it matched her beautiful gown perfectly. We had a converstation about what it’s meant to be pregnant during this crazy pandemic time. She shared with me that her family threw her facebook group showers and the amount of Ft during this time. Family is also driving in from out of town since theyre both from outside Chicago. Just a completely different experience it seems. Her positivity was just the best though. It’s very powerful to keep such an amazing perspective on life. I wish I could accurately capture her glow because it truly was the most radiant I have ever seen. I can’t wait to photograph her bautiful baby.

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personal, Projects, women

Standing in the light | Chicago and west suburbs photographer

Featuredby Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

This post is a little departure from what I usually blog, beautiful families with tiny humans who bring so much joy. But I think throwing something different at you is something you can handle. May even be necessary. I’ve been exploring what my womanhood means to me. & I probably shoud have shared self portraits along with my words, but sharing women who inspire me seemed more fitting. I would say that unless I found myself on the path that I am on I would have never even questioned what I thought about womanhood. These images are from Austin, the last location for the last workshop I hosted. I had a conversation with my friend B via Facetime recently, in which we agreed that for both of us so much perspective and change came about leaving our nests for these workshops. I can’t speak for everyone who has ever ventured out of their comfort zones but for me, I can’t live without the challenge. If I get too comfortable it becomes this nagging feeling that I need to push myself. That’s what these workshops meant. Pushing myself and in the process discovering more about what it means to fail and to get comfortable with the unknown. Im evolving my thinking and have so much to uncover but for now I’ll leave it at this new discovery is beautiful. This new questioning is amazing. Womanhood is dope as hell. I’m so excited to grow more into myself.

Can I also say how important it is to sorround yourself with inspiring women who are living their life in their own way unapologetically. Both Britt and Angela have in so many silent ways encouraged me to live authentically. This ish is hard, I won’t lie. I remember when I first became aquainted with these two women. Their existence and the way they moved through the world made me so uncomfortable. I think it was because to me, they were living true to themselves and I didn’t know at the time how desperately I wanted that to be me. These days I am living and standing in my truth. I know without a shadow of a doubt what I want and I am persuing that passionately. I hope this post encourages you to do the same.

“This life is mine alone. So I have stopped asking people for directions to places they’ve never been.”

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at home documentary, Chicago BIRTH, chicago family, Client session, family, infant, kids, minisessions

Front porch session | Davison Family, Downtown Chicago session

August 21, 2020by Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

During the middle of quarantine I offered my clients a tiny front porch session. This is the Davison’s beautiful front porch. I was so excited when I was the beautiful tree oasis right in front. Im always so happy when we can venture and do a few different things. It was so lovely to see them again. I had just photographed their birth story and getting to see a real life update

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Chicago BIRTH, chicago family, newborn

Fresh 48 Baby Ana Maria | Best Downtown Chicago and West suburbs newborn photographer

Featuredby Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

I came back to visit with this little lady the day after her birth. It was so worth it to be able to see her lovely face again with a little less puffyness and much more calmness. I would honestly recommend a fresh 48 if you budget doesn’t allow for a birth package. It did seem thought that over night the covid guidelines got that much tougher, the air had changed. There was a heavier feeling that things were about to change. This baby was slightly early and I’m so grateful I was able to be a part of documenting her arrival. Also how cute are her grandparents. They were there to welcome her the night before and stayed for a while to help around. I bet they were an amazing help.

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at home documentary, Chicago BIRTH, chicago family, hospital birth

Davison birth at Prentice Hospital | Downtown Chicago family and birth photography

Featuredby Adri De La Cruz | Photographer1 Comment

“Don’t be afraid of your fears. They’re not there to scare you. They’re there to let you know that something is worth it.”
― C. JoyBell C.

Birth is such a high. After every single birth I leave with a little bit of strength and joy. It’s absolutely joyus to see a birthing human relish in their strength. To actively see someone reach a finish line is incredible. Birth is always such a team effort, this beautiful couple worked together with a lovely goal in mind. Meeting sweet little miss A. The funny thing about birth is how unpredictable it can be, for this experience it seemed that everything happened so quick. But the pushing was such a prolonged state for this mama, variations of normal. Her absolute grace shone so brightly . She worked and worked her body into so much in order to meet her daughter. Womxn are amazing.

As always I am incredibly grateful to have been a part of this story. & I have already seen this beautiful family again. & they are doing wonderful even with this wild and crazy current

at home documentary, chicago family, family

Radford Family, the end of a nursing journey, Chicago and west suburbs family photographer

Featuredby Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

I know I’ve written before about how insanely special it is to be a part of my incredibly beautiful families journies. I have been capturing this beautiful family for a few years now. From little miss A’s birth up until now and the end of her nursing milestone. The Radford’s are such a unique and beautiful family. Big sister completely fills me in on all of the amazing things she learns with her mom at home. She loves nature and bugs. She had to pint out to me, to not destroy the milweed nessesary to Monarch butterflies, as I was stomping around in this beautiful field. Then right after I fell in a hole. But it was still hilarious and a great session. I look forward to our many other years together.

at home documentary, kids, personal

WALK ALONG THE RIVER CHICAGO FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER

Featuredby Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

Much of our adventures go undocumented nowadays since Im so busy with work and life, I have to make it a point to come back to this. My big boy will be 9 already at the end of the month. How on earth is that possible. It feels like just yesterday I was bringing him home. If you’re a new parent and or a new parent to be know that all the parent cliches are one thousand percent true! Every single one of them. I know I have a special chance to document their childhood and I should take more advantage of that. I can’t wait to have more freesom and explore the city of Chicago with these two more if we can’t venture out further. Life is changing but, it is also coming together at the same time.

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