The Adri Photo Co.

Tag: family celebration

  • Bug Themed First Birthday: An Unposed, Backyard Celebration

    Bug Themed First Birthday: An Unposed, Backyard Celebration

    Some of my favorite images aren’t from client sessions at all. They’re from the days I get to be family first, camera second. This post picks up where Part 1 left off: after the baptism wrapped, everyone carried the celebration home for a bug themed first birthday party, and I couldn’t put the camera down. My family and these babies mean everything to me.

    A birthday banner reading Our Little June Bugs with a large number 1, decorated with insect drawings and baby faces wearing party hats, above a table with snacks and party supplies
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    A Bug Themed First Birthday, Down to the Detail

    The theme ran through everything. My sister in law is an artist and handmade so many of the special things in the party. There was a hand-painted “Our Little June Bug” banner. My favorite were the baby photos tucked into party hats, plus amber resin bugs scattered across the tablescape. A plush worm with googly eyes stood in as décor, and the little cousins wore butterfly wings. This is exactly the kind of specificity I look for as a Chicago first birthday photographer. It’s the small choices a family makes that turn a party into something that feels like them, no matter what city it’s in.

    Family Moments Behind This Bug Themed First Birthday

    Every bug themed first birthday needs its centerpiece moment. The hand-sewn “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” banner and sage-and-mustard balloon garland did a lot of the visual heavy lifting. This party was so full of laughter and chaos. Kids playing in the bouncy water rental and the aguas frescas made by Abu. There was no shortage of delicious food. and the Piñata was my favorite moment to capture, with beautiful light and lots of emotional moments.

    A backyard full of folding chairs, coolers, and running kids tells just as much of the story as the cake smash. So if you’re planning your own bug or nature-themed party, details like these amber specimens and plush toys go a long way toward tying a space together without feeling overdone.

    Honesty over poses isn’t just my tagline for weddings and newborns. It’s exactly what made this bug themed first birthday worth documenting the way I did unposed, a little chaotic, and completely real.

    Baby sitting on a rug reaching towards yellow and blue balloons with a wooden wall and Happy Birthday banner in the background
    Chalkboard sign reading welcome to Ben's Bug Bash with drawings of a spider, bees, butterfly, worm, and ladybug next to balloons shaped like the number one
    A young girl holding and framing her face with an orange balloon animal
    Close-up of a baby in a white shirt with insect illustrations, looking toward the camera
    Green number one piñata decorated with paper bugs beside a bee-themed birthday poster with baby photos and food trays on a table
    A craft table with a long, brown stuffed worm toy with googly eyes, plastic blocks with insects inside, a red cup with orange liquid, water bottles, and various craft materials
    Toddler with hands clasped in front, birthday decorations in background
    Young girl in pink and white striped dress climbing on a plastic play car with other children and an adult nearby
    Toddler standing outdoors near a green piñata decorated with paper spiders, with people and a canopy tent in soft focus in the background
    Four children picking up candy and treats from the ground at an outdoor gathering
    A baby wearing a white crown with number one on it sitting in a high chair with chocolate smeared on hands and face, surrounded by an adult and another child. bug themed first birthday
    cups of mud, gummy worm and pudding for first birthday bug themed first birthday
    Group of adults and children sitting outdoors by a wooden fence, interacting and enjoying a gathering bug themed first birthday
    dad and son in dappled light bug themed first birthday
    bug themed first birthday
    Toddler raising hands outdoors in sunlight with a large number one piñata behind bug themed first birthday
    bug themed first birthday
  • Chicago event photography baptism | Baby Panek

    Chicago event photography baptism | Baby Panek

    A few times a year, I am hired to capture significant celebrations. This Chicago event photography baptism was truly special. Baptisms represent such a meaningful milestone in a family’s journey. The way I try to capture them is strictly more documentary, but I always sneak in moments to focus on one of my favorite subjects: Motherhood.

    cute baby with hat on Chicago event photography baptism
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    Capturing Connection Through Chicago Event Photography Baptism

    Additionally, choosing a documentary style for a celebration allows the family to truly remain present. However, many people worry that a backyard setting might be too simple. Consequently, I find that the most beautiful images often happen in these familiar spaces. For example, the porch swing and the rose bush in this yard are places this baby will see his entire life.

    Furthermore, the connection between cousins and grandparents was effortless to document. In addition to the ceremony itself, these quiet interactions are what make event photography baptism sessions so rewarding. Ultimately, these photographs serve as a visual bridge to the past. They remind us of the love that surrounded us from the very beginning. By focusing on these intentional experiences, we preserve the honest beauty of a growing family.

    baby playing on blanket Chicago event photography baptism
    mom holding baby Chicago event photography baptism

    Documenting Motherhood in the West Suburbs

    Additionally, as a professional photographer, I find that backyard celebrations offer the most authentic backdrops. While grand venues are beautiful, a family home provides a sense of belonging that cannot be replicated. For example, the way the light hit the porch during this Chicago event photography baptism created a soft, nostalgic feeling. Furthermore, it allowed the children to play freely on the grass between the more formal moments of the day.

    Consequently, these sessions become more than just a record of an event. They are a celebration of the environment where a child will grow up. However, many families hesitate to host sessions at home. In addition to the convenience, I believe the comfort of home leads to more honest, documentary-style portraits. Ultimately, whether I am working in the city or the surrounding West suburbs, my goal is to highlight the intentional beauty of motherhood. By capturing these quiet, everyday details, we ensure that the memory of this special day stays vivid for years to come.

    cousins at baptism Chicago event photography baptism
    parents at baptism Chicago event photography baptism
    A woman holding a baby on a brown blanket in a lush green garden surrounded by flowering bushes.
    A mother gently holding her baby while sitting on a blanket, surrounded by lush greenery, captured in black and white.
    A woman sitting on a blanket outdoors, smiling while holding a baby. They are surrounded by lush greenery.
    A mother holding her baby on a brown blanket outdoors, surrounded by greenery and flowers. The baby reaches out towards a flower while the mother smiles at her.
    A woman holding a baby close to her chest while surrounded by greenery and colorful flowers, with another child in the background wearing a white dress.