oak park family photography – CHICAGO AND SUBURBS FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER

at home documentary, chicago family, Client session, family

The Dryfhout Family session | Homer Glen IL photographer

Featuredby Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

The absolute most kind of people also happen to be the most beautiful. We did the math during their session and I have been photographing their beautiful family since before little miss E was even alive. How insanely special is that. I’ve seen two of their stunning homes and have seen the kids go through various changes. Now they’ve added an adorable pup. I always say that Matt won the wife lottery (mainly to myself) but you can see from these images that theyre all so beyond lucky to have each other. I cannot stress enough how welcoming and lovely they are. Getting to catch up and see the brand new adventures they’ve made is so much fun. Miss Z + E make me jealous, for my own little Zoe, I know she wishes she had a sister. I myself had 2 but they came almost a decade after me. It’s also crazy to see just how tall Mr. A got, close to being over six feet. He will absolutely surpass his dad. He’s just as handsome as ever and so clever. I have said it before and I’ll say it again, there’s no such thing as a bad location. We shot these in their front yard, around their house and in the back. There is always some kind of magic everywhere.

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at home documentary, chicago weddings, couples, wedding

Lupe and Jordan get married, Chicago and west suburbs elopment photographer

Featuredby Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

I took on this beautiful elopment of sorts a few months back. Jordan and Lupe were, like most couples just trying to wed in this weird situation of a year. Sorrounded by their extended family and friends and practicing safety protocols they wed in a beautiful ceremony. Lupe looked insanely beautiful, I mean look at that dress! We then headed to this lovely park near for some more portraits. Thankfully it was near, since I guess with all of the nuptial chaos the groom forgot to add gas to his car. We walked over to this hill and I got to experience all of the love and admiration they share for one another. I hope their life is amazing together and that they get to see those images and remeber how not even 2020 could stop them for moving their lives and love forward.

at home documentary

LUNDE FAMILY- FRONT PORCH SESSION- AURORA IL

May 13, 2020June 2, 2020by Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

It’s my first session back! finally. I can’t believe it. I’m so so happy to be back to work. The time away from all of my clients has been hard but also it solidified that I absolutely love my job so much. This new normal has been so hard on all of us. Harder on others, i don’t doubt. I feel so grateful that I am able to slow down my time and get time to stay home with my kids. I know many essential workers don’t get that luxury. I am planning a giveaway for some of those families.

I photographed this sweet session, and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Being confined to a single space is new to me. Also I wasn’t sure how I would accomodate the social distancing and how it would influence my shooting style. I am happy to say that I can manage. I have added some tigher crops in post for a little variation that I love, and maintaining my favorite wide angle shoots. I guess if you’re not a photographer this all means nothing to you. haha, All of this to say, I loved it.

What a time to be a live. I am a true believer that art can always bring some strenght and beauty to any specific moment. The memories of this time will be so rough. But capturing some smiles can soften that up. If you are able to have a photographer capture your family, I highly encourage you to book it. Time is fleeting, even if its the crappiest time currently.

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Client session

Camblin Family session in Elmhurst IL Wilder Mansion

Well this session was a big surprise. I do believe this was my first big family session without any babies. It also made me think about the direction of my work and how to incorporate my personal work as my kids get older. I do think it’s a thing of beauty to still want to […]

December 17, 2020

Chicago BIRTH

Hannah and Eric, Lincoln Park maternity session

Sweet December is here, and the time to meet this sweet little baby is nearing. Time has absolutely flown by. I’ve been pregnant a number of times and have given birth just twice. Both times it was a defferent experience. I brought those babies home and I was a different person. After my son I […]

December 9, 2020December 9, 2020

at home documentary

My loves | Adri De La Cruz Chicago family photographer

I cant believe we’re here, so close to December. Just about to celebrate Thanksgiving. As I mentioned in on my previous post things are looking different in the future for us. Perhaps this is too heavy and personal for my photography page or perhaps it’s just what my clients need from me. To see me, […]

November 25, 2020

beach session

Mayorca family at the South Shore beach | Adri De La Cruz, Hyde Park family photography

October 8, 2019May 11, 2020by Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

Throughout our whole session I felt so connected to their family story. It was so heart breaking to hear the longing to be somewhere else, to go back to their home Venenzuela. But truly the way I saw them, it felt that even though circumstances (much like my own) have forced them to migrate to other places, they truly felt at home with each other. They radiated the word home and belonging. Their children just were so connected and beautiful.

We chatted about how we struggle to hold on to our native tongues for our kids, and how so many words online have hurt us deeply. Home is wherever you are, that may be true. But I hope that they get to return and feel that sense of belonging everyone deserves. For now I get to make new friendships in this beautiful city. One which I’ve adopted as my own. Its my home.

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beach session, Chicago BIRTH, chicago family, maternity

Goddess at the beach | Chicago maternity beach session, Adri De La Cruz

August 6, 2019by Adri De La Cruz | Photographer1 Comment

Flabbergasted by her beauty.

Sometimes in this line of work you get meet some truly calm and powerful souls. The way in which she told me her birth plan was amazing, full of hope and steadiness. Nothing could rock her.

For her session we headed to the beach, probably the only available location due to the high temperatures, the typical icy lake turned Luke warm. It was refreshing. To say that she made my job easy would be an understatement. It like she was made for basking in the sun.

To give you an update she had her birth, that same one she told me about, she brought to fruition. Just like I knew she would.

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Client session, family, infant, kids

A little time in the sun, commercial shoot| River Forest IL, family photography, Adri De La Cruz

June 17, 2019May 12, 2020by Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

An amazing company reached out for this shoot! So I headed out to these beautiful woods in River Forest IL. It’s such an amazing town. Pay’s family was just so stunning. This little baby was so chill and easy going, she really made my job so easy. Every time she had a moment, dad would put on baby shark and she was all smiles.

One of the most important aspects of my job is making sure I capture families in their truth. & Have their love be reflected 100%. So it was so much fun to capture their love. Also I was so grateful for the cooler sun shine day. In Illinois we really have to be mindful of ticks and other bugs.

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at home documentary, Client session

Creative mama + kid session | Adri De La Cruz Chicago + West suburbs, family photographer

October 17, 2018by Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

The beauty of this world can be found everywhere you go! for this beautiful session, we headed to this local coffee shop as well as a walkway. I just loved how spunky and full of smiles this duo was. Heather is a fellow local photographer, I absolutely fell in love between the bond of her and her kiddo.

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at home documentary, Client session, family

Kerns Family | Adri De La Cruz Chicago and west suburbs lifestyle family photographer

August 8, 2018by Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

I met Lydia online.

She was a part of a private and small Facebook group started on WebMD, aimed at coping with miscarriage. That one thing unified a group of about 12 of us. I’ve loved her ever since. She’s one of those girls that can see your point of view but then tell you kindly and calmly how wrong you are without making you feel bad for it. Obviously, we were meant to be friends.
She invited me to join her in her new home in North Carolina to take some photographs of her beautiful family. They are all each authentically beautiful and I’m so honored to have been able to capture a slice of their love. Also that baby! I mean how freaking adorable is she? She gave me allll of the damn baby fever in the world.

We need to plan a girls trip soon for sure! I love her to pieces and even more so know that we became IRL friends. Oh how the world has changed.

Client session, family, infant, kids

Potempa Family | Adri De La Cruz- Chicago and west susburbs family photographer

July 6, 2018by Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

Oh man! this baby and those eyes. He smiled from the moment he arrived until he left. I had such a lovely time photographing this beautiful family. They truly made my job so so easy! I am so so glad that we pulled an early 8 am session for this one, the heat is unbearable lately, and this babe, I think really appreciated the shade and the promptness. I had this idea for incorporating a waterfall, but we changed the plans to this little patch of grass, and I love how these turned out. Mr. William was all smiles!

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children, short personal stories

Sometimes a little throwback is needed | Chicago and sorrounding area family photographer

April 19, 2018April 19, 2018by Adri De La Cruz | PhotographerLeave a Comment

We are so over winter.

I know, I know how so very whinny of me. So with that, I am torturing myself sharing old images of warmth and sunshine. Plus I really really miss that cute little dress, it seems that we wore that every day of summer two years ago. I am currently in the midst of some inner feeling dealings, I’m not even sure what it is about the in-between time of winter-spring that I find so hard to deal with. Yet I am always so grateful for these two, they keep me grounded. Even though this motherhood gig just somehow keeps getting tougher, it also keeps getting more and more beautiful.

See I kept it short and sweet! I am so looking forward to warmth, Spring hurry up will ya.

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