schaumburg family Archives - CHICAGO WEDDING & FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY

Wood Dale Family Photographer | Quantifiable Beauty

I heard something recently. It said ” dreaming is a form of planning”. It resonated wildly with my soul. Everything I’ve ever wanted started as a dream. Me with my wild expectations. Most of the time when I would voice my dreams to others it would sound like I lost my damn mind. It always made me feel slightly crazy. But the thing that I have learned is that people lack imagination. Most are living and acting from a place of fear. Without intention. I have always felt this nagging voice for more. Not more in a form of quantifiable things, but more beauty, more aliveness more feelings. It’s probably why I felt pulled towards this medium. I want to record and preserve as many feelings as I can. I guess I’m a junky for that.

I took these self portraits right before heading out and capturing my loves. But I felt the need to make a separate post because I want to encourage others to dream. I never grew up being asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, so perhaps thats how I’ve allowed myself to be whatever the (insert bad word) I want. I am a bunch of things. I’ve dreamt about most. Being a mother was a big one. I dreamt of building up little babies to be the best versions of themselves. I dreamt of a marriage, and even though it wasn’t what I expected I am also not too proud to say perhaps that dream can look different now. What ever you want your life to be in the future, you first have to dream it. You have to stop fitting into the mold of what people expect of you. I hope my children read my words someday and look over what they’ve achieved and know full well that they made that happen. Not for others but for themselves. I’ve had some wild dreams lately. Most of them are absolutely within reach currently they just take some work. Others are timely, others I will have to give up. But I’m excited for it all.

“The surest way to make your dreams come true is to live them.”

― Roy T. Bennett

I’ve been thinking of starting a personal blog to write more about those dreams, I’m still debating. We’ll see what happens and the direction I go in .

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November 23, 2020

Standing in the light | Chicago and west suburbs photographer

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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August 25, 2020

WALK ALONG THE RIVER CHICAGO FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER

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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June 16, 2020

Forest Park Family Life | Growth in the Dandelion Fields

Forest Park Family Life: Finding Growth in the Dandelion Fields

It has been a tough spring. I have been navigating many feelings and a ton of movement in my head. Lately, I have realized that I am way too comfortable where I am. Growth is like a lovely but stubborn plant. It simply won’t budge unless you do things to help it along. In our Forest Park family life, I am learning that movement is essential to my personal sanity.

kid in golden light in a dandelion field

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Embracing the Season of Change

I’ve been stagnant for a while, yet I’ve been feeling a bunch of anxiety over nothing. Life is just funny that way! Sometimes, you just need to change your environment to clear your head. Consequently, I needed to capture that incredible end-of-spring day. I decided to run to a creek near a park with my kids to reset and embrace a slower pace of Forest Park family life.

We found a field full of dandelions, and even though it was full of gnats, it was just what the doctor ordered. There is something about the “unposed” magic of watching my own children play that reminds me why I love documentary photography so much. It isn’t about the perfect shot; it is about the feeling of the day.

mom in a field of sunflowers in the suburbs of chicago Forest Park Family Life

Documenting Our Story in Forest Park

Growth isn’t always pretty, but it is necessary. Just like the dandelions that take over a field, our personal experiences spread and create something new. Furthermore, these moments with my kids represent the “visual legacies” I strive to build for my clients. Whether I am shooting a local session or simply documenting our Forest Park family life, the goal is always honesty.

I hope you’re having an amazing start to your summer. If you are interested in seeing how I balance professional work with personal storytelling, you can learn more about my experience. I hope you enjoy these glimpses into our spring afternoon!

collage of a kid in a red dress in a chicago field Forest Park Family Life

family in a dandelion field Forest Park Family Life

self portrait with a mirror in the woods

June 11, 2019

Portland family photographer Chicago| Portland Oregon

Elevate + Grow: A Portland Adventure with the Kelley Family

Oh, Portland, you left me amazed! As a Portland family photographer Chicago residents (and Oregonians!) can trust for soulful storytelling, I had the honor of capturing the Kelley family during the Elevate + Grow workshop

I’ve admired Jayme for a long time. Ultimately, the entire weekend felt like a soul-filling experience.

Specifically, seeing these kiddos so in their element was wonderful. They evoked that lovely family love and so much darn fun! Brian is such a lucky dude to be surrounded by so much beauty. This family encompasses everything you want clients to be and more. Consequently, capturing them alongside so many talented friends was the highlight of my trip.

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adri de la cruz chicago and west suburbs family photographer (3)

The Heart of a Portland Family Photographer from Chicago

Traveling for photography allows me to see the “rhythm” of family life in entirely new landscapes. Whether I am documenting a morning in the Pacific Northwest or a sunset in Oak Park, my goal remains the same: to preserve your visual legacy. Because I value documentary storytelling, I focus on the chaos and the beauty of real life.

Basically, I don’t want to just take a picture; I want to tell a story. As a result, these workshop sessions aren’t just for practice. They are a way for me to refine my craft so I can better serve my clients back home and across the country. Being a traveling family photographer from Chicago means I am always ready to follow a story, no matter where it leads.

adri de la cruz chicago and west suburbs family photographer (2)

Mentoring and Growth in Photography

If you are a photographer looking for mentoring and education, these workshops are a testament to the power of community. Specifically, learning from peers like Jayme helps me bring fresh energy to every session I lead. If you are a family looking for a traveling family photographer from Chicago to join you on your next adventure, I would love to connect. Let’s capture the magic of your family in a place that feels like you.