Tis the season for grad photos! April is always so exciting for a photographer. It almost feels like coming out of hibernation after a long winter. The flowers are starting to bloom, the leaves on the trees are starting to pop, and at MSU, the champagne is starting to be sprayed! I love shooting graduation photos. Hearing the excitement in grads voices- about how much fun they had at MSU, but also hearing the excitement about what comes next- grad school, moving to the big city, a job lined up, studying for the LSATs or MCATs…it’s truly inspiring. Here are some of my favorite grad photos taken of Violet in March!

When Jadyn and Marc booked me for their wedding, they had already had an engagement session…in Italy! However, it was a year earlier and they confessed, all of their things had been stolen during the session when they set them down on the ground to take photos, so a second round of engagement photos sounded good to them! They thought they could use the practice…and maybe a stress free session too!

We met up in Detroit in January, which is not a popular time for engagement photos. It may have been cold enough to turn our skin pink and purple, but we prevailed, dipped into a few places to warm up, and got some gorgeous photos. These two were in from out of town, so rescheduling wasn’t an option when zero degree temps hit the forecast. They wore long coats, we secretly had hand warmers in our pockets, and the Siren Hotel lobby helped warm us back up to normal skin tones. It was all worth it for these photos; my favorites are below! Can’t wait for their War Memorial wedding in Grosse Pointe later this fall!

When preparing for what to wear to an engagement session, many brides choose to wear white. However, I love it when brides choose to to wear something that really pops against the background of the location they chose. That is exactly what what Sydney did. She chose to wear a wine colored dress, which really popped against the architecture of the Law Quad in Ann Arbor. It also perfectly matched the color of the hydrangeas all around the building! Here are some of my favorite photos from Justin and Sydney’s engagement session in Ann Arbor, and take note of Sydney’s dress when planning your own outfits!

Let’s face it- engagement photos feel awkward! That’s one of the benefits to doing them- you won’t feel as awkward on your wedding day, right? To combat some of that awkwardness and to make things feel as comfortable as possible, these two chose to have their engagement session at their beautiful home in Grosse Pointe. We took photos inside and out, and I love how they came out. Bonus to doing them at your home- you don't have to worry about permits, fees, venue hours, bathrooms to change in, etc...because it's at your own home. Here are some of my favorites!

One of the cutest accessories a couple can bring to their engagement session is their puppy! Last summer, I spent an evening on beautiful Belle Isle in Detroit with these two and their corgi! They hugged him, cuddled him, kissed him, and those big corgi eyes gave me some of my favorite photos ever! I’m super excited to photograph S + N’s wedding at the Book Tower in Detroit next month! Come back to check out some of those favorites soon, but for now, here are my favorites from their engagement session!

Let’s face it- the economy is not the bet right now! With that, couples are always looking for ways to save on their wedding expenses. One way couples can do that, is by choosing a venue where everything can be held in one location- getting ready, portraits, ceremony, and reception. The Saint John’s Resort in Michigan is one of those venues that host it all. They have a hotel on site with large suites for getting ready, beautiful gardens with a waterfall for portraits, a chapel and indoor ceremony location, and a beautiful atrium for the reception. By having a wedding day’s events all in one location, couples can save on transportation costs and shorter days for your photographer and coordinator mean lower costs there as well. Plus- it takes so much stress off knowing you just need to head downstairs for things or can run up to your room if you forgot anything! It’s so easy!

Katelyn and David lived out of town, so the convenience of having everything in location was a priority for them. Here are some of my favorites from their day!

S + J wanted to have their engagement photos taken at a location that was meaningful to them: the place they met, their home! Not too many couples can say they met at the home they live in, but that’s exactly what happened with these two. J had a Fourth of July party at the house, S came with a friend, they met, and the rest is history! I love the photos we captured; they were laid back, relaxed, and just comfortable- exactly what a home lifestyle should be. Here are some of my favorites from their session!

I’m not sure if there is anything prettier in Ann Arbor than the peony gardens at the Arb when they are in full bloom. They only bloom for two weeks of the year, the last week of May into the first week of June. Whenever a couple inquiries with me for an engagement session in Ann Arbor, I always say, if you can do one of these two weeks, choose the peony gardens for your engagement photos! It’s a unique setting that very few couples are able to have, and the results are so so stunning. Here are some of my favorites from a session there last year!

The Law Quad on the campus of U of M is one of the few locations that looks amazing in photos in any season and any form of weather. It can be used in rain, in spring, in summer, and in fall. It’s a classic and elegant background, so photos taken here look even better when engaged couples dress up! For guys, that might mean sport jackets or cardigans, for women, that might mean a dress and heels. I loved the outfits B+A chose; not super formal but not completely casual either. Here are a few of my favorites from their engagement session!

Living in the Lansing area means we have access to so many beautiful gardens for family photo sessions, my favorite being the MSU campus! We captured this family’s session after a huge milestone- mom graduating with her PhD!! What a wonderful way to commemorate a significant life achievement! Here are some favorites of mine from their family portrait session at the MSU Horticulture Gardens!

Lifestyle newborn sessions are some of my favorite big life moments to capture. The wrinkly skin, the tiny toes, the little puckered lips…newborns are just so squishy and cute. Lifestyle sessions just feel better- there is no cramming a baby in a basket, no trying to get them to sleep for hours, we just let newborns be newborns in the comfort of their parents’ arms.

This little guy’s arrival was not the first time I met his parents- I actually photographed their engagement session in Ann Arbor and their wedding at the Saint John’s Resort. So it was so special to be invited into their home to continue to capture their big life moments. It’s always an honor.

Here are some of my favorites from Baby A’s newborn session!

The MSU campus is the most stunning back drop for photos in Mid-Michigan. The Horticulture Gardens are a favorite of mine! This was the third time I photographed these two- first at their engagement session, second at their wedding, and this time for their maternity session! It is always so special and humbling to be able to capture life’s biggest moments for a couple and family. Here are some of my favorite’s from their summer photo session on the beautiful campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing.

It’s been the most incredible thing, having my wedding couples turn into family clients. I have photographed this family for years now- first their engagement, then their wedding, Baby D’s newborn and one year photos, and now maternity and newborn photos for little brother. I loved the vision this family had- light and airy, some blur, water and shadows. While I am based in East Lansing, I will always make the drive to the metro Detroit area for my clients. Here are some of my favorites from this beautiful in home lifestyle session last summer.

The Detroit Athletic Club has the most cozy, elegant vibes. One minute, it feels like you are in a French Chateau walking up the grand staircase. The next, you are in front of the warm, candle lit fireplace. The windows and furniture in the Reading Room provide the prettiest light and texture for photos, and then you step outside on the terrace and you have all of Detroit in front of you. It’s no secret that my favorite venues are the ones you don’t have to leave- where you can have everything in one place, rain or shine. With the DAC, I never have to worry about a rain plan for my bride + groom’s wedding day portraits. Whatever your vibe is- chic or classic- it can be captured at the DAC. Here are some of my favorite photos from Samantha and Chris’s winter wedding at the DAC.

Grad sessions are so much fun, but here are some tips to help your photo session go more smoothly!

1. Before your session, make sure to iron your gown! Wrinkled gowns are pretty noticeable in photos, so make sure to spend 10 minutes ironing it beforehand. Your photographer will not photoshop out any wrinkles.

2. Pick up two bottles of champagne per person in your group! This allows one bottle for a group spray at Beaumont Tower, and then another bottle to do solo shots at another location.

3. Wear a comfy pair of shoes and pack your dress shoes to change into. Campus is big! You can swap shoes back and forth and you trek around campus.

4. Bring a bag or a wagon to haul everything in. You’ve got shoes, your gown and accessories, champagne….it’s a lot to carry! If you have a large group, a wagon will be so helpful and easy the day of your shoot.

5. Carefully consider what outfit you’ll wear under your gown. Are you going to do photos with the gown open? Do you want a professional headshot? If so, make sure your clothes are ironed, bra straps are hidden, and nothing is too low cut. Or, bring an extra top to change into. Pack a collared button up you can throw right over your dress. Also, consider colors- you don’t want your outfit to clash with your gown. You also don’t want it to clash with your friends’ outfits!

6. The last tip is an important one- if taking photos the last few weeks leading up until graduation, make sure to arrive one hour before your appointment time to wait in line if starting at Beaumont or Sparty. The lines here can be anywhere from 45 minutes to over an hour graduation week! Nice days will be very long as well. Pack your patience!

Alex and Benjy were married in March at Planterra in Michigan. If you are getting married in winter or early spring, I can’t imagine a better venue than Planterra. Planterra gives you summer vibes in the middle of winter with all of it’s greenery and natural light. All photos an be taken on site and you don’t have to go anywhere! It’s seriously a dream in winter when snow and poor road can conditions can make traveling slow. Alex and Benjy planned the most romantic celebration with so many candles that the venue was glowing. Here are some of my favorites from their day!

It's almost that time again and I can't wait! There's nothing like the smell of freshly sprayed champagne wafting through campus, cheers and shrieks as the champagne sprays (or doesn't spray!), and hearing all the excitement about young grads' plans for post-graduation. If you're an MSU grad, I would love to capture photos of this amazing accomplishment for you so get in touch! And here are some favorite's from Emma's grad session, Class of 2025! Congrats, Emma!

This season was filled with so many amazing shoots in so many amazing places. Boston Common and the surrounding areas are so pretty, and even in the height of a weekend afternoon, you can still find little nooks to capture beautiful photos without swarms of people. I loved how Meghan and Bailey stayed true to their style in this session— when Bailey whipped out his sunglasses and asked when he could wear them, I got excited because I could see that HE was excited about it. I love how these turned out and here are a few of my favorites!

When the leaves are no longer on the trees, my favorite locations for engagement sessions are downtown/city spots! Especially around the holidays with the hanging twinkling lights, the vibe is cozy, the architecture provides interest, and long coats add texture. As long as it’s not freezing (so that noses aren’t running and extremities aren’t turning funny colors!), the off season can make for some of my favorite images. Here are some of my favorites from Alex and Benji’s December session, on an unseasonably warm day near 50 degrees, in downtown Detroit!

When I first chatted with Grace, one of the first things we talked about was the fact that I worked on both the East Coast and in Michigan. While she and Bo are going to get married in Grand Rapids summer of 2024, she desperately wanted engagement photos on Nantucket, where she and Bo summer every year and where Bo’s grandparents have a home. Luckily, our dates aligned and the week they were on Nantucket happened to be the week I was in Newport for a wedding, so I hopped the ferry (with the kids and nanny in tow!) and we made a day trip of it! We went to the Whaling Museum in the morning (highly recommend!), I photographed Grace and Bo in the afternoon while the nanny hung with the kids, and then we went shopping and had dinner before taking the ferry back to our hotel on the Cape. Even though it was raining, we still had an amazing day, and I LOVE how the photos turned out! A light drizzle isn’t always bad at the beach…it usually means its empty so no beach goers in the background! And no squinting because its overcast :) . Here are a few of my favorites from their session!