Favorite Moments of 2017 - Year in Review

/ Courtney Michelle Photography/

2017 was an amazing year for me and I'm so grateful for all of you for trusting me with your most precious/intimate/honest/real moments. I love what I do. For real. I get to document some of the most meaningful moments in people's lives. As well as the more "everyday moments" but I love every second of it. I like to do an end-of-year website update so I go through all of my sessions from the year and pick my favorites. It helps me see how far I've come, and how much I've grown. This year, I got out of my comfort zone. I took chances. I pushed myself to photograph from my heart; to photograph what spoke to me and to tell more honest stories. In addition to updating the website, I wanted to do a re-cap of the year, highlighting my favorite photos & moments but then this post got crazy long. If you know me, I couldn't narrow it down any further than what I've come up with and this isn't even all of it! So here goes. A selection of some of my favorite sessions, moments and personal treasures from all of last year. Druuuuuummmmmroooooooooolllllllllll, please.

I love love love love love LOVE so let's start with the beautiful couples! 

Photographed my beautiful friend getting ready on her wedding morning on a steamy July morning in Chicago at the Langham Hotel. 

I second-shot with Jennifer of Angelic Angles Photography for a beautiful Milwaukee wedding. We photographed the wedding party at Villa Terrace Museum and I was BLOWN away by the beauty. I can't wait to go back there and photograph! I really miss shooting with Jennifer. We used to be the dream team when I lived in Madison. She's amazing - seriously, the best.

Second-shot with Melissa Ferrara of Iron & Honey Photography this fall. So much fun to work with a fellow Chicago photographer.

Babies! So many friends had babies this year!! 

Boudoir - a few of the ones I can show!

I photographed a few events for PAWS. Also made some portraits of my friends' dogs while they were vacationing because I can't help myself!

High School Seniors

My Family. I went home a handful of times this summer for many birthdays! My sister and her littles did the Bubble Run so I took my camera for that. After that, it was Skyler's first birthday and then Avianna's SIXTH birthday. Squeezed in a quick shoot with all of my nieces with some goats... it didn't go as planned but we still got some beautiful photos!

Photographed all season long for Vintage Garage Chicago. If you're in Uptown Chicago on the third Sunday of the month from April through October, you must check them out. Must!

Grabbed some quick family photos for the best people on earth to celebrate them becoming a quartet!

Purposely took my camera down to the Loop a few times this summer. Normally I'm without it but made a point to take it, especially for the Chicagohenge. 

Much love friends! Thanks so much for following along - you have no idea how much it means. Here's to 2018 - I can't wait to see what comes!

xoxo - Courtney

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Baby Charlotte has arrived!

/ Northshore Evanston Hospital/

One of my oldest, dearest friends of all time had a baby last week and I headed to the hospital to photograph her when she was two days new. I was ecstatic to head to the hospital for her newborn hospital photos and I'm so excited to introduce Miss Charlotte Grace, welcomed with love by her adoring mom, dad and big sister. 

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Personal Creative Struggles (Plus a cute little baby!)

/ Courtney Michelle Photography/

If I'm being completely honest, I will tell you that I got into photography because I liked taking photos of "pretty things." I've always appreciated the small things, and found beauty in unusual places like cemeteries, alleys and everyday objects. It wasn't until I started being asked to photograph people that I really fell in love with documenting moments. And even then, it took me a long time to figure out what was missing in my work and although I truly loved it, something was leaving me feeling empty.

It's hard to explain, really, but the more I started photographing for a living, the harder it actually became for me. I get in a rut when I do the same things over and over, and I feel disconnected when I'm not creatively challenged. I've been a photographer for almost 10 years now, 7 of them professionally and though I'm always striving to be learning and growing, I finally feel like I've figured out what's been missing. It's not just enough for me anymore to take a pretty picture. I want those goosebumps when I'm looking through my camera, watching magic unfold. I'm an emotional person naturally, but when my eyes start to well up behind the lens while seeing your love pour out, I can't explain it. I want to capture those honest moments between you and your loves and I want you to feel what I'm seeing. I want your heart to explode with happiness when I show you your images! I crave shooting from my heart.

I love lifestyle sessions more than anything because I get to document real, raw moments. To me, it's all about connection. Yes, I will guide you into position and take some nice photos of your family, but my heart sings when I know you're not focused on me and just loving one another. Documenting sweet, tender moments in your world is what I live for and it's when I create my best work.

I photographed Miss S when she was a week new. A head full of hair, SO many smiles and the cutest little baby toes I ever did see! Her mama and daddy's love for her brings so much joy to my heart. It's the little moments that I want you to look back on. It goes by so fast, and you're likely sleep-deprived and may not remember a lot of things, but these photos will freeze time and each time you look back at them, I hope you smile. That's what I love about what I do. When you trust me enough to let me do my "thing" and have creative freedom, I will create magic for you. 

I will be cutting back on the number of newborn posing sessions I offer and shifting my focus to lifestyle sessions like the one above. You'll still get adorable photos of your baby, but the focus will be more on your love for your little one.