It was a tough choice. My business was built on family sessions for many years. There is always an October rush of people wanting sessions, and honestly it was good money. But as my kids are getting older, I find myself wanting to spend more time with them. The girls only have a couple years of high school left, and then they’re off onto their adult life.

I did pick up a couple family sessions for my own family, but for the most part I said goodbye to them all together. And while I thought I’d really miss them, it wasn’t as sad as I expected. I love seeing families every year, as the kids grow, its so nice to re-connect with clients. But the weather this year was pretty miserable. And I didn’t miss the stress of constant reschedules.

With the kids after school activities, I found myself with very little free time. The perk was that I didn’t have to choose between my clients and my kids. In the past, I’ve scheduled my family sessions out a few months, but I never knew what was going on with the kids schedules. So I missed events, competitions, games and just family time in general. But I hated rescheduling on clients for personal things. I really loved being present for each event my kids had. I wasn’t up late at night editing a backlog of sessions, tired all day.

When I stepped back and looked at the business I built, I realized I had missed a lot trying to be successful. So it feels like this is the right choice for me, at least for the next couple years. I might toss a few here or there in, but they will be highly limited and not scheduled until the last minute when I know kids schedules.

Anyways, back to the Caron family. I first met them when they brought Oliver in for his cake smash. I enjoyed them so much, and getting to meet their extended family was great. We walked around Dodge Park capturing their incredible relationships with each other. Grandma is such a loving person, she clearly loves her two sons. And with that comes a strong love for her daughter in laws, and her grandson. She just constantly told me how much she loved her family. It was clear she was a devoted mom and wife. This was actually a gift for her given by her kids. So it was a special moment for her to have those updated images to hang on her walls.

I hope you enjoyed this Sterling Heights extended family session. Maybe one day I’ll meet your family at a session too!

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At their reception, they announced they were expecting a baby, and couldn’t wait for their newly joined families to meet their baby. Beth and Adrian live out of state, so when they called me to say they were in town and wanted to get some photos with Grandma to celebrate her turning one, I couldn’t wait to see them.

Beautiful little Jasmine is the spitting image of her dad. Isn’t that how it always goes? Mom cooks them but they look like dad. She’s learning to walk, and is desperate to gain her independence in this next phase of life. Like all one year olds, she didn’t want much to do with photos. She wanted to walk around and explore the park. And when she was done, she let us know she was done.

I’m so fortunate that celebrating milestones with wedding clients is part of my career. And I hope to always stay in their lives. Greeting each new milestone is such a big event. Knowing I was there to watch their life together begin and then grow over the years is an honor I don’t take lightly.

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Sweet little Oliver is always outdoors, he loves to play in whatever nature provides him. So keeping him out of he leaves was the biggest challenge here. He was goofy, smiley, and couldn’t stop himself from repeatedly asking us to “bury him in the leaves”.

We spent our time playing, running around, and just letting him have fun. That, in my opinion creates the best family session memories. Looking back on your photos I want you to hear the kids laughing, their cute little voices asking you to come sit in the leaves. I know first hand how stressful family sessions can be on parents, particularly moms. So I try to take the heat off and just let the kids play, they always come back around, and if they are having fun, we’re all having fun.

At the end of our night together, Oliver found himself a bench in the middle of the park and told us to “sssssshhhhhhh, he was going to take a nap”. We all just stood there watching him stare at the sky and enjoy himself. His “nap” didn’t last long before he was ready to dive into a new pile of leaves. We played peek-a-boo around a tree, and even gathered up some sticks. Oliver of course had to have the biggest one, and he even made it take a nap with him.

Enjoy this Dodge Park family session, and head over there if you’ve never been! Maybe I’ll run into you!

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It was so fun to see sweet little Reese and her family again. I can’t believe she is two already. It feels like just a few months ago we were doing her newborn session!

Her big brother told me he was being Batman for Halloween. He will certainly be the cutest batman out there! I got the biggest smiles from him every time I called him Batman. So of course I used that to my advantage and called him Batman every chance I got. It certainly made my evening easier, since I had to work hard for his sisters smiles.

We had a gorgeous fall evening, thankfully. Their session was actually scheduled for earlier in the week, and it was so bleak and rainy. I ended up rescheduling it for the weekend, and it worked out so perfectly. I’m so grateful for these last few warm days. It’s the perfect way to wrap up a busy season of family sessions.

I absolutely love creating these memories for my clients. Creating lasting images of your family is something I truly value. I love walking through my house and going through the portraits of my kids over the years. Those days were so long, chasing toddlers around. But the years have flown by. We’re now counting down the moments before our oldest graduates high school. I don’t know where the time went.

I treasure those framed images that allow me to reminisce those days. The kids change so much over the years. I even love the years full of crying kids, or sullen faces because they didn’t want to participate. I try so hard to get all my little clients to smile, but secretly I love those serious expressions.

Enjoy their beautiful photographs, I look forward to seeing all of my clients again when I start up sessions again as your Shelby family photographer.

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I made a joke that he was almost ready for a haircut. Logan had so much hair at birth, I can remember being so shocked when he came into the studio that morning. Mom and Dad told me he had just had one! I laughed because he’s nearly ready for another. He reminded me of all the kids I see today at school drop off with their stylish haircuts and long bangs in their eyes. He’s cool and doesn’t even realize it yet!

We are so blessed with this gorgeous fall day. The smell of leaves is in the air and it’s pretty intoxicating. I love those evenings where it’s warm enough for jeans and a t-shirt, but perfect for a hoodie and bonfire.

Logan is perfectly adorable in his little pumpkin button up shirt and suspenders. He’s the epitome of fall right now. At 8 months he’s sitting perfectly by himself and nearly crawling. He’s so excited to be on the move for himself but not quite there yet. I brought him a chair to sit on and a cute wooden bucket so he’d be off the ground. But he spent his whole time sitting on those trying to get down to eat the leaves on the ground. Kids, am I right?

In the end, it was a beautiful evening together, snuggling, walking, and kissing on their little boy to capture these timeless memories that will soon be displayed in their home! Enjoy this Michigan family photography gallery!

Booking a family session

If you are looking for your own family session, I will resume booking next year. I photograph outdoor sessions June-October and my evenings and weekends are limited availability. So book early! Feel free to email me in the meantime, or fill out the form linked here

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Erin reached out to me to capture her family. From Great-Grandma down through the youngest members of the family all together. We chose this great field in Chesterfield, Michigan that just has great sunshine coming through the trees for the most perfect lighting. It’s a nice location for families with older members that can’t walk as far, or need something with shorter grasses.

A Generational family session always has so many posing options. And the more generations in attendance, the more we can accomplish. I’ve developed a pretty decent workflow over the years and keep it to about an hour. No matter the size of the family.

Above all, I like to start with the largest grouping first. Let’s be honest, that is the most important portrait we are creating. All those loving family members together. And in the case where little kids are involved, if everything falls apart, I want to know I have that big group tackled. In addition to the biggest group, I like to capture each family, each sibling set, cousins, and if time allows, each child on their own.

Fortunately for us, the two littles were so perfect and they really wanted to be part of it all. Even the littlest guy. He came in a little whiney and I thought “oh no”. But as soon as he was in front of my lens he busted out all his best smiles for us.

If you are thinking about booking a generational family session, please reach out to katieantonphotography@gmail.com to get more details. I do outdoor sessions June-October, and I’d love the opportunity to serve your family in capturing these important heirlooms.

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I got to hang out with a new family today, and it was such fun to work with older kids. No one I had to make silly faces for, or crazy sounds to get them to look at me. Everyone looked so amazing in their outfits. I can’t wait for them to see these images. I couldn’t help but sit in my car after and scroll through my memory card.

These beautiful parents have three lovely daughters that made my day. They had fun, they had silly requests. They snuggled, and laughed. It was just a great evening all around to be outside at my favorite park. We found ourselves back at my favorite area inside Stoney Creek. Tall grasses, beautiful trees getting ready to change their colors for fall. It’s just a joy.

I always joke with my family that I don’t know why I stay in Michigan. This photographer was made for summer weather. I think fall is pretty, but I never need the cool weather to come. Do you have a favorite season? Do you live in a state that experiences all of the seasons?

Enjoy this gorgeous gallery of images from their family photographer session with me. I can’t wait to see these displayed on their walls!

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I’m always appreciative of them, for not only returning every year, but also because I know it’s not Dad’s favorite thing to do, and he puts up with my shenanigans year after year. He’s surrounded by lovely women and he really does this for them. To leave a legacy of love and adventure with his girls.

I joke with Mom every year that I want her to come style my clients on a regular basis. She has such an amazing eye for color/pattern/texture and they look amazing together year after year. I wish I had that talent, it is such a struggle for me. Every year I understand the troubles of my clients as I pick outfits for my own family. With teenagers, I can’t just grab outfits, each kid has to approve of theirs. Because, you know, what if one of their friends saw one of these images, they can’t be seen in something un-cool!!! How could I do that to them!!!!

We bounced all around the Sheldon Estates at Stoney Creek for their session, from bike paths in the woods, to the steps up by the old estate grounds. The girls are always troopers when it comes to running around, and I appreciate their patience!

Enjoy these family favorites from our Macomb Family Session this year!

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Emmy is turning two this year, and she is back with her parents for a fall family session. We headed to the tree spot at Stoney Creek this time to change it up from the spot we used last year. Emmy smiled and chatted with me all the way to the tree spot. But the second we got there, she decided to clam up and make me work hard. The good news is always that she was as cute as a button, and worth the work.

I did get some smiles, but they were fleeting. We walked, and explored, she is so curious. Last year she was so timid and hardly left her parents. This year she was running off in front of us, and playing hide and seek in the trees. It’s always so fun to watch the babies I knew as newborns growing up and blossoming into their own unique personality. Emmy knows what she wants, and what she’s willing to do.

In the end I’m pretty sure her parents are going to love what we captured. I hope you enjoy this fall family session. If you need me, I’ll probably be behind on my email, and elbow deep in editing gorgeous sessions of one type or another. Anyone have a great tv show they’re watching? I love something I can listen to but don’t have to heavily invest in watching it, since I’m staring at a computer screen to edit. I also love podcasts, true crime in particular. So if you have any suggestions be sure to leave them below for me to check out!

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The fall weather has been a little dodgy lately. Sometimes I never know hour to hour what type of evening weather we will get. But we ended up with a beautiful evening to explore nature.

I couldn’t believe it when we hopped out of the car and Emma was all smiles. She was ear to ear smiling and I specifically told her not to waste those smiles. Emma is notorious for keeping me humble as one of the toughest little cookies to crack. She doesn’t think anything I do is funny.

As soon as we got to our location though, the smiles disappeared. Of course. We all jumped around like fools trying to get her to even give us the tiniest little grin. She had the upper hand and she played us with those parking lot smiles. I think Emma knew exactly what she was doing, teasing us.

Fortunately for me, she brought a big brother that DID think I was funny. He was just as adorable as his little sister. Lucky for me he’s at the age where I can tell him NOT to smile, and it makes him smile so big. It’s my favorite stage of kids. He would legit laugh when I told him not to smile.

I tend to do a lot of headswaps for families so they get that perfect capture in their images. Is it wrong if I photoshop smiles? Maybe Emma could borrow some of Brandon’s. That’s ok right?

Either way, it’s going to create great memories for the Woods family. They’ll forever look back at her adorable little smirk and remember that night we all tried to get her to grin. Enjoy their favorite images from the Woods family Oakland Township family session.

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