Family Photographer in Lincoln Park

Lincoln Park is where a lot of Chicago families start — and where a lot of them stay. It also happens to be one of the best neighbourhoods in the city to photograph in, because you can walk from a brick stoop to a lagoon to an open horizon in fifteen minutes.

I photograph Lincoln Park families outdoors along the lakefront and at North Pond, and indoors in the condos and townhomes between Fullerton, Armitage and the park. Same style either way: natural light, real interactions, no forced smiles.

Where we shoot in Lincoln Park

• • North Pond. The classic. Trees, water, the skyline through the branches and a path that lets us keep moving with children. Best early morning or in the last hour of light.
• • The lakefront path and the lagoon bridges. Open sky, soft backlight and room for children to run — the single easiest place to photograph a toddler in the city.
• • Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool. Extraordinary stonework and water, but it is a protected landscape with its own photography rules. We confirm access before booking.
• • Oz Park and the smaller neighbourhood parks. Playgrounds, a castle, and a five-minute walk from home. Underrated for families with very young children.
• • Your apartment. Lincoln Park greystones and high-rises have some of the best window light in Chicago. See in-home family sessions.

Logistics that actually matter here

Parking near the park on a Saturday in October is a genuine problem, and much of the residential block around the zoo and North Pond is permit-only. Two practical options: book a weekday evening, or plan to arrive a few minutes early and use the paid lots near the zoo and the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. I will send exact meeting points and a parking note with your confirmation.

The zoo and the playground are both excellent bribes. A five-minute stop at the end of a session is often the difference between a resistant four-year-old and a happy one.

Winter in Lincoln Park

From December to March, outdoor sessions in Lincoln Park are short, cold and often spectacular — snow on the lagoon and almost nobody on the path. If that does not appeal, the alternative is a session at home, which is what most Lincoln Park families choose between January and March.

Sessions and pricing

Mini session: 30 minutes, 15 edited images, $175. Full session: 60 minutes, 35 edited images, $325. Travel within Chicago is included, galleries arrive within 7 business days, and a $100 retainer holds your date. Most Lincoln Park sessions take place in the hour before sunset, or on a weekday morning for families with babies.