ON LOCATION / Wicker Park / Chicago photo shoot ideas.

Wicker Park: A renowned Chicago artist community, situated just west of the loop. Coffee shops, record stores, boutiques, unique restaurants, and a farmers market as well as dozens of festivals all make their home in this lively neighborhood. High school graduate, Beckie was photographed this June in WP. Never short on cool locations, photographing in WP is a treat with so many texture-rich locations and venues. Yes... even in Chicago winters!  

Check out my "On Location" board on Pinterest for all my suggestions on how to make this a great experience. 

Dining advice ...

So many choices, but Trencherman is my all-time favorite for weekend brunch or an after dinner cocktail in WP.  Big Star is a local favorite at any time of day or night... If the wait is over 2 hours, I use the taco walk-up counter!

Cocktails ... 

The Violet Hour Speakeasy is a must for an after dinner drink with charming vintage flair. Be prepared to wait. This local gem is our (almost) best kept secret. Attire is dressy/casual.

Wicker Park Events ... 

Wicker Park Fest - Late July / multiple music stages / food / family activities 

Movies in the Park                                                WP hosts movies once a week Jun - Aug

YOGA – Lulu Lemon Athletica                     Monday's 6:30pm – 7:30pm – In the Park at Damen & Schiller / June 2 – August 25

Wicker Park Bucktown Farmers Market    Sundays 8am - 2pm / Wicker Park 1425 N. Damen

Chicago Fashion Fest                                     August 23rd &24th 12pm - 10pm. Division St.

Renegade Craft Fair Chicago                  September 6th & 7th / Division St. Between Damen Ave. and Paulina 

Shopping ...

Milwaukee Ave has been a shopping destination for years now. Grab a donut at Stan's at the "Five Corners" before heading down to Free People to try on a pair of shoes at John Fluevong. My personal favorite street to shop in WP is Damen Ave. between North Ave. and Armitage. I always grab coffee at Buzz Kill and lunch at The Goddess + Grocer then pop in at Marc Jacobs and Scotch and Soda. This ave is dotted with boutiques and bites you'll love.

Parking advice...

You will find many free streets to park on Damen south of Division, Cortez and Ashland. There are plenty of pay-to-park streets just download the city app to make this easier -  search, Park Chicago. Please note, be careful of monitored lots, and residential parking... Chicago bike police hand out many tickets! My go-to for cheap parking in any major city is found at www.bestparking.com.

Click on this map to see where I recommend visiting and photographing in Wicker Park! Also take advantage of the Pinterest board I created to help plan your next trip or photo shoot - all this is yours by clicking the map!.

STYLE / inspired by Lee Ann Bachman

I'd love to introduce you to the fashionable, Lee Ann Bachman. I've followed her personal style over the years with rapt attention. Finally had a chance to catch up and ask a few questions about her personal style ... Bonus, a style board I created inspired by Lee Ann's last photo shoot - Laura

---

"I don't have a specific person that has influenced my style because style is about the individual. Certain clothes don't fit the same on everyone so although I may like the way a person dresses I don't necessarily ask them where they bought their outfit because it may look completely outrageous on me!"

"I like casual chic; shorts or jeans with a patterned top and did I mention, I LOVE JEWELRY! Mix and matching patterns is fun but I also like a simple top from J. Crew with a lil' dainty necklace."

---

"If I could only wear 5 things until 2015 it would be...

1. A good pair of leggings (I'm loving my leather paneled leggings from Nordstrom)

2. Chunky knit sweater...effortless but still looks put together.

3. I am obsessed with Booties - you can wear them with anything.. I already have 7 pairs. Oops!!!

4. Winter Coat.. These Illinois winters are brutal.

5. Plaid ANYTHING... I love that this is coming back and my husband is a farmer so I find myself throwing on a flannel to ride along with him... you still have to have style in a combine!"

---

"My personal style is more trendy but less expensive. I love looking at blogs for what's new and catches my eye, then trying to find the look for less. I like to shop often so I need to have a budget for outfits, although I do splurge on certain pieces! 

I love going to Chicago with my mom and sisters. We always make a lil' weekend trip, plus eat really good food. It makes shopping so much more enjoyable!! Bonus, they are honest with what looks good and tell me when something doesn't work.

If you don't quite know your style...experiment. Your style is constantly evolving because you are too, now let change reflect in your clothes!!" - As told to me by Lee Ann herself.

Click here to see the rest of our style picks inspired by Lee Ann. 

---

link love... shop now!

1.  2.  3.  4.  5.  6. 7. 

HOW TO / style a photo inspired by Italy's coast.

Last year at this time I was on the west coast of Sorrento, Italy, casually photographing Simon and Claire’s wedding. The couple chose a location away from their home in England for their friends and family to gather, a place where they could all share and experience culture, food and relaxation.

What can we learn from this exotic wedding? A well chosen location can be the perfect backdrop for beautiful images, whether a wedding or portrait. I like to think of it as a great starting point to set the tone. 

The most important thing to remember is that the location is just the canvas.  Don't lose sight of the reason for your photographs. Highlight the relationships you cherish so those memories can live on.  

Now here are my ideas on how you can give your portraits that Italian coast vibe without having to be on the coast or deal with the travel.  

As I mentioned before, location is important. Look around your own city and search out interesting landscapes or architectural spots. I keep a running list of old buildings such as churches, libraries, museums or locations that have gardens or are near water.  

Pay attention to some of the architectural details; windows, doors, staircases, etc. These could be beautiful places for your photos.

Less is always more. The focus of this long weekend was on relationships, while still enjoying all that Italy had to offer. Simplicity highlighted their love, and delicious food and wine warmed us inside. We are taking note, Simon and Claire. 

It doesn't take much to give your portraits the relaxed Italian coast feel - A bit of sunshine, a location you love and an intimate atmosphere. 

I can't disclose how many different locations in Italy I sampled pizza, but can tell you it was worth every last calorie.

"Myself and my Husband chose Sorrento for our wedding for a number of reasons. The scenery, the food, the people, I could go on for ever. We had a beautiful relaxed day surrounded by the family and friends that we love.

Personally for me the Medieval Cloisters where we held our ceremony had a very calm and spiritual atmosphere, this was very important to me as my daughter, Ellie, who sadly passed away 6 years ago at age 9 felt very close to me that day. During our reception we had a candle lit in her memory overlooking the bay of Naples, with Mount Vesuvius as a backdrop. We chose our reception venue for this stunning view of a stunning part of the World.

Laura's photography skills captured every special moment, every glance and all of the love and laughter.

Not only did she do a superb job capturing these moments, she also became a friend.

Claire. x"

Looking back on this special weekend, Claire's words reminded me of a blog post I read about the brutal truth of why we take photographs. Its a little raw, I'll warn you. Hearing Claire's story first hand of loosing her precious daughter reminds me why we document life and love. This post is a must read.  Thank you to, Megan Elizabeth of Echo Artistry for sharing it with me.

At one point or another we will all experience a loss like Claire's. I get teary eyed each time I dig through old photo files to send to a family I've photographed who have experienced a loss. Let's make 2014 a year of documenting the relationships that mean the most to us. xo - Laura

P.S. I cannot write this post without sharing a picture that means the world to me of my brother who passed away nearly 16 years ago. Little Alex, isn't he charming. 

What’s their secret to putting children at ease behind the lens?

A little secret has been kept over here at Everyday Charming that has developed over the weeks. Now it’s finally time to talk about it! We are proud to introduce you to two of our new associate photographers. Zoe Weston... and Danae Hoerr... Two girls with passion, energy, and talent. What’s their specialty? Capturing your little one doing what he or she does best, being a kid.

We asked Zoe and Danae what makes a Charming Child photo shoot special to them. Zoe mentioned that she loves the ability to freeze a moment in time, especially for children when change is happening so quickly. Danae described that her heart fills up with happiness when she captures the true personalities of the little ones and is able to share that with their parents.

What’s their secret to putting children at ease behind the lens? They revealed that by having the child in their natural element, either at home or a favorite play area. The feeling of comfort is already there for the child. The two also divulge that their focus is not to depict perfection, but more the action and the energy in that current stage of life.

What would these two girls like to see more of in their photographs? Both mentioned the importance of mom. How each of them looked through photos of their childhood and realized that their mothers were hardly in them, most likely the one who was taking the picture. Zoe and Danae feel that her presence is important and often missing. So, to take photos whether it be mom in the background or interacting with her children is an idea they want to explore.

Take a peak at the Charming Child Facebook page and get a glimpse of what Zoe and Danae are up to! And if you have a minute leave us a comment. We would love to know what you think about incorporating moms into the photos.