A couple weeks ago Debbie & Kyung celebrated their firstborn’s first birthday! What a great time of celebration & thankfulness as little “T” has gone through so much this year. In true Korean tradition, “T” donned his traditional outfit to celebrate the event. So many friends and family came out to join the birthday festivities!

This slideshow is in High Def, so it may take awhile to load, but it will be worth it! =)

Another great photoshoot with Frank & Julie’s family! This was my third or fourth photo session with these guys and it’s been awesome to see the kids grow up!

One thing I keep in mind when taking photos of families, is the personalities of the kids- I love the interaction they have with their parents and with each other. Kids grow up so fast and their faces, smiles and ‘looks’ change all the time! These more casual family photo sessions are a great way to ‘stop time’ and remember your kids at this moment in their lives-

Fun times in front of an old horse drawn carriage.

There were two cousins that joined in for a couple photos!

This was my favorite photo from the portrait session. It makes me smile every time I look at it!

She loved her umbrella – I loved how Julie selected great outfits and accessories for the kids-

What a smile!

I think these guys are looking for a future career in modeling! And I loved the red ties!

He was trying to out run my camera! =)

Thanks Frank & Julie for another awesome family photo session! You guys were great!

with love,

Kenny

It’s the end of March here in Chicago, and we cannot wait for the warmer weather of spring to come upon us. Last week, Joe & Christine flew into Chicago to spend time with family. On the agenda for the week: family portrait photos! The moms went shopping for some cute outfits for the girls to wear and we headed out to a local Schaumburg park for some fun!

The cousins walking down the hill together-

I love this moment! Joe is into photography as well, and I’m glad that we got a bunch of photos where he is on the ‘other side’ of the lens. =)

And one of my favorite photos of the day! Fun times in Schaumburg!

Last fall, I got to spend an afternoon with the Mesina Family in Naperville. There is a wonderful riverwalk that cuts through the downtown area. The sun stayed up for our session and the kids were awesome throughout. It’s funny how you get to know a family through a photoshoot. This is my third session with this family, and I feel privileged to capture their lives as they grow and develop.

I love kids…when was the last time you laughed and skipped through a park? Remember how fun much it used to be? How quickly we forget the simple things that made us laugh.

This is true father-son bonding. (it would just be really bad if he fell in!) =)

Thanks you guys for another awesome photoshoot! I love looking at these photos…the kid’s smiles and interactions are so precious! May His hand continue to guide you both as you live your lives in accordance with His desires.

by His grace,

Kenny Nakai

This family loves the outdoors. So we headed out to their neighborhood park for a photoshoot. After a short time, it was apparent that this family loves to laugh. In many ways, they reminded me of my own family as we tease one another on a regular basis.

David is a Pastor at a local church and their commitment to one another and their children was so very obvious.

Men throwing pebbles into the water- You gotta love their expressions-

This photo cracks me up. The younger brother is flexing over the older. And I doubt he would ever have done this had his older brother been on equal ground with him- =) A rare moment of superiority- I don’t even think the eldest knew about this picture. lol…

Frolicking through the field. Frolicking being the operative word.

Family frolicking…except Dad thinks he is a wide receiver at a football game.

Mother and daughter-

This image was my favorite family photo from the day-

In the middle of our shoot, we had a little family sharing time. Not only a time for photos, but a time to stop and verbalize words of appreciation towards one another. Too often in life, we neglect to stop and share our love and thankfulness to those closest to us.

I met these two at a wedding a couple weeks prior…and that led to this photoshoot-

Siblings-

Thanks you guys for an awesome time! You guys made me laugh so much! And there are so many funny pictures not posted here! =) Happy Holidays!

with Love,

Kenny Nakai

I have known Dan and Susanna’s family for a long time- Since their eldest was like 9 years old. So I was really looking forward to this photoshoot…and since Susanna is an amateur photographer herself, I felt a little extra motivation to do a good job- =)

We headed out to Gilson Beach in Wilmette, IL.

Gotta love the all natural lens flare…

I love the energy in these next two…all out for the disc.

Chase the birds! Just make sure they don’t poop on the photographer! =)

One of my favorites of the day-

Thanks for a great time! And thanks to the guys for being willing to get wet and climb over the rocks! I leave you with my favorite one…

I love kids. I love how unpredictable they are. I love how quickly they develop and grow up right in front of our very eyes.

I am a happy uncle to two nephews and four nieces! All under the age of 5! =) Photographing them through their different phases of life has been a joy. I love going back through images to see how tiny they were when first born.

Thus when Ashley asked me to photograph their second child, I more than happily agreed. Nate had the sad responsibility to be my cabin leader when I was in junior high. I was a stubborn, feisty kid. Nate was also my high school youth leader at church. So needless to say, photographing his family was a privilege.

When photographing children and babies, I really try to capture the ‘real’ images. They way they looked at you when you held them. The way they smiled when you tickled their cheek. They way they curled their lips when they were hungry. Because an infant’s expressions change after a few short weeks or days, I strive to preserve these moments so they are not forgotten.

After shooting Richard & Caroline’s engagement images, Caroline wanted me to photograph her family since they were all in town for their wedding. The following week, Richard wanted to have a photoshoot with his family as well! =)

It’s pretty awesome to have gotten to know this couple and their families so well through the course of the last couple months. Anyways, for this photoshoot we headed out to one of my favorite places, the Chicago Botanic Gardens. Here are some of the images from our time together-

This past spring, I wanted to support a great organization, The Mount Prospect Dist 57 Education Foundation. Over the years they have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the school district. Their funds have a direct impact on the schools and students. In a political era where funding for education has not been a priority, it is great to see individuals and companies come together to aid in the future success of our young children.

One way I could give back to this organization was to offer a family photoshoot in a silent auction. We waited until the weather warmed up for our photoshoot together, and I was really excited to work with this family.

Their two kids love sports and we were sure to include some action shots in our photoshoot. It was apparent, in our short time together, just how much these parents love their kids.

I was also reminded of my own childhood and how much my sister and I played together. Now we are all grown up and she is getting married in a couple months! It is a reminder to enjoy the moments we have now, and I hope these images serve that purpose for this family.

Thanks so much!

Richard & Caroline were recently married, and even though I was unable to photograph their wedding, they had me photograph their engagement session and both of their families.

Caroline’s parents and brother were in town from Hong Kong for the wedding and we headed out to a local park for a family photoshoot. The sun was setting and the weather was perfect.

Richard & Caroline have two dogs that are so cute and well behaved- They are almost like their children… =)

My favorite shot of the day-

The gorgeous sunset provided some amazing rim lighting for these furry guys.

Everybody jump!