champaign – urbana child and family photographer | sweet pea photography »

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  • modern … real … artistic … playful … relaxed … life’s sweetest moments

  • Welcome to Sweet Pea Photography! Scroll down to find lots of current images, sneak peeks from recent sessions, info about blog contests, scheduling announcements, and my thoughts on all of the above! Or check out the tabs at the top, especially if you're interested in scheduling a session.  To get a glimpse of what a Family Session or a Beloved Session is like, just click on one of these awesome videos by Park Life Wedding Films... then sit back, relax, and enjoy the fun!

  • ..................................join in the fun of a family session..............................

  • .......................... or get a glimpse of a Beloved Session.........................

I had a great time playing with this family at their home in Savoy over the weekend!  This lovely mom mentioned that her “dream photograph” would be an image of their family together, simply enjoying an everyday moment… and I think this fun shot captures that perfectly!  Thanks for a fun family photography session, full of giggles and games… I hope we can do it again soon! Remember to leave a comment here on the blog – after 25 comments, this family will receive a free 5×7 print!

  • March 22, 2011 - 11:46 pm

    Mary - This is beautiful – what a precious memory!

  • March 22, 2011 - 7:50 am

    Mary Sherman - I love this family photo!

  • March 21, 2011 - 8:55 pm

    shannon newman - Cuties! Kids are growing:)

  • March 21, 2011 - 8:54 pm

    Rachel Wickness - Love these! Great family! 🙂

  • March 21, 2011 - 7:33 pm

    April - Do I really have to wait for more! I love them.

  • March 21, 2011 - 1:46 pm

    Stacey - Beautiful!

I love photo sessions with parents who are clearly smitten with their children… and this Sweet Pea Photography session was definitely one of those! It has been fun watching this darling girl grow over the past 6 months (and her sister over the past 2 1/2 years!)  Thanks for another relaxing session at your home in Champaign, and I hope you enjoy this sneak peek!  Remember to pass it along, and leave a comment here on the blog… after 25 comments, this momma’s girl will receive a free print from her session!

  • March 17, 2011 - 10:31 pm

    Monica Carroll - Wonderful pictures!!!

  • March 15, 2011 - 2:55 pm

    Carrie Barker - Sooooo adorable, Molly!!!!

  • March 9, 2011 - 5:27 pm

    Danielle - She is adorable and so is her mommy!

  • March 9, 2011 - 1:46 pm

    Mindy - I love these pics of my gorgeous niece!

  • March 9, 2011 - 10:15 am

    Allyson - Thanks Paige! I’d love to work with your cutie-pies sometime too! 🙂

  • March 9, 2011 - 8:46 am

    Paige - These pics are beautiful!

  • March 9, 2011 - 8:25 am

    Jamie - Beautiful ladies!! What wonderful pictures!

I have a seven-year-old girl… an always-singing, ever-dancing, chapter-book-reading, skipping-instead-of-walking, Jesus-loving, gap-toothed-whistling, piano-playing, sister-hugging, classroom-leading  seven-year-old girl…

  • April 5, 2011 - 8:24 am

    papa - I may be biased a bit, but there are moments when “beautiful” does not adequately describe this young lady.

  • March 8, 2011 - 10:52 pm

    Grandma - My little chick-a-dee isn’t so little anymore! Averhy, you are a beautiful child of God!

  • February 27, 2011 - 5:00 pm

    Stacey - Love, love, love that first picture. Just outstanding. She looks so grown. I don’t think I realized both your girls were just slightly younger than Olivia and Ian. Averhy is just so beautiful, and the light in that image is stunning.

  • February 25, 2011 - 12:42 pm

    Jessica - Just Lovely! Happy Birthday to you both!

  • February 25, 2011 - 9:18 am

    Heather Woods - What a beautiful 7yr old! I see she likes to read Junie B. Jones books too. We are headed to Waubonsee CC to see the Production of it tonight!

  • February 25, 2011 - 8:35 am

    Dave - I love love love that first picture. Now, that’s a thoughtful 7-year-old. Beautiful!

I had a wonderful time playing with this family at their home in Champaign last weekend!  It was fun watching them interact so lovingly, and the girls especially enjoyed showing me their adoption scrapbooks and favorite things (in addition to running around, doing cartwheels, coloring, laughing, and generally having a good time!)  Thanks for the opportunity to peek into the life of your family, and I hope you enjoy this sneak peek from your session — remember to leave a comment here on the blog, so I can give these special girls a free 5×7 print after 25 comments!

  • March 2, 2011 - 6:04 pm

    Audrey M. - Adorable! I’m their dental hygienist, what a pleasant surprise to get to see their family photos!

  • February 24, 2011 - 7:03 pm

    Aunt Ro - M&M, loved the pictures, particularly the one of the girls. They
    are great.

  • February 24, 2011 - 11:31 am

    tara k - such a lovely family! 🙂

  • February 21, 2011 - 10:53 am

    Ashley apollonio - Very cute pics!!!!!

  • February 21, 2011 - 2:02 am

    Robin McBride - Beautiful children and family, the pictures really do them justice! Simply wonderful!

  • February 20, 2011 - 3:09 pm

    David Meyer - These are great pics!

  • February 20, 2011 - 11:55 am

    Kathryn Bryan - The photos are great!!!!! Allyson you have a great eye!!!! The pictures are flawless!

  • February 20, 2011 - 3:54 am

    David - Wow! What amazing photos of such beautiful girls!!!

  • February 20, 2011 - 2:42 am

    Yunhee - Great pictures! My favorite is the B&W picture of girls.

  • February 19, 2011 - 11:55 pm

    Fabio - These pics are awesome….. great work!

  • February 19, 2011 - 10:50 pm

    Leticia Marteleto. - Great pictures of super cute girls & their family!

  • February 19, 2011 - 10:23 pm

    Lori Snipes - Beautiful pictures!!!!

  • February 19, 2011 - 9:18 pm

    Rebecca - Sweet pictures… especially the one of the girls together.

  • February 19, 2011 - 8:54 pm

    Carmen loor - Great picutres! Beautiful family!!!

  • February 19, 2011 - 8:26 pm

    Dennis Andres - Beautiful pics of a beautiful family. You can see the happiness shining through.

  • February 19, 2011 - 8:21 pm

    Beth - I really like the pictures and would like to see more.

  • February 19, 2011 - 7:04 pm

    Pam - LOVE the pic with the dogs! Great composition!

  • February 19, 2011 - 6:45 pm

    Paula Miranda-Ribeiro - Great pictures of a great family!
    Paula

  • February 19, 2011 - 6:26 pm

    Laurie - These are awesome family portraits – so natural!

  • February 19, 2011 - 5:42 pm

    Maria Boerngen - Beautiful pictures. What a wonderful family!

  • February 19, 2011 - 4:58 pm

    Jimin Han - Beautiful photos of some beautiful girls and a gorgeous family. : )

  • February 19, 2011 - 4:58 pm

    Kris - Gorgeous!

  • February 19, 2011 - 4:52 pm

    Sara - Those girls are just adorable–you did a great job of capturing their charm.

  • February 19, 2011 - 4:49 pm

    eb singer - great photos m and m! can’t wait to meet katrina – any chance you’ll get back to Chautauqua this year? doing my part to ensure you get free pix!!!! heck – i’ll do a free photo shoot anytime!!! the girls are uber-photogenic! kudos to SweetPea as well – well done!

  • February 19, 2011 - 4:40 pm

    Mike - ooops i meant cute little girls!!

  • February 19, 2011 - 4:39 pm

    Mike - We love the pics Mary! Such cute little, bring em down the Cleveland! Kevin and I would love to have you guys here!

  • February 19, 2011 - 4:26 pm

    Hilda - Mary and Matt’s beautiful family was captured beautifully in these pictures. Each one is special. I can’t decide which I like better (both the family members and the pictures)!!!

  • February 19, 2011 - 4:11 pm

    Rafael - thanks for sharing Mary! you have a beautiful family. hope to see you in Nica

  • February 19, 2011 - 3:55 pm

    Helen - Pictures and personality–great mix!

  • February 17, 2011 - 3:55 pm

    Matt - Thanks for the wonderful pictures, including the one of Simon. Can’t wait to see more.

  • February 17, 2011 - 1:34 pm

    Mary - Love the pictures! The girls look so sweet, and I know that Matt will love the picture of Simon, especially.

Thank you to everyone who completed the Sweet Pea Photography client survey in January – your feedback and thoughts are so valuable to me!  Congratulations to the winner of the $100 print certificate, randomly selected from all responses… Carolyn Blackwell!  I can’t wait to work with your family again Carolyn (or perhaps you’ll be getting lots of kind words and baked goodies from your friends who are hoping you’ll pass along the print certificate to them…?  Either way – hooray for your good luck!!)

On the survey, I asked for your opinion on some new products I’ve considered offering this year, and LOTS of you said that you’d love some framed wall arrangements… and I would love to oblige! Introducing the newest product offered by Sweet Pea Photography… the Perfect Picture Wall!  Take a peek here, and soon I’ll have a sample display hanging in the studio too!

It was a treat meeting this lovely one-month-old sweetheart last weekend at her family’s home in Urbana – and her mom, dad, and grandma were just as sweet as she was!  We had a good time getting to know each other during her newborn photography session, and she was simply perfect. (I wonder if she has been paying close attention to the family’s two friendly and well-behaved puppies – they even cooperated for some family shots of everyone!)  Thanks for letting me hang out with your family, and I hope this sneak peek from your session tides you over until your ordering appointment later this week!  Remember to leave a comment here on the blog to help this lovely little lady earn a free 5×7 print after 25 comments…

  • March 2, 2011 - 10:50 am

    Kristi - What a beautiful baby! Great pics! 🙂

  • February 10, 2011 - 1:01 am

    sherral - Beautiful pictures! And what an adorable baby!

  • January 31, 2011 - 1:21 pm

    Tammy - the cutest member of a beautiful family! yes she even beats out Oreo and Max 🙂 Great pictures!

  • January 31, 2011 - 7:06 am

    Bishel - Just precious…..beautiful family captured in a beautiful way….waiting for more pics…..

  • January 31, 2011 - 1:46 am

    shiren - i can ‘t wait to see the rest of the pictures

  • January 30, 2011 - 11:03 pm

    Rupa - Terrific pictures!!! Anya is beautiful!

  • January 30, 2011 - 8:40 pm

    Laura Fletcher - What a beautiful family!

  • January 30, 2011 - 6:49 pm

    Hopeful - Precious!

  • January 30, 2011 - 6:38 pm

    Ujval Jagarlapudi - Congratulations. These are awesome pictures. God bless you and your family.

  • January 30, 2011 - 6:33 pm

    Rosemary - The pictures are simply gorgeous! What beautiful memories!

  • January 30, 2011 - 6:27 pm

    Trish - Anya is so beautiful, but just look at her parents!

    Thanks, Allyson, for doing another wonderful job for wonderful parents (and clients)!

  • January 30, 2011 - 5:21 pm

    Krystle - These pics are gorgeous. What a beautiful family!

  • January 30, 2011 - 5:20 pm

    Shiryl Mathai - Wow.. my family is just soo beautiful. Really cool pictures and may favorite is Anya with her Grandma. Great job on the preview, hope to see more.

I can hardly believe this handsome fellow is turning one.  Didn’t we just do a newborn photography session a few weeks ago? It sure feels like it… We had a great time playing, giggling, crawling, and eating cake last weekend in Champaign to celebrate the birthday boy.  I hope you guys enjoy this sneak peek, and remember to leave a comment here on the blog — 25 comments will earn these kiddos a free 5×7 print!

  • February 1, 2011 - 6:56 pm

    Dianne Kessenich - Oh! What beautiful, healthy children. We are so blessed. Love, Aunt Di

  • January 27, 2011 - 6:01 pm

    Holly - This reminds me that Max’s smash cake session is just around the corner. Yikes!! 🙂

  • January 27, 2011 - 5:41 pm

    shannon newman - Love his tummy eating the cake! Three beautiful kids:)