Eureka! We Have Family Photos!

Today we have a much anticipated photoshoot to reveal: Christine’s family photos!

It’s Tatiana here, ready to show off this wonderful family! I figured I would give Christine a breather for a day and type up some bloggy goodness for you all. 😉

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This blue building in downtown Eureka (above) was just screaming for photos. As soon as Christine saw it, she climbed into the alley and made her family follow.

When we first set out to do this shoot, it was the beginning of August — and 99% of us were elated about it!

Christine picked out the cutest outfits for the whole fam (seriously, I need an adult version of Lily’s dress), and we had a plan to conquer all plans.

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The outfits were here, the photographer was in town, the location picked out, and then — Luna looked into the stars and just knew it wasn’t the right time!

Instead of making us adults look silly in not realizing this, she simply refused to wear her dress. And this was an outright, screaming and ripping it off kind of refulas.

She was just waiting until the stars had aligned, apparently.

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Look at that. The face of wisdom and innocence right there.  Turns out, she had the right idea because the original location closes at a crazy early time!

Good lookin’ out, Luna!

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So, we rescheduled which actually turned out better because we ended up changing the location to downtown Eureka, Missouri.

Luna was thrilled to get all dressed up with her big sister — this time!

Christine Fam 19OK, in theme with my other blogs — it’s time for the sap.

Christine is seriously one of the most phenomenal humans I have met. She dedicates her life and love to her family, as well as managing a business through Kansas City Photography to share her light with others.

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I always joke around that she is like “a puppy bathed in sunshine and rainbows,” but that is honestly the best way I think anyone can describe her optimism.

Christine would probably prefer to be called “a kitten” instead of a “puppy” because of her affinity for cats, but I’m a dog person, so …

 

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She picked the perfect career as a photographer because she effortlessly makes everyone around her smile!

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And let’s not forget Bryan. He’s pretty amazing too. I’ll let Christine say a few words about him:

“Bryan is a gem. He puts up with my crazy, crazy schedule with stride. He’s an amazing father, husband, and partner in crime.

To put this in perspective, let’s just go with a typical day in Christine’s brain:

‘Hey, Bryan! I know it’s Thursday, and this only gives us a 1-day notice, but do you feel like driving down to Arkansas this weekend to surprise my best friend for her birthday?’

That actually happened. And yes, we did go. And yes, she was surprised [Hi, Jenn!].”

16711819_10209132954303377_4690016210745525285_n[Photo credit above: Michelle Healy.] The rest of the photos in this blog were taken by us!

“He’s that rock that reminds me to bring water to photoshoots, charge my camera batteries, and actually get to bed at a decent hour.

That’s real love. And I’m so, so blessed.”

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And I feel blessed to know such a wonderful family!

Christine Fam 17After the shoot, the girls were rewarded with cupcakes for their modeling efforts at Sarah’s On Central.

Luna was very pleased! She always has to have the cupcake with “the pink icing,” and then … only eats the icing! It’s ok. More cake for mom!

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Top 9 Photoshoot Locations In St. Louis


Hooray, you’ve booked the photoshoot! The next question: “Where do we go?”

We get asked this by photography clients a lot. So, here’s a list of our top 9 in the St. Louis area — all with photos we personally took at these locations!

Also check out our list for the Kansas City area!

9. Augusta Wineries / Klondike Park

It would be higher on the list if it weren’t such a drive! But, it’s definitely worth it. The wineries in Augusta have the beautiful, rolling hills — which make for a perfect backdrop.

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And since you’ll already be in the area, may as well hit up Klondike Park, too! It’s only a few miles away from the winery. It touts sandy, white beaches — probably due to the fact it used to be an old silica sand quarry. Plus, it has a beautiful lake! What’s not to love?

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And, I mean, you drove all that way — why not just make a day of it and stick around after the photoshoot to enjoy the wineries? You’ll already be dressed for the part! <3

8. Tower Grove Park

Since I lived in Kansas City for so long, I am a sucker for fountains. And St. Louis has some amazing fountains to tout, too! Like this one in the middle of the water at Tower Grove Park!

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Plus, there are some fun rock formations surrounding the water. Perfect for stacking a wedding party onto, right?

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The park is also historic — it was founded in 1868 and opened to the public in 1872. It has around 7,000 trees! Whoa!

7. Faust Park

This is one of my favorites to whip out. With so many great parks in St. Louis, this one oftentimes gets overlooked, or in some cases, never heard of!

Faust Park has the perfect architecture for those rustic shoots — just look at this amazing barn!

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If cowboy boots are going to be involved in the shoot — this is where I suggest. It has that look and feel, and flows seamlessly.

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Faust Park also has a “Historic Village” section with buildings from 1840 to 1910! It is also home to The Butterfly House, so there is something to do after your session! It also has a park right next to it for any kiddos to run and play during or after the session.

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No one expects to find historic barns in Chesterfield. It’s 200 acres of hidden glory in the heart of Chesterfield — just waiting to be discovered!

6. Castlewood State Park

Nestled in Ballwin, this park boasts wooded trails, and a backdrop of the Meramec River!

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Although, this section of the Meramec is very turbulent, so there are a ton of signs warning you of “DEADLY RIVER!” Most access points are blocked off, but it’s possible to walk onto the beach and get photos still.

Right near the overflow parking area is this huge, open field. I can’t wait to see it in the fall — it’s going to be just as stunning!

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Along the trails are several ancient trees. I can tell because they are literally bigger than several humans standing side-by-side. This one below was Redwood big!!

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The only downfall of this park is that if you go on a weekend — it can be hard to find one another.

5. Downtown Eureka

If you’re wanting that cute, hometown feel — downtown Eureka is the place to go! It has cute, colorful buildings (I found this one in a little alley when Tatiana was taking our family photos) —

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It also has brick walls, decorated buildings, and the best little hometown feel to it! Make sure to check out Sarah’s Cake Shop when you’re there!! My youngest is obsessed!! (I swear I didn’t get paid to promo that, I just freakin’ love their cupcakes!!!).

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They also have this adorable pagoda! It is kinda out in the middle of a parking lot — but hey, it works!

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4. Myron & Sonya Glassberg Conservation Area

This beautiful park is also hidden in Eureka, down Highway FF. It’s 634-acres of woods, trails, and even includes a 3-acre fishing lake.

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Along the trail, you’ll find a stream that runs along it. Your entire walk you can hear the trickle of water and the chirping of crickets.

After walking a short while on the trail, you’ll see this gorgeous miniature waterfall.

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It’s a perfect picture opportunity. Plus, the trail is flat, so it’s not a hard walk. Perfect for nature lovers. It’s very easy to get a shot here without a ton of people in the way.

And, you’re surrounded by forest on all sides, so it’s just beautiful!

3. Lafayette Park

This park is a hidden gem. Until a client recommended it for their shoot, I had no idea it even existed! I ran the location by one of my lifetime St. Louisan friends, and they also had never been there!

Historians have called it the oldest urban park west of the Mississippi.

It has this stunning bridge, that’s surrounded by ornate flowers, and even a willow —

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If you walk just slightly past the beautiful water / bridge area — there’s this standalone building with ornate oval windows, bricks, and wood.

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There’s also a pond with a fountain, and a walking trail that goes around it. If we venture in the spring, you will also see all sort of baby geese, swans sitting on their eggs, and tons of little squirrels running around!

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And if you have kiddos — there’s also a park located right there as well! It’s a hidden gem, and never extremely crowded, which is another bonus!

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2. Forest Park 

Of course, the iconic Forest Park had to make our list. It really is a jewel of St. Louis. It’s 1,371 acres of awesome. What’s not to love?

It has the Muny, and its amazing architecture, which includes columns and a huge chandelier —

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And right beside the Muny is this gorgeous garden area! It doesn’t even feel like you’re in St. Louis anymore when you see all of the tropical buds!

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It also has lakes, yes, multiple! (And if you know where to look, some super docile ducks, too) —

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And while there are the typical locations that everyone wants to hit up (and for good reason, they’re stunning!) —  there are also some hidden beauties — and willow trees!

You can’t go wrong with willow trees. Seriously. And a little breeze!

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1. Shaw Nature Reserve

Our number one spot is a place a photography client pointed out to Christine. She has been in love ever since! Shaw Nature Reserve, owned by the Missouri Botanical Garden, has a little bit of everything!

It has water in several locations, and some of those water locations have bridges or cute little awnings to duck underneath:

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There is also the Joseph Bascom house, which has gorgeous pillars to pose between. It can give a completely different photo session look! The home was built in 1879, and the columns make for great photos.

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Of course, there are also trails galore! Just a quick walk on one and you are surrounded by nature. It’s easy to forget you aren’t actually out in the country, you’re in a park!

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There is also the Whitmire Wildflower Garden where more than 800 native Missouri plants are on display.

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The park itself does have a $5 entry fee for adults. Children are free! It is definitely worth the small price to see this beautiful scenery. It really makes the photo session special, especially with so many amazing backdrop options!

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And, depending on the timing, depends on what you’ll see! These gorgeous daffodils were only in bloom for one week. This next photo was taken by a good photographer friend of mine, Dee Keim Photography. She took our family photos at this gorgeous park, too, so I wanted to share:

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The history of Shaw Nature Reserve is also interesting! They phrased it well themselves: “The Missouri Botanical Garden’s land purchase in 1925 began the legacy of Shaw Nature Reserve. Originally set up as a safe refuge for the plant collection from the smoke pollution of the 1920’s, its role in the community has evolved through the years. Shaw Nature Reserve has many roles—as a nature reserve, a place to walk and hike, and a good spot for relaxing and for studying nature.”

Which one is your favorite?

And if you’re in the Kansas City area — we have our Top 10 list for there as well!!

 Click here to book your photoshoot with Kansas City Photography (which is in both St. Louis & Kansas City)!

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(All photos in this blog post were taken by Kansas City Photography. You may not re-use without permission.)