Well, hello cuteness overload!!! With two boys and two girls - the “F” family always has something fun going on. Well, last Sunday these four fabulous faces all were in full smiles!!! It actually choked me up because their cute little faces reminded me of mom Sam and her siblings. For over a decade, Sam and I grew up going to camp together. I was even her youngest sister Brittany’s camp counselor my first year as staff and watched as her brother’s grew up and became unit leaders years later. Well, now Sam is a mother hen to four and it just blows me away! Her two eldest had their first summer at Camp Blue Star and as we were getting ready to take photos, I told Henry and Oliva that mommy and I were their age when we first met! Thanks to the power of Facebook, we’ve been connected ever since. We all had a fun afternoon as we spread our wings and explored the Arboretum in Deerfield Beach. It was a perfect day out and each little bird got a little sunshine spotlight to shine and be themselves. Brayden and Violet (the two youngest) were so cute and loved cooing and saying CHEEZZZE at the top of their lungs. While the twins Henry and Olivia each wanted time holding their little sister Vi. Even when Brayden would stand next to his brother Henry he always reached out for his hand. One thing that I loved watching is the bond that these brothers and sister have with each other. The love that they share is such a reflection of their parents! Matt and Sam, thank you for letting me capture this moment in time of these gorgeous glowing grins. Here’s to a very happy new year ahead! -xoxo-

Thanks to the power of social media aka Instagram - I had sent out a message that I was going to be shooting in Miami in December and - boom! I get a message saying lets do a family session together!!! I was so glad to reconnect with Erica and meet her lovely family. We literally haven’t seen each other since a trip we took together to Israel about 10 years ago!!! It was really so much fun to play catch up and meet her boys - who were the sweetest little ones ever! I mean I could just die looking into those baby blues of theirs. We had a great afternoon and got some fantastic photos in at Deerfield Beach. I have to say (Its nice trading in my winter coat and hat for some flip flops and dresses was the best decision ever!) Thank you “A” family for letting me capture you all.

This was a match made years ago but it wasn’t until November 24th 2019 that it was sealed with a loving kiss!!! Yep! He put a ring on it!!! This was such a fun session!!!! I love capturing love and all the little moments in between! Manan had planned his proposal to the love of his life Haleigh. He had picked a spot that was meaningful to the both of them. A spot that they loved walking to hand in hand and connect what was on their minds. Well for Manan he only had one thing on his and Haleigh was completely surprised! They laughed, cried and even got sprayed on from popping some bubbly! (yes is was a really windy day) These two are each others halves to their whole and it totally shows. Manan and Haleigh - I wish you a very happy new year ahead and know that there will be smiles all around the Thanksgiving table this week!

When you have two sweet kids with a gorgeous background, there is no doubt that you’ll get amazing photos! I was so excited when I got a message from their mom saying “what do you think about shooting on the lake?” (with a iPhone photo attached to the message) Duh it was a no brainer - I saw it and was so excited to have such an awesome environment to work with for our portrait session! We shot these gorgeous grins in early November and love that the trees are in Peek session here! Thank you “R” family for such a fun afternoon on the lake!!!

Welcome to the world baby girl Blake! Mom and Dad were counting down the days to see your ten little fingers and toes! Bella Blake Kissel arrival to the party on October 26th weighing in 8 pounds and 2 ounces! This little bundle of joy is so loved by all and will be the 2nd little turkey to this growing family as her brother Levi is in shock that he is now a big brother!

Tomorrow is veterans day and I just wanted to take a moment to honor those who have served our country. Veterans Day is an important day set aside to show appreciation for ALL who have served in the United States military—in wartime or peacetime, living, or deceased. I also want to honor not only those who serve our country but also to those families who had to move and relocate every few years. Well, this family just relocated to Chicago and I was so honored to see them. The “S” family were so lovely to work with and their southern charm got me smiling right away. The dressed to the nines and looked amazing! And we even got to shoot on mom and dad’s Anniversary and recreate one of their wedding day photos and make it look 100 times better - as they say real love ages us well. Thank you all for being so fabulous to work with and I hope you and all your families have a special Veterans Day.

Being a headshot photographer in Chicago and LA is such a fun job. I get to meet so many actors both big and small. Last week, I had the pleasure of shooting a brother and sister duo who know how to pose for the camera. These twins pack so much in these little bodies - I just adore them! Be sure to tune into NBC’s Chicago Fire as you will see two new guests on the show. I can’t wait to watch Cameron and Dylan light up the screen. If you are interested in shooting headshots with me please visit my other website and click contact.

I don’t know about you, but I just love fall. Apple crisp, brisk afternoon walks, warm clothing, soup making and of course latte sipping… what’s not to love? I want to capture every autumn sight, scent, and taste with my camera! In this session I really feel like I got so much color captured…. that you can somehow smell the fresh air right off the screen - ha! Well last week, we had a fun session with this family of five :) Having Hebrew as their first language, it really tested my skills and ability to communicate. Its been a while since I had photographed Israelis, actually its been three years ago to the date that I was photographing in Tel Aviv. So it was a challenge giving them directions in my broken hebrew - (which probably sounded like a 3 year olds speech) But it just reminded me that I need to brush up on language skill! We had an amazing day and the smiles just show how much fun we had under the canopy of colors. So come check out the Marom Family’s Session!

I can’t believe this little one is Six years old!!! Gosh time flies by so quickly! Well, Asher wanted to have some fall photos taken with his number one fan - Benny! (his big bro) Okay okay okay…mom was the one who really wanted the two of them photographed together before they get too big! We did a really quick mini session after the boys got out of school. I saw some amazing spots around the neighborhood and found some red Maples which I really wanted to shoot before the leaves fly off the trees. The boys were great and we got some fun smiles in but I have to say that my favorite shot of this session was the last one. I found an empty field off the highway that had all this prairie grass and natural hay around. I told the boys we are going on a outdoor adventure and had them climb threw the brush. Asher jumped and wasn’t into sitting on the hay but, Benny (as all older brothers do) was explaining that the sounds that they heard in the field was just crickets. Asher looked over to Benny and he told his younger brother not to worry cuz we’re bigger then the crickets- they laughed and it was such a sweet moment - It was so cute. Happy 6th Birthday Asher! Hope you have a great year ahead!

You guys! Chicago is in Peak Fall and I for one am so loving the autumn colors! Every time I’m in my car driving down these side streets, my eyes are smiling looking out at such beautiful foliage. It just amazing how mother nature works. The quicker the cold air changes the more beautiful the leaves get. Well, this year I thanked my lucky stars because I had the pleasure of taking photos of the “R” Family before the snow hits Chicago! That’s right the past two years we had always taken photos on the first day of snow but not this year - we got a gorgeous fall day! We found this perfect spot in front of the Lily Pond in Lincoln Park. The boys looked so handsome - I mean how adorbs are this two brothers!!!! I love seeing their bond together - and I know that Sammy will always and forever look up to Coby for everything in life! Thank you Abbey and Andy for letting me be there to capture these two growing boys! If you are still interested in setting up a photo session with your family. Feel free to contact me via my website at www.naomiepsteinphotography.com/contact

We’re in peek fall here in Chicago - with our red maples blazing bright! Yes, fall is by far my favorite time of year to capture cute smiles in the Midwest! Why you ask? Well not only because of the fashion (hello layers) but also because weather in the 50-60 is comfortable to shoot in. You don’t have to worry about being a sweaty Betty or Eddy and can easily walk comfortably from one area to another - while keeping cool.

Last week I got a fun filled Friday with the “F” family! This is my second year photographing this cute bunch and I just love seeing Landon and Jonah grow each year (click here to view last years session) As we were finishing up our session Mom said - “some people need the latest boots or new coats but I’d rather spend my money on memories” - I held my heart and looked her in the eye and said thats why I do this! So you can hang up these photos in your house and remember how your kids looked that year. Thank you “F” family for being so rad in plaid!!! -xoxo

I don’t know about you, but come mid-October we are so in the Fall Spirit!. While highs may hit the 60s (hello Chicago!), the hint of a cooler breeze has us ready to pull out boots and make s’mores around a fire. With fall football season in full swing, we can’t help but dream about the fantastic season to come. We are jumping for joy with the “J” Family! We had an amazing picture perfect day with an early morning session. Baby E and baby brother J were so cute to capture at the Lincoln Park Nature Broad-walk. Heidi and Jonathan are amazing and it brings such joy to see these two become parents and have a party of now four!!! Thank you guys for a fun-day sunny Sunday.

You know those mornings when you open the door and take a deep breathe, the air is beyond fresh, cool and crisp that you just can’t help but find the sides of your mouth start to curl up – and yea – your in a full on smile. Well, that is exactly the type of day I had with the Sassy “S” Family. Yes, this fun bunch decided to book their family session and get in on the last warmer day before the snow hits the windy city! I have been with this family for four years and it amazing to see them grow each year and get cuter and yes… sassier! We had a five o’clock session and the lighting was perfect! Since they moved into a new place we decided to shoot in their hood and get more of a city vibe then a beach or garden. We had a blast and at the end some treats were definitely had by these three stunners! Thank you S Family for bringing me all the goodness last week!

Hellllllooooo sweater weather! Yes, Fall is finally here! That’s right Chicago is layering up, and I am so excited to meet all these amazing families. Last week I got to meet the Young family. A cute bunch who’s little ones have so much personality it was hard to keep up! I loved capturing their natural silliness. We had a fun day dancing in the dandelions and wild flowers and yes, even puddles! Thankfully the rain cleared up and we got these amazing shots at the Lincoln Park Nature Boardwalk. Thank you to these beautiful faces for keeping me “Young at Heart!”

Pose, Intelligent and Warmth are three words that I would describe Chicago’s Author of INFLUENCE REDEFINED. Stacey the owner of Stacey Hanke Inc exists to equip leaders within organizations to communicate with confidence, presence and authenticity, day in and day out. Combined, her team of mentors and consultants has more than 100 years of training experience. She has worked with executives, managers, technicians and sales leaders across the United States and on four different continents. Stacey and her team have diverse backgrounds in news & entertainment, sales & marketing, diversity & inclusion, organizational development & investor relations.

Stacey is also a keynote speaker. She mentors and works best one-on-one. Whatever your solution, the goal is always the same: Not to change you, but to help you confidently and consistently express your true self, Monday to Monday.®

Here I shot Stacey’s new branding for 2019, I’m so thrilled to have worked with her and help communicate visually who she is as a business leader and innovator.

They met the good old fashion way… by swiping. Yes, the new normal of meeting someone in the same city as you with your preferences is just an app away! It just takes one. Well, Haley found her needle in the haystack five years ago when she was on Jswipe. Ross and Haley’s first date was one for those rom-com’s on Netflix. Thats right, with his Bright Yellow 1994 Toyota Celica, he had picked up Haley from her parents house in Highland Park. They drove over to Nevin’s pub in Evanston for a drink and a bite. But, Haley was so shy she couldn’t speak a word at first. She just nodded, sipped and nibbled while Ross took the lead. Of course, he was a complete gentleman and after a few minutes Haley felt comfortable enough to engage in conversation. After a great dinner they drove to Thornwood Park in Wilmette where they layed down on the grass. Ross was smooth and wanted to show Haley the stars that’s when they shared their first kiss. Their Wedding will be held at the London House in Chicago on August 29th, 2020! I can’t wait to see you two walk down the aisle as husband and wife.

Wow!!! What a weekend it was for the Gutterman’s! We are so proud of Michaela for becoming a Bat Mitzvah this weekend. She was an absolute star on the B’mah and was a pro at reading her torah portion! The day was so lovely from the brunch at the service at Sukkah Shalom with close family and friends to the smashing party held at the Glen Club on Saturday night! LOLA EVENTS and HMR DESIGNS did such an amazing job with the decor and made the room look sensational! Michaela’s theme was gymnastics as she competes regularly with her Evanston Team Mates! Thank you Gutterman Girls for letting me be apart of your fabulous day! Mazels to the whole family :)

These two hearts found each other while studying in college. Several years later, they finally tied the knot! They both share that Hollywood smile but, were raised with Midwest values. As Eden (sister of the groom) had said “they were meant for each other and this day was a day in the making” Zach with his dry wit and Emily with her famous warm hugs are truly the perfect fit! They were so relaxed and both felt truly comfortable in their own skin. In fact even, their initials to their names spell out EZ! The morning started off with rain but cleared up during the middle of the day - it was a steamy day but luckily we got to shoot outside and the ceremony was held in the fabulous outdoor courtyard at the Bridgeport Art Center. Everyone looked beyond sensational!!! The evening was a non-stop dance party lead by the Gold Coast all stars and the delicious food by J & L Catering. The lovely flowers were created by Fleur were absolutely breathtaking and made the room eye catching and grand. Zach and Emily I wish you guys all the warm hugs in the world - much love!!!

Wedding Planner  Laura Kimmel
Venue:  Bridgeport Art Center

Catering:  J & L Catering

Florist:  Fleur

Lighting and Pipe & Drape:  Tablescapes

Linen:  BBJ Linen

Band:  Chicago All Stars

Photographer: Naomi Epstein Photography

Videographer: Whole Heart

Transportation: M & M

Photo Booth: Fotio

Makeup:  Leesi B Cosmetics

Hair:  Renee Feldman Studios

Fall is just around the corner! If you’d like to book your family photos - we are scheduling them out NOW!!! That’s right, I only have so many dates opened for family sessions and I want to make sure that you all get a chance to look up dates and get back to me asap! October is the best month to see the color change so if you want an autumn day - we have a limited time to get those smiles captured! ( October 1st - October 15th is when leaves will be changing)

Mini Sessions are 20mins $200

weekday only photo session (indoor or outdoor)

family of 4 ($25 per each additional head)

10 digital files included

Additional files are $50 each

Full Sessions are one hour $650

week or weekend hour photo session (indoor or outdoor)

Family of 4 ($25 per each additional head)

All digital files included

Book your session now by clicking on the photo below!

Sunsets facing the west are the best. It’s amazing to see folks but old and young flock over to the beach at the end of the day to say goodbye to another amazing day. In Santa Monica the sun sets over the mountains. Leaving dreamy cotton candy skies. The “G” family wanted to get some beach photos and I recommended going at sunset. I love shooting at this time of day because of the romantic feel the lighting casts on my subjects. Also, shooting on a beach during the day is super challenging. So I was thrilled that we can photograph this cute family in the evening.