Random acts of Kindness during Covid-19!
#RAOKCOVID19
If you are like me right now, you feel helpless, you are staying at home, but wish you could do more! Well you can and I am going to help you with some ideas on what you can do right with a list, because let’s be honest we all LOVE listicles!
Then use the hashtag #RAOKCOVID19 to share what you are doing to help, I will then feature you to show what we have all been up to!
Help out the small businesses you love by writing reviews on Google, Yelp, Facebook and other similar websites.
Consider buying gift cards from your favorite small businesses, this could be from your hairstylist, nail techs, salon, restaurants, aestheticians, photographers, dog groomers, florists, boutiques, etc. This can help them with cash flow while many are unable to work.
If you can sew, check out the many groups being formed to help sew our frontline workers’ masks! Check out the facebook group Masks for Chicago Area Healthcare Workers if you are local to Chicago, many communities have their own groups as well.
If you have a lot of children in your neighborhood, consider checking out Heart Hunters , It is a fun way to help bring some joy to people as they go out for walks, giving kids and adults something to look for!
Head to your sidewalk and write encouraging messages with chalk so people can see it as they walk around.
Help your elderly or Immune compromised neighbors with groceries or other essentials. I am in my cities facebook group and saw someone needed help with getting some items. I picked up what she needed since I already had to go to the store. I dropped off the items on her porch for her.
Write cards and donate crosswords to local nursing homes. I just got in contact with Sydney Parrish who works at The Fountains at Crystal Lake. She is trying to gather something for each of the 200 residents that live there who can no longer have visitors. You can send her.
Letters
Notes or Drawings from kids
Crossword Puzzles
Books
Mail to:
Dining Services Sydney Parish
965 Brighton Cir, Crystal Lake, IL 60012
Lifestyle Newborn Photo Session
So today I thought I would share some of the photos I recently did for my cousin Melanie, her husband Michael and her beautiful baby girl Juliette. She is the first one in our family to have a baby among us “kids”. I was so happy to be able to capture these for them at their amazing apartment in Milwaukee this February. One of my favorite photos was Juliette all wrapped up with a locket on top of her swaddle with photos of both of her grandma’s on it. I know our grandma would have been so ecstatic to be a great-grandma.
Chicago and Schaumburg Team and Staff Headshot Photography
I am always excited to head into Chicago and surrounding suburbs to help companies with the headshots. Having professional headshots on your website, LinkedIn and marketing materials help your company stand out from the crowd. It shows that you care about your business and your presentation to your potential clients and presentation really matters.
Consistency is key when it comes to corporate headshots, when picking out the style of headshot you want, make sure it is something you can replicate as new staff joins the company. This means sticking to a similar background along with choosing either black and white or color photos.
Team shots can also be very useful in conveying your brand message. If you are a Chicago injury law firm you may want to portray a more serious tone, while a tattoo parlor can be a bit more colorful.
Composite team shots are another great option when you have a large group of employees with frequent team changes. This allows people to be added and removed without having to retake everyone elses photo.
All in all, DeAnda Photography can help you and your company with all of your photographic needs. Contact me today to book!
Book or Inquire Below
Professional Headshots at Algonquin Studio
No matter what your profession, professional headshots at my Downtown Algonquin studio can be the perfect fit. We can do traditional headshots or more lifestyle images. I can also provide both full-body, 3/4 body, and traditional bust-up headshots. To see some samples check out the images below. I have both indoor and outdoor options for you to choose from.
Illinois State University Fall Engagement Session
Ryan and Mike went to ISU together and got engaged there as well and when they mentioned wanting to photograph there for their engagement session I thought it was a wonderful idea. We spent the afternoon walking around the beautiful grounds, exploring some of the buildings, then headed to the Sugar Mama bakery in uptown and finally ended at the local bar they had spent many nights at with friends! I can’t wait for the wedding next year!
Silver Lake Wedding of Ashley and Ben
Wow I can hardly believe it has been a year already since Ashley and Ben’s amazing wedding! They got married in Orland Park at Silver Lake Country Club which is one of my favorite venues. They had a gorgeous design aesthetic for their day with succulents on the tables and on their cake. The day was filled with their friends and family and they danced the night away. Enjoy some of the photos from their day!
Venue - Silver Lake Country Club
Wedding Planner Tionna M. Van Gundy - Wedicity
Cake - ECBG Cake Studio
Video - Carisma Films
Band - Bluewater Kings Band
Flowers - Avenue Flower Shop
Illinois Beach Resort Summer Wedding
Meet the Harpers! Sarah and Jessica got married on a cool summer day at the Illinois Beach Resort in Zion. Their day was perfect from having their dog Leah there to Sarah’s Grandma being their flower girl. For their wedding favors they gave s’mores kits and had a big bonfire on the beach to roast them at. It was the perfect day and I am so happy to share some photos from their day!
Thanks to the amazing vendors as well!
Venue - Illinois Beach Resort
Officiant - Ashley Meitzler
Cake - Sweet Discoveries
Flowers - Southern Blooms Co.
Hair/Makeup - Beaute Luxe
Cake Topper - Topper Designer
Place Cards and Table Numbers - Soumyas Designs
Sand Ceremony Set - The Dream Wedding Shop
Second Shooter - Lauryn Schalk
2019 Photography Awards
So this year I have been trying to compete more with my images. One of the main things I pride myself on is that all of the work I have ever submitted has been client work. So I wanted to share a few of these with all of you.
I started off the year in the Shoot and Share contest and it is a contest that I have been entering for the past 4 years now. This year I was excited to finally have an image in the top 100! My image of Ben getting ready for his wedding placed 39th out of 4076 images in the groom category. I also was a finalist with a detail image from Stephanie and Alex’s wedding, it placed 423 out of 18,829 images.
Click Here to see how my other images did!
After Shoot and Share I had attended Imaging this year and was really inspired by their International Print competition. By pure chance I ended up meeting a few people from my local PPA chapter and decided right then and there that I was going to join and get more active in my local community. I then entered my local print competition in February and May of this year.
In the February contest I took best in the Wedding Category with an image from Cindy and Stuarts wedding from this January, “Warm my Heart” I had image competition in mind as I photographed their wedding and was just so thrilled that I was on the right track! I also merited with another image called “Make a Wish” A merit is awarded to any image that displays the 12 elements as described here .
Finally in the May competition I received another merit image and was runner up in the wedding category with my mage “Something Blue” which scored an 81
So next for me is getting my case ready for the PPA image competition which is quickly approaching. They have a new wedding degree which I will be working towards. It is so important to me to always strive to become a better photographer and I will never stop growing or learning!
Hotel Indigo and Naperville Riverwalk Fall Wedding
I had such a wonderful time with Alex and Megan on their wedding day. We had their first look on the Naperville Riverwalk and had it pretty much to ourselves since some clouds had scared everyone else inside. They then got married at Naperville’s St.Thomas church and then head to their disney inspired reception at Hotel Indigo. Take a look at their fall wedding!
St.James Farm Engagement Session
This was a special engagement session since I have been friends with Desiree now for about 4 years. I was so excited when her and Justin wanted me to photograph their wedding and engagement . We decided on St.James Farm in Warrenville. It really makes a perfect backdrop and offers so much versatility. They have finally finished construction there and the place looks just gorgeous! Enjoy!
