One of my favorite things to browse through on Pinterest and Instagram is home offices - simple, clean, crisp, and organized. Make them black and white and I will drool all day long!! Office envy is a real thing, ya'll. 

In the 7+ plus years I've been running my business, I've never had a dedicated home office. I'd set up my computer in the living room of our apartment, in the guest bedroom of our duplex, at the table in our kitchen, and anywhere else we had extra space. And you know what? It worked. I've never been one to need lots of storage space; in fact, I LOVE living a minimal and simple lifestyle, and that includes my office space! But when we bought our first house a few years ago, one of the requirements for us was to have an extra room that could double as my office.... or JUST be my office. 

Well, we found a house with 3 bedrooms! This is what the smallest bedroom looked like when we bought it, and we immediately made plans to make it my very own and very first home office. 

Yay peach walls! (not. ew.)

Since my business colors are black and white, I made a bold move and painted one wall black (chalkboard paint!), and the rest light grey. I love clean, white, modern furniture, so basically... Ikea is my happy place. 

Even a monochromatic office needs pops of color! Fake plants make me feel confident and BB-8 is a little droid I won for attending a tech meeting with my husband! Pretty fitting for today being May the 4th, right? 

Writing on the wall done by my talented friend Jessica! Because my handwriting looks terrible. True story. 

Jess also gifted us a set of these Minnesotan coasters not long after we were married, so I keep one in my office to remember my homegrown roots! 

I also keep a high school photo of my hubby hiding in a plant because it reminds me what he looked like when I first met him. (He legitimately looks like a different person!) He's still my favorite. 

Yay clean desks!! 

Here's how lazy I am. Those curtains (Ikea!) are too long and drags on the ground, so I simply draped them over the rods in the most carefree way. And I'm not even sorry.... :) 

Washi tape is my best friend. I use it in every room of the house and it allows me to hang free printed designs from Pinterest without ruining my paint or tearing my decor! I got this tape set from (can you guess?) Ikea! All prints are from Pinterest - for free! 

Somehow having shelves and shelves of books makes me feel smart and accomplished. Someday I'd love to own a whole room of bookshelves packed to overflowing!! 

Look how light and pretty it is!! 

My new iMac is so happy here... :) 

Spring is rolling into Kansas City in full force, and the warmer weather has me dreaming about shooting in the gorgeous sunlight (or lovely downpour)! My brain is full of ideas for photo sessions, and I thought I'd take this opportunity to share my favorite types of locations for photo shoots! 

Location #1. Your own home

Home is where you and your kids are the most comfortable. Home is where you are safe. Where life happens and memories are made. No more packing up the kids into the car in a hurry - I come to you! This translates into some of the most relaxed and lovely photos I've ever taken. And don't worry about making it look perfect; photography is about looking for great light, and beautiful light can be found in many unique places around your home! 

Want ideas for what to do in your home during your session? Let's set up a fort in your living room, bake some cookies in your kitchen, or snuggle in your bed! 

Location #2. The Woods

Woods are magical places. Dappled light, crunchy leaves, and rows of trees add such depth to photos and create a lovely backdrop for you and your family! One of my favorite things about shooting in the woods is that there's always new spots to explore just around the next tree - perfect for inquisitive kids! 

Want ideas for what to do in the woods for your photo session? Take a hike, create an "I Spy" adventure, explore new paths, build a fire, or roast some s'mores! 

Location #3. The Wide Open Fields

Wide open fields are where kids can run free for miles. And it just so happens that Kansas is the best place to find gentle rolling hills and wide open spaces! Aren't we lucky?? One of my favorite things about them is that fields give us permission to breathe deep and gaze far. To let the kids run free and wild while we lay in the soft grass and gaze at the sky. And THAT sounds like the best photo shoot ever! 

Curious about ideas for your field photo shoot? Go look for flowers, roll down some hills, fly a kite, have a picnic, or just sit and stare at the clouds!

Location #4. The Urban Scene

Maybe all of this nature stuff doesn't float your boat. Maybe you and your family would rather explore an alleyway, or climb a bridge, or discover a museum, or ride a trolley! Well, thanks to our lovely city, you can do all those things! Your photo shoot is all about capturing who you are, so let your personality shine!

Needs some ideas to get you started? Get coffee together, dance down an alleyway, ride your bikes, paint graffiti, visit a museum, or attend a baseball game! 

As you can see, the possibilities are endless. I hope this gives you some ideas for where your next photo session could be! 

PS - If you need more inspiration, I have a whole Pinterest board full of location ideas!! Click here to see it.