Photographer Spotlight: Brooke Lewis
Hi, friends! Welcome to the March installment of my Photographer Spotlight! This month, I'd like to introduce you to Illinois photographer Brooke Lewis.
Brooke is a portrait photographer based in Highland IL. She is also a schoolteacher, but it's evident in her photography that she has a passion for what she does behind the lens. In this month's Spotlight, I want to share with you some of Brooke's beautiful portrait work.
Shayleen and Mitchell, the Engagement Shoot
I first discovered her work through my oldest daughter, when she and her husband hired Brooke to shoot their engagement portraits back in 2015, and then their wedding pictures in April of 2016. Brooke worked quickly throughout the festivities, giving clear direction when needed, and unobtrusively when not, pre-ceremony, during, and after, with the wedding party, and later at the reception.
Me, momma of the bride, pinning on her veil & train, with the her grandmother in the background.
A moment with our son-in-law and his mother, before the ceremony
Guest cakes and decor at the wedding reception
Mr. & Mrs. Lewis leaving the church :-)
This year, since our family had the good fortune to be all together in the same town for Christmas, our daughter arranged for Brooke to shoot a family portrait.
The special thing about this was twofold: one, our son and his girlfriend live 2000 miles away in California, and we haven't seen him in two years. It was so great to have him home for Christmas and finally meet his sweetheart. (And she is a great girl, too!)
Secondly, and maybe most importantly, we had not had a family portrait done since about 2001! Yeah, we've had various group snaps and family trip photos collect over the years, but even that portrait in 2001 wasn't professionally done, as nice as it was to have, at the time!
Yes, we looked like a bunch of tourists, haha! It's a photo of a framed photo out of a point and shoot, circa 2001. So, aside from the amateur attempt, the age and fashion of this "portrait" was begging us to do an uipdated shoot!
It was a super cold day in late December, with snow on the ground and the wind blowing, making 13 degrees feel more like -13 ! We met up with her at a great location full of possibilities, a park in Highland IL. ( I don't do portraits, but I will definitely be going back there in warmer temps to shoot some of the beautiful landscapes!)
The whole gang, 13 degrees outside....brrrr!
Me and my honey
Our adorable kiddos
Mike and his darlin', Eve
Mr. & Mrs. Lewis again....
In spite of the freezing temps, the whole gang was a bunch of troopers, and Brooke worked quickly, but was absolutely marvelous as she clicked away. The results of the shoot were really beautiful!
Thanks, Brooke, for making my family look so great, in spite of having to work so fast in the Arctic chill!
I left a few of these unedited and uncropped, as Brooke also captured some of the surrounding beauty of the woods and season in the setting. For framing purposes in our home, I did edit a few to fit to my liking. When you do a shoot with Brooke, her keen eye leaves little editing necessary, but she will provide you with a thumb drive or CD of all of your images, and you will be able to edit them to suit your needs.
If you are interested in seeing more of Brooke Lewis' beautiful portraiture, or would like to contact her to schedule a portrait session of your own, you can reach out to her through her Facebook page, Brooke Lewis Photography, or via email at brookelewisphotography@gmail.com