A Golden Spring Family Session at Crapo Park, Burlington IA | The Vogelgesang Family
Some families really do become so much more than clients– they become part of the story. Calin and Lacey are one of those families for us.
We have had such an honor and privilege to document so many wonderful chapters of their lives over the years. From photographing them as a couple, to their engagement, their wedding day, maternity session, Fresh 24 newborn session, and now celebrating their daughter's first birthday with a family milestone session. This is the reason why we do this. It is amazing to see our clients come back again and again with new adventures. It is seriously one of the greatest gifts as a photographer.
This session took place at Crapo Park in Burlington, Iowa during the late evening on a warm spring day. Golden hour gave us the soft, glowing light photographers and our clients DREAM about. The weather couldn't have been better– warm enough to enjoy the outdoors with just enough breeze to keep us not too warm, but not cold either.
The combination of the golden sunset, the luscious green, and the drawsheet backdrop added to our creative vision for a relaxed, yet playful family session.
The Vogelgesangs styled themselves BEAUTIFULLY for their session. They coordinated a color palette that blended perfectly with our spring landscape.
Lacey wore a flattering olive-green blouse paired with a cream linen-style skirt, while Calin complemented the look with a crisp white short-sleeve button-up and olive-green shorts. Their sweet daughter also wore an olive-green outfit before changing into her birthday outfit to celebrate such an incredible milestone.
The earthy tones really worked beautifully with the golden evening light, creating timeless photos that will never go out of style.
This session was a perfect blend of planned portraits and creative storytelling.
We envisioned a relaxed family picnic in the park to give a more candid look. This was simply about enjoying their time together. The evening was filled with laughter, movement, cuddles, and genuine interaction. Rather than rushing from pose to pose, we focused on creating an experience where memories could naturally unfold before the lens. These authentic moments are always the ones that the families cherish the most.
One of our favorite additions to this session was bringing along a Polaroid-style instant camera. Watching Calin and Lacey photograph each other with their daughter created some sweet cinematic moments. It allowed them to experience the evening through their own perspective while we documented those interactions from ours.
We also brought along a few stuffies, toys, and a birthday cake to celebrate. Unfortunately, our little one was not too much of a fan with the cake, but we got some sweet, candid moments in between. Her excitement, curiosity, joy, and a little distaste brought a special metaphorical glow to the scene. She absolutely stole the show.
While every image tells part of their story, a few moments stand out as true favorites.
The photos of that our sweet clients got to take of themselves with the instant camera perfectly captured what this season of life feels like– present, connected, and full of love. Notably, their favorite image is with their daughter squeezing her stuffed bear with so much love. These are the kinds of photos that become family heirlooms because they preserve genuine moments rather than simply documenting appearances.
If we had to describe our special session in just a few words, they would be:
Candid
Adoring
Timeless
Watching families grow through every season is one of the greatest honors of what we do. Being invited back to document another chapter in the Vogelgesang's tory reminds us why preserving these moments matter so much.
Thank You, Calin and Lacey, for trusting us to tell your story once again. We can't wait to see where the next chapter takes you!