| Lindy | Class of 2020 Maroa Forsyth High School Senior Model & Influencer |

Guys, I’m feeling all the things sharing Lindy on the blog today!!!! Excited, happy, nostalgic, honored, and a little sad. Why? Because the absolutely lovely Ms. Lindy has been with us for … well basically forever haha.

Lindy’s brother Alex brought their family into the SJP world as a class of 2018 senior (be sure to check out his session, he killed it too!). And Lindy joined us on the model team her Sophomore year and it’s been amazing to hang out with her and create images over the past two years. Getting to meet and create for her friends, have some fun in the rain & snow, and finally finish out this last year of high school with her to create her senior portraits.

Below is a peek into all the fun we’ve had with Lindy. I’m thrilled to have been a part of her senior experience and know she’s off to do amazing things in this world.

| Kirkman Family | Limited Edition Sessions!

outdoor family portraits by sarah jane photography in decatur il

The gorgeous Kirkman family is up on the blog today!! These boys were so much fun and brought so much style and personality to their session. This was a rare urban location for a Limited Edition this fall. This year we have one studio LE session planned along with 3 outdoor dates. LE session dates have been sent out to our VIP email list (get on that HERE for first dibs and a free gift on your first session).

family portrait session decatur il
outdoor family portraits by sarah jane photography in decatur il
outdoor family portraits by sarah jane photography in decatur il
outdoor family portraits by sarah jane photography in decatur il

| Jennie | Executive Headshot | Rodan and Fields |

I had the opportunity to meet and photograph Jennie last year for a quick turn around headshot session. She’s a thriving business woman on the Rodan Field team (if you don’t know R+F, girls this is next level skin care and I’m a fan and user myself!).

Under deadline to get the company an image (for life-size banner’s!) we had to get her in quick and that’s the thing I LOVE about how we do our executive portraits because it’s always under a deadline of like yesterday isn’t it?!? None of us (even me!!) are good about having consistently updated images of ourselves. Then, when we hit it out of the park and get featured in a magazine article or land a platform event, we have to scramble a bit to create an image we love to put our face/brand/personality out there to the masses.

Well, the good news is, that’s 100% my job! Our headshot sessions are 15 minutes in-studio with IMMEDIATE (yes like right NOW) viewing/selection on our 106″ Premiere screen. We make sure you LOVE that image life size (even if the final destination is an email-signature) and you walk out of the studio without any items on your to do list… no proofs to view/choose, nothing to wait on except your final image delivered often in 24-48 hours!

And since I know putting this off is easy and we could all use an update, I’m making it even easier this year with a two-day executive portrait event right here in the studio. Thursday, February 13th and Saturday, February 15th you can join us for your choice of:

  • Quick 15 Minute Headshot Session + Immediate viewing & selection of 2 digital artist files. Regularly $285, just $95!
  • Full in-studio one hour Branding Session + 20 Web Images & 2 digital artist files (artist selection). Regularly $575, just $295!

Booking is open now HERE.

| Morgan | Argenta-Oreana High School Senior Model Portraits | Class of 2020 |

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Who’s ready for a whole lotta Morgan on the blog today?!?!? It’s album season at SJP and as we finish up these designs you’ll get to sneak a peek inside right here on the blog! Morgan and her momma were always so fun to hang out with on session and always brought such a fun energy. We’ve created images of her over this past year as part of our model experience and I cannot wait to finish the year out with some fun pop-ups in the snow (come on snow fairies) and of course finishing out the year with a grad portrait or two.

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Does a year full of sessions including free BFF & pop up sessions, bonus gifts and fun group shoots along with an unforgettable senior portrait experience sound fun?!?! If so, apply here to join us (interviews start already in January…. don’t be late to the party!) http://sjanephotography.com/machform/view.php?id=16090

| A Thanksgiving Tradition from my momma | Pumpkin Cake Recipe |

The first year I made this solo was hard. It was quietly hard. I’m not sure if I cried (I was making it a good memory for my own baby after all) but I can still remember the feeling of being right on the edge. Of it being all wrong, making my momma’s dessert without my momma. I could steal a corner out of the fresh batch without a playful scold of ‘heeeeyyyyyy don’t do that!’ (which we both knew she never meant as it would be followed by, “well then give me a taste”).

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This is the dish I associate with my momma and Thanksgiving, one of her favorite holidays. A holiday for family and food (her two favorite things). I continue to make this because it IS her now. It brings her as close to our holiday tradition as I’ll ever be able to. We talk about Grandma Patty as I make the dish with my girls. This year B, our oldest, will actually be able to do a lot, if not most, of the work while I likely just try to reign in the chaos that is O, our youngest, who I’m sure will just be trying to stick her hands in all the things!

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I shared this recipe once before on our blog, that first year I made it without my momma (you can see that here) because it is no secret family recipe and it would bring me (and my momma) great joy to know it warmed another home this holiday season. Pro “Grandma Patty” changes to this recipe which I recommend 100% (and didn’t do this year just as a test to see if her version really was better … spoiler alert IT IS!). Up the sugar by 1/2 cup (1.5 cup total) & quarter or leave out the nutmeg entirely for a pumpkin base that’s a bit sweeter with more subtle spice.

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Oh btw, I’m never not going to eat this FRESH and warm from the oven so if I’m bringing this to your gathering it’s coming with a slice (or three) gone… just deal.