MORE KIND WORDS

From my Amazing Clients

Laurel was wonderful to work with. She really helps create an artistic vision, manages all the details, and puts you at ease during the shoot. She handled a last minute change on our side with grace and made sure it didn’t interrupt our photos. We treasure the photos she took for us!

Jaime Ledesma

Had the most amazing experience working with Laurel for some newborn photos! She was so kind and warm, listened to exactly what we wanted and created the aesthetic for us in our home. She’s also the only photographer I’ve worked with who provided a bunch of different dresses I could choose from to enhance my wardrobe and do some outfit changes. In the midst of newborn madness, I didn’t have to worry about figuring out something to wear because she took all the thought out of it, and I’ve never felt so beautiful in the dress she brought! Plus, she turned around the photos ASAP when I told her I was trying to take advantage of some holiday card promotions that were expiring. Can’t say enough good things about our experience!

Jenna Dugoni

Laurel is the best photographer I have worked with. She has an amazing eye and is able to capture beautiful photos. She is not only talented but very good with kids. I have two extremely active young boys (2 and 4 yo) and she captured their attention so well. She's personable, professional, responsive, and has quick turn around time with the photos. I have referred many families to her.

Anne Yoo

Our experience with Laurel was phenomenal and nothing short of outstanding! From start to finish, Laurel was prompt, organized, patient, and flexible. She carved out time to meet with my husband and I to learn about our family and plan our session, and sent videos and pictures of her wardrobe options for us to see. Laurel truly cares, putting in the time and effort to get to know and understand each of her clients, their stories, and their preferences and goals for their session. She provided a style guide, helped select a location for photos, made herself available by phone and email for any questions or concerns we had, scheduled my hair and makeup appointment, and when our household was struck with illness and we couldn’t make our initial session, she graciously allowed us to reschedule. Laurel seamlessly made what-could-be-a-stressful-experience-for-families-planning-to-get-family-photos completely stress-free because of all the work she takes on to make things simple for her clients. We expected rain the day of our session, and Laurel was diligent on checking the weather the days leading up to and before our session. At our session, she was so friendly and personable. Our toddler had not napped like we intended for her to before our session, so she was a bit overtired. Despite that, Laurel put my toddler at ease with her calm nature and was equipped with a squeaking toy to get her attention. We loved that Laurel went with the flow, giving our toddler the independence to explore the sand and water and working around her to capture beautiful photos instead. We absolutely loved the photos Laurel captured of our growing family. At our ordering session, we opted to order three large frames and an album and Laurel was extremely helpful with deciding how we should frame our pictures on the wall. The photos we framed are now a favorite corner of our home and we always receive compliments from friends and family who come visit. My husband and I highly recommend booking with Laurel and look forward to future opportunities to have her capture more photos of our family!

Teresa J.

Our pictures turned out wonderful! She knew the correct lighting for us, very professional and knew how to get our teenagers to show their natural smile. Glad we found her, any time we need pictures taken we will go to Laurel Smith Photography!

Rene Phillips

Laurel is a talented photographer and was wonderful to work with. She was efficient with time management, was prepared with props and outfits, and did an amazing job with our baby’s newborn photos. She emphasized an elegant, natural simplicity with the photos, which we absolutely love. We couldn’t recommend her enough.

Krisann L. Durrant

Laurel truly stands out as someone who combines exceptional skills with incredible intuition to capture the raw emotions and the magical moment we experienced together in her photography. I cannot express enough how grateful we are to have had the opportunity to work with Laurel. From the moment we met, the entire experience was an absolute joy. Laurel's warm personality and sharp professionalism blend well to create a cozy atmosphere with a sense of direction throughout the session. It went so well that there was never a doubt in our minds that the photos would turn out to be remarkable. Laurel's talent and dedication are second to none, and we are beyond happy to receive stunning photos that we will cherish for a lifetime. Thank you so much Laurel!

Han Woong Lee

Laurel is an amazing photographer with an impeccable ability of capturing light! She captured photos of my daughter and i. initially I thought my daughter--seeing it was a photo session-- would either do her terrible "cheese" face or be disinterested, but Laurel kept her in her happy, play mode, capturing her true smile! 10/10 recommend!

Amy Hoffmeier

I found Laurel through a referral from another photographer to do our maternity shoot. It was a last minute booking due to the storms in January and just one week before my due date. She was soooo accommodating, kind, supportive, and encouraging. I was extremely nervous and questioning the outfits I chose and so she very last minute provided some stunning options out of her collection for me to wear. She coached me through poses and made me feel so comfortable, confident, and beautiful. She captured me, my husband, and my baby boy in my belly so well. I will cherish these precious moments before we became a family of 3 forever! Thank you so much to Laurel again! Highly recommend.

Skylar Vanauken

Had an incredible session with Laurel back a few months ago. She penciled us in super last minute--as we decided to do newborn photos after my son was born. Her photos turned out like a dream and are so graceful! She captured the cuteness of my son while making him look handsome and made my husband and my fatigued faces look flawless. My older bonus son looked so good-looking in her photographs as well. I'm so glad we picked her to capture this important moment in our lives. Laurel is super easy to work with and totally understands the ups and downs of motherhood. I highly recommend her and think she is an excellent choice to capture your first moments of motherhood.

Alyssandra Wu

Laurel was amazing! She was able to help coordinate outfits and pick out beautiful settings for pictures. While taking pictures she adapted with my kids' attitudes to create precious moments, which is not an easy job.

Malena Carr

We had such a wonderful experience with Laurel! What I loved most was that she gave great direction and helped with the posing but also listened to any additional pictures or poses I wanted for our family. She had amazing strategies and tips on how to get the kids to smile and how to get good candid shots (which I love) and posed shots. I LOVE how our pictures turned out and she has incredible talent. She knew the best lighting, had great location planned that wasn’t too far from where we live, and worked with each personality so we could get amazing photos. Highly recommend and can’t wait to work with her again for future family photos!

Jana Karren

I had such a great experience working with Laurel for my maternity photos. She is an amazing photographer and I hope to use her again someday in the future for my family photos. Her work is stunning. She worked with my family every step of the way to insure that my vision came to life. She recommended a hair and makeup artist and even had clothes for my family to wear during the shoot. I can’t say enough for how happy I am with the overall experience and outcome of the photos. Pregnancy is a wild ride and she made me feel beautiful at a time when I wasn’t feeling as confident about myself. The photos she took of my daughter and I are some of my all time favorite photos. Thank you Laurel for capturing such a special moment of time in my family's lives.

Laura P.

We loved working with Laurel! She does such an awesome job with little kids and making them feel comfortable. My oldest isn't shy but my youngest had a hard time warming up. Laurel didn't pressure her at all and then my daughter finally warmed up to her and let her take the most adorable pictures!

Aprill Evans

Laurel has been the best photographer I have worked with thus far! She had everything prepped and ready for us to go the day of our shoot. She had clothes for me and my babies, was flexible with the schedule as we got ready, and was so patient during the shoot. We ended up getting to our shoot location a little later than expected when the sun was a bit harsh, but the photos still turned out AMAZING! That said, the most impressive thing was how well she worked with our babies. My babies (3 and 7 months) were NOT making it easy on her, but true to what she advertises, she was able to let them be themselves and she got some amazing shots. What could have been a very stressful experience turned into such a fun day. I will definitely be setting up additional sessions as my babies and family grow!

Danielle Dredge

I was so delighted by the entire maternity photoshoot experience with Laurel. From the professional hair and makeup (in my own home) to the dramatic and elegant wardrobe options (I got to shoot in 3 gorgeous dresses!). We shot on the beach and she brought a popup changing room so I had privacy and protection while I did outfit changes, which was really appreciated. Laurel is so kind and wonderful to work with, giving lovely feedback through the whole process. I felt so cared for and special! I'm not a professional model (obv) so she helped to pose me and explained really clearly how to make small adjustments to really pop in the photos. I'm absolutely blown away by the final pictures and would recommend her to all of my friends!

Rika Eringa Hobart

Laurel is incredibly sweet and talented. My daughter became her best friend, and the time she takes to curate each shot is shown in the final images you receive as a client. I highly recommend booking a session with Laurel, you won't regret it!

Rebecca Dexter

We recently had the absolute pleasure of working with Laurel for a newborn and family photoshoot, and we couldn't be more thrilled with the results! From the moment we met, Laurel made us feel completely at ease with their warm and friendly demeanor. The session itself was seamless and relaxed, capturing the purest moments of our newborn daughter and the joyous interactions within our family. Laurel has an incredible eye for detail, and their ability to capture the emotions and essence of the moment is truly remarkable. The photos we received were beyond our expectations – beautifully composed, perfectly lit, and edited to perfection. Each image tells a story and will be cherished by our family for years to come. We highly recommend Laurel to anyone looking to capture life's most precious moments. Their professionalism, creativity, and passion for photography shine through in every shot. Thank you, Laurel, for giving us such timeless memories!

Jessica Margolin

— Jessica Guedes

 
"My absolute favorite part of working with Laurel were the details. The planning, thoughtfulness, and rigor that goes into her clients is unmatched."

Working with Laurel for my maternity photographs was an amazing experience. I came by Laurel via her Instagram. She had done a photoshoot for my friend that I’d seen both online and framed in their house and I remember liking her style - and I remember my friend mentioning that wardrobe was covered - and I thought that was perfect because who knew what would fit in late stage pregnancy! What I didn’t realize before I met Laurel (and she does a meet up via zoom to talk about the shoot, and asks you to fill out a questionnaire beforehand so she can get a feel for your personality and preferences) was how sweet and caring she was. Maternity photo shoots - especially the boudoir but fine art style that I wanted to pursue - can be so vulnerable but I felt so at ease with Laurel. Every step of the way. Her studio in Dublin was beautiful and had the perfect backdrops. She connected me to a HMU artist and an additional place to rent some gowns which I loved - in addition to providing her own complimentary wardrobe and fabrics. We were even able to incorporate my husband (in a way that he wanted to be incorporated that took into account his modeling comfort levels) and my cat (aka our first fur baby who was not a willing model so Laurel’s skill there really shone!). I loved the final results too — I think I almost cried when watching the slideshow she put together of them. We purchased the whole gallery and it was worth every cent. I can’t wait to work with Laurel again! She understands families and love and motherhood and it was an honor and joy to share this experience with her and have this moment in time captured by her beautiful artistry.

Ellen

Laurel was professional, on-time, reliable and sought to provide the photographs I requested. She truly provides a white glove photography service from planning, taking images and then sharing them upon completion. Importantly, her images evoke the same tenderness and bond between family members as paintings by Mary Cassatt.

Heddie Nichols

Best photographer in the area. Her work is pristine and on a whole other level. You can tell she is a true professional and knows her stuff. Her photos are true pieces of priceless art. She captures the love of family in a beautiful and intimate way. She will also make you and your family look like the photos you would see off of Pinterest (or those perfect photos all the influencers are posting). We were so impressed.

Cassie Ashcroft

My family had an amazing photography session with Laurel! We had really high expectations and she exceeded them! She is super professional and has a great way of putting the whole family at ease. The process was great and we're thrilled with the results as well! Many thanks!

Danika Balland

Laurel is a gifted and creative photographer who perfectly captured our daughter’s newborn stage in the comfort of our home. Her natural style and thoughtfully curated wardrobe choices added a beautiful touch to every shot. She made the entire experience effortless and enjoyable. I highly recommend her!

Mehrnaz Abdollahian

— Kristen Hazelton

Laurel came out to Chicago for my family's summer portraits at the beach and I could not be more pleased with the experience! Laurel has a masterful eye for composing portraits that show off the bonds between family, and she put us all at ease so quickly. The portraits are absolutely stunning and I could not be happier!

"Laurel is truly an artist.

Laurel was great with our kids, and the pictures she took of our family are beautiful!

Julie Nelson Hardy

— Christine D

She photographed my newborn pictures. Laurel was so patient, kind, and made my baby and me so comfortable. I plan on using Laurel for all future family pictures and will recommend her to all friends looking for maternity, newborn, or family pictures. Thanks for making the moment so special for my daughter and I, Laurel!"

"Laurel is truly an artist.

Laurel really listened to my vision and concerns and our pictures came out amazing! She was accommodating and guided us as I imagined. She communicated every step of the way. I enjoyed working with her warm and welcoming vibes. I look forward to working with her again!

Ahmena Hamid

- Kylie Raveston

Each time we walk away with beautiful pictures that perfectly capture our family.

Most recently, we trusted her to take our baby's newborn photos, and i'm so glad we did! she delivered gorgeous images of our baby that we cherish. Laurel is talented and professional. We look forward to using her services again in the future!

- Stacy Redd

We had such a wonderful experience working with Laurel! She took beautiful photos and made it such a fun yet professional experience. 

Her vision as an artist made for the most perfect photos I could've ever hoped for!

- Laura P.

She worked with my family every step of the way to bring my vision to life—providing wardrobe, recommending hair and makeup, and capturing images of my daughter and me that I’ll treasure forever.

Pregnancy is a wild ride, and Laurel made me feel beautiful during a time I wasn’t feeling confident.

- Rika Hobart

I felt cared for and confident. I’m blown away by the final images and can’t recommend her enough!

From professional hair and makeup in my home to three gorgeous dresses and a pop-up changing room at the beach, Laurel thought of everything.

- Mary Johnson

Laurel did a wonderful job photographing my family with 2 kids under 5.

She was efficient with our time, knowing beforehand what poses and motions would get nice pictures, and how she wanted us to work with the lighting.

- Jessica Birk

She makes it fun for our kids and manages to capture everyone the way I see them as their mother. I cannot recommend Laurel enough! We will never use another photographer."

We have had 4 shoots with Laurel and each is better than the last.

- Alexa Linscott

Laurel captures light in such a beautiful way, I could not have been happier.

"We had a fabulous experience with Laurel in studio. My two year old was having a really hard day. Laurel was so gentle with her, and came up with great ideas to get some quality images despite the pout face. I was completely blown away when I received the images!! 

Kind Words

Schedule your session now

Your portrait session is more than just a photo shoot—it’s a celebration of the new life you’ve created and the resilient, loving spirit that defines you. 

Inspired by my own journey—a path filled with both challenges and moments of breathtaking beauty—I believe that your story deserves to be told in a way that is both raw and refined. Let us help you transform these early memories into a timeless legacy, one image at a time.

I can't wait to Bring your vision to life