You don’t need a studio session to preserve a meaningful memory. Some of the photos your kids will treasure most someday are the ones you almost didn’t take at all. Here are a few easy ways to capture summer memories a little more intentionally this year, without stressing about perfection.

As photographers, we obviously believe in preserving memories. But we also know not every meaningful moment needs a giant scrapbook or perfectly curated baby book to matter. If you've been wanting a more organized, intentional way to save your family memories without feeling overwhelmed, here are a few realistic ideas we genuinely love.

Spring is one of the easiest seasons to style. Everything feels lighter, softer, and more natural—and when you keep it simple, it comes together beautifully on camera. You don’t need a full plan. Just a few guidelines that work every time.

There’s something about spring that just fits senior year. It’s a season of change, growth, and stepping into what’s next—and your photos should feel the same way. While fall gets all the attention, spring senior sessions bring a softness and energy that feels fresh, light, and completely you.

While outdoor sessions have their place, indoor studio portraits are where our artistry truly comes to life. It’s where every detail is intentional, every element is controlled, and every image is created with purpose. Because a portrait shouldn’t rely on chance. It should be crafted.

At Pixels by Emily, your portrait experience doesn’t end with the session—or even with the final image selection. One of the most important (and often overlooked) parts of the process is what happens next: how your portraits are finished and displayed in your home. Because a beautiful image deserves more than a place on your phone. It deserves a place on your wall.

Recently, Emily traveled to an intensive Santa workshop led by some of the most respected artists in the industry. Over several days, Emily participated in hands-on learning, creative collaboration, and in-depth discussions centered around one goal: how to make the Santa experience even more magical for every child who walks through the door.

One of the most exciting additions to our studio this year is the use of fine art embellishment—a process where portraits are enhanced by hand to create depth, texture, and painterly detail. The result is a finished piece that feels less like a photograph and more like a piece of artwork meant to live on your walls for generations.

Every image that led to this recognition began with a tween or teen who stepped in front of my lens — sometimes confident, sometimes unsure, sometimes carrying more than she shows the world. It began with families who trusted me with something sacred: how their daughters see themselves.

Through Purple Eyes: Portraits of Resilience and Courage is an ongoing artist portrait project created to honor resilience, courage, and the quiet strength found on the other side of domestic abuse — whether physical, emotional, or psychological.

Grace & Grit sessions continue to be one of the most meaningful parts of my work as a fine art teen photographer in Central Illinois. If you’ve been considering documenting this season for your teen, not for who they are becoming but for who they already are, this is a beautiful place to begin.

Somewhere between baby milestones and senior portraits, there’s a season that often gets overlooked. These in-between years deserve to be remembered, and as a family portrait photographer in Mahomet, Illinois, this is one of my favorite seasons to photograph.

As this year comes to a close, I’ve found myself thinking about the faces, stories, and small, quiet moments that moved through my studio. It wasn’t a flashy year—it was a meaningful one. The kind of year that gently reminds me why I chose portraiture in the first place. Here are the reflections that shaped 2025 for me.

Most people think senior photos have to happen in the summer or early fall… but winter might just be one of the most underrated times of the entire year. Over the past few weeks, I’ve photographed a handful of seniors, and each one reminded me why this season has such a quiet kind of magic. Here’s why winter senior sessions deserve way more love than they get.

Every year, the Magical Santa Experience brings families together in the most heart-warming way — with laughter, wonder, and portraits that capture the magic of childhood. But behind the camera, there’s something even more special happening: our community is coming together to make that magic possible for everyone.

The Heart Behind the Santa Visit Scholarship Program. What began as a dream to create something truly magical for families has grown into one of our favorite traditions of the season — the Santa Visit Scholarship Program.

We are thrilled to share that Pixels by Emily has been published in Child Couture Magazine! This feature highlights our Grace & Grit couture series through a magical, Broadway-inspired editorial—Wicked.

When you book a session with Pixels by Emily, you’re not just getting beautiful portraits; you’re getting images with accurate, consistent, and flattering colors. One of the tools that helps us deliver that quality every time is something called the X-Rite ColorChecker. You may have seen it pop up in behind-the-scenes photos: a small fold-out card with squares of bright, bold colors and neutral grays. It might not look glamorous, but it’s a powerhouse in photography.

In today’s competitive business world, first impressions are often made long before you meet a client or colleague in person. Your digital presence can speak volumes. At Pixels by Emily, we work with professionals from Mahomet, Champaign, Bloomington, Normal, and across Central Illinois to craft branding imagery that builds trust, elevates your personal brand, and positions you as the expert in your field.

At Pixels by Emily, we believe that portraits deserve to be more than just photographs — they should be works of fine art, crafted to last for generations. That’s why ongoing education and training are such an important part of what we do.