A mom to two wild and crazy boys and a documentary/ lifestyle family photographer based in Lawrence, KS (but I also travel). I live for seeing and documenting the real life moments that matter most and the ones we'll regret not capturing. Recording daily family life at home and revealing the beauty that's right there is my main focus and the way I approach every session. I apply this philosophy to both my client and personal work to tell stories rich in detail for future generations to hold onto.
oh hey! I'm allie.
I want to give you a little background on why my work looks the way it does - why I'm so obsessed with documenting things in a real and authentic way, because it’s more than an obsession. It’s a deep inherent need to give my clients something to hold onto.
In February of 2020 my Dad passed away from early onset Dementia. He was diagnosed when I was pretty young, and while I didn't really know it at the time, I'd be saying goodbye to little bits of him over the next couple decades. There are so many things I wish I remembered. I ache for more photographs than I have that could tell the complete story of the man he was. The ones I do own have become my most treasured possessions, bringing me solace when the grief feels like too much.
The importance of photographs goes far beyond the annual Christmas card for me (although I do participate and love having those). They're time capsules, truth tellers, and a place for our loved ones to keep living on.
Losing him has taught me to sweat the small stuff a little less and value my time more. It has helped me squash the notion that anything needs to look a certain way to be worthy of photographing. No mess, lack of makeup, or whatever might stop me from taking the picture matters.
Having the photos matters. PERIOD.
Even more so when kids are thrown into the equation. We can easily get caught up in the monotony and find ourselves just trying to survive. I'm saying this because this is absolutely true for me.
Life moves incredibly fast!
Photography has become a way to slow down and be more mindful of all the beautiful moments happening around me. It forces me to dwell in the shifting nature of my kids' personalities, their ever growing vocabularies, and especially just how grown up they keep looking (my gosh I wish that would stop).
Having a pause button, a literal button actually on top of my camera, keeps me from dissolving into a puddle of sad momma tears when I realize just how fast time has gone. Ok, I can't promise there won't be tears looking back at the photos we take, but they should bring us comfort. Not only that, but they should evoke the utmost appreciation for how we're kicking ass as parents.
There's so much more than just losing my Dad that has shaped me and my work, but that's a pretty big chunk of information to digest. We all experience and handle grief in unique ways, it just so happens that I've been able to channel it into giving back through my business.
It's healing for me to document your lives - TRULY.
"Oh man- it's truly hard to express what I love about Allie and her art. I am so thankful that my family was able to have a session with her. She captured all the things I wanted captured and our session photos truly encapsulate our home life. I am so thankful I will have these to look back on as my kids grow up into adults. I am especially thankful for the photos because we are moving this year(didn't know it when we had the session). The photos are so SOOOO stunning and mean so much to me. She is so easy and enjoyable to work with (for everyone including my kids and husband). I can't recommend her enough!"
-Taylor
"An in-home documentary style session with Allie is a MUST! She is wildly talented and perfectly captured the beautiful chaos of our family at this age and stage. Allie made the entire household feel at ease and became part of the family for the time she was with us. Our normally camera-shy son warmed up immediately, due in combination to the session taking place in our home, and Allie’s calming nature and comfort with littles, since she has two of her own. Our gallery helped me see that all of the tiny, seemingly monotonous moments that make up a “regular” day are full of love, warmth and laughter. We will cherish these photos forever!"
-Ali
“Allie will come to your house at the buttcrack of dawn and photograph your family’s chaotic, wonderful, cuddly mornings, and she’ll stay there all day - freezing those memories to have forever and ever.”
-Leah
Allie arrived early before sunrise and immediately started shooting. The kids were excited to have a guest in the home, and Allie was so kind, sweet, and involved with them. She played, enjoyed meal times with us, ventured outside...it was the most relaxed I had been it what seemed like forever. My father even stopped by with donuts for the kids, and the shots she captured with him are just remarkable. We have soooo many great images, and I have been so incredibly floored by the quality of work Allie produces. Allie is professional, incredibly creative, and it was a breath of fresh air to not feel stressed about creating the perfect aesthetic in our home. She literally told us not to clean or do anything beyond our normal routine.
-Jacqueline
"Anything I write will not adequately express how much we treasure our photos from Allie! From our daughter's preschool photos to our family session when our second baby arrived, every photo captures true and genuine moments. Working with her feels natural and is a delight. I love being able to look back on these moments and remember exactly how it felt to be in that time and space. I look forward to continuing to work with Allie in the future to capture our family as it is and be able to document who we become."
-Sammy
