Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel McAllister.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
Absolutely. While pursuing a degree in education I met and fell in love with my husband who was studying photography. Some of our first dates were in the photo studio or on location where I quickly found a knack for assisting him and posing his portrait clients. He spent several exciting years as a professional photojournalist but as our family started to grow we opted for a career change. During that time, I dove head first into photography and decided to start my own business. It came quickly and naturally as I had spent years by his side assisting and learning. When I first started on my own I experimented with several niches until I found my happy place in photographing maternity, newborn and family sessions.
Please tell us about your art.
I specialize in the family photography experience – maternity, birth, newborn, children, seniors, anniversary and annual family portraits. My style is a mix of both classic posed portraits and photojournalistic, candid moments. I know how hard it is to get a photo of everyone looking at the camera so I love to be able to give my clients a classic image like this. But what really makes my heart sing is to document the natural moments of families being families…reading together, big bear hugs, the way their newborn fits just perfectly in their arms. Moments that tug on heart strings and bring you back to that very moment years later.
When I first started my photography journey I remember several photographer friends telling me how hard families are to photograph, especially families with young children. I tried it and was overwhelmed. Between kids losing attention and toddlers wanting to run wild, little noses dripping in the cold weather, dads begrudgingly cooperating, and moms desperately trying to keep everyone focused it’s easy to wonder why anyone would actually want to do family photography. It can be so stressful and hard…but I’ve learned how to get great results and that’s exactly why I now love it and feel so strongly about family sessions. Just like family photography, having a family – being in a family, raising a family – is hard. There are days when it is so, so hard. It’s full of wiping snotty noses and poopy little bums and moving from a sink full of dishes to baskets full of laundry.
It’s staying up late to work, getting up with the baby at night and waking up early to get the lunches made and everyone out the door in one piece. But cushioning the stress and chaos are the sweetest and most joyful moments that make everything so very worth it. The sweet cuddles as you rock your newborn in the middle of the night, the sound of uncontrollable laughter as your toddler runs wildly through the house in his underwear, watching sword fights and baseball games in the backyard and falling asleep reading bedtime stories together. These are the moments I thrive on and ages I love to document for my clients. Instead of shying away from the difficulty of life with toddlers and newborns, I embrace the craziness and love to document these fleeting (and often exhausting) stages for families.
As an artist, how do you define success and what quality or characteristic do you feel is essential to success as an artist?
Oh wow, what an interesting question. I think if you asked me this at different stages of my career you would get different answers. But today, I feel success when I am happy. Of course, I have goals for my company and my personal development, and as I achieve those goals I feel successful, but ultimately when I break it down, I feel success when I am happy – when a tightly wrapped newborn baby falls asleep and I can capture that instant of magic, or when young toddlers show those genuine smiles and giggles alongside their family and the sunlight hits them just right. And then when I see those moments again on my computer during editing I realize that all my training and preparations have paid off – this is how I define success.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
My work can be viewed on my website & social media platforms:
www.rachelmcallisterphotography.com
www.facebook.com/rachelmcallisterphotography
Instagram: @rachelmcallisterphotography
There are four great ways to support my work; by booking a session, following me on social media, sharing my name with colleagues and friends (as an added bonus I offer referral discounts ;)) and spreading the word about my volunteer work.
I am one of a few Chicago professional photographers to volunteer with the nonprofit organization, Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS). NILMDTS offers the gift of free professional remembrance photography to families suffering the loss of a baby. I strongly believe in the power of art to help with grieving and healing and I know what a priceless gift it is for families to be able to have portraits that help them to remember their sweet babies. It’s often through a friend or family member that bereaved families hear about NILMDTS. I’d encourage you to take a few minutes to become familiar with the NILMDTS website so you can share our resources if you ever have a friend or loved one go through this experience.
Inspired by my own loss, my volunteer work with NILMDTS and International Bereaved Mother’s Day, this spring I started offering free remembrance portraits for mothers who have lost a child. I hope to make this an annual spring event for bereaved mothers and to expand this gift to serve families in the near future.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rachelmcallisterphotography.com
- Phone: 630-577-7838
- Email: rachelmcallisterphotography@gmail.com
- Instagram: @rachelmcallisterphotography
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/rachelmcallisterphotography
Image Credit:
Geoffrey McAllister
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
