Fall Family Photos at Hammel Woods in Shorewood, IL

Hammel Woods Forest Preserve located in Shorewood, IL is wonderful and beautiful place with so much to provide. Offering both paved and unpaved trails, multiple recreational areas, Dupage River access for both kayaking and fishing, a dog park and even primitive campsites it is a popular location for local nature enthusiasts. And with an abundance of trees and foliage Hammel Woods attracts portrait photographers as well.

When the Santschi Family wanted to have family photos done, I asked if they had a location in mind or if they would like me to choose one. They chose the latter. I immediately had a half dozen or so places come to mind that I thought about using. I ultimately decided on Hammel Woods as I knew not only would it provide the nice fall scenery the Santschis were looking for but somewhere that would be relatively easy for them to get to.

The caption I added when I posted the photos on social media went: “Trying to keep the attention of 4 children or any child is certainly a challenging endeavor but the results are definitely well worth it.” A statement that certainly rings true. 4 rambunctious kids aging from 4-11 definitely makes things interesting but also made this session a lot of fun. And I am in love with images I was able to capture, I can’t wait to host another portrait shoot at Hammel Woods again.

All images were captured on Sony A7IV with the Sony 85mm f/1.8