My approach

Natural light, genuine expressions, real life…my photography captures children and families the way they really are. I love composing a shot and seeing the spirit of my subject shining right there in front of me. Click. It’s a magical experience to be able to capture the essence of a person so it can be shared and treasured in the future.

During my family photo sessions, there’s a lot of playing, laughing, running, rolling, and climbing. I provide light posing direction for groups, but mostly we play together as I fall a little in love with the family I’m getting to know.

About Althea

I’d love to meet you and become your friend and family photographer.  My mom, Margot Babler, was a photographer, and her favorite subjects were children engrossed in their play. I’m honored to follow in her footsteps.

Portraits become such treasured family heirlooms, yet it seems like most everyone (secret here:  me too!) dreads having them taken.  I bring a couple special things to my photo sessions: my easy sense of humor and my comfortable personality.  When our photo sessions end, we’re all usually laughing together, and parents (especially dads!) often remark, “I’ve never had such fun getting our picture taken before!”

My background is in environmental studies.  I worked for Gathering Waters Conservancy, a non-profit land conservation organization that helps protect special places in Wisconsin. My love of the natural world makes its way into my portraits, and I’ll enjoy exploring your local park or yard during our photo session.

I also have made a commitment to run my business as environmentally consciously as possible.  From choosing business cards printed on 100% recycled paper to having this website hosted on a “green server” to working with a print house that is Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certified, I look for ways to minimize my business’s ecological footprint.

My delightful, impish children, Andrew and Sylvia, are four-years-old and two-years-old, and since I have a need to write that rivals my need to photograph, I chronicle our family’s adventures on my blog dotzourfamily.com.

I’m looking forward to working with you!  To book a session, or to set up an informational meeting (let’s have coffee!), contact me.