The Ridge Photography by Annie Banton

The Ridge Photography by Annie Banton Natural-light • Lifestyle Photographer • Central Illinois • 10+ years of experience • Specializes in children, families, and couples! Hello there!
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My name is Annie Banton. I'm a 26 year-old wife to a loving and handsome husband, a mommy to a big boy & baby girl, and a capturer of all things beautiful. As a life-long Christ follower, I find it nearly impossible not to find the things and people of this world fascinating and wonderful, therefore I do my best to capture them in photographs that can be admired for years to come. I’ve enjoyed pho

tography since I was young, but took it up as a business in 2017 when I wanted a job that allowed me to stay home with my son as much as possible. A couple of online classes, lots of learning from my mistakes, and so many EXPENSIVE upgrades later, I am now a full-time Natural Light Photographer! I'm obsessed with capturing those ”Real & Raw" emotions from every session. The kind that make your heart flutter when you see them. I offer affordable packages that can be tailored to your needs so you can have unforgettable moments frozen in time, without breaking the bank. Message me today with any questions, and thank you for stopping by!

Hi 👋🏻 I am still here!My sweet Everett has been fairly stable for 3 weeks now, thank God. I wanted to pop in, share some...
04/27/2026

Hi 👋🏻 I am still here!
My sweet Everett has been fairly stable for 3 weeks now, thank God. I wanted to pop in, share some lovely faces, and say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who reached out to say you’d still like to work with me during this season. I truly did not expect that kind of response, and I am so grateful.
This has been my steady income for over a decade, so this transition felt scary. Your willingness to book with me and extend grace with turnaround times means more than I can put into words. 🥹
If you’ve been thinking about booking something flexible for this year, now is a great time while Everett is stable. His liver transplant evaluation is scheduled for the last week of May in St. Louis, so we would deeply appreciate your prayers for our family during that time. 🤍

This is not a post I thought I would be making any time soon... We’ve reached a place in my son, Everett's disease where...
03/17/2026

This is not a post I thought I would be making any time soon...

We’ve reached a place in my son, Everett's disease where it is no longer manageable long term. At just 22 months old, his team has begun the referral process with St. Louis Children’s Hospital to pursue a liver transplant. It’s not a cure, but it is our hope for a better quality & quantity of life for him.
This season is extremely heavy and uncertain. It means even more appointments, more labs, daily medications, tube feedings, and unpredictable hospital stays that can come out of nowhere and take priority over everything else.
Including my business. This business that I've poured my heart and soul into over the last decade...

So… do not hire me.
Do not hire me if you need a quick turnaround.
Do not hire me if you have strict or urgent deadlines.
Do not hire me if you expect your photographer to always put your gallery first.
Do not hire me if flexibility and grace are hard to give.
Do not hire me if you need guaranteed availability without interruption.
Because right now, I can’t promise any of those things. And I won’t pretend to. I have an amazing team of photographers on my side who have offered their support, but even still. I cannot offer the same attention that I have in years past.

But…
If you value heart over hurry.
If you understand that life can change in an instant.
If you’re okay with extended turnaround times and a photographer who may be editing from a hospital room…
If you're a mom who understands that their child ALWAYS comes first...
Then I would truly love to work with you.🥹

Photography is how I support my family. It’s also an outlet for me… a way to create something meaningful in the middle of a really hard chapter. So I’m not putting my camera down, although I've heavily considered it, but I am being very intentional about who and how I serve in this season. ♥️

I will be taking on a limited number of sessions for the foreseeable future, prioritizing those who understand and respect what this season requires of me. My online booking option will not be turned on, but I'll be taking bookings through messages.

Thank you for loving our family, supporting my work, and giving me the space to be exactly where I need to be… with my son. 🤍

“He is not here; He has risen, just as He said.” - Matthew 28:6I’m so excited to bring back my "He Is Risen Mini Session...
03/05/2026

“He is not here; He has risen, just as He said.” - Matthew 28:6

I’m so excited to bring back my "He Is Risen Mini Sessions" this year! These Easter cross themed sessions are designed to celebrate the true meaning of Easter and the incredible love of our Savior! No bunnies this year, just a beautiful and timeless way to reflect on the resurrection.♥️
Dress your little ones in their Easter best and capture images that point back to the greatest story ever told.✝️✨

Spots are limited. Use this link to claim yours now!
https://book.usesession.com/s/SMA6RPkzQK

Beautiful girl, with a beautiful heart! Just a stunning Senior session with Taryn that is LONG overdue to be seen by the...
03/03/2026

Beautiful girl, with a beautiful heart! Just a stunning Senior session with Taryn that is LONG overdue to be seen by the world!! 🤩😍

Staggs Family! Drove to Indiana to spend a chilly morning with this beautiful bunch.
03/03/2026

Staggs Family! Drove to Indiana to spend a chilly morning with this beautiful bunch.

LIFE UPDATE 🖤 (& mini session links)I have been a little quiet over here, and I wanted to share an update with you all.A...
03/03/2026

LIFE UPDATE 🖤 (& mini session links)

I have been a little quiet over here, and I wanted to share an update with you all.

As many of you know, our son Everett underwent a pretty major surgery/change in late November. During that time, he had both a G-tube and a port placed. We spent a total of 3 weeks in the hospital, and since then have had another 4 hospital visits. This season of instability and unknowns has honestly been one of the scariest things we have faced as parents. But I can now say with so much gratitude that these tools have been absolutely incredible in helping us manage his disease from home! Our boy is 100% feeding through his tube, and we use his port frequently for fuss-free & accurate labs. While his condition itself is not fully stable and his labs are still coming back elevated, Everett is in a much more stable place than he was before. We are so thankful to God, and his AMAZING team of Doctors, for that progress!

On the business side, I also want to clear up a little confusion. I officially closed my studio space at the end of January so I could free up some of my focus for our new venture, Everett's Place Play Café. However, The Ridge Photography is NOT closing!! I am continuing to take outdoor sessions and in-home sessions throughout this year, and I am so excited to keep creating beautiful memories with your families. ❤

Because of the high interest, I will also be opening just 10 founding spots in my membership program. These first members will help me make sure everything runs smoothly before I expand further. If you have been waiting for this, keep your eyes open because details on sign ups are coming soon!
Mini session opportunities are also on the way, and I cannot wait to share the lineup with you below! 🥳

Finally, from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much to all of my clients... This has been the hardest season of my entire life. The reality is that Everett has been very sick, and there were moments that were truly terrifying for us... Talk of permanent heart problems, liver transplants, and other future unknowns were in our daily conversations for a while. Your kindness, your patience, your prayers, and your grace have meant more to me than I could ever fully express. I am especially grateful to serve clients who genuinely care about me and my family, not just their photos. 🥹
For those still waiting on galleries, I am making strong progress and you can expect your images very soon! Thank you for being here, truly. 🫶🏻

UPCOMING MINI SESSION OPPORTUNITIES:
✝️ https://book.usesession.com/s/SMA6RPkzQK
👩🏼‍🍼 https://book.usesession.com/s/BkTVX40Obo
👨🏽‍🍼 https://book.usesession.com/s/7mtI5RCvHs
☀️ https://book.usesession.com/t/6-15Nfe9n

Sharing a few more moments from Bailey and Peyton’s Rocky Mountain elopement, because their insane story deserves to be ...
01/14/2026

Sharing a few more moments from Bailey and Peyton’s Rocky Mountain elopement, because their insane story deserves to be told! 🏔️
These two traveled from Illinois to Colorado, taking their time and stopping along the way in their A-frame camper. Just two nights before their wedding, they were camping in Kansas when strong winds rolled in. At one point they heard loud crashing outside and got up to make sure everything was still okay. That is when the camper suddenly collapsed.
In an instant, Peyton protected Bailey, taking the full impact of the metal frame to his face. He was pinned, bleeding from his face, and Bailey was terrified trying to help him get free. By God’s grace, another camper nearby heard her yelling and ran over to offer help. One of the strangers happened to be a nurse and was able to help care for Peyton until they could get everything under control.
When their wedding day arrived, you could tell Peyton was still in a lot of pain and the swelling was significant. I edited what I could in their preview images, but Bailey asked that the rest remain unedited. She wanted to remember the reality of the day. The real story of his love for her! The man who quite literally put himself between danger and the woman he loves.
A wild beginning to a beautiful marriage, and one I will never forget capturing.🥹
- - - - -
Also a little editing update! I am editing like a madman over here and delivering a big batch of September & Early October sessions this week. Late October/November sessions are up next 🤍 Thank you endlessly for your patience and trust!!

01/11/2026

This morning, as we climbed into our cold car headed to church, it hit us how often we complain that the heat hasn’t kicked in yet, while so many in our community don’t have heat, shelter, or even a safe place to store the few belongings they own. That perspective stayed with us.

That’s why Charleston Discount Grocery is partnering with our community to collect new or gently used suitcases and luggage bags.

For those experiencing homelessness, moving between shelters, or transitioning to a new place, carrying belongings in trash bags is often the reality. Something as simple as a suitcase can restore dignity, pride, and stability during an incredibly hard season.

The mission behind Suitcases for Shelters is to work with the community to provide suitcases to individuals in homeless, domestic violence, youth, and emergency shelters so that whether adult or youth, everyone can carry their belongings to their next place with pride.

How to prepare your suitcase for donation:
• Please clean and sanitize the inside and outside
• Please do not donate suitcases with broken zippers, missing wheels, torn fabric, or damage that makes them unusable
• Remove all personal items and check every pocket

Your donation can truly be a game changer for someone starting over. Local shelters and support organizations rely on donations like these to provide essential items, and a sturdy suitcase can mean dignity, hope, and a fresh start.

Donating locally is a simple yet powerful way to help your neighbors. Let’s be a community that recognizes how blessed we are and chooses to give back.

📍 Drop off donations at:
Charleston Discount Grocery
1500 Madison Ave
Charleston, IL

Faith. Family. Charleston.
Let’s build a community of generosity, one suitcase at a time.












We are SO excited to officially welcome Nautica Long to The Ridge team as our newest wedding videographer ✨🎥Nautica has ...
01/10/2026

We are SO excited to officially welcome Nautica Long to The Ridge team as our newest wedding videographer ✨🎥

Nautica has already captured her first wedding with us and absolutely knocked it out of the park! Her eye for storytelling, emotion, and cinematic detail is exactly what we look for when trusting someone with our couples’ once in a lifetime moments.

Nautica is a TV and Video Production major with double minors in Film Studies and Digital Media. During her time at Eastern Illinois University, she was deeply involved on campus, working as a student ambassador in the admissions office, filming EIU games with ESPN, holding an executive position in Greek life, and creating a wide range of student films across multiple genres and topics.

She brings both professional experience and genuine passion to every project, and she is beyond excited to be part of The Ridge family and to continue capturing such meaningful, joy filled wedding days.
Help us give Nautica a warm welcome. We cannot wait for you to see the beautiful films she creates ✨♥️

My last ever studio sessions will be this Saturday!🥹🫶🏻 I have a few spots open due to my lack of promoting them, and the...
01/05/2026

My last ever studio sessions will be this Saturday!🥹🫶🏻 I have a few spots open due to my lack of promoting them, and they’re only $100! Great for families, couples, just kids, or updated headshots.
I’d love to work with you, and I’d appreciate you guys helping me out to spread the word of this affordable and beautiful photo opportunity! 🥳

PS: I am going to be completely caught up on editing in the next 2 weeks, so I’ll be back on track with my normal editing time! Those of you waiting on photos back from Sep-Nov, you'll have them with 2 weeks!

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510 6th Street
Charleston, IL
61920

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