NJS Studios

NJS Studios A portrait studio in Northern IL specializing in personal branding and contemporary portraits.

I almost waited.Waited until I lost the weight.Waited until I felt more confident.Waited until I liked the way I looked ...
02/17/2026

I almost waited.

Waited until I lost the weight.
Waited until I felt more confident.
Waited until I liked the way I looked in pictures again.

But if I had waited… these photos wouldn’t exist.

The ones where my babies are wrapped around my waist.
The ones where they’re still small enough to fit on my hip.
The ones where their hands reach for mine without hesitation.

Over the last few years, my body has changed. Life has changed. I’ve walked through stress, healing, growth, motherhood in survival mode, and motherhood in strength. And yes — my body tells that story.

But so do these images.

And when my children look back, they won’t see the extra weight I was so focused on. They’ll see their mom.
Present.
Holding them.
Loving them.
There.

As a photographer, I tell women all the time: don’t wait.
Don’t wait for the number on the scale.
Don’t wait for the “after” version of you.
This season matters too.

Your children don’t need a smaller version of you.
They need a present one.

Take the photo.
Get in the frame.
Exist in your story.

Because the only thing worse than feeling uncomfortable in a photo…
is wishing you had one at all. 🤍

One year ago this month, my life changed in a way I never expected.This month marks one year since my divorce.I haven’t ...
02/13/2026

One year ago this month, my life changed in a way I never expected.

This month marks one year since my divorce.

I haven’t talked about it publicly much, not because I was hiding, but because I was surviving.

I homeschool seven children.
I run a business.
I went from being a partner to being on my own in many ways.

And somewhere in the middle of holding everything together, I quietly fell out of love with photography.

Not because I don’t believe in it. But because when you’re exhausted, even the things you once adored can feel heavy.

This past year has stretched me, humbled me, and rebuilt me in ways I’m still discovering.

And I’m slowly finding my way back.
Back to creating.
Back to seeing beauty.
Back to telling stories through images.

If you’ve been here quietly, thank you.
If you’ve waited patiently, thank you.
If you’re new, I’m really glad you’re here.

This season is about rebuilding. And I’d love for you to be part of it.

– Naomi

This week, I was asked why I value portrait photography so deeply. This image is one of the reasons. I have several phot...
12/14/2025

This week, I was asked why I value portrait photography so deeply. This image is one of the reasons. I have several photographs with meaningful stories behind them, but this one is especially close to my heart.

My grandmother didn’t want to take this photo. It was her birthday, we were gathered at my mom’s house, and she didn’t feel “ready.” Her hair and makeup weren’t done the way she preferred, and she wasn’t dressed in anything special. But I gently encouraged her to trust me.

Lit by a single window and photographed simply, her beauty and presence shone through. In that moment, I knew this portrait mattered—not just for me, but for our family.

Six months later, my grandmother’s health had declined, and by the time she went home to be with our Heavenly Father, she looked very different. What we were left with were memories—and photographs. While we were grateful to have many, this image became especially meaningful. It was the most recent portrait that truly reflected who she was in that season of life.

This is why I do what I do. Portraits are more than photographs—they are legacy. I’m passionate about helping families capture the people they love, just as they are, so those memories can be held onto for generations.

This week while visiting Kitty Hawk, I was reminded in the sweetest way of just how important it is to capture moments o...
12/12/2025

This week while visiting Kitty Hawk, I was reminded in the sweetest way of just how important it is to capture moments of history. Standing where the Wright brothers made their first flight, I couldn’t help but think about how those early photographs helped the world remember a moment that changed everything.

But history isn’t always written in “big” moments. More often, it’s found in the quiet, ordinary pieces of our own lives; the ones we don’t fully appreciate until time has slipped by. The smile of a loved one who’s no longer here. The way our babies once fit perfectly in our arms. The giggles, the milestones, the seasons of growth we promise ourselves we’ll never forget… but somehow do.

Since 1826, we’ve had the incredible gift of photography; nearly 200 years of capturing life as it unfolds. And over time, we’ve learned something truly priceless: our photos become the legacy we leave behind. They hold our stories, our people, our beginnings, and the moments that shape who we are.

So here’s your gentle reminder: take the picture. Be in the picture. Celebrate the big moments, and honor the small ones too. They all matter. And one day, you’ll be so grateful you pressed the shutter.

Address

Freeport, IL
61032

Telephone

+18152758853

Website

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