Alicia Cichon Art & Photography

Courtney; Gulf Coast childhood photographer

2012-01-17T00:08:00.003-06:00

With the snow fresh on the ground and a promise of more to come, I think I'll cuddle up with a warm cup of tea and dream of June -- the gloriously warm month the boys and I spent with family in Alabama.

Pretend it's summer with me, and enjoy these photos of sweet little Courtney. The Lord even graced us with a rainbow on this beautiful June day!

Jessica & Cameron; Clinton, IA, maternity photographer

2011-02-03T23:21:00.001-06:00

What a lovely way to start 2011! There's just something about seeing a couple expecting their first child, and it's such a joy to capture that on camera. I have so many favorites from this maternity shoot. What's yours? Feel free to leave me a comment and let me know.

my fellow Janeite; Eastern Iowa senior photography

2010-09-25T01:32:00.003-05:00

What a blessed young lady -- homeschooled by a loving mother; raised on a beautiful farm, surrounded by amazing landscapes and feasting on natural foods; and she discovered the literature of Jane Austen early in life. :) I didn't begin reading Jane Austen's works until after I was married; but once I read my first -- Sense & Sensibility, I believe -- I quickly found and devoured all of Austen's novels and short stories (even those begun by Austen & finished by others). My favorite? Pride and Prejudice! So I was delighted when this lovely senior walked outside with a copy of P&P to incorporate into our photoshoot. I love meeting kindred spirits!

Looking back at some of my favorite images from our afternoon together, I imagine that Miss G is not so unlike Miss Austen who walked this earth 200 years ago. A quiet beauty, grace, humility, intelligence.... Can you see it? Can you feel it?

Mark & Sarah; Clinton, IA wedding photographer

2010-06-03T01:05:00.092-05:00

Sarah and Mark were referred to me by Jeni V.B., my dear friend and fellow photog, and I'm so glad they decided to call me. They were so laid back and easy to work with, and their families and friends were wonderful. In fact, we were having such a great time that my second shooter, Lauren, would have stayed at the reception a few more hours (after a 9.5 hour day!). I believe she said something like, "They're so FUN -- I want to be friends with them!" That's one of the great things about the photography business -- so many of your clients become friends. :)

The last few pictures in this post will give you an idea of what a fun group they were. Some prankster announced, "We will now play Mark's favorite song," then launched into the "Star Spangled Banner," America's National Anthem. Well, our dear Mark is from Canada! The last photo is of a boisterous rendition of "O Canada." I was surprised at the number of guests and members of the wedding party who knew the words!

Mark & Sarah, enjoy your adventures together!

Singing the "Star-Spangled Banner"

Singing "O Canada"

And thanks to Lauren & Patty! I had a blast shooting with you both, and you made my job so much easier!

Sweet Christine; Iowa, Illinois maternity photographer

2010-04-23T01:51:00.001-05:00

For my dear friend, Christine, who has waited so patiently for me to post a few of her maternity portraits.... Last month, we stopped by her home on our long drive back from Alabama. I was so excited not only to visit with her lovely family, but also to squeeze in a maternity session as well! My best friend Lauren came along as my assistant (Fun!), and then we topped the evening off with our favorite Mexican restaurant in central IL. Yum!

And who could resist this sweet face?

Miss Emme; Clinton, Iowa newborn photographer

2010-04-20T22:51:00.008-05:00

This little doll was only 4 days old when her mom brought her in for her newborn session. And her mom Kathleen happens to be a very talented Creative Memories consultant. Kathleen created the two page prints below for Emmersyn's 1st year scrapbook. If you need any scrapbooking assistance or supplies, Kathleen is an excellent resource -- whether you prefer digital albums or old school cut and paste.

And a few more images from the session.....

Ella's sneak peek; Clinton, IA childhood photographer

2010-04-07T22:09:00.001-05:00

Can you believe this beautiful young lady is only 11?! We had such a fun afternoon, soaking up some of the welcome sun on a warm spring day. Yes, I said "Spring!" I'm so glad it's finally here! I'll share more from this shoot later (I have two other shoots to process before finishing Ella's). Just couldn't resist posting at least one.

Clinton's Bickelhaupt Arboretum; Clinton, IA Photographer

2010-03-12T22:14:00.003-06:00

My kids and I love exploring the Bickelhaupt Arboretum. We make it at least a seasonal excursion, partly b/c the Arb hosts a seasonal photo contest. :0) Recently, they've added a category that I'm particularly fond of -- "Kids at the Arb." Check out the Arb website to see all 4 categories and the rules for entering (photos must be taken AT the Arb). Spring is the next contest, and it's the perfect time to get outside and see what's blooming! Enjoy some fresh air after a long, cold winter!

In addition to the rules and other contest info, you can see some of the winning photos from past contests. Enjoy!

What makes you happy? Clinton, IA child photographer

2010-01-31T23:54:00.000-06:00

I love finding new props! And apparenly so does my little M. He found my most recently acquired (and freshly laundered!) props, and just had to take them for a spin. I love my little guy! <3

Good genes; Clinton, IA senior photographer

2010-01-30T23:59:00.000-06:00

Here are a few more images from the Stormin' Norman mini-sessions. These good-looking seniors are actually cousins, born only 4 months apart. How awesome it must have been to grow up in the same town with a cousin so close in age! Beth and I had a great time running around Eagle Point Park with these fun guys. Good luck, J & B! Hope you enjoy the rest of your senior year!

P & C.... Quad City children's photographer

2010-01-02T15:57:00.001-06:00

These 2 little cuties used to live in our town -- best buds with my little guys before they moved away. Their mom contacted me about a photo session when they knew they would be visiting grandparents nearby. I'm so glad we were able to get together. We have really missed hanging out with this family.

Senior Portraits for Stormin' Norman; Fulton, IL Senior photography

2009-11-24T16:11:00.002-06:00

I recently had the pleasure of helping out with a project called "Stormin' Norman Portraits." A friend from the Muddy River Camera Club, Beth Wiersema, has organized this fundraiser for the past 2 years to raise money for Relay for Life.

Beth is a member of the Stormin’ Norman American Cancer Society Relay for Life team of Clinton County and sprearheaded the portrait sessions because she wanted to help her relative, neighbor, and friend, Norm Criss, who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma cancer almost 8 years ago. This year, Stormin' Norman Portraits raised over $2,000!

Beth and I had a great time shooting senior portraits for this beautiful and very sweet young lady. Here are a few of my favorite shots....

A & J at Clinton Country Club; Clinton, IA lifestyle photographer

2009-11-03T01:31:00.002-06:00

Oh my! Beautiful people, beautiful day (well, the diffused light was beautiful through the photographer's eyes!). It's amazing how little the cold and drizzle bother me when I'm capturing moments like this. :o)

Sweet A & J were not only 2 of the most adorable children imaginable, but they were also so easy to work with. You can tell this family is very loving -- I couldn't resist including a few pics here that show Mom & Dad interacting with the kids.

We had a lot of fun riding from location to location in the golf carts. If only I had a golf cart at all of my shoots -- what a great way to lug all of my gear and props around!

Sneak Peek for M and L; Eastern Iowa children's photographer

2009-10-24T23:06:00.002-05:00

What a crazy month it's been! We've had visits from both sets of grandparents, an out of town wedding weekend, and lots of shoots! In the coming days, I will blog some of my other shoots, including some fun senior sessions with my fellow photog friend Beth.

In the meantime, check out these gorgeous girls! We met out at the beautiful Bickelhaupt Arboretum on one of the few dry and sunny days we've had of late. Still a bit chilly, though. :)

for my pal across the pond

2009-10-01T23:05:00.005-05:00

This summer, the members of the Muddy River Camera Club had the honor of having our work on display at the local art gallery -- The River Arts Center in downtown Clinton.

A friend in Switzerland requested a viewing for my non-stateside friends; here are the six photos I had on display for the exhibit.

"Young Guitar Hero"

"Gentleman Caller"

"S is for Swing" (when hand-written, "S" is formed backward to reflect the S-hook in the picture)

"Leaf Bowing to Beauty"

"Purple Haze Solitude"

"In the Thick of It"

Little Blue eyes, little brown eyes; Clinton, Iowa childhood photography

2009-09-17T01:38:00.002-05:00

Two more sweet boys I had the pleasure of capturing in photos....

And Mom snuck in on one as well. :o)

My Sweet boys.... Fulton, IL Children's Photography

2009-09-03T17:07:00.003-05:00

On Monday afternoon, I eagerly opened the box that contained my newest lens -- a 50 mm prime lens (no zoom; I have to zoom with my feet!) I couldn't wait to try it out, so I took the boys to Heritage Canyon in Fulton, IL. Here are just a few of my favorites.

Under the covered bridge

What a beautiful location with so much to explore! The kids had a blast. (As did Mom with her camera!)

Fallon Raine; Clinton, IA Newborn Photographer

2009-08-25T22:54:00.004-05:00

My family traveled to Mississippi last month to meet our new niece -- Fallon Raine. This beautiful little doll was 13 days old, and I was soooo excited to be able to capture these shots of our very first niece. She still has her days and nights mixed up, so we shot these in the last light of the day with hopes of catching her with her eyes open. We did manage to get a few, but my favorites are those where she's sleeping peacefully.

Love those little toes!

More on Brandon... Clinton, Iowa children's portraits

2009-08-19T21:00:00.002-05:00

Since I promised more pictures from last week's shoot with Brandon, I'm finally back to deliver. (Better late than never, right?!) Brandon was a lot of fun to work with. By the end of the shoot, he was even coming up with cool new location ideas.

the Lyons district

the back yard

Oh, how to begin.... Clinton, Iowa Children's Photographer

2009-08-12T05:35:00.001-05:00

And so the blogging begins. This is a new venture for me. I guess this year has been a series of new (and exciting!) ventures in my world of photography.

The perfectionist in me says, "Don't launch this yet! Are you crazy?!" Well, yes, a little. My logo is not perfect yet; I don't have a beautiful collage of favorite photos already prepared to splash across the top of my blog; and I don't know the first thing about blogging. The idea of creating a blog was suggested to me only 2 days ago, and I've since spent an inordinate amount of time researching templates and various other blog-related topics.

But alas, I've decided to jump right in -- after all, I had a really fun shoot tonight so why not start by sharing that?

The mom's chosen location for the shoot? Their own back yard. And why not -- their landscaping was absolutely beautiful! But after meeting 11-year-old Brandon, I decided some urban flavor was also in order. Fortunately, I knew of some really cool spots only 2 minutes away (and we found a few more along the way!).

So for tonight, I'll start slow by sharing some of tonight's shots. And in the days and weeks ahead, I'll share some of the photos that brought me to this new and exciting era of my very blessed life.

Well, I had several more photos in mind to add, but the late hour suggests I should continue this tomorrow. More to come....