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Summer Camp | Wisconsin Family Photographer

I arrived at Camp Wandewega on a pristine July morning. Geese announced my arrival. Dappled light blinked on camp’s map, flickering under the canopy of old oak trees.
Illustrated map of Camp Wandawega

Early morning sun rises above big green oak trees, a red shed and six old-fashioned bicycles.

Lucas and Lee invited me here to document their summer camp adventure with their two young girls.
A male in one room works on a computer Female in kitchen gathers items for breakfastSwimsuits lay drying over deck railing. Summer flowers bloom in the background. Two young girls run out the screen door of a cabin. One shadow falls cleanly on the floor.

Camp Wandewega has the most iconic tire swing.  The girls fly through the air, wind in their hair, squealing with joy.
Black and white. Two girls ride a tire swing together--wind in their hair. Older sister holds younger sister on tire swing. Wind blows their hair.

Now deep in the woods, the camp continues to delight with its very own archery section.
Mom and young daughter come out of archery hut in the woods. 2yo holding an arrow.10 year old girl holds bow and arrow for archery practice. 2 year old make a concentration face as she tried to pull arrows out of the holder. Her mother is holding her, smiling. Mom and two daughters hold bow and arrow together for archery practice

Swimming suits draped the railing, drying in the sun and bright orange daylilies welcome us back to the cabin overlooking the lake.

Family of 4 walks back to cabin overlooking a lake. Summer flowers everywhere. Mom holds 2yo on her back.

Crepes with berries, Nutella, and whipped cream are pulled from the icebox as the family gathers on a small Formica table in the tiny kitchen.

Family at breakfast table. Young daughter cries as older sister smiles opening a jar of Nutella.Family of 4 sitting down to breakfast crepes in a small cabin. Family of 4 eats breakfast in old-fashioned summer cabin next to trees and lake. Vibrant breakfast table scene: blueberries, strawberries, crepes, whipped cream, Nutella and hands all reaching for food items. Chlid makes a silly face on her crepe with whipped cream and fruit for eyes nose and mouth. Small child sprinkles cinnamon on crepes decorated with a whipped cream and fruit "face"

Bellies full and satisfied, we make our way to the beach and then back to the tire swing. Tire swings for days with this crew.

Dad and girl peek in a boat shed.Focus on old life preserver with camp name attached to boat shed. Dad in the background, looking in shed. Black and white. 2yo on beach; Dad holds girl on his back.Focus on feet of several people sitting on a tire swing.black and white. Mom, two daughters share a tire swing ride--dad pushes. Dad pushes mom, two kids on a tire swing. Mom, two girls ride on tire swing. Small camper in the background. young girl swings on a bench swing in a tall tree. wind in her hair. Dad and daughter rest in a vintage summer cabin.

It is an old camp tradition to carve your name or a message into your bunks.
Family carves their names in cabin bunk beds.

While two play ping pong, two discover the tree house.  Full of books and trinkets and playing cards!
Mom and daughter are together in a tree house. Mom and daughter play ping pong. Mom, dad, two daughters play ping pong with hammock in foreground and treehouse in background of summer campground.

No summer’s day is complete without Popsicles.

Colorful oars attached to cabin on the left; girl reaches for colorful popsicles on the right.

More than just an ordinary day at an extraordinary camp, we are also here to witness a wedding.

Dad reached out to mom while mom holds daughter's hand as they walk among orange day lilies. Family walks on narrow boardwalk between lake and land. White clouds and bright blue sky is reflected in water ripples. White pier is in the distance.

From their hammock view, the girls watch their parents exchange vows. They serenade them with music from The Lion King, belting lyrics across the camp with such fervor that surely even the geese shared in their joy.

Mom holds phone and looks at screen while holding dad's hands and girls in hammock in foreground. Framed by out of focus parents laughing, girls silly on hammock in focus in background Mom places ring on dad's hand. Family swings on hammock together. Mom swings girls in hammock, which overlooks the lake, while dad videos the laughter from his iPhone.Two girls laugh while their mom pushes/pulls them on a big hammock. View from below/under the hammock of 2 girls.Father holds daughter's hands while she takes a dip in the lake. Big puffy white clouds and green trees in the distance. Eye contact from 2 yo being held by dad, wrapped in a colorful towel at the beach.

Cupcakes arrived from New York!

Family receives cupcakes via mail delivery at the beach. Top down shot of open box of cupcakes. 2yo starts to unwrap cupcake liner while other family members look at the cupcakes in the box. At the beach. Mom races toward the end of the dock and 9yo starts after her. Mom jumps into a large starfish formation off the end of the dock with daughter racing to catch up.

Lee shared her thoughts about working with me:

We loved our experience with Jen. She joined us for part of a mini family vacation and captured tender moments, bursting joy, absolute seriousness, and of course some oops and bonks along the way… The ingredients of life. Thank you, Jen!

xo,

Jen

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