When I'm not behind the camera, I stay busy with my three kids and two dogs. Caffeine and baby snuggles get me through the day. True-crime podcasts are my editing soundtrack and I almost always reach for chocolate as an afternoon pick-me-up. Every once in a while, after the madness that is putting three kids to bed, the husband and I get to spend an evening together unwinding on the couch. When we do, The Office is on repeat. Life is busy and beautiful.
My photography was born from chasing around my kids who didn't have time to be bothered with sitting still and smiling. So, I fell in love with capturing them as they are and learning to engage them in ways that allowed me to get the shot while letting them be themselves. What I found was photos that tell the story of our family and I love creating the same for my clients. A genuine smile beats a "say cheese" any day and real connection reigns supreme.
Want to learn more? Ready to make it happen? Click that "Say Hello" button and get the conversation started. I can't wait to hear from you!
Your fun-loving lifestyle family, maternity, newborn, and child photographer
I'm courtney
am so excited you're here because I love what I do and I would love to tell your family's unique story through photos you can treasure forever.
I
A snapshot into my life
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My husband Stuart and I have three kids: Gunnar, Emmett, and Ruby. Our home is full of legos, baby toys, and a whole lotta love.
We can often be found dancing in the kitchen or snuggled up on the couch (dogs included) enjoying a movie. We live on our family's farm and love taking walks after hours to pick fruit from the orchards (I'll take every blackberry off the bushes if no one stops me) and wildflowers from the fields.
Stuart and I met in high school, started dating in college, and began our life together in St. Louis. We lived in Richmond, VA, Austin, TX, and St. Louis (again) before moving back to our hometown of Jackson to be close to our families. We consider ourselves lucky to have a wonderful support system and love that our kids are able to spend so much quality time with grandparents and cousins.
Life with three young kids is a wild ride, short on sleep but big on laughter and joy.
Family
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I truly love spending hours in the kitchen creating a wonderful meal to share with friends or family. The opportunities to do that are few and far between these days with a house full of kids who mostly prefer chicken nuggets to a 3-course dinner but I look forward to the day when I get back to it. In the meantime, I'm perusing cookbooks and food blogs, marking all the things I want to try.
One of my proudest accomplishments is sharing this love of cooking with my oldest son, who has been using a knife and making guacamole on his own since age four. He says he wants to be a chef someday and I'm so here for it.
COOKING
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Stuart and I got our first dog, Hutch, about six months after getting married and from that moment on, I knew I could never live without a dog by my side. We brought Izzy into the family about a year later and my minimum dog requirement went from one to two immediately.
We got 13 1/2 years with our sweet Hutch and still miss him. Izzy is 13 now and sleeping happily at my feet as I write this. Finn is a puppy we brought home on an impulse a few months before having a baby (0/10 recommend that timing). He keeps things lively around here and is a great playmate to Izzy and the kids alike.
MY DOGS
Highly recommend Knowlan Photography! Courtney is amazing to work with! She helps you feel at ease in front of the camera and captures beautiful moments (even with an energetic toddler running around!). We are so happy with our photographs and will cherish them for years to come. We absolutely plan to work with her for future sessions.
Cape girardeau, mo
The Sindle family
Courtney is the best of the best! We did a package with newborn, 6 month and 1 year photos. We also did a diaper session and his 2 year pictures. In all these stages of my son's life Courtney has been our go to. She is so easy to work with-- she makes it fun even when your kid is crying or running around like a mad man- and somehow the pictures always come out great!
jackson, mo
The ZIRGES FAMILY
Courtney is simply amazing! I am always so nervous about photos as I have a rowdy crew of boys. Courtney is quick and great with kids! Both sessions (family and newborn/family) with her have produced amazing phots that I will cherish forever! I also love that she gives guidance about wardrobe and other small details of the photo shoots! Highly recommend!
jackson, mo
The brinkman family
Absolutely love Courtney, and the work she does! She always makes it super comfortable, and offers help with posing, so you're not clueless on what to do! She really knows how to capture those sweet connection moments with your littles. Incredibly patient, and fun to work with! I also love how easy she makes it to receive your photos! Highly recommend her!
jackson, mo
The BORNEMAN family
CAPTURE THESE MOMENTS WELL
Your family is changing everyday. Make tangible, permanent memories of the things you never want to forget through photos that can be treasured and enjoyed for generations to come.
