Video: Our 2020 in Review

January 5, 2021

Jeff and I started a tradition in 2013 while we were living in Washington DC. We decided to hire a videographer to film a professional video about our lives as they were that year. Since Jeff’s birthday is on leap year, we decided we’d continue it every four years on leap year (yes, we started a year late).

You can see our past videos here:

This time around, I decided to make the video myself. It was a lot of fun, and I’d love to potentially pursue family documentaries like this once COVID-19 lets up a bit.

I love the idea of interviewing family members about a single year or looking back at a lifetime. If you have any interest in being a part of a “beta video,” send me a note at allie (at) alliesiarto.com.

Home Office Renovation: Before and After

November 14, 2020

Jeff and I have basically worked from home since we gave up our office in downtown East Lansing back in 2014, but it wasn’t always pretty. For years, Jeff worked from a basement “office” that doubled as a messy storage room. I had a desk in there too, but I refused to work among so much clutter, so I spent most days working on my laptop at the kitchen counter (not ideal).

East Lansing DIY basement home office renovation before and after photos with Semihandmade Doors and IKEA BESTA cabinets

A few years ago, we finally got it together and renovated the entire basement. This room became a real, organized office, and we removed a TON of wallpaper, painted, and put down new carpet in the other part to create a play area for the girls.

We had used Semihandmade cabinet fronts for our kitchen renovation, and when they reached out to see if we could collaborate on any other projects, I knew exactly what I wanted for the office. We used IKEA’s BESTA cabinets with Semihandmade’s Impression Oyster door fronts. The cabinet fronts were a great match for the IKEA dining tables that became our desks (Jeff wanted a LOT of space for his desk).

I still want to add an egress window to the space for safety and light, but it’s so nice to have a dedicated place to work, especially now that our entire family is home all. the. time.

East Lansing DIY basement shared home office renovation before and after photos of a desk area

East Lansing DIY basement shared home office renovation before and after photos of a cleaned up desk area

East Lansing DIY basement home office renovation before and after photos of two desks

East Lansing DIY shared basement home office renovation before and after photos with two desks and Semihandmade Doors and IKEA BESTA cabinets

East Lansing DIY shared basement home office renovation photos with Semihandmade Doors and IKEA BESTA cabinets

East Lansing DIY shared basement home office renovation photos of sitting area with Semihandmade Doors and IKEA BESTA cabinets

Fall 15 Minute Mini Sessions

August 26, 2020

My oldest daughter started first grade virtually this week, and it has me thinking A LOT about work-life balance this fall.

I’ve decided to limit my photo sessions for the fall. I still have 30 and 60 minute sessions available for now, but I’ll likely close out times as dates book to stick to one session per week.

Mini Sessions

I booked up my September 27 mini sessions, but I’ve opened up a few more mini sessions around other sessions that I already have planned. You can see my booking calendar here.

Mini Session Location

I’m keeping the exact location a secret until booking – I’ve managed to avoid crowds in this area for years, so it’ll just be between us. But know that the location is in Okemos less than ten minutes west of the Meridian Mall. You can check out sample photos below.

Book Your Session

You can book your mini session online here. This is the only mini session date I’ll offer this year, so get on it!

Book Your Fall Mini Session >

Safety Precautions

I’ll be wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing for all sessions this year. Don’t worry – I have a long portrait lens, so I can still get close up photos from a distance.

See the Photo Location

outdoor field photo locations in Lansing, Michigan (Lansing photographer, Allie and Co. Photography)

three boys in a field, family photographers in Lansing, Michigan (Allie Siarto & Co. Photography)

portrait of a boy in a field with light coming in behind him; family photographers in Lansing, Michigan (Allie Siarto & Co. Photography)

pet dog photography in Lansing, Michigan (Allie Siarto & Co. Photographers)

pretty nature photo locations in Okemos, Michigan (Lansing family photographers, Allie Siarto & Co. Photography)

outdoor nature photo locations in Lansing, Michigan (Lansing photographers, Allie & Co. Photography)

maternity photography in Lansing, Michigan (Allie & Co. Photographers)

One Day Charity Sessions: June 16

June 4, 2020

Allie Siarto family photo, East Lansing family photographer

A lot of people are hurting right now, and I want to help bring the community together to support the many organizations that are helping. I’ve had a lot of requests to continue the front porch project for charity, so I’ve decided to set up a one day charity shoot so I can get more people involved without driving all over town.

Use this link to sign up for a five minute session on June 16, then send me a receipt to show that you’ve donated at least $50 to any charitable organization of your choice to qualify for your session. See more details below.

Charitable Giving Ideas

You may already have an organization that you love to support, but here are a few ideas:

The Greater Lansing Food Bank
That summer camp that brings kids from many different backgrounds together, but had to close for the summer (we love Mystic Lake Camp)
Support for your schools so they can buy books and art supplies that teach kids about diversity
Any charity of your choice that supports the Black Lives Matter Movement

My Gift to You

As a thank you for your donation, you’ll get:

One pose with your family (or anyone you want, as long as you’re in the same household) at the Lewis Landscape Arboretum in East Lansing (see sample photos from this location below)
A single high resolution digital download of the photos of your choice with a print release

East Lansing senior photos, photographer Allie Siarto

My Motivation

Full honesty – this project scares me. I have four and six year old girls, and childcare is a struggle right now. Weddings and events make up about 65% of my business, and most are rescheduling. A small part of me says don’t give photos away for free when your business is struggling.

But at the same time, I recognize that I have so many privileges. We paid our house off at the end of last year and don’t have to worry about a mortgage payment or any other debt. Our fridge is filled with food. I was once allowed to get on an airplane even though I had forgotten my id. These organizations need the support more than I do right now.

Book Your Charity Session Now

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