Reflecting on 2024: A Year to Remember at Lightbox

December 31, 2024 Bekah Schooler

Wow, what a year it has been! As we wrap up 2024, we can’t help but smile thinking about all the amazing events, milestones, and memories that happened at Lightbox. From hosting heartfelt celebrations to throwing some of our favorite annual events, this year was full of so many special moments. Let’s take a quick trip down memory lane and highlight everything that made 2024 unforgettable.

January: Starting off 2024 with Big Dreams!

We started the year strong with our annual Vision Board Making Party, co-hosted with Madi Miller Life Coach. Guests got creative, outlining their goals and dreams for 2024 while connecting with an amazing group of like-minded people. It was the perfect way to set the tone for the year ahead!

Be sure to grab a ticket to our 2025 vision board party on Sunday, January 12th HERE!

February: Friendship, Fun & Selfies

February was all about celebrating the love of friendship at our 5th Galentine’s Selfie Museum event. We set up colorful, playful photo ops, and the studio was buzzing with laughter, coffee (Thanks to Caffeinate with Kate!) and endless selfies. It’s always been a favorite tradition for us!

March: Bringing Spring Indoors

Spring arrived early at Lightbox with our Indoor Garden Party. Guests enjoyed a beautiful brunch, sipped on bottomless mimosas, and got hands-on with a floral arrangement class. The studio came alive with fresh blooms, creativity, and all-around joyful vibes. A big thank you to He Loves Me Flowers and Allie Rose Events for helping make this event a success! We also couldn’t have done this event without our sponsors Maria Galgano with The Property Gurus and Leslie Norman with 2B Organized.

April & May: Celebrating Milestones

This spring, our studio was filled with love and joy as we hosted baby showers, bridal showers, and grad parties. We love being part of life’s special moments, and seeing families and friends come together to celebrate always warms our hearts.

Balloons by Dreamy & Darling Creations, Marquee by Alpha-Lit Springfield

June: Celebrating Small Businesses

In June, we focused on giving back to our local community with Small Business Summer dates. We offered discounted studio rentals for local entrepreneurs to bring their visions to life. Seeing the creativity and passion in action was so inspiring!

July: A Little Christmas Magic

Christmas came early with our Christmas in July event! For one week, we decked out the studio in festive holiday sets, giving photographers and businesses a chance to capture their holiday promo photos ahead of the season. It was so fun to mix summer vibes with holiday cheer!

September: A Fun Little Book Swap

In September, we hosted our first-ever Date Night with a Book event. Guests brought books to swap and spent the evening connecting over their favorite reads. It was such a unique way to bring people together, and we can’t wait to do it again!

October: Celebrating 5 Amazing Years

October was a huge milestone for us as we celebrated 5 incredible years of owning and running Lightbox! Our anniversary party was a chance to reflect on everything we’ve built and to thank everyone who has supported us along the way. Thank you, Mandi with 417 Cocktails for providing drinks at the event and Sydnie with Dreamy and Darling Creations for the balloons in the Loft. We also enjoyed having Lala Links doing permanent jewelry for the attendees!

November & December: Holiday Cheer in Full Swing

The holiday season took over the studio with Christmas at Lightbox! We set up two stunning holiday sets in The Edison and The Loft, creating the perfect backdrop for countless Christmas photo sessions. It was truly magical seeing the studio transform into a winter wonderland.

Special Moments Throughout the Year

One of the most special parts of 2024 was hosting several elopements in our space. Watching couples exchange vows in such an intimate, meaningful way reminded us why we love what we do.

Hannah’s studio highlight:
“52 Dogs in 52 Weeks” Project

This year, our owner, Hannah, took on a fun and challenging project through her pet photography business, Portrait Novella Pets. She photographed a different dog in the studio every week of 2024—52 dogs in 52 weeks! Each session was a unique experience, capturing the personality of every pup, from playful puppies to wise seniors. It was such a joy to see this project come to life, and it’s a reminder of how much love and joy our furry friends bring into our lives. We’re so grateful to have been part of their stories this year!

Bekah’s studio highlight: Motherhood Mini Sessions

A big highlight for me this year was hosting Motherhood Mini Sessions in the studio for my own photography business, Illuminate Photography. I teamed up with Good Ground Floral, who created the most gorgeous floral arrangement (I still dream of it to this day) to make the space feel extra special. It was such a sweet experience capturing moms with their little ones, celebrating those everyday moments of love and connection. I feel so lucky to have been part of creating these memories for the families who came in and I can’t wait to do them again this year with a new color scheme!

Bekah'sHeadshots_IlluminatePhotography-1.jpg

Maternity&Newborn_Illuminatephotography-06.jpg

Here’s to 2025!

2024 was a year full of creativity, celebration, and community, and we couldn’t have done it without all of you. Thank you for choosing Lightbox for your events, photos, and memories. We can’t wait to see what 2025 has in store—let’s make it another unforgettable year together!

Q & A with a Photographer - Sydney Miro Media

April 28, 2024 Hannah Lyle

Meet Sydney!

Sydney is a familiar face at Lightbox, and we are honored to be part of her creative journey! Keep reading to learn more about this extraordinary gal.

Sydney is a young entrepreneur in 417land who has an eye for modern, simplistic looks, which cultivate her editorial aesthetic. Born in Crofton, MD, Sydney moved to Springfield, MO, and has been immersed in the world of media since 2019. While her specialty is portrait photography, she occasionally dabbles in couple and family portraiture, weddings, and branding. Not only are we at Lightbox so grateful for Sydney’s trust in our studio, but we’re even more thankful for her years of friendship. Now, let’s dive in and get to know more about the lady, the lore, the legend - Sydney.

Q: How long have you been a photographer?
A: For about 5 years now, ever since I got my first camera for Christmas in 2018! During the first 3.5 years, photography was just a pursuit of passion. I juggled it with other commitments, dedicating my free time to honing my skills, experimenting with different styles, and understanding the technical aspects of photography. About a year and a half ago, I made the significant decision to transition into full-time photography!

Q: How were you introduced to photography?
A: I was first introduced to photography as a kid, when I was immersed in the world of art and photos because of my dad! My dad has been a skilled photographer for as long as I can remember, and I have vivid memories of dressing up for his photos, getting my photo taken at numerous locations, and even being a part of his own creations of backdrops.

Q: Your work has a very distinct style. How did you develop this style?
A: I developed this style incidentally (the all-neutral thing I’ve got going on)! Funny thing is, I believe my mental illness plays a huge part into how my style was developed. My anxiety and OCD takes on quite a few interesting forms: amongst them being the fact that my brain does not favor color. Bright and vibrant colors, to my noggin, come off very loud, noisy, and unpeaceful. If you were to ever take a peek into my apartment or my closet, you would also see that the only colors present are white, black, brown, and occasionally greens. So, although I thoroughly enjoy other photos with colors and can appreciate that art-wise, it doesn’t sit right with my own creative and personal vision with the way my brain is wired! The more ya know.

Q: Who or what influences your work?
A: Fashion and editorial magazines. I love the simple, minimalistic look and also trying new, spontaneous, but also subtle, ideas.

Q: What would your ultimate, dream photoshoot be?
A: Photographing Beyonce… If you’ve talked to me at least one time in my life, you probably know I love me some Beyonce. She has been my biggest inspiration and role model since I was probably 3, as I used to pursue singing/dancing and she does both so well and effortlessly. Now that I am older, I have also grown to appreciate her insane work ethic on top of her artistic talent. She would be my dream photoshoot mainly because I’d get to ask her all of the questions I’ve been dying to know my whole life, and she is drop. dead. gorgeous.

Q: What are some fun facts people may not know about you?
A: I have 10+ years of professional dance training under my belt, and am also equally trained vocally!

Q: Which accomplishments are you most proud of?
A: I was able to turn my passion into a career at only 18 years old. I was always nervous about graduating high school because of college (I am not a school person!), and knew I wouldn’t feel fulfilled if I made myself attend college when I didn’t want to. So, I made something work for me that I absolutely love and that didn’t require a degree! Self taught baby. Literally anything is possible if you work for it.

Q: What is your favorite part about using Lightbox?
A: My favorite part about using Lightbox is the wide variety of props and backdrops they have to offer! You can do so many different styles and themes without having to bring anything yourself because the prop closet has just about anything you’ll need. AND the staff are the friendliest people I have ever met! I would say the staff at Lightbox are my supporters both professionally and casually.

Q: What is your favorite thing about your clients?
A: Their trust in my vision. Most people I book like to give me full creative freedom for their session and trust my judgement when it comes to outfits, backdrop colors, etc. I think makes for an amazing experience for both me and my client. OH! And when 80% of my clients ask me what I want from 7brew before our session because they know I love it so much.

Q: What is the most rewarding thing about being a photographer?
A: Being able to capture some of peoples’ biggest milestones. Whether it’s graduation, a baby, or a big birthday, it warms my heart that people trust me enough to leave them with pictures that last a lifetime and that might be put up in their homes!

Q: If you could give one piece of advice to yourself when first started as a photographer, what would it be?
A: It would be to try something new! I think I was so afraid of making art other people wouldn’t like that I lost focus on making art that I like. So yeah, Sydney - don’t be afraid to step outside of the box and your comfort zone, even if that post gets 5 likes.

Q: If you could give your clients one piece of advice, what would it be?
A: Ask me ALL of the questions! I never want my clients to be confused about their outfit for the vision we’re creating, and that cause them to not be fully comfortable or satisfied with the photos. So spam text me 5 times a week if you have to; I’m here to answer your q’s and collaborate!

Q: How would you like to use the studios at Lightbox in the future?
A: I would like to use the studios at Lightbox in the future by potentially going the non-photo route and filming! I also dabble in videography - mainly weddings - but would love to do some fun and creative film in the studio one day (maybe with dancers!).

Special thanks to Sydney for participating in our Q&A!

To find more of her breathtaking work, you can visit the following platforms.
Facebook: Sydney Miro Media
Instagram: @sydneymiromedia
Website: www.sydneymiromedia.com

Jensen & Roderick's Summer Elopement in a Photo Studio

October 18, 2023 Bekah Schooler

Picture this: an intimate summertime elopement in a bright white studio with beautiful floral arrangements decorating the space where you say your “I’ do’s.” All of your closest friends and family are there to celebrate you. Sounds dreamy, right? That is exactly the day that Jensen and Roderick had at Lightbox this summer! Being witness to their day was so special and we are so excited to share their story with you!

Notes from the Newlyweds:

Q: How did you meet?

A: We are high school sweethearts! He was a senior and I was a Freshman.

Q: What was your proposal like?

A: We took a break after 6 years together and God brought us back together a year and half later so it was no surprise that we were ready to spend forever with each other. We had been talking about it for a long time so it seemed impossible to be surprised. One day when I was napping he came in and put the ring on my finger and when I woke up he said “Jensen Breeze will you marry me?” He did so good at catching me off guard and it was so genuine!

Q: What made you want to have an intimate wedding rather than a big, traditional wedding?

A: We originally wanted to elope but still wanted our family present. So when I saw Lightbox does intimate ceremonies, we were sold at the idea of not stressing over a big venue and still having our loved ones included.

Q: Where did you find your wedding day inspiration?

A: I knew I wanted it to be very simplistic but elegant so we chose white and greenery. I was constantly checking Pinterest and my Instagram reels became full of wedding tips and ideas.

Q: Why did you choose Lightbox as your wedding venue?

A: We chose Lightbox for the simplistic and elegant look. We loved the beautiful spiral staircase and the light it brought into the loft. Not to mention Hannah and Bekah were so helpful and quick to answer any concerns or questions.

Q: What words would you use to describe your wedding day?

A: Perfect, Intimate, Elegant, Bliss

Q: What have you been up to since your wedding? What is next for you two?

A: We went on our honeymoon in Washington State! Since we have been back we are settling back into home with our two dogs Bella and Ellie. I have started graduate school in Social work.

Q:How would you describe each other?

A: Roderick is loving, considerate, funny, personable, and compassionate.

Jensen is beautiful, warm-hearted, intelligent, funny and my best friend.