Reflecting on 2024: A Year to Remember at Lightbox

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!

 

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!

Lightbox's 5 Year Anniversary Recap!

Lightbox Turns 5!

We had the best time celebrating 5 amazing years of Lightbox on Tuesday, October 1st! Our natural light studio and event space has come a long way, and it felt so special to open our doors and celebrate with all of you.

All photos are courtesy of Ally Jeppsen Photography

We couldn’t resist setting up a fun photo op on our rolling backdrop, complete with a beautiful balloon install by Dreamy & Darling Creations. Our "In the Studio" design added a fun touch, and it was the perfect spot for everyone to snap a few pics and capture the vibe of the night.

What’s a party without snacks, right? Our “sips and dips” setup was a hit, with a mocktail bar from 417 Cocktails and some seriously tasty dips—spinach and artichoke, queso, and hummus with a mix of chips, veggies, and pita. So good!

LaLa Links set up their permanent jewelry bar, and it was a huge hit! Guests had the chance to purchase custom pieces throughout the night, adding a fun, personalized touch to the event. It was the perfect way for everyone to take home a little extra sparkle!

To top it all off, we gave away over $900 in prizes, including a Nespresso machine and a free studio photo shoot with Portrait Novella. We loved being able to give a little something back to the people who’ve supported us over the years!

THANK YOU!

This night was so special, filled with warmth not just from the fall-themed decor and cozy seating, but from the wonderful conversations and connections happening throughout the night. Whether guests were enjoying snacks, chatting over mocktails, or snapping photos at our backdrop, the good vibes were everywhere. We’re beyond grateful for everyone who has been a part of our journey, and a huge shout-out to Ally Jeppsen Photography for perfectly capturing all the fun! Here’s to many more years of Lightbox!

Meet The Team

The success of Lightbox over the past five years is all thanks to the incredible support from our community. While we’ve loved providing a space where creativity shines, it’s the people who’ve trusted us—whether for a photo shoot, event, or just to stop by—that have made it all possible. Behind the scenes, our team is dedicated to making Lightbox the special place it is: Hannah DeVries, our owner, pours her heart into every aspect of the studio; Bekah Knapp, our creative coordinator and socials manager, brings fresh ideas and energy; and Hannah Lyle, our studio assistant, ensures everything runs seamlessly. We’re honored to do what we love, but it’s the support from all of you that keeps us going!

Recap on the Modern Male Photographer's Shoot-Out

Have you noticed when you’re photographing male clients that posing them is a challenge? Yeah, us too! Which is why our last photographer’s shoot-out was to help photographers get more comfortable with posing male clients. A huge shout out to our models for this shoot: Alex, Ethan, Johnny, Asya and Blake!

Jennifer Quinn snapping a few shots in the Loft of Blake Compton.

Jennifer Quinn snapping a few shots in the Loft of Blake Compton.

For this shoot-out, we used our second space called, The Edison, for our second set of models. Have you seen the viral sunset lamp photos?
Here’s where to get your own sunset lamp projector.

Illuminate Photography using the sunset lamp to cast a colorful spotlight on Ethan.

Illuminate Photography using the sunset lamp to cast a colorful spotlight on Ethan.

Model, Ethan Hannaford posing for Illuminate Photography during the Modern Male Shoot-Out.

Model, Ethan Hannaford posing for Illuminate Photography during the Modern Male Shoot-Out.

Color blocking is so in right now, so we decided to paint the rolling backdrop half black and half white. Paired with our beautiful couple models, these were some of our favorite shots of the day! Over the years, we’ve notice photographers finding it challenging to pose or put the focus on the guy in engagement or couples sessions. This set was designed for the photographers to work on posing and emphasizing the male model in the couples session.

Leigh Smith photographing couple Johnny and Aysa against the color block backdrop in the Loft.

Leigh Smith photographing couple Johnny and Aysa against the color block backdrop in the Loft.

Now for the photos!


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Written by Hannah

Owner of Lightbox