Dol Photography in Chicago — A timeless way to honor your baby’s first year

If you grew up with a photograph of yourself in a hanbok — surrounded by rice cakes, jujubes, chestnuts, and the quiet hum of family gathered close — you already know how deeply that image stays with you.

The dol, or 돌잔치, is one of the most meaningful milestones in Korean culture. A baby’s first birthday is not just a celebration. It is a moment that connects generations. You have seen your parents in hanbok as babies. You were photographed at your own dol. And now, here in Chicago, you are carrying that tradition forward for your child.

These photographs become part of your family’s story. They deserve to be made with intention.

A Calmer, More Intentional Way to Photograph the Dohl

The dol party is a beautiful celebration. But after working with countless families — and after experiencing my own baby’s dol — I can tell you honestly: the day will feel overwhelming in the most wonderful way. Your photographs do not have to.

A dedicated dol portrait session gives you that.

Rather than the energy of a full event, this is something unhurried and focused — designed to produce images that last far beyond the day itself. In my studio, you are welcome to borrow from my collection of baby hanboks and traditional props. We work with meaningful symbolic elements — jujubes, chestnuts, fruit — styled simply and organically. The result feels the way the tradition actually feels: meaningful, quiet, and beautiful.

What Your Chicago Dol Session Can Include

Hanbok portraits of your baby, styled with care and patience. The doljabi moment. Family portraits with siblings and grandparents. And if you would like, we can extend it into a full milestone session with a cake smash and candid family photos.

Every session is softly guided from start to finish. You do not need to know how to pose. I will walk you through it.

These are the images your child will one day look back on — just as you may have looked back on your own.

When to Book you Dol Photo session in Chicago

If you would like to display your photographs during the dol celebration, I recommend booking about a month before the event so there is time to edit and print. If the session is separate from the party, a few weeks before or after the first birthday works beautifully.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a dol ceremony?
The dol, short for 돌잔치, is a traditional Korean celebration of a baby’s first birthday. The celebration typically includes a hanbok, a symbolic table spread with foods like rice, jujubes, and chestnuts, and the doljabi — a tradition where the baby reaches for an object said to hint at their future. It is one of the most meaningful and visually beautiful milestones in Korean culture.

When should I schedule my dol photoshoot?
If you would like printed photos to display at your dol party, booking about a month in advance gives us time to edit and print comfortably. If the session is separate from the event, a few weeks before or after the first birthday works perfectly.

Do you provide hanbok?
Yes — you are welcome to borrow from my studio’s hanbok and prop collection at no additional cost. If your family has a meaningful hanbok you would like to use, please bring it. Both are wonderful.

Can we include family portraits?
Absolutely. Many families love incorporating grandparents and siblings into the session. We can also add a cake smash and candid family photos to make it a full milestone experience.

Do you photograph dol parties?
I offer limited event coverage on a seasonal basis. If you are interested, I would love to hear about your celebration — reach out and we can talk through availability.

My Approach

I work with families from all backgrounds, and I have been honored to photograph dol sessions for Korean families, Korean-American families, and families where one partner grew up with this tradition and is sharing it with their children for the first time. There is something quietly profound about watching a tradition travel across generations and across cultures — and land, beautifully, in a first birthday photograph made here in Chicago.

Every session is calm, guided, and paced with you in mind. I am not there to rush through a checklist. I am there to make this feel the way it deserves to feel.

If you are planning a dol and want photographs that honor what this day actually means, I would love to hear from you.

Inquire here at my contact page