As a mama of three, she already knows how quickly the baby stage goes by, so she wanted to make sure to have captured all the baby snuggles, his little toes, breastfeeding, and his sweet baby rolls. This mama is also a teacher turned family photographer in Portland and I was so fortunate that she invited me into her home to get family photos done of her loved ones in her much loved Portland home. Her husband was working from home so he was only able to make a quick appearance

What a cute family this was! This mom reached out to me concerned that her son doesn't like to look at the camera and force a smile. I said no problem, I prefer the candid shots anyway and lean heavily on prompts and games to get natural smiles instead. And that's what we did! And lo and behold we got some pictures of him looking and smiling at the camera - in his own time and way. If you're remembering photo sessions from when you were a kid (mine were ALWAYS at JC Penny), I

I had zero clue what newborn post-partum life was like until I had my own baby. I seriously thought it was just a cute new baby you get to hold all the time and lose a little sleep for awhile. Okay that's partly true but there's SO MUCH more to this new season of life. Hormones, learning to breastfeed, how to respond to your baby in the way they want, just to name a few. And yes, all on a few hours of sleep (if you're lucky) and still needing to make meals for yourself and de

As a family photographer I hear this concern a lot from parents. In fact, besides the #1 question, "What do I wear?" - worrying about what will happen if your kids don't behave is a close second, and honestly, I was concerned about that myself when I booked a family photographer for my own family. What If My Toddler Doesn't Get Their Usual Nap? I must warn you - what will probably happen the day of your photoshoot will be the first day your toddler skips their nap in a long w

When I first drove onto this property my jaw literally dropped. A wrought iron gate covered with ivy, opening up to a gravel driveway leading past the most beautiful blooming Locust tree...the most classic farm house with a big front porch, a tire swing hanging from the backyard's tree, baby chicks & goats, a field with tall grass to frolic in, a red brick stable... I could go on and on how bucolic this Brush Prairie farm was. A literal dream. AND this family!! The parents we

A Portland Family Photographer retreat at the Oregon Coast.

When you bought a lot of flowers from Trader Joes to make flower crowns, and you did do that for a Columbia River Gorge spring wildflower photography session, but then you leave the remaining flower crowns in the car for two days before remembering you accidentally forgot about them, and then find out that they survived miraculously and want to use them before they dry up completely, so you make one that fits your daughter's head perfectly and go out into a field with her aft

There's a beautiful field close to Vancouver, WA that covers itself in camas lillies every spring. To say it's magical still doesn't do it justice - you'll just have to experience it for yourself! Just be mindful of the poison oak - you'll be fine if you stick to the trail but I do recommend identifying it quickly so you know what to watch out for while walking around this beautiful place. We made sure our daughter stayed close to us the entire time and when she didn't listen

I can't tell you how much I love photographing an older sibling exitedly awaiting the arrival of their little brother or sister. It doesn't get much sweeter than that, does it? And this family certainly delivered on that sweetness. This mama brought several outfits for her maternity photography session in Portland, which by all means, is fine by me! Do an outfit change if you'd like to get even more variety in your final gallery! Some photographers charge extra but I do not a

A Winter-ish Portland Family Photography Session I LOVE when families want their Portland family photography session during the off season. Why? Because it's not as busy, there's more room for flexibility if weather gets out of hand, and sunset is earlier so parents don't have to adjust bedtimes for that soft golden light. Plus, your family can snuggle up in a warm blanket or scarves and it's a great and easy excuse to get close to each other and cuddle for photos! This day,