portland family photographer

Portland Oregon Lifestyle Photographer - welcome to the world, baby Marcus!

At-home “lifestyle” sessions are my favorite way to photograph families with little ones. When I go to a client’s home, they have everything they need right there (diapers, change of clothes, snacks, etc.). They don’t have to worry about forgetting anything or plan for the unexpected. Toddlers and small children are usually apprehensive about a stranger photographing them, but being in their own home makes them feel FAR more comfortable. By the end of the session, they’re usually showing me their toys and telling me funny stories about their pets. Plus, it’s just so much easier for me (a woman whose children are all adults now) to hop in my car and drive to the client!

I do very little posing with lifestyle sessions. I may say, “everyone sit over there.” or “Let’s put the baby here.” Beyond that, though, I just let everyone do what they want…especially babies and toddlers! THEY ARE IN CHARGE! This cuts down on the stress of trying to get that “perfect” family photo and results in shots that are way more authentic.

I’ve been to Ashley and Alina’s house a few times now and in addition to getting to see their adorable family, I get to see the changes they’ve made to their first home! They’ve done quite a few DIY projects and they look SO good!

Portland Oregon Newborn Photographer - casual family session at home! (part 1)

I love, love, LOVE watching my clients’ families grow and this adorable family is no exception! I met Ashley & Alina (aka Ashlina) over 8 years ago, when they were newly engaged. Since their engagement session, I’ve photographed a lot of their milestones, including newborn sessions for each of their little ones. With their first baby, I visited them in the hospital, but with their newest bundle we opted for a session in their home. It was definitely the best option with an energetic toddler in the mix!

Salem Oregon Family Photographer - b&w family portraits (studio)

I love shooting outdoors, but sometimes (usually due to weather) shooting in a studio is a necessity! Families, especially those with young children, tend to have more fun when they’re not freezing cold or soaking wet. As you can see, this adorable little family had a great time during their indoor fall mini session!

Side note: I no longer have my own studio, but I still have access to several others (including the one in these photos) that are available as hourly rentals. So, if you like the look of this space, let me know when you book your session!

Salem Oregon Maternity Photographer - books, plants, and an adorable baby bump!

Sometimes it’s just too dang hot outside do do a maternity session. This was one of those days, when we had record highs last August. Rather than try to sweat through the heat, we opted to shoot in the studio, where we could all rejoice about the air conditioning.

The parents-to-be brought some of their favorite baby books, their ultrasound images, a baby blanket, and a name sign. I gathered up all of the plants (fake and real) that I could find, and Jessica’s emerald green lace dress tied it all together perfectly.

Vancouver Washington Family Photographer - casual in-home family session

I met Jeremy & Sade a few years ago, when I photographed their beautiful vineyard wedding. They are very laid back (the perfect personalities to be caring for a toddler) and so easy to work with. I photographed baby Aaron when he was about 6 months old and boy was he a cutie! We scheduled his next session for 12 months, but thanks to a baby cold, we postponed a few months. It actually worked out perfectly, as Jeremy and Sade were able to close on and move into their new home in those three months!

I couldn’t believe how much he had changed between 6 and 15 months! He looked like a completely different person! In addition to him growing, his hair changed a lot too! He want from short, black hair to much longer, light brown, curly hair! He was also MUCH more active, so doing an in-home session was perfect! Plus, I got to see their beautiful new house!

Side note: Aaron will be a big brother very soon! I believe his Mama is due next month and I can’t wait to see their new little one! They obviously make adorable little humans1

Salem Oregon Family Photographer - Ashley, Alina & Everett's Fall Session

I know I do this all the time, but I love mentioning all of the times I’ve photographed someone. I am just so honored when those continuously choose me, as their photographer, to document their family’s milestones. My first time photographing Ashley and Alina was at their engagement session. Since then, I have photographed their wedding, their pregnancy, their hospital newborn portraits, baby and toddler sessions, multiple family sessions, a boudoir session, and even a celebration of life for Ashley’s mom. I adore this little family and truly love watching them grow.

Salem Oregon Family Photographer - formal fall portraits

This family are longtime friends and clients and I adore working with them. This year they decided on formal attire and I was SO there for it. I mean, hello…they look amazing! Mama Bear did a great job choosing colors and now everyone has something to wear to a formal event, if needed.

Salem Oregon Family Photographer - I've been photographing this family for over a decade!

I know I always say this about my clients, but I am often blown away at how much the kids have grown! Some families, like this one, have been in front of my camera for over a decade! When I met this group, the youngest was not even a year old, the middle kid was in pre-school, and the oldest was a first grader. They’re now in middle school, high school, and college! Yes, I have kids the same ages , but for some reason it always surprises me more to see how fast OTHER kids grow. They’ve been doing this for so long that we are usually done with photos in less than 10 minutes!

Milwaukie Oregon Family Photographer - adorable extended family session!

I have been photographing Ashley and Alina (aka Ashlina) for years now and we always have a good time. Ashley’s sister joined us this past fall, along with her husband and daughter (yay for cousins!). It was freezing cold and the park we’d planned to use for the session was unexpectedly closed, but we managed to get some great shots in a random little grassy area nearby. I’m loving the fall goodness of these photos, from the orange leaves to the jewel tones, to the little red baby nose!

As usual, I’m about a year behind on blogging, so we have already scheduled their mini session for this year.!

Salem Oregon Family Photographer - Baby Clayton

I was scheduled to photograph Monica and Khyler’s wedding in April of 2020, but due to the pandemic, they eloped in their backyard during a family BBQ, with plans to have their big celebration when things opened back up. Well, fast forward a few months and surprise, things still weren’t open, but they were expecting! Eventually they decided to skip the big wedding and just settle in to their new home and family life. A few weeks after little Clayton was born, I paid their family a visit for an at-home family session! Monica’s teenaged son was also kind enough to bless us with his presence for a full family photo. I mean, he DID get to “skip” class for a few minutes (online learning was quite convenient for this day!). Anyway, we’re planning another family session this fall and I can’t wait to see how big the little dude will be!

Portland Family Photographer - Bringing Cheerfulness to an Overcast day!

To be clear, I mean the BABY is the one bringing the cheerfulness! I met up with Katie & Miguel (former wedding clients of mine!!) at their home in Vancouver, for a fall mini session. Due to her Addison’s Disease, this Mama a compromised immune system, which means her family has been quarantined for over a year (they were already quarantining, due to her illness, prior to the pandemic)! Their house backs up to a greenbelt, which was perfect for outdoor photos, without having to go out in public. I was able to shoot from a good distance (and a mask, of course), which kept everyone safe. Allistair was a little shy at first, but quickly warmed up to the idea of doing family photos and had us all laughing by the end. His yellow outfit was a perfect match for his bubbly and curious personlity!

Salem Family Photographer - mini session at For the Love of Pete

You may recognize some of these faces, as I have photographed Porshe on many occasions (modeling, boudoir, family, birth) and even photographed Porshe & Jeremy’s hospital elopement a couple of years ago! Anyway, we met up with “the whole fam dam,” as Porshe calls them (her family, plus her parents and her brother). We met up at For the Love of Pete, which is a party supply rental place here in Salem. We had rented their holiday set to do indoor photos, but I love the outdoor shots more!

Salem Family Photographer - mini family session, urban style

Michiko, who was one of my very first clients, is now one of my really good friends and photo assistant! I’ve been photographing her little family, since her youngest was in preschool (she’s is high school now) and we have fun every year. These photos are actually from their 2018 family session…because I’m that far behind on blogging. I will be posting their 2019 session soon, though, so be on the lookout!