salem family photographer
Sam’s senior portrait session was so much fun. We did the entire shoot in downtown Salem on a warm August evening. Sam is an actor and was rehearsing for a performance at The Grand Theater all day, so starting there made perfect sense! For the remainder of the evening, we just wandered around the streets and alleyways downtown. Our final stop was Archive Coffee & Bar, so Sam could order his favorite drink. All in all, I think we captured Sam’s personality with this casual urban session!
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!
If this family looks familiar to you, it’s probably because I’ve photographed them a lot. I mean, I’ve known Loui (the mom) for 30 years and Travis for nearly as long. Anyway, they have the cutest tradition for their family. Whenever one of their kids goes off to college, they all dress up in that college’s swag and do family portraits. Kyle is the 2nd oldest, but I’m so behind on blogging that he’s almost a junior in college and they sent another off last year!
Anyway, these were the photos we did (at their home) for Kyle’s sendoff to Grand Canyon University!
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!
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.
You may recognize these parents, as they’re long-time clients of mine. I also posted some of their gorgeous maternity photos recently, which you can see HERE and HERE. In those posts, I explained that Anna found out during her pregnancy that her cancer had returned, hence the chemotherapy while pregnant.
I met baby Asha at my studio in 2022, when we captured these precious photos. Ken brought one of his guitars and played some beautiful music for his little girl, who obviously loves it (look at that smile!).
The color coordination within this session brings me so much joy! The green hair matches the green shirt and then the purple necklaces (against the green shirt) matches the purple hair! I love their style and the love these kids have for their beautiful Mama.
These photos are from last year’s session and boy has this little guy grown a lot since then (I recently did their annual Fall photos)! I met up with this family at their Vancouver home on a foggy fall morning, which worked really well with their colorful outfits! We took a quick stroll along the path behind their home, which was perfect for their session!
I know I say this all the time, but time really does fly. I started photographing these two “kids” when they were barely out of diapers and all of a sudden, they’re both actual adults! They were kind enough to do one last session with their Mama (my dear friend, Michiko) last year.
I met Loui (in the white turtleneck sweater) my freshman year of college, when we were on the same cheerleading squad. Eventually, we became roommates and then lifelong friends! Shortly after meeting Loui, I met Amber, when I was her high school cheerleading coach. Loui ended up marrying Amber’s brother and here we are, nearly 30 years later, doing a big ‘ol family portrait session!
I think these photos speak for themselves, but for a little context…this beautiful mother-to-be was going through chemo and decided to do some photos without her wig.
For anyone who is curious…these two are now the proud parents of an adorable little girl! Anna has metastatic breast cancer, but she is stable and doing well.
While flannel shirts are practically a PNW wardrobe staple, they mean more to this family. Jennifer’s mom, who died shortly before their family photos last year, loved flannel shirts. So, it only seemed fitting to honor her in this way. Plus, they look cute as heck!
This session took place at Deepwood Museum & Garden (previously known as Deepwood Estate). I shoot at this venue a lot because I love the variety and the fact that we can usually shoot there in the rain, thanks to the tree cover, gazebos, and a few other little spots. Plus, it’s close to my house, which is a bonus.
I’ve been photographing this couple since they were engaged and I have loved watching their family grow. The are now a family of four (I’m just way behind on blogging) and their two kids are so darn cute! Anyway, we got some beautiful photos at Deepwood Museum & Gardens (formerly Deepwood Estate) during golden hour.
How cute is this little family? Ahhhh. I can’t wait to do fall minis this year!
How cute is this little munchkin? Baby Mo’orea makes the best facial expressions, so photographing her is always a joy. I just loved her little mustard colored onesie!
How cute are these two (three, if you count the bus)?! Porshe is a longtime client-turned-friend and it has been such an honor, watching her family grow. Mo’orea (8 months old here) is her third baby and she is just as sweet as can be!
I adore this mama and and her three girls. This is her youngest (whose birth you can see photos of HERE) and she’s just a sweet as can be. As you can see, she adores her mama and makes the best facial expressions. As if that wasn’t enough, she decided to stand up on her own for the firs time DURING the photo shoot! Check out that very last photo and look at how surprised they both look!
More to come very soon!
I had the privilege of photographing this extended family last year at Deepwood Museum & Gardens (yeah, yeah, I know I’m always behind on blogging).
