salem photographer
Asha took hardly any time at all to warm up during their family session. Within a few minutes she was laughing, playing, and enjoying here time with Mom & Dad.
I always have a good time photographing Ember, who happens to be the younger sister of my son’s fiancé. I don’t think I’ve seen her with the same hair color twice, and she has some really fun outfits! We usually shoot outdoors, but decided to do a quick studio session as well.
Side note: Ember actually graduated high school in 2023 and has been a licensed hair dresser for 2 yrs. She specializes in vibrant hair color, so if you’re looking for someone, she’s your girl (@erahhair on IG)!
I shared most of Sam’s senior portraits a while back, but these black and white shots are some of my favorites. We were fortunate enough to have access to Salem’s historic Grand Theater, as Sam is an actor and was involved with a production there at the time.
As usual, I decided to decorate my little vintage trailer (Honey) for the holidays!
While I enjoy shooting in a studio, I looove photographing people at work, for their business headshots! These photos of Ka Rin were taken in her downtown Salem office, where she does therapy sessions. Not only does it allow the subject to be a little more comfortable and relaxed in their own environment, but it gives the viewers a little peek into where they’ll be hanging out. Thankfully, she had some beautiful window light in her space, which meant I didn’t have to bring all of my cumbersome lighting equipment.
Yes, you read that correctly, as this handsome guy graduated a year and a half ago. Which means these photos were taken over 2 years ago. Honestly, I don’t know if I’ll ever be current on blogging, but I’ll keep trying.
Anyway, I’ve known this guy’s mom since 1994! We met our freshman year of college, when we were dorm neighbors. Neither of us grew up in Salem, so it’s pretty cool that we both ended up here AND that we live so close to each other (our kids graduated from the same high school)!
I am happy to report that Bradley is in his sophomore year of college in HAWAII! So, suffice it to say, he’s going great!
I adore this little family and love when I get to see them each year! The kids are beyond cute and I can’t decide which I love more…their big, brown eyes, or their pinchable cheeks! Side note: This session was from 2 years ago and I can confirm that this little baby is still rocking those cheeks!
I am always behind on blogging, but this is a little ridiculous. Somehow I forgot to share this session, which is from two years ago! Nevertheless, check out adorable little Asha, with her parents.
I always tell my boudoir clients that I have “layering pieces” in my studio closet, so I love when I have an opportunity to actually show those pieces on my blog. Aly wore a simple navy bra/underwear set, which looked beautiful with both of these robes.
Boudoir doesn’t have to be light and airy and you don’t have to wear pretty lingerie. Sometimes it is dark and moody, with combat boots, funky tights, tattoos and piercings.
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.
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.
In case you haven’t heard, I recently moved out of my studio! The landlord sold the building, so it was not something I chose. I’ve been in this space for 7 years and it has served me well. I loved the evening light that came through the large windows (as seen in the photo below), the exposed brick, the amount of usable space, and how greaty my landlord was. Saying goodbye to Studio 343 (that was her nickname) was definitely bittersweet. I have not used the studio very much over the last two years, so it makes sense for me to let it go, but I’m still going to miss it.
For the time being, I do not plan on renting a full-time studio, as my schedule doesn’t allow me to do a lot of studio work. However, I will have access to part-time studios in Salem, Portland, and Corvallis, which I can rent hourly, when needed.
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!
