This is another throwback session. Sjenda rocked the shit out of her flannel shirt and navy lingerie.
I photographed Rachel in my guest room. Yes, I have a studio, but I have been wanting to test out the light in this room for months. My oldest moved out and I quickly transformed the empty room into a teeny tiny guest room. I found a cool old bed at the Habitat thrift store in Salem and painted it black, so I wanted to see how that photographed as well (CLICK HERE to see more shots of the bed, in my Halloween blog post). I loved the light in the room, although it was VERY dark with only natural light.
I usually take at least one intentionally out of focus shot at weddings (and usually boudoir too). Sometimes it looks cool and other times, not so much. I love how this one of Riane & Andrew turned out! This was from their summer wedding at Neal Creek Resort (um, in 2018…I’m still super behind on blogging, but I’m actively working on it, so stop judging me!)
I loved this little session I did with Megan, on film (Bronica ETRS + Fuji 400h + Ilford 3200), wearing a Kate Miles original (with peach petticoat underneath)!
This is another re-blog (I’m re-blogging some old favs, since I lost everything in a website crash recently). Since this engagement session, Katie & Miguel have gotten married and had a baby (yes, he’s adorable)!
I’ve known this kid since he was in diapers. Literally. He may not remember me from that long ago, but his mom and I go way back. Anyway, here are some b&w photos from his session.
I have already posted most of the photos below, but since I lost all of my blog posts when my website crashed, I thought I’d go ahead and include them in this post as well. Easten, who was in the class of 2019, has already graduated high school and is now officially doing adult things , like working and paying rent!
So, the worst part of losing my website was that I literally lost access to everything on it. Yeah, it’s annoying that i had to start all over and that my internet ranking took a big hit, but I am way more bummed out that I lost photos I no longer have and stories I likely can’t remember. On a positive note, though, , this does give me an excuse to at least re-blog some of my favorite sessions from the past (the ones I still have photos for anyway). So, over the next few months, I’ll be blogging both new content, as well as re-blogging old posts.
Up first is this fun 35mm FILM session that I did with Brianna, a hairdresser who specializes in vibrant hair colors. This was a few years ago, when I was still renting a co-op space up in Portland. As much as I loved shooting in that space, I don’t really miss the drive!
This sexy Mama is a repeat client and it was so awesome to catch up with her on my last trip to New Mexico! We shot her simple b&w session in the tiny bedroom of my airbnb, which I chose specifically for this window light.
Sometimes all you need is a little black lace and a white room to create some simple drama.
Hannah & Tabitha were the winners of my 2018 Wedding Giveaway and they were an absolute joy to work with! They’ve had an interesting journey together, which started with their meeting in China, where they were both teaching English. After living their lives together for a couple of years in China, they moved to Taiwan, and eventually got engaged in Hong Kong! Although the two were legally wed at a courthouse a few months earlier, this was their opportunity to celebrate with their closest friends and family.
Their ceremony was held at Oxbow State Park, in Gresham, Oregon. The venue is very rustic, but gorgeous and serene. Wanting a low-waste and minimalist celebration, it was the perfect fit for the newlyweds. With nature as their backdrop, they were able to incorporate a variety of different things, from their travels, to Tabitha’s Southern (Atlanta, GA) roots to Hannah’s Pacific NW roots. They also included nods to their family heritages and cultures. One of the large, open areas served as a dance floor once the bonfire and “shoe game” were finished.
Not only were Tabitha & Hannah as sweet as could be, but check out their style! I can’t get enough of the detail in Hannah’s dress and I’m head over heels for Tabitha’s floral blazer, with the freaking elbow patches! As winners of the giveaway, the couple also received services from Morning Glories Floral. Hannah opted for a hair piece, while her sister (who, by the way looks just like Maggie Gyllenhaal, but that’s neither here nor there) carried a mini bouquet. and Tabitha went with a traditional boutonniere.
All in all, it was a beautiful, laid back celebration on a chilly, but sunny Spring day in Oregon.
About a year ago, I went to visit one of my best friends in New Mexico. One of the things I love about Kate is how much confidence (or whatever you want to call it) in my work. She is truly one of my biggest fans, so whenever I make plans to visit, she announces that we’re doing some kind of photo event. Sometimes it’s boudoir and other times it has been family sessions, but she’s always planning something. You might think she’s trying to help me make money, but no, I don’t think that’s it. I think she truly believes in my work so much that she wants everyone she knows to have their photos done by me. It’s a sweet gesture, to say the least, and to be honest, it’s always a LOT of fun to do these events! Anyway, this beautiful woman is a returning client of mine and longtime friend of Kate’s (and by association is now a friend of mine too), She’d gone through a lot since her previous session, both physically and emotionally. One of the physical changes included her huge watercolor tattoo, which was based off of a painting she did herself.
What is a “pre-session” shoot, you ask? Well, that’s when you want a few shots BEFORE you get your haircut for the “real” session. Most kids don’t get this luxury, but there are some perks that come along with being a photographer’s kid.
When it comes to photography, I like a challenge every now and then, so when Porshe told me they were eloping in a HOSPITAL ROOM, I was like, “Heck, yeah! I’m in.” You see, her uncle, who is like a father to her, was in the ICU and unable to travel for their wedding a few weeks later. It was important to Porshe that her uncle walk her down the aisle, so the new plan was to have a quick ceremony at St. Vincent Hospital a few weeks before getting married in Tahoe. Up until a day or two before the hospital elopement, the plan was to have a bedside ceremony in her uncle’s room. The head of nursing heard about this, though, and decided a ceremony in the chapel would be a better idea. The nursing staff pulled together their resources and arranged to have a cake, fruit flowers, and even battery operated candles for the ceremony! Oh, yeah, and the hospital harpist showed up as well!
The bride wore an adorable pantsuit, with an up-do and some kick ass heels, as her uncle escorted her down the aisle (with his doctor in attendance, of course). They were married by a friend in the presence of their family (including their two daughters….one of which is featured on my birth stories page!) and afterwards they had a short celebration in a small room next to the chapel.
After cake, we headed outside for some portraits. Mind you, this was in February, in Oregon. At a hospital. In the rain (okay, it technically stopped raining for the 5-10 minutes we did photos). When they got cold, they opened the bridal quilt the hospital gifted them (Yeah, St. Vincent nurses are ah-may-zing) and cuddled up in that! I don’t want to toot my own horn or anything, but I think we did a pretty good job with creating some beautiful portraits in a freaking hospital parking lot!
For the first time ever, I am offering holiday themed boudoir sessions! This event will take place at my studio in downtown Salem, Oregon on Saturday, December 7th. I was inspired by this gorgeous chair that I found and purchased recently. The fabric is a gorgeous, pleated green (between olive and emerald) velvet, with gold legs. Embracing the vintage elegance, I’m incorporating candles, cream textured fabrics, and some holiday greenery. I may or may not have a Christmas tree as well. Below is an example of colors and overall vibe, but the actual boudoir set might look slightly different.
Each session will only take about 15 minutes and you’ll wear one outfit (or nude, if that is your preference). You will receive FIVE (5) images, delivered in digital file format, as well as a matted 4x6 print of each photo in a keepsake box. As you can see from the photos below, the keepsake box is designed to match the theme of the boudoir session itself. Investment is $150 per person. If you would like more than 5 images, you may book multiple back-to-back session.
Okay, let’s talk about all of the fun little details now!
HOW TO BOOK: Booking will be on a first come, first serve basis. If you are interested in participating in this event, please email me ASAP at kelwardphotography@gmail.com. I will need a signed contract, as well as your session fee, in order to reserve your spot.
BOUDOIR GUIDE: Once you have booked your session with me, I will send you a boudoir guide pdf, which has all kinds of tips and answers to FAQs. If you did not receive a link to the guide after booking, please let me know ASAP so that I can send that to you! Below is some additional information, specific to this event.
WHAT TO WEAR: I recommend wearing cream, black, red, nude, or gold. I would avoid any colors that may clash with the boudoir set, such as green, pink, purple, etc. You may wear a cozy sweater with slouchy socks, a sexy bra and panty set, cute holiday pajamas, or anything your heart desires!
BOUDOIR SET: This session must be done with the featured holiday set. If you prefer a non-holiday session, you need to book a regular mini session.
HAIR & MAKEUP: These sessions are not eligible for MUAH services. Clients who wish to have these services will need to make their own arrangements. If you would like some recommendations, just let me k now.
DELIVERY: Your five digital files will be delivered via digital download. Your prints and keepsake box must be picked up at my studio on Sunday, December 15th, 2019. If you are unable to make it on this date, you may pay $25 to have it mailed to you on 12/16/19 (or at a later date, if that is more convenient).
PARKING: First of all, please plan to arrive early, to allow time for parking! Although on-street parking is free throughout the downtown area, weekends in December tend to be extremely busy, so parking can be a challenge if you’re in a rush. The Chemeketa Parkade, which is located at 300 Commercial Street NE, is probably your best bet, as it’s only 1/10 of a mile from my studio and there tends to be more available spots there.
We did India’s senior portraits on multiple days, with this being the first one. She really wanted some fall color for her photos, but the yearbook photo deadline was too early for that, so we shot those after the yearbook photos were due. For these photos, we shot downtown (near my studio) and then headed to Dutch Bros., where she works, and then to Deepwood Estate. I will post parts 2 and 3 at a later date. Oh, and yes, that is a hedgehog. He was with her the very first time I met her (earlier this year, at a piano event).
Seriously with this sexy Mama! I love photographing this beautiful girl and have been doing so for about a decade now! Not only is she sexy as hell, but she’s ridiculously kind and and a total badass. Not only does she own her own coffee shop in Portland, but she was willing to get almost naked outdoors, on a VERY cold winter morning earlier this year!
I think this counts as my first “real” post on my new blog. I did something a little different for my annual Halloween shoot this year! For starters, I decided to shoot the entire session my guest room. Nope, not my studio, not a hotel, not a cemetery. My teeny tiny guest room. I’ve been wanting to test out the light in this room ever since I converted it to a guest room, after my oldest moved out over this past summer. Rachel responded to my model call and I couldn’t have chosen a better person for this shoot. I mean, the girl showed up with her own deck of tarot cards, raven feathers, taxidermy items, and some kickass hair and makeup. Over the years, this beautiful woman has learned to embrace her magical (and dark) side, which she brought with her to the shoot and just killed it (no pun intended). As you can see, I had some fun with editing, as I always do with my Halloween inspired shoots.
Welcome to my new blog and website! Why the change? Well, I got locked out of my previous account and after a couple of months of trying to fix it, I gave up and decided to start fresh! Please be patient while I get things up and running. Although it is a bummer to lose all of my old blog posts, I think it will be fun to re-post some of my favorites and relive all of those sessions, weddings, and milestones!In the meantime, here’s a photo of our new kitten, Ollie.
