California Beach Session

Hello! I've been messing around with this blog a little while I wait for my new blog to be ready. Hope you like it.

I've been meaning to blog this shoot for a while now and finally had the time to do it. Oh to live in California where you can get weather like this the day after Christmas! I did this shoot of my beautiful cousin and her super awesome family at one of my favorite little beaches close to where I grew up. We had about 30 minutes of glorious light and it was just enough to capture the love that flows so easily between them. I live for those simple, loving moments that families share. Catching them on camera is really the reason why I photograph. I love that this sweet little boy will grow up to see these pictures and have no doubt in his mind that he has been loved his whole life. My cousin's name means "soul" and she truly lives up to it. I am so blessed to have her in my life. She is turning out to be the sister I didn't get to have. If only we lived closer!

(Click on the images to view them larger)

Christmas in Southern California

Happy New Decade, friends! We are back from our wonderful trip to my hometown where we spent Christmas in the house where I grew up. I thoroughly enjoyed a respite from the Oregon winter and made the most of it by taking the kids to the park, the beach, and just plain hanging out outside. It was lovely short sleeve weather, blue skies, warm sunshine, and best of all: family. I walked around on the morning of Christmas eve and put together this little photo collage of images that represent Christmas in So Cali. All but the family picture in the top left were photos I took. That family picture was snapped (with my camera) by my lovely cousin Alma. More of her and her beautiful family in an upcoming post.

However cold and dreary it may be where you are, remember that eternal spring is just a plane ride away...May these images warm you a bit. And may the upcoming year be a productive and happy one for us all!

Family Session-Portland Family photographer

Those of you who know me well, know that modern decor (especially the mid-century variety) makes my heart beat fast. When I walked into this couple's amazing home on the waterfront, my head was spinning. They have the best taste in decorating, and the most inspiring space I think I've ever been in. I photographed Heather in this post when she was pregnant with little "N" and look how much he's grown. He is a truly beautiful child with the bluest eyes! I couldn't get enough of those eyes. I wish I could share all the images from this shoot as there were so many amazing ones. However, until my new blog is up and running, I must continue to contend with the posting limits of blogger. Enjoy your sneak peek! Your full gallery will be up in a couple of days. I so enjoyed this session. Anytime you guys want four roommates, we'll just move right in. I'd even take the laundry room :)

Maternity session/Portland Maternity Photography

Hello! You will be noticing some changes in the upcoming weeks. First of all, I have a new logo and brand for my business! I am super excited to "unveil" it on my webpage. I am trying out different watermarks for my blog images and would love some input. Finally, I am going to be getting a brand new blog. This one will be a lovely custom blog without the lame 5 picture limit that blogger has (although you can see I found a way around that. Ha! I showed them!)

At any rate, on to the session. I think that I may have seen one too many pregnant women wrapped in gauze and photographed by a window. Perhaps this is why I like to get a little bit more real with these type of sessions. Let's call it "Maternity Portraits without the Cheese.":) Pregnancy can be a completely mixed bag for most women. One moment you can be amazed by your changing form, feel sexy, even. The next moment, you can be crying because your pants won't button and you feel like hurling. Crazy mood swings aside, pregnancy IS a beautiful time in a woman's life. I like the idea of celebrating the changing body and embracing it with portraits that capture who you really are. How often are you wrapped in gauze, anyway? I say, "Eat a cupcake!" "Wear something funky that is truly *you*!" Let's make you look like you're in a magazine.

This session was really special. In my own life, I always long to connect with people on a real level. Malia is an amazing woman. I have admired her for many reasons for as long as I've known her. It was a true joy to be able to capture her on the verge of motherhood, staring the unknown in the face with such courage. Malia, you will be an awesome Mama. I can't wait to meet your little one.

My Best Friend's Wedding

Ok, so I am not a wedding photographer, but when my best friend of 20 years called and asked if I would photograph her wedding, I didn't hesitate to say yes. The wedding took place in Tiburon, CA, a lovely little town just north of San Francisco. The setting was one of the most amazingly beautiful places I have ever seen. The light, as you will witness in the slideshow below, a total dream. I have been photographing my dear friend Danielle since we were about 16. To say that I was flattered that she asked me to capture this special day, would be an understatement. She is an artist extraordinaire...her new husband, a serious collector of photography and a talented photographer himself. No pressure, or anything :). Anyways, pick up a cup of tea, sit back and enjoy the photos of this lovely wedding. I am so happy for them!




Make a Smilebox slideshow

Fall Family Portrait Session-Portland Family Photographer

Happy Autumn to you! Here is some eye candy from a recent session. This was a really fun session for me. I went into it wary of the weather, but filled with hope for some sun breaks. The day before it had poured rain the way it tends to do on a typical Portland Fall day. Despite the dismal outlook, I was fully confident that my luck with awesome light would hold out. It did, and then some! I can honestly say that we had a super fun time playing at the park. Little Miss "V" was full of energy and kept me on my toes. We were best friends from the first moment we met. I think she fully read my kid-magnet vibe. Her parents were awesome, totally easy to talk to and felt more like good friends than people I had just met. How blessed were we with this amazing light?! (I hope you enjoy your sneak preview. Let's just say I had REALLY hard time choosing images to blog since I have SO many fantastic ones. Thank you for a beautiful session).

Family Session-Portland Family photographer

Oh man, where has summer gone! It has been incredibly busy around here...Since I last posted, I have been in the process of re-branding my business, have been to San Francisco to photograph an amazing wedding (blog post coming soon), and have just been shooting and shooting. Here are a few from a recent family session. Needless to say (as is apparent in the images), Amy has an awesome personality, her joy just bubbles out. AND, her family is totally gorgeous. If you need a designer of any kind, you can contact her at www.rarebyrdcreative.com. You will not be disappointed. Enjoy your little preview you rockstars!

UMMMM: For some reason blogger is doing weird things with the color. I will try to fix it. The images do not look that wonky on my monitor. It's only when I uploaded them that they shifted all funky. But for now, here they are. I am just too tired right now. :) Goodnightsleeptight.