Salem Portrait Photographer - Happy Birthday to Me!

As part of my monthly self-portrait project, I did my March photos today, which is my 45th birthday! Green is my favorite color, plus St. Patrick’s Day is this month, so… I went a little overboard with the green…and regret nothing.

At the risk of sounding like a braggart, I’m getting REALLY good at these self-portrait outtakes. HAHA! Check out the shot below. I was trying to do a hair flip, but timed it all wrong (obviously). Anyway, I kind of love it because it looks like I am literally…FIRE!!

Salem Boudoir Photographer - self-portraits of my husband and I!

Last fall I rented an amazing airbnb, which happened to have the most beautiful light for portraits (I rented it for the outdoor space, as I was doing photo shoots with my vintage trailer, so using the inside of the house was a bonus!). I actually thought ahead for once and brought my tripod and then finally learned how to hook my DSLR up to my phone, to shoot wirelessly (without having to run back and forth with the self-timer). It’s still a lot of work, but a lot easier than the old way, that’s for sure! Anyway, this started a new tradition, where I do self-portraits with my husband when we travel. :) I mean, hello…he’s totally hot and we look pretty damn smokin’, if I do say so myself. ;) Anyway, I’m really only comfortable sharing a few for now, but here you go!

Salem Oregon Boudoir Photographer - sexy couple in beautiful light

Seriously…could this couple be any sexier? I couldn’t get enough of this light and they couldn’t get enough of each other! To say the least, I absolutely adored working with these two gorgeous humans!

Hood River Boudoir Photographer - sexy mama, on the other side of the camera

I’ve already posted about this day with my friend, River, but now that it’s a year later, everything looks different. We met up on March 7th, 2020, so not just twelve months ago, but a year of pandemic/quarantine. We went into “lockdown” just a few days after this. At the time, we had NO idea how much things would change.

This was our last “normal” weekend, but we didn’t know it. When I look back at these photos, they just FEEL different than they did a year ago. It’s hard to explain, but I can SEE the carefree look on her face that I just doubt is there right now (for any of us)!

Corvallis Wedding Photographer - Cheryl & Rob's Cristmas Tree Farm Elopement!

With everything being shut down, due to the pandemic, Cheryl & Rob decided to elope this past December. This little Christmas tree farm was such a great little elopement venue and Cheryl’s gold velvet dress could not have been any more perfect! Her unique bouquet, made by Morning Glories Floral, was a beautiful compliment to everything. The only attendants were their children, which was just so sweet and perfect.

Cheryl & Rob are such a cute couple. They remind me a bit of my husband and I…she is outgoing, funny, loud, slightly inappropriate (haha!), and friendly. He was more quiet and reserved, but also so darn nice! Anyway, it seemed perfect that they got married on our wedding anniversary! It’ll be an honor to forever share an anniversary with them!

Salem Portrait Photographer - If you love her, leave her wild.

Tiffany is basically my muse now. She started off as a client about a decade ago and quickly became a friend. At first it was just a few boudoir sessions (she’s sort of addicted to them), but then we started doing family sessions and every now and then she models for me as well. This session, for example, was very spontaneous (i.e. less than 12 hours notice), as I wanted to shoot in this field before my neighbors mowed it. The “flowers” had never been this tall, in the 12 yrs we’ve lived here, so it HAD to be done. I’m so glad I did because they flattened the field (to reduce fire danger) a day or two later.

I knew Tiffany would have just the right outfit for this shoot, as she’s a country girl and loves the outdoors. I also knew she’d be 100% fine with traipsing through a field full of burrs, dirt clods, rocks, and holes. She’s a bit of a wild woman…in the best way possible. She’s been through a lot the last few years and one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen is her fully embracing who she is and letting it shine! Someday, she’ll meet a man who loves her for exactly who she is and he won’t try to tame her. ;)

Hood River Oregon Boudoir Photographer - shooting in my underwear!

My friend, River, and I met up in Hood River last year to take photos of each other (both boudoir and regular portraits). I’m sure it was a hilarious sight to see us photographing each other, as we we were both in our undies and taking turns photographing each other. This was the first (and so far only) time I’ve done a session while not fully dressed, but I have to say… it was SO fun! Anyway, we managed to get ONE shot of each other at the exact same time. Here are the results…

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 Senior Portrait Photographer - Aleena, Class of 2021

As I mentioned on my sneak peek post, this girl is musical! I got to hear her sing, during her session, and her voice is beautiful! Not only is she gorgeous and talented, she’s also smart and drive. Aleena is graduating a year and a half early from high school! What?! Yep, true story.