My good friend, running partner and fellow Hood to Coast running partner lent me a helping hand earlier this year when I hosted Portraits for Japan Relief. So, it was time to repay the favor. I really do have the best clients, because the ALL bring the humor and all I gotta do is snap a few photos. Well….I guess there is a little more to it than that, but I always get some good laughs whenever I am out and about with my portrait clients. And, on a day like the day we took these photos, you had to have a sense of humor about you because it was 1) first day of school AND 2) it was extremely hot outside! Fortunately, the shade of the trees brought some peace, serenity AND cooler air. I kinda forgot to tell Jen that we might be doing a little ‘walking’ on the trails…so, platforms and heat, she endured it all! Enjoy your sneak peek!

This post is LONG overdue….and so was this shoot. These cuties were at my studio a few years ago and after a long day. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out the first go around. So, fast forward 2 years later, we’re all smiles and having fun! I can’t believe summer is almost over and school starts next week. Enjoy your sneak peek! Have a happy Labor Day Weekend everyone and enjoy these last few days with your kids!

Just a few years ago I had the privilege of photographing our family friend’s wedding photos…and fast forward a few years later and they’ve blossomed into a beautiful family of four! This boys were up and at ‘em early in the morning but definitely full of energy and keeping me on my toes. I loved how laid back this session was and the interaction mom and dad were having with the boys. So much so that I phoned grandma and grandpa to get in on the action! I often hear, “I didn’t think I was going to be in the photos!” However, when is really a good time for family portraits. No regrets. Grandma and Grandpa looked great and now we don’t have to say, “we’ll get them next time.” Enjoy your sneak peek!

Summer has officially arrived in Portland! Although, one could probably argue that today since it is overcast and cloudy! However, it’s a miracle year in that we actually had sun on the 4th of July! Along with summer fun, also comes family reunions. This family is no exception! Except that they weren’t gathering for a major holiday, but for a milestone birthday for one of their own! Happy 50th Birthday again Donna! I had a blast! These guys kept me well entertained and laughing during the entire shoot! I probably could have spent more time with them, but I could tell that the guys were done! Enjoy your sneak peek!

family-reunion-photographer-MHP-IMG_0761 family-reunion-photographer-MHP-IMG_0792 family-reunion-photographer-MHP-IMG_0806 family-reunion-photographer-MHP-IMG_0813 family-reunion-photographer-MHP-IMG_0834 family-reunion-photographer-MHP-IMG_0841 family-reunion-photographer-MHP-IMG_0848 family-reunion-photographer-MHP-IMG_0911 family-reunion-photographer-MHP-IMG_0918 family-reunion-photographer-MHP-IMG_0948 family-reunion-photographer-MHP-IMG_0962 family-reunion-photographer-MHP-IMG_0972 family-reunion-photographer-MHP-IMG_0974

If you haven’t had an opportunity to check out the cool shops on NE Mississippi Ave., it’s a definite must! My two faves on my frequently traveled list are Gravy (a sweet, downright home style rib sticking biscuits and gravy joint) and  of course, Black Wagon, an awesome children’s clothing boutique that’s carries both kid-friendly and eco-friendly products that you and your little ones will be proud to wear! That said, this awesome family found me through Black Wagon as I am a regular with the photo booth for their anniversary parties and had the pleasure of meeting them with they were just a family of 3! With the full family of 4 on board, we set out to get some cool family portraits for Mother’s Day. Yes, I am late with posting even though we did get the session done in time for Mother’s Day. The kids were awesome! Riding on the heels of nap time, 11 month old ‘B’ rocked the studio and outdoor session in as did her bro. Both of them are cuties with their big blue eyes and witty smiles! I had a blast! Enjoy your sneak peek!

With a 2nd birthday around the corner and just shy of missing our Portrait Relief for Japan event, Mr. O and his mom wanted some images to commemorate a special time in their lives. I’ve been photographing this little hunk of handsome since he was just a wee newborn. Full of humor, charm and an irresistible smile, I always have a blast when I’m hanging out with “O” and his family. Here’s a quick sneak peek from this quick session with mom that I wanted to get up on the blog today. Enjoy!

“Planning around rain” seems to be a major theme of several of my latest posts. And, while I think it’s pretty much goes to say that you just have to ‘go with the flow’ when it comes to Portland weather, this family shoot was no exception. Rolling into the Pearl District at 5:00 with a big black cloud looming over my head, with promises of clearing rolling through in 15 minutes…I looked out my car window, texting “it’s coming down.” But, by the time the family had shown up, it was, as predicted ‘clearing up’. So, I hauled out my gear, electrical and all – something I don’t normally do with that much uncertainty in the weather, and proceeded to start setting up. Within another 15 minutes, drip…drip…drip…and then, “run back to the car!” Suffice it to say, lights and electrical went back in the car while we waited it out another 5 minutes. Trying to coordinate the busy schedules of a family of 7, getting them all to the same place, at the same time…there was not way we were rescheduling this one. Mark this one down in the books of another one of those, “I rarely reschedule for rain” moments. As usual, I had a blast and we had some great light.

Well – it was last week anyway! Now that the rain has come, I am getting outta here – for the week for the annual Senior Portrait Artists (SPA) conference that I attend. This year, they pushed the day back by 6 weeks, for which I am grateful because the sun is shining AND it’s warmer where I am going! However, I can’t escape without a quick post for my beautiful client, Marcia, who wanted some updated headshots for several of her business/personal profiles. Since it WAS sunny outside, we did venture out and got some awesome stuff just blocks from the studio in the heart of the Pearl District. Marcia – more great shots to show you…here’s your sneak peek for now!

I had a few little visitors in the studio last week. While the sun may be shining today, we had a bit of the drizzles last week and got to play in the studio this time! Meet dear little Gillian…definitely independent and quite the little entertainer! She definitely had her game face on in the studio and did a great job of keeping me on my toes! Enjoy your sneak peek!

One of the added benefits of offering on location portraits in the Portland metropolitan area is that I have the opportunity to challenge myself with creating images for my clients utilizing whatever is available to me at the location of choice. This can sometimes be challenging, especially if I don’t get an opportunity to check out the location before the actual photo session, which is usually  the case for almost 99% of my newborn sessions since I tend to do them at my client’s homes.

This particular shoot happened to be the last Lake Oswego photo session of the year before my family took off for our holiday to see family back east. I was instantly intrigued with with all the possible options we had and the challenge of darkness quickly approaching even though we were starting at 1 p.m. The weather had been particularly ‘off’ that week, where the day before @ 1p.m., looked like 5 p.m. so I made sure to bring a few extra pieces of equipment with me.

This first image is probably my favorite of the entire session. After meeting the parents and doing a quick walk through. I quickly realized as I had suspected when I pulled into the driveway and saw the KU flag flying outside, that someone in the family was a huge Jayhawks fan. When I found this awesome vintage Jayhawks print in the house, I knew I had to use it somehow. I didn’t expect that I would be educated on the history of the Jayhawks and where the name really came from. But it does happen to do with the 2nd image and the photo you can see behind the family on the left hand side of the Christmas tree. I tried to find an explanation that was just as good as the one I was given by Jordan, this little guy’s daddy, but none of the stories do the same amount of justice as the short story that I was given. However, if you are curious, I highly encourage you check out this short story about how the Jayhawks got their name.  And, I hope to be corrected or given a better resource by Jordan at some point in time that I could share online.