Joyful Family Session in Beautiful Bend

Photography has always touched my adventurous spirit, and I love working in new locations. While I typically do my family sessions in Pasadena and Los Angeles, I was excited to photograph my long-time clients, Emily and Tim and their kids in Bend, Oregon, this summer.

I had the best time photographing their wedding in 2017, and it’s been wonderful to see their family grow since then. For our session, we went to Sawyer Park, a lovely location along the river that I chose for its pine trees, winding trails, lawn, beautiful lava rock, and gorgeous light.

My favorite way to capture families is in action and play, and this family was so much fun! The sprawling green lawn became the perfect playground for running, spinning, jumping, and tumbling together in a loving pile. This was the perfect place to highlight the family’s lighthearted spirit. One of my favorite moments of the session was when the family all came together for a group hug, which is something they do regularly at the end of their day. Being let in on these beautiful traditions and capturing them is why I love photographing families so much!

I truly enjoyed this family photoshoot and hope these images bring a smile to your face. I travel to Bend several times a year, so if you need photos there, or if you’re considering a shoot in Southern California, feel free to reach out!

This was a two-hour session, so if you’re looking for a relaxing shoot with plenty of time to run and play, and your family is up for it, consider booking a longer session. It will give you a great variety of images!

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Wardrobe tips for your family photos

One of my most common questions is how to choose an outfit for our photoshoot, so I wanted to create an article with some tips. This info is geared towards families, but it can be applied to engagement shoots or photography for your business or brand as well.

The most important thing when choosing your clothing is that you feel like yourself and that you’re comfortable. You can absolutely dress up if you’d like to, but a well thought out casual outfit is great as well. I’ve been a romper gal for years, so I’m going to opt for one over a dress these days. Choose clothing that reflects your personality, fits well and makes you feel confident. I love to incorporate playfulness and movement into our shoot, so keep that in mind.

Think classic when planning your outfit. I want you to be able to cherish your photographs for years to come. I don’t jump on every trend that comes along. That’s why, when you’re looking through my portfolio, images I took ten years ago blend in seamlessly with the ones I take today. Finding an outfit that feels timeless is a great way to make your photos last.

When coordinating with your partner and kids, think of it as one big outfit. You can lay it all out on the bed together to see if it’s working. Rather than matching, you should aim to all be in the same color palette. If you’re not sure where to start, hop onto Pinterest and find a color palette that works for you. Here are a few that I love:

Some colors that photograph beautifully are: teal, turquoise, deep blue, maroon, rust, rose, mustard and deep and rich versions of green or purple. For neutral, warm browns and variations of beige are lovely and grey works well. Please avoid fluorescent colors (they don’t photograph well, and they can reflect onto your face changing your skin tone).

Think about our shoot location when choosing your colors. Choose colors that complement the location and provide contrast.

Props can add a fun and playful element to your session. If you have ideas, or would like ideas, let’s chat about it!

If you’re wearing fancy shoes, please bring a comfy pair to slip on while walking between shoot locations.

Please avoid loud patterns and logos. Subtle patterns work well when mixed with solids (but please avoid thin lines because they can make a strange pattern on camera). Make sure your clothing is clean and wrinkle free. Newer fabrics photograph best. When wearing a button up, please be sure the buttons don’t pucker. Accessories like scarves, belts and hats, are nice and add texture.

As always, I’m more than happy to go over outfit choices with you in advance for on location shoots. For shoots at your home, we can look at your options and choose something together.

Okay, I know this is about clothing, but I also have to mention SNACKS: I’m one of those hangry people they make the commercials for, so I always like to remind folks to bring along snacks and water. It can make such a difference in moods and energy when people have a happy belly.

Check out my mother’s day minis happening May 3rd & 4th!

I’ll get into details of working with a professional stylist when we do a shoot for your brand in another article.

I hope you found all of these tips helpful and I can’t wait to hear about your next photo project!

Baby Grey

When my friend Valerie asked me to photograph her little one's first birthday celebration, I was so excited. As you can see, baby Grey is vibrant and her family is the sweetest.

The party took place in Cindy's which is a diner just down the street from my house in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles. It's a cozy and delightful place full of color and yummy comfort food. The historic diner was renovated a few years back and I love the vibe!

It seems like just yesterday that I was doing Valerie's gorgeous milk bath maternity shoot and I can't believe that baby Grey is already one! Whenever I sit down to edit my photos, I remember why I love photography. Capturing those beautiful moments of connection get me every time.