Central Oregon, Lava Beds Couple Session // Haley + Brendan

 

all the moody goodness for this bend lava bed shoot! one of the things i love most about central oregon is that there is BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPE IS EVERYWHERE! The lava beds, the mounts, the lakes, the forests, the deserts… it has got it all.

haley and brendan hiked all over the sharp lava rock with me (we only fell down + tripped a couple times haha). we walked back to the car right after the sun went below the peaks in the distance, and the whole field of rocks felt like it was glowing. it was so magical!

So, if you’re all about that epic landscape vibe, hit me uuuuuup and let’s hit the road to central oregon!

 

Downtown Belfast, Northern Ireland Couple Session // Bethany + Israel

 

ahhh, my heart just kept growing and growing with love for northern ireland! Then, I did this couples shoot in downtown belfast with these two lovely humans and the love grew even more!

These two were such champs showing me all the hidden gems as we explored all around the main square! I love them and their story and that they trusted me to capture them together for the first time that wasn’t β€œjust selfies” haha! Also, can we just be like SHOOT DANG they are such babes!!!

we already know how much I love city photos and urban vibes, but belfast just filled my heart with all its cobblestone streets and beautiful architecture!

so, if you’re crushing on northern ireland too, and want to run around the city or the coast with your person, HIT ME UP!

SOME BELFAST GO-TO’S β€”

 

Coastal clifftops + lots of frolicking

 

we all know I'd go to the coast in a heart beat! I don't think I'll ever get enough of those moody, earth tones and intricately textured cliffs. so, when these two good friends flew over to hang out, the oregon coast was a must (and so were photos)! we spent the whole day "beach hopping" and hit up all my favorite spots!

we got soaked by waves (never turn your back on the ocean), ate on the beach while shooing seagulls, saw SO many whales, and had endless good conversations. shoots like this are so life giving - where making photos together just feels like hanging out, being silly, telling stories, and just having fun!

 

oregon coast sunrise couple session // Taylor + Kevin

 

I love when random instagram conversations turn into plans and then into friendships! These two are some of the most kind and genuine humans, and I am SO grateful that I got to hang out and snap pics with them! 

Since they were from out of state, we took advantage of the tiny bit of overlap we had - aka 5 am in the morning we drove to the coast!! Worth every bit of that early morning wake up call!  

 

What To Expect for Engagement Photos

 

WHAT I WANT YOU TO KNOW WITH ME AS YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER

TRUST ME, I know how nerve wrecking it can be to jump in front of the camera (I'm used to staying on this side of the lens myself, haha)! But, my goal is to make it so fun for you two, and basically just a time to be creative, cuddle, be goofy, and run all around with your best friend - plus, we usually hang out somewhere pretty dang cool too! 

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So, to put your mind at ease, I've put together this little "guide" to get you all excited and to let you know what to expect on our adventure together! Alrighty, let's roll!

1. NOT ABOUT THOSE AWKWARD POSES

I am all about directing the shoot in a way that feels natural, I'm not going to put you in an awkward pose and leave you there for 5 minutes of silence. HECK NO, this will be fun, relaxed, and comfortable. A photographer I know (Ben Sasso) said it best: "It’s dangerous to show up on set with an inflexible view of what you want to create. If you’re trying to direct a couple into delicate, intimate poses but they only sit there for a few seconds before they start making fart noises and tickling each other, you might need to adapt. If they start getting goofy, play into it. If they’re quiet and calm, let them sink further into that. Whatever fire they light, throw some wood on it." So, that being said, I'm not going to shove you into a cookie-cutter set of poses, I want these photos to feel so YOU. We'll play around and get creative, and really lean into who you two are.

YOU JUST BE YOU, I'LL DO THE REST!

2. WHAT TO WEAR? 

I know this can be a struggle! I've been there - a million outfits scattered on the bed and trying to decide what looks best together! well, I've made a style guide to help with that! I want to make picking out clothes easy peasy, and I want you to feel confident that you two look so dang good together! So, head over to my Pinterest board to see what outfits, color pallets, and styles look good together! And again, just be you!

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3. GETTING INTO IT

Don't worry, I have all the fun little games and ways to get you two loosened up and into it! ;) But, if you wanna sip some wine or swig a beer to get into your groove, totally do it!! I'm game for it all! We can even grab burgers + fries or some donuts if you want! You say the word! And, when the camera comes out though, just fully lean into BEING together! Yes, I'll give you prompts, but it's your job to interact and be yourselves together! YOU GOT THIS.

4. TRUST ME

I gotchu! If you come fully as you are, the trust me to do the rest! Engagement & couple shoots are my absolute favorite because it really does feel like just hanging out + a camera haha. Don't feel stressed at all, I know all the details about making a good photo, so you just need to bring yourselves and the personality! 

5. LASTLY... HAVE SO MUCH FUN!

Just enjoy each other, enjoy the space you're in together - whether that's sitting on a clifftop with a view, running up and down the coast, sippin' coffee at your fave downtown cafe, or spinning around in the desert - soak it up! Make jokes, do a jig, make fart sounds on each others' necks, whisper secrets, laugh hard, and cuddle harder! I just want you to fully enjoy yourselves! We're going to have a blast! 

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I just love hanging out and getting to know you! I fully believe this is a co-creation, we're making these images together!

Have more questions or want to get this adventure on the road? hit me up!! 

 

Tacoma Waterfront Engagement session

 

These two!! A huge reason I add complimentary engagement sessions to my wedding packages is to make sure we have a chance to HANG OUT and just have fun so we're not strangers on the wedding day! And these two wonderful people are such a prime example - we had soooo much fun running around the tacoma waterfront! Their wedding isn't until September, but I happen to run into them at another wedding they were guests at in Portland, and it was like seeing friends!! That's what I want it to be like!! I want to hear about your wedding, but also JUST ABOUT YOU TWO! I want to hear what you do for fun, learn about what makes you excited, I really do mean it when I say I want to hear your stories! So, definitely take me up on that engagement session, and I promise it'll be super fun! 

 

Skogafoss // Iceland Waterfall Couples session

 

majestic feels like an understatement for this Iceland waterfall. it was absolutely incredible and I could have stayed there all day just watching it and listening to its powerful force. 

shooting with these two love bugs at the foot of something so beautiful was pure magic! we were soaked from the spray, but giddy as ever!

 

Downtown Portland + Urban Couple session // Chelsea + Mitchell

 

gimme allllll those city vibes. i mean, come on, who wouldn't want to roam the city with these two cuties? portland never seems to disappoint when it comes to finding cool little nooks for photos! every block in The Pearl district is just a photographer's dream come true - those old brick walls, window reflections, coffee shops on every corner! you could say I love me some urban couple shoots!

 

Columbia Gorge Clifftop Couples session

New friends are my favorite part of this job, that along with exploring the COOLEST places!! These two are some of the greatest + most fun humans, and their joy and love for each other was so frickin' present in every photo I took!! From a little burger joint in the middle of nowhere, to hanging out in the clouds on top of cliffs that looked like Ireland - it was a pretty rad day.

2017: Moments + Favorites

2017, you've been a crazy, wild, amazing one. 

These photos are just a few of the moments and people that made what I do so wonderful (trust me, I narrowed it down - holy moly, I wish I could share all of them)! A huge thank you to everyone - to those who drove hours to hang out, froze their booties off, got poured on, explored cities, ran around and looked ridiculous for me, and most of all trusted me to capture who they were. Whether it was a wedding day, a rooftop, the ocean, or running up and down a freakin' mountain, I had an absolute blast! Every single one of you has such an incredible story, and I feel so honored that we got to hang out, even if it was just for an hour!

This has been a big year; it's been the first year that I've really dove head first into my business and poured so much into what I do. It's been exciting, terrifying, draining, rewarding, and a journey that has taught me so much and allowed me to see the growth! And, as I took the time to look through all the photos, I've been blown away as I re-live all the memories. You all remind me why I fell in love with visual storytelling, and why I continue to pursue it. 

So, thank you, thank you, thank you... you've added so much richness and joy to my 2017!

I couldn't be more excited for 2018! BIG, rad, new things are in store and I'm already stoked for the friendships and memories waiting to happen!!

ps. I'm also working on a Journal post to show some snippets of my life "off the camera" and can't wait to share!