Maternity photography: Expecting Baby A | Enumclaw, WA

Maternity photography: Expecting Baby A | Enumclaw, WA

Lauren and Kyle are over the moon for their little girl, sweet baby girl A, and in February we did a sweet maternity photo shoot showcasing Lauren’s adorable bump and the joyful expectancy of this lovely couple.

It is already clear how much baby A is loved, and Lauren simply glowed. I focused on simple, timeless portraiture. I sought to create classic images that will look as beautiful when baby A is grown up as they do today. For maternity especially, I love simple, clean lines showcasing the sweet baby bump and focusing on the emotions of the parents-to-be. Family shoots can be fun and even a little chaotic, but maternity shoots give me the chance to have a quieter approach and give a couple the opportunity to enjoy one another and this special time in their lives as they await a new life.

Here are some of my favorites from this special session!

couple expecting baby Enumclaw WA maternity photography classic portrait of expectant mother photo of couple expecting a baby photo of expectant mother's hands on belly






Engagement photography: Stephanie + Kyle | Tacoma, WA

Engagement photography: Stephanie + Kyle | Tacoma, WA

Stephanie and Kyle joined me for a sunset engagement portrait session, and together we had a blast!

When Stephanie’s best friend married Kyle’s brother, the paths of both crossed… and it was only natural that these two who loved their besties so dearly and spent so much time together would also fall in love with each other. Kyle’s quiet calm and easygoing nature is a perfect foil for Stephanie’s bubbly personality. We shared so much fun on this shoot: gentle teasing, big hugs, and lots of laughter.

Kyle and Stephanie, congratulations! I can’t wait for your wedding in March!

photo of happy engaged couple

photo of happy couplephoto of engaged couplephoto of engaged couple embracingphoto of engaged couple photo of happy couple huggingphoto of engaged couple kissing

Behind the Scenes of a Bountiful Family Session

Today I’m sharing a special family session from last fall to give you a behind-the-scenes look at a Beloved family session, which I call my “Bountiful” family sessions.

Often I find that people schedule family photo sessions because it has been a long time since they’ve had updated photos, or maybe a specific event like the birth of another child or a particular milestone is triggering them to feel like they “should” get pictures done–or maybe it’s just that they want to be sure they have an updated Christmas card photo. 🙂

But really, a family photo session you are investing in should be so much more than just a snapshot of your kids’ gap-toothed grins or your latest haircut.  Your family photos should tell the story of who you are as a family. 

It is always my goal to get photos that reveal the personality and character of the individuals and of the family as a whole. This particular family loves the outdoors and being active, and the young siblings have the sweetest relationship, all of which was important to capture during their session.

In my sessions, I do have some posed photos, but I also seek to engage everyone to get more authentic expression, and we also have some playtime and relaxed moments, too!

I love these images, particularly of brother and sister, and that mom and dad were able to have a few moments together as well. Often parents of young kids haven’t had any photos together since their wedding! In these photos, the love between all members of the family is so evident. Their postures are relaxed and open. And the photos in the sand capture the carefree playfulness of toddlerhood.

siblings on the docksiblings on the docklittle boy on the beach siblings playing in the sandlittle girl on the beach little boy on the sand girl dancing in the sand dancing girl in the sand little girl all smiles couple laughing couple and marriage photographer

Tell me, what are your favorite images from this session? I’d love to hear what resonates with you! And what are the special “quirks” you’d want captured in your family session?

Maple Valley/Covington Family Photographer: Featured on the Beloved blog!

family photograph on the beach

I am so honored to have one of my recent family sessions featured on the Beloved Collective blog.  What is the Beloved Collective? Simply put, the Beloved Collective is a group of artists passionate about celebrating photography that captures the heart and soul of people. The Beloved genre and accompanying techniques launched a few years ago, and I was one of the “early adopters” and remain one of only a handful of certified Beloved photographers in the world.

With the Beloved techniques, we seek to go beyond the standard posed photo session into something more revealing and more authentic to our subjects. I am always hoping to reveal a glimpse of the people inside, to go beyond the “camera smile” to see into people’s hearts. I want you to look at the pictures of your family and say, “That’s so ‘him.’ You really captured his essence.”

I have the most freedom with my techniques when interacting with longtime couples, but in the sneak peek over on the Beloved blog, you’ll see a bit of what happens when I get out with families, too! I dub my Beloved family sessions “Bountiful” sessions, and I truly hope they are overflowing with love and authenticity.

I would love it if you would head over and tell me what you think!

And tomorrow, I’ll show more from this fun family session…