Serravision Photography » Family

National Adoption Day

admin — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 04:58:30 +0000

Families come together in many ways. This Saturday I took my backdrop and lights down to the Lloyd Center Mall in Portland Oregon to volunteer my time taking free pictures of children and families attending the National Adoption Day celebration “Oregon Celebrates Adoption“. I’ve always felt strongly about adoption, especially as our population expands and children remain hungry and without families. The atmosphere of this event was full of fun, hope and whimsey. I loved meeting all the families and seeing how they bonded and came together. This sweet little boy and his mom are so beautiful in this shot, and I can tell that he is wise beyond his years.

My favorite little boy of the day, the humble tiger

Remember, if you attended this event you’re eligible for a free photo session between now and April 1, 2012. I hope to see you again soon!

I thank all the great kids and families I met at this event for their patience and optimism. I met a lot of great people and so many lovely, adorable families. Here are just a couple of the great shots I took, each in 1 minute or less! What a day!

A few of the many families I photographed at Adoption Day 2011

Creative Family Portraits

admin — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 14:27:56 +0000

The holiday season is about a lot of things. It’s about bundling up and getting ready to spend some cozy time inside, trying out some new recipes and sharing delicious food. It’s about recognizing the important people in your life and taking the time to thank them for all that they are. People find all kinds of creative ways to share and remember the holiday season, not the least of which is through family portraits

But how many family portraits have you seen that involve the same boring backdrop, with the same fancy dresses, ties, and christmas bulb earrings, with everyone looking vaguely uncomfortable and rather stiff? It’s part of my business model and personal aesthetic to avoid that sense of cliché. I want the phtoographs I take to stand the test of time, and remain in fashion all year round. Whether the portraits are in studio or on location, my number one goal is to quickly get to know the family, learn their dynamic, and foster that in the photographs. Family portrait photography is not only about capturing how individual people look at a certain moment in time, but it’s also about capturing their relationship to one another.

That’s why I love this photo!

Of course it is not the typical family shot where everyone is looking at the camera smiling. But it tells the story of a loving family whose boys are beginning to grow into men. All boys pass through that stage where they are embarrassed to hug or kiss mom in public, and it’s capturing this sense of uncertainty that allows families to look back years later and relive the moment.

I once had a 4-year old birthday shoot and the little girl showed up in one of those “princess” dresses that you’d get at a department store; aqua blue, complete with the plastic gemstone tiara and magic wand. I asked mom if this was the only outfit she had (a standard question I ask so that I don’t get ambushed at the end by additional outfits) and she pulled out another similar dress in fuschia. I grinned and she said “This is who she is right now, we might as well capture it!”. I love this sentiment, and take full advantage of it in my childrens and family photography.

Capturing the unique essence of a family can be challenging, but is 100% worth it!

Tie Dye Birthday

admin — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:32:57 +0000

Zander turned 1 this month and since dad has been making tie dye all his life, what better way to celebrate than with family pictures where everyone is wearing tie dye! This little guy has grown so much since he was in as a newborn… it’s always amazing to me how quickly they change. Mom picked the perfect tie dye to bring out his big blue eyes and he was thrilled to show me how he can walk along the path at the park and bang rocks together. Just look at those teeth!

Celebrating first birthday in style with tie dye photo shoot

When it came time for the family photos, my photographer’s eye kicked in and said let’s put them against a solid background.. well as solid as can be found out here. Glad it was autumn, so the grass had dried and turned into this beautiful golden color: the perfect photo background to their bright tones. Happy birthday little guy!

Foggy Family Beach Pictures

admin — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 05:18:05 +0000

Weather is not easy to predict. It seems like the end of August would be guaranteed excellent weather, but in the Puget Sound fog is always a possibility. Mom was visibly disappointed when she arrived at 11AM with everyone dressed in bright summery outfits and no sun to be found. Luckily I have an honest soft spot for overcast photo sessions and was able to reassure her that the thick fog was a blessing in disguise. Fog diffuses the light to facilitate extremely even lighting that flatters human features, and it also creates an awesome background in the true sense of the word.

Family photos at the beach on a foggy morning

We ran around the beach to keep the blood flowing and the kids had a great time skipping stones and climbing on driftwood. This to me is the ideal situation, the setting is fun and automatically inspires authentic play and creativity so all I have to do is capture it. One of my favorite candid photos from the day is this on of the two boys.

More Family Pictures

admin — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:20:10 +0000

Here’s another amazing family from my holiday photography season. Mom contacted me with a plea, asking if there was any way I shoot a family portrait session between Dec 23 and Dec 29th, since her family would be together only for that short window of time. She shared that her oldest son lives in Seattle, and has trouble getting time off work. Not only that, but her youngest son is in the military and was going to be home for Christmas before being re-deployed. I had a vacation scheduled myself, but I didn’t leave until 4AM on December 24th and so of course I could not pass up the chance to give this family the fun but beautiful portrait session they needed to remember this time!

You're never too old for family portraits

Boy, was I glad that I made the time! This family was so remarkable. Their optimism and carefree attitudes made it easy for me to capture the family both in more traditional and more authentic photos. They ended up with a set of unique portraits that will help them remember this holiday season for years to come.

Past Maternity Session Reminds Me Why I Take Photos

admin — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 01:21:08 +0000

Maternity photos show the emotion as well as the belly!

Every portrait session is unique in its energy, its purpose, and its style in the moment. I love sitting down and looking through the photography that I’ve captured, but it’s just that much more rewarding when the photos find their way back to me again. If you’ve had doubts about why it’s important to allow a professional photographer to help you capture your memories, here’s just one testament to it’s true value.

I got an e-mail from this client today saying that her daughter (now 18 months) picks up this little collage and carries it around the house. It is apparently her current favorite thing. This e-mail just melted my heart, and made me remember that every photo I capture lives on in the world whether I’m there to see it or not. Each one is special to someone, and every one was a pleasure to be a part of.

Photography Is For The Dogs

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:30:46 +0000

My Halloween was spent in the park shooting holiday card portraits with this lovely couple and their two gorgeous dogs! These guys were just the nicest clients one could hope for, and I love the outfits they chose. I always say my clients dress better than I ever could have told them to if I’d had the choice and this is a perfect example. Check out those multi-color knit leggings!

I have very little experience photographing dogs, but they worked with me and the portraits we achieved are way cute. Although I do realize I dressed up as myself which is universally considered to be rather lame, I couldn’t have asked for a better Halloween!

Preview portrait of this couple with their two dogs in the park

Baby Photography Is All About Toes Today!

admin — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 17:46:00 +0000

There is something delightful about toes to a baby, and about a baby playing with his or her toes to a parent. Photographers are not immune to this! One of my favorite ages to photograph a baby is just after they discover their toes. Many parents do newborn pictures and then they do first birthday photos, but they forget to capture this magical stage in the middle where their baby is learning about his/her body and world through hands-on exploration.

Photos of babies tiny toes and feet are one of my favorites!