Because of that, I’m repeating my annual tradition of offering free Valentine’s Day Sweetheart sessions for couples this season.  If there was ever a time to do it, this is it!

To take advantage you’ll have to act quickly!  Call or e-mail and book a couples session with me between now and February 14th (Session to be completed any time in February) and I will waive the $60 session fee, no strings attached.  I’ll even include a 10% discount on the portrait purchases from these sessions.

The number of free couple portrait sessions will only be limited by my availability!  I’d like to give this gift to as many people as possible this Valentine’s Day, and help you give this gift to that special person in your life.  You don’t even have to tell them it was free  ;-)

Just a few examples of how your couples session can take shape!

Please be sure to post this link on Facebook, Twitter, or in any other way share this offer with that Portland area couple who you think deserves a free couples portrait session by a professional photographer this Valentine’s Day season!

I absolutely love this shot of Mary, it makes me feel like I’m in the country on a summer afternoon with nothing to do but listen to her sing.

Using the natural aesthetic ensures a beautiful image

One thing that people often forget is that head shots, and really any kind of portraits, are all about people. For a beautiful portrait, you don’t need a stunning location. In fact, your efforts will be wasted if you take a bunch of time to plan out the perfect location for a head shot. Why is this? Because a successful headshot leaves the background as just that: Background.

Texture and color are both great, but you certainly don’t need an expansive coastline or mountain range.   You are not doing landscape photography here!  If you do it right, your lens will be zoomed in enough that you won’t be able to get the landscape in your shot even if you try.  When I’m shooting portraits I look for three things:  texture, color and light.  A simple fence, field or neutral wall will do just fine. In fact, the more your background fades, the more successful your head shot will be.  The important thing is that your subject is lit well and the background color compliments their aesthetic.  Because what is a head shot about if it isn’t about the person?

A few of my favorite head shots for this local musician

This is the 3rd year I’ve photographed these two, and I can tell you they are true live wires! It’s always a great challenge to get them to stand still, so instead I employ one of my favorite strategies which is to see what they do naturally and figure out how to make it work. One fun game we played was leaf dodgeball. I got quite a few great shots out of this game, but the one I love the most is this candid “between” shot of the older sister because she just looks so authentically happy.

Play makes for the best expressions

Her younger brother wanted to climb everything, so we found all kinds of great things to climb. I wish I could share more of the fun pictures from this session, but here’s a little sample to give you a taste…  The holiday season is flying by and my availability is almost gone so if you’ve been procrastinating, make sure to get your appointment booked before there are no more left!

Children's photo shoot; Code name: Play date!

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!

Couples' Portraits at Tanner Springs Park in Portland

This has got to be one of my favorite things to photograph. As a photographer, what could be better than a newly in love couple who are both happy and photogenic. A dream job, to be sure. Amanda’s red hair pops and their authentic emotion really came through in all the pictures. Here’s the one we got for Randy’s mom. Happy birthday!

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!

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.

Most importantly, have a great attitude!

A little rain never hurt anything...

This event is not about anything but a beautiful relationship. Sometimes the amount of time and energy that has gone into planning an event makes it easy to forget this simple fact. As a photographer, your job is to remind the couple and their friends and family that the day is perfect despite the rain. How can you do this?

• Assure them that you are prepared, confident, and not concerned about the weather. You may know this, but it isn’t obvious to your clients unless you tell them!
• Remind them that clouds and rain actually create stunning imagery!
• Bring a raincoat for you, and one for your gear! You can go DIY and cover your camera with plastic bags (here’s an interesting DIY tutorial) or for a few bucks you can pick something up that’s specifically designed for your camera. I like the ones with arm covers, like this one from KATA.
• Wear waterproof boots! I prefer hiking boots to rain boots, for good all-terrain grip. No matter how formal the event, if you’re worried about getting wet, your clients will be too. And the last thing they need to be thinking about on their wedding day is the photographer’s feet!
• Be flexible and take opportunities as they present themselves. Don’t worry if you were planning on doing formals before the ceremony and it’s raining cats and dogs.  Simply reassure them that it will be fine to do them later, and let them know you’ll be in charge of choosing the best time for their photography.  Trusting in you will give them the freedom to enjoy their wedding!

Gorgeous photography from a very rainy outdoor wedding

The bride had such a great look, with a mix of modern and vintage pieces.  Her veil was made by a friend and was absolutely stunning, one of the most fun pieces to photograph!  The relaxed atmosphere led to a uniquely casual set of portraits that illustrate this couple just beautifully.  I wish them many years of happiness!

Beautiful vintage-inspired wedding photos