WELCOME to the JOURNAL

Photographers: are you struggling with cloudy day portrait photography? After living in Oregon, which has more cloudy days than I actually thought possible before moving here, I’ve learned how to still create light, airy photos on overcast days. The good news is: you CAN get light and airy photos in overcast lighting when you follow […]

While you’ll often find me over on Instagram, sharing recent work and connecting with my favorite local businesses, I’ve been spending more and more time reading local mom blogs! I don’t know about you, but I find it so much more informative to read a whole blog post with all the links right there in […]

Nestled above the hills north of Corvallis and west of Albany is this beautiful little park. It has California vibes so strong it makes me homesick for my Sacramento days. Tall fields, rolling hills dotted with oak trees, and the coastal range off in the distance: if you’re an Albany, Oregon photographer this is the […]

If you’re wondering whether it’s worth it to hire a professional makeup artist for your family photo session, my answer is always YES! This question comes up a lot in my pre-session consultations as clients decide what sort of experience they’d like. I wanted to take a minute to round up my favorite resources about […]

Family pictures coming up and you’re wondering how to pose for pictures to look your best? Today I’m sharing my top three tips for how to look great in family photos! While gently guiding my clients into flattering poses and authentic moments is my job, I always like to start out with these three reminders. […]

As you’re trying to figure out what to wear for your next family photos, a good place to start is to figure out your best colors for family pictures outside. Once you have a color palette in mind, it’s usually much easier to shop for clothing for pictures. I’ve rounded up my eight favorite outdoor […]

Today, I’m sharing everything I know about achieving a light and airy photography style. You know those soft, light-filled photos you see on my portfolio? That’s light and airy, and this guide can help you achieve that look! We’ll dive into the goals of light and airy photography, discuss essential choices you need to make […]

This year, I’ve focused on how I can improve SSP’s client experience. What can I take off of client’s plates so that they can show up to sessions relaxed and ready to enjoy their family time? How can I serve them? One of the things that has been a landmark thing for the client experience […]

September’s almost here, and whether you’re deep in the trenches of back to school clothes shopping or just starting to think about family pictures coming up this fall, I’ve got you covered. Today I’m sharing my favorite finds for picture-worthy kids clothes in Portland, from the best local boutiques for baby clothing. My favorite kids […]