Unfortunately, since I live in the good ole Northwest, I had to cancel the morning session of this shoot...but we will be rescheduling when the weather is nice out! I have 5 more women that I have yet to snap images of...so MUCH more is to come.

I had the privilege and pleasure of capturing images of these beautiful women. Short and sweet, this shoot just goes to show that ANY woman can feel beautiful. We all come in different shapes, sizes, colors, personalities, yet we all have so much to offer this World, in so many beautiful ways.

These images really lets each personality shine through their beauty. Be confident, be strong, and know that you are amazing.

More to come from this shoot...this was just to wet your palette!! :)

"Breast is best", is what they say, and for the whole month of August, I will be celebrating how nature intended us to feed our children. Now, with this statement, I am in NO way trying to make mothers who do not breastfeed feel bad for not doing so. This is to promote and celebrate women who DO breastfeed and to freeze this moment in time for them... 

So, in celebration of Breastfeeding Awareness month, I will be hosting breastfeeding Mini Sessions!! There will be only 6 available time slots to those women who are interested. Each session will be quiet, peaceful and very personal. 

What is an even BETTER perk...? The first person to book their slot and pay in full, will get a FREE 8x10 print! 

So, a total of 20 glorious minutes to bond with your nursling, top 5 images are fully retouched, and a free 8x10 print, all only for $50. Yes, you read correct.

Please share with friends and family so that all time slots can be filled! To get in contact with me, either email me at [email protected], message me on Facebook, here. You can also contact me by text, at {509} 998-3332.

My reaction to a contraction, family and friends there to support me, my hubby rubbing my back, me sitting on the birthing ball, baby's first breath, baby's first foot print, cord clamping/cutting, daddy holding baby for the first time, happy grandparents, breastfeeding: These are all things I wish I would have hired someone to capture professionally when I went into labor with my son last year and absolutely regret not doing it. Next baby, I most definitely WILL!

Sure, having my mother there with her camera, and my phone camera, was alright and we did get at least some photos of this time, but it's just NOT the same!! Since I was unable to give this gift to myself, I feel the need to "pay it forward", and capture these times for a family who deserves and truly wants it...

My portfolio-building price for labor & delivery coverage is usually $50 per hour (depending on how long you want me there, or how long you are in labor). This is a GREAT value for the first person who books with me first. I will ALSO give this family 15% off a newborn session! 

This can be a home birth, hospital birth or birthing center, just please make sure to speak with a representative of the hospital/birthing center prior, to make sure it is okay to have a photographer in the room during labor & delivery. You do have the opportunity to purchase all the retouched images on a digital copy, or get gift or wall prints, for an additional price. 

If you would like to claim this offer, it is still open for anyone who contacts me first! I will be out of town between the following dates:

July 19th-26th

Other than those dates stated above, I am free the entire summer for this session, although I am booked through July for regular portrait sessions. Email me today and I will get you on my calendar. I cannot wait to experience this moment with the future family <3

The warm, soft sunlight made this already-glowing mama so absolutely stunning. No, the sun haze was not edited in...that is all natural, baby! (pun perhaps intended)

The sun can either be your best friend, or your worst enemy, when it comes to your sessions and when to time them right. The above image was captured right before sunset, at around 7:30pm. If you have early birds for clients, you can also do wonderful sunrise shots, those are usually FULL of amazing colors and warmth. The first 2 hours of light, and the last 2 hours of light, are the two times you will get that natural warm, sun flare.

This was shot at 8pm, into sun. Loving the colors and how warm it is. She was such a beautiful lady and will be ready to pop around 2 weeks from now! I cannot wait to see her little boy's face for the first time!

What a cute family and a very excited big soon-to-be brother! This little Ben really stole the show at this session, he had such a cute little personality on him and amazingly long eyelashes that any super model would seriously be jealous of! He just wanted to run around with his Ironman action figure and screwdriver and fix all that was broken...including mom & dad...

Chelsey was just simply glowing with excitement to meet her little man...

Easy going, beautiful family, that I cannot WAIT to do a newborn session for! Little Will should be showing his face to this World around the first of July!

Roughly 10 hours for one session, if not more. I got all those amazing poses with cute scrunched lips and delicate fingers, but I also have baby acne, flaky & blotchy skin, and possible scratches on the face from those sharp-as-razor nails. 

Now, I know that I am no Heidi Hope or Rachel Vanoven when it comes to the perfect newborn edit or pose, but it takes a long time to make sure that baby's skin is even and *almost* flake free. I have included a wonderful example of a QUICK skin edit. And by quick...I mean 10-15 minutes...on just one image. Like I said...I have not been doing this for 10+ years like some have, so forgive me if it's not PERFECT, but still a great example.

I honestly have heard so many people say, "well how hard can it really be?!" to pose a newborn. HARD! Especially when you are trying to keep them asleep, getting peed on and having a camera "click click click" right in their face.

Newborns are my absolute favorite to shoot though, and I am so happy I have found by "niche", sorta say. I get my baby fix in AND get to photograph something adorable...I say, that's it's really the perfect job.

Cute couple, photogenic, willing to try whatever to get "the shot", and super laid back. What else could a photographer ask for, right?! 

I had a blast with these two and I am literally already giddy about the soon-to-be wedding pictures. 

Save the date, ladies & gentlemen::
September 8th, 2012!!

Little miss thing, Olyvia, just wanted to see what all the action was about, as she arrived and I was still setting up for her shoot. Mom fed her, and expected her to lull into a deep, posable sleep, as mom had kept her up for the past few hours so she could be nice and dreamy. Well, Olyvia said, "Wrong! I am ready for my close-up!"

All she wanted to do was check me out, and be in mom's arms...close to the milk-givers.

And go potty...you know...the usual baby thing.

My solution to a very-awake baby? I will tell you my secrets:

1. Crank that heat up! The room should be over 90 degrees, so that when the baby is naked, they won't startle. 

2. Have mom step out of the room, so that the baby was not smelling her, or hearing her talk. 

3. I swaddled her up nice & tight, but not too tight, so that her legs could move a bit. 

4. I grab my heartbeat machine & tuck it next to her in my arms, and we rocked back and forth, for a good 10-15 minutes. Next thing I know, she is out, like a little rag doll in my arms.

Oh, and did I mention that she looks like an adorable little doll?! She absolutely does. 

Now that she was good & asleep, we could have our session...and what an awesome session with Olyvia, it was!

I even got a couple of daddy/daughter pictures before she woke up again and needed to feed...

All-in-all, baby O was the perfect newborn session! She was awake for parts, asleep for most, and only fed once. True, I did get #2'ed on once & #1'd on twice...but it's all worth it! The shots I got were priceless and the client went home happy with the images she now has. That, right there, is all I ask for. Happy clients = happy photographer.

I found some of these wonderful images (thanks mom!) and really had to take a good, hard look at them. Like I have said in my past few posts, I see newborns all the time, that my baby fever is at an all-time high! Especially now that my son will be turning 1 very shortly...*Bittersweet symphony playing in the background*

So, I know this is not my "usual" post, but these were too funny to pass up and NOT share with you all! I know too many moms with #3's problem. Gross. Enjoy!

I am a mother first, goofball second, and photographer third. I originally went to college to minor in photography, and then I realized that a creative eye is not taught in classrooms, but in life and loads and loads of practice... 

What made me get into portrait photography? People! 

I love capturing those tender moments and interactions between loved ones and little ones. Life happens so incredibly fast...cherish these moments in the here and now. By taking a photograph, you freeze that moment, if only for a mere second. That, right there, is what I live for. Telling your story through still picture.

Okay, okay...enough of the photography talk. Here is me, in a nut shell...

I am a Star Wars fan, and more specifically, a Boba Fett lover. I also do a pretty killer 'Miss Swan' impression...

I played softball for 12 years & had a pretty mean 'drop ball' as a fast-pitcher. 

I was in band all through elementary, middle & high school, played the flute...and yes...I went to band camp. (How dare you laugh!)

I am a music lover, to the core! Without music in my life, I would not be the person I am today. Other than listening to country music, I am a happy woman with any beat to bob my head and tap my foot to. I have the biggest sweet tooth! I have no shame in eating 3 cupcakes in one sitting, and I have been known to do so on more than one occasion. I will always have some sort of chocolate in my purse at all times. I am the fastest sunscreen applier you have ever seen: 50 SPF, baby.

I have the most amazing little family that I could have ever asked for. My fiancé proposed this last Christmas 2011, and I could not have been happier! (It was about time!) We just moved into a new (to us) house and my big baby-of-a-pit bull finally has a back yard of his own! Finally, my son, who is the most perfect creature to ever walk this planet (and no, I am NOT biased), will be turning 1 year old soon. I tear up just thinking about how fast he has grown and how much he already does and says, at not quite even 1 yet! 

I feel like I have earned my bragging rights & any woman who has given birth IV, drug/medicine-free, can tell you that. I gave natural (nearly pain-free) birth to my very healthy 8 pound, 5 ounce son on June 13th, 2011. It was the best day of my life and I will never forget it. Ever.

I am a big softie. Seriously. I cry at literally, 25% of those cheesy commercials you see on TV. I'd rather call it "emotionally-connected" rather than a cry baby, or "having a huge heart" sounds way better... ;0) Maybe this is perhaps why I choose maternity & newborn photography as my "specialty". I love being emotionally connected to such an amazing little human being. 

Well, I guess you know a little more about me now, other than just taking pictures. I feel that by sharing a little bit of myself, reveals how much I absolutely LOVE doing what I do, and could not be doing it without people like you, reading this, looking at my images, following me through this awesome journey!!! I hope to get to know more & more of my clients and sharing our lives with each other.