Jaylynn & Family {Pateros}

I have loved every session with this amazingly photogenic family but this one has to be my favorite.  Jaylynn is at an age where she is just perfectly adorable and so much fun!  She loved the sand and one of the pieces of this session that was fantastic was the fact that she just did her own thing and I was just able to watch her!





Told them to kiss and she immediately did this, completely perfect!











I didn't realize I captured the sand flying out of her hand in this one until later, such a fun surprise!


Kamden & Kyle {Winthrop}

I'm really bad at actually taking/posting pictures of the loves of my life, so I decided it's time to throw it back to spring break when we still had snow in the mountains and decided to visit Winthrop, WA.  Apparently spring break isn't quite the time to visit since many of the places are actually closed so we will be back this summer and hopefully have more activities to do.  Regardless, these two had a blast just being with each other and I just enjoyed them!





This boy never slows down!








How to Look Your Best for Family Pictures

Lately I've been getting some questions about what to wear to family photo sessions so I thought it was about time to share some information that I've been gathering over the years.  Most of this could be applied to family, senior and couple pictures.  Weddings are a little different so I'll be covering that in a later post!


One of the best pieces of information I can give you is to have your outfits coordinate, but not be completely matching.  Have a color theme that will tie into the location but don't worry about having everyone in the exact same shade.  I want to be able to tell the story of your family and although it is a unified group, there are also individual styles to be accounted for so don't be afraid to let that shine through!


There is a time and place for neutrals, especially if you have more then one outfit, but try to find ways to stand out in other ways, for example, this senior has some large jewelry accents and texture to her look from the gorgeous mermaid curls to the ombre scarf.  You want to stand out from the background so if you have a brightly colored background (like a graffiti wall for instance), some neutrals can tie the picture together for a more classic look.


Another way to tie in neutrals is to have one person in color (typically the girl) with the other person wearing bits of that color, it provides a good contrast but still unifies the look.

 Also, dress for your location, if you are doing pictures in the snow, wear clothes that make sense for the snow.  If you wear a summer dress in the snow, it will look out of place and it may also mean that you are cold throughout the session, which you will probably notice when you get your pictures back!  


Wear something that you love how you look!  If you feel great, it will be visible in the shots.  If you go with a look that you normally don't do, you may feel more self-conscious and it won't tell your story, or be authentic to who you are!  For example, when we did our engagement session, I decided to tie in a vintage hat at the end. Now I love vintage hats, but I don't usually wear them and when I looked at the pictures I thought, that looks really "off".  The pictures were great but I didn't end up choosing those ones to print. 


I absolutely adore bright colors and pieces.  Since many of my sessions include an outdoor location it's a great way to make a colorful and dynamic look.



This is a great example of dressing to make the best of your location, they tie together for the vintage country look but also stay true to their own style!

A great example of everything from different colors to textured pieces like the lace on the dress.


Here's a great example of dressing for the weather and using dark colors appropriately!

This senior ties in her vintage lace and more of a neutral color with the colorful, interesting background.


I love this girl's style!  the color just makes her pop in the photo, plus an example of taking pictures in the gorgeous golden hour lighting.  If possible, try to plan for this time of day, it adds so much to the overall feel of the photos.



After giving you some examples of what to wear, some things that I like to encourage people to avoid are neon colors, especially tops because they tend to reflect the color to your face. If you're really wanting to go with white, try an off-white color that is more likely to flatter different skin tones or use other ways to make sure you are the focus like big pieces of jewelry or pops of color.

Thanks for reading such a long post and feel free to leave comments or questions!

Grandparents & Girls {Brewster}

Although this may be the end of the blossoms here, this was the perfect session to end on.  These little girls adore their grandparents and it was so sweet to see their natural interactions.  The more I'm around little people, the more I realize that just hanging out with them and letting them direct things is the best way to go!  These two sisters have the perfect blend of silly, sassy, and serious and I always love being around them.