Tiny Packages {Portland Newborn Photographer}

I'm told the best things often come in small packages. Without a doubt, that was definitely the case with this tiny peanut, weighing in at under 6 pounds. Perfect, no question.

I didn't think that babies could have gotten any more cooperative than Max, whom I got to photograph this summer as well. Well, I think that Max may have communicated how easy it is to take pictures while snoozing, because his best bud Isaac did that just as well. You see, these two tiny babies, born just weeks apart, are destined to be the best of friends. Their parents have the neatest history of meeting and marrying, and now that they live just across the street from each other, its only a matter of time before they, too, become inseparable.

Its one of my absolute favorite parts of doing photography--meeting and getting to know family and friends of those that I have photographed in the past. It makes this huge world just a bit smaller each time I am fortunate to do so. And as they say, the best things come in small packages.

For All of Time {Portland Wedding Photographer}

I am forewarning you....I, for one, am going to get a bit sentimental in this blog post. But I promise, I won't make it a habit. Now listen here, its not that there isn't enough to say about Blake and Brandalyn's wedding, its just that there were too many things that were incredibly special to me to not put it into words.

Their day was beautiful....an oddly but perfectly overcast day in August for an afternoon wedding out in a field. And not just any field, but the same field where her grandparents lived long ago. The land that they worked for a living, now groomed to perfection for this day. The truck that her grandfather bought new in the early 50's still sits, worn with both time and love. A place too special to pass up for the wedding of a granddaughter.

I am not sure what struck me the most about this wedding, but I know for certain that there is an undeniable love not only between these two, but for these two as well. There were four loving bridesmaids that didn't leave Brandalyn's side. Groomsmen that you could tell whom stood not only for Blake, but for Brandalyn as well. Both sides of their families and lifelong friends putting their all into making their day as special as it was. Undeniable love.

It was an amazing day, one that makes me stop to think about what was important in this life. And these guys got it right. Pairing the history of their family's past with the new life that they'll share together made for an amazing day that will not be soon forgotten.

Chatting with joyful godparents who knew that instead of losing a goddaughter, they were gaining a godson. Watching the bride's grandparents outlast anyone else on the dancefloor during the anniversary dance, married far longer than our minds could fathom. And watching as not only Brandalyn's dad held onto her for a bit longer before handing her to Blake, but Blake's mom hugging him in a tear-filled joy as their children were joined together.

It was an honor to photograph the the first day of a long life and love.

Made for Each Other {Portland Wedding Photographer}

Over 1500 pictures taken in a single day at a gorgeous late-July wedding.

The number in which she's not smiling from ear to ear?

I could count those on a single hand.

Glowing might be a better word to describe how she looked that day. From the moment Rachel arrived, you could feel the joy that she had, and it resonated within everyone that was there. Anxious and excited parents, bridesmaids giddy with getting her ready, and crowds of friends and family that mulled around her, not able to take their eyes off of her.

And apparently she's found her perfect mate.

You see, we all know that in general, guys are slightly less likely to show emotion than us gals. Not this guy. Now don't get me wrong, Kellen's as macho as they come. Standing an entire foot taller than me, even this Nebraska-raised, truck-driving, southpaw pitching, Husker fan couldn't help but break into one of the biggest smiles that I had ever seen as he watched Rachel walk down the aisle.

Amazing.

Brothers and a Blue Blankie {Portland Child Photographer}

I grew up as the child of an avid antique collector. "People's old junk," I'd say, as we'd go in search of what they'd discover. I vividly remember being dragged around to estate sales and antique shops, swearing to myself that I'd own nothing but brand-new IKEA furniture once I grew up.

Somewhere down the road, that changed. Warranting just short of a told-you-so from my mother, I fell in love with all things old and and antique, rustic and worn. There's just something about these things that carries more character and history than you can describe. Our garage is full of all of my treasures....steamer trunks, vintage luggage, heirloom chairs, wooden crates, antique scales, a galvanized baby bathtub, and baskets of any shape and size.

You can imagine my delight, you see, when I got one last email before meeting up with a family for some child portraits. We had planned on doing some pictures on the shore of the Willamette, and as an afterthought, she mentioned, "I have some vintage suitcases, can you think of a use for those?"

CAN I?

It took all I had in me to not call her that same second with my ideas. "Of course," I casually replied. Unbeknownst to her, I was plotting what I had wanted to try for months.

And these kiddos fit the bill perfectly.

We had a great evening together. Sure, we got the pictures of the boys on the water, but even more fun was our trek downtown, lugging suitcases and an old leather trunk. We cuffed their jeans, rolled his shirt, and even let a loved blue blanket come along for the trip. Their rosy-cheeked little faces atop worn old luggage reminded me of everything that I loved not just about antiques, but about how neat it is to be able to capture these kids in such a special moment in time.

Now don't ya'll go telling my mom.