Karen & Rodney | Portland Teen and Family Portraits

When past clients call you to schedule another session, it is always such a joy. I find that every time I work with a return client, I get to know him or her better. I have a firmer understanding of their style and artistic preferences. Plus, there is the added benefit of the client being more comfortable in front of your camera.

This summer Karen emailed me about doing some teen and family portraits. Her eldest son, Jay, would be heading off to college at the end of the summer and she wanted to create family portraits that he could take out of state with him.

Karen, Jay and I had worked previously on senior portraits in the Pearl District, so I knew that Karen liked a urban backdrop. I also knew from previously working with Karen that when the family left the South, they left behind their beloved boat and treasured family time on the water. With this in mind, I suggested we forego the studio session and head down to the Eastbank Esplanade.

The Eastbank Esplanade provides the perfect mix of city skyline and river views. If you have never been there before, parts of the Esplanade actually float on the river, so you can’t get any closer. It is a wonderful park to walk, run or photograph in!

For Karen and Rodney’s teen and family portraits, we ended up walking a good chunk of the Eastbank Esplanade. We worked in areas that we found interesting and that documented their Portland lifestyle.

I am so pleased with how their teen and family portraits turned out. I hope that they are treasured heirlooms for years to come.

David and Corey | Celebration at Cooper Mountain Nature Park

As a wedding photographer, I meet some of the most amazing couples. Through years of working with these couples, I have learned that love and marriage do not need a set time frame to work. When you know, you know. I have photographed weddings for couples that decided to marry on their third month together. I have worked with couples that have known each other years longer.

David and Corey’s wedding was a wonderful testament to the longer love story. The couple met over twenty years ago, and their wedding day was not only a celebration of their commitment to one another, but also their 20th anniversary!

What I particularly loved about David and Corey’s wedding was that it was a family affair. Like so many couples, they were surrounded by close friends and relatives who have supported their 20 year union. However, what was particularly special was the couple’s decision to marry at the First United Methodist Church in Portland. This symbolic gesture paid homage to Corey’s parents who married at the same church decades before. We even had an opportunity to recreate a favorite family photo of the parents taken in the church.

Forgoing the traditional “reception following ceremony,” David and Corey decided to make their amazing wedding a two-day event. Family and guests reconvened the next day at the Cooper Mountain Nature Park continue the celebration of the couple.

The Cooper Mountain Nature Park was the perfect backdrop to David and Corey’s family-friendly event. The glass doors to the park’s main building allowed guests an indoor-outdoor party, complete with stunning views of the Willamette Valley. And the children, including David and Corey’s beautiful daughter, enjoyed time on the adjoining playground, complete with spontaneous games of soccer and touch-football.

The decorations and ambiance at David and Corey’s reception were a wonderful mix. Photos of David and Corey’s milestones over the past 20 years covered were enjoyed by guests. Amazing floral sculptures by Jessica Munn of Fleurie added a touch of art and elegance. And a band with an old-time time parlor music style really set a fun, casual tone.

I can’t give you a sampling of the music, but I can give you a little look into David and Corey’s wonderful two days…

Wedding Ceremony: First United Methodist Church, Portland
Wedding Reception: Cooper Mountain Nature Park
Flowers: Fleurie: fashion inspired flowers

Harper Christian | Model Portfolio

There is nothing I love more than when clients return to the studio! This week I had the pleasure of working again with Harper Christian, a local model signed with Sports + Lifestyle Unlimited. Harper reached out to me about updated photos for her model portfolio.

I first met Harper a few years go when she was just embarking on her modeling career. She came to me for model portfolio images and we had so much fun during the shoot. During that first shoot, years ago, she was such a trouper. She battled 50 degree weather to get swimsuit images down on the river!

Fast forward a few years and Harper is a beautiful, focused young woman. She is still modeling (you’ll see her in Nike and Fred Meyer ads to name a couple!) and starting college in the fall. It was so wonderful to hear how far she has come both personally and professionally.

Selecting a handful of images to present to Harper was almost impossible. We shot so many great frames and I struggled to decide. In the end, I got it down to just over a dozen. 🙂

I always love shooting headshots and images for model portfolios. And when a client returns to the studio, it means so much to me! Thanks, Harper, for making my day!

Model Portfolio by Acorn Studios

Matthias and Andrea | Wedding at Hornings Hideout

When I first met Matthias and Andrea, I was excited to hear that they were holding their wedding at Hornings Hideout near North Plains. I had shot a wedding there before and I can now tell you that it only gets better. Each year the owners are adding and improving the property!

Hornings Hideout is a beautiful venue with green lawns, peacocks, forest and ponds. It makes a great backdrop for outdoor wedding photography! It was also perfect for Matthias and Andrea’s casual wedding. Guests genuinely enjoyed the relaxed festivities and were able to go for a walk along the pond, play lawn games and socialize with friends.

I loved that Matthias and Andrea found ways to create a casual, modern vibe. Catering by Buster’s Barbecue really set the tone for a fun, laid-back celebration. The couple also chose to forego a cake, and instead had custom bride and groom Voodoo Doughnuts! And let me tell you, the doughnuts were a HUGE hit with guests. (I won’t mention any names, but I saw multiple guests go back through the line to try new flavors! ;))

Oh! And lets not forget the flowers! WOW! Sammy’s Flowers went over the top gorgeous on this wedding. Succulents, thistle, hydrangeas. Need I say more? The muted tones were just all around gorgeous!

From the heart-felt vows to the fierce bocci ball competition on the main lawn, the day was such a wonderful celebration of this great couple. Congratulations to Matthias and Andrea!

Wedding at Hornings Hideout | Acorn Studios

Venue: Hornings Hideout

Catering: Busters Barbecue

Dessert: Voodoo Doughnuts

Flowers: Sammy’s Flowers

Bo and Sandy | Wedding at the University of Portland Chapel

As a Portland wedding photographer, I rarely repeat a venue. It is hard to believe, but each wedding season I get to experience new, interesting places. Bo and Sandy’s wedding at the University of Portland Chapel was a new one for me.

The University of Portland has a gorgeous campus to start. The University sits on a North Portland bluff that overlooks the city. It is gorgeous. Then you add in a beautiful chapel with wood carved doors, a warm wood interior and a fantastic balcony. It was a great combination for a traditional Catholic wedding.

One of the things I enjoy about shooting a ceremony in a chapel or church is the added challenges imposed by the venue. Most religious venues have strict rules about positioning, flash photography and how often you can move. While most photographers dread these restrictions, I welcome them. They push me to think and work outside the box and find creative new ways to document a wedding. I am able to work with angles and push camera settings.

It was such a pleasure to be a part of Bo and Sandy’s wedding at the University of Portland Chapel. While the ceremony had its formalities, it was still such an intimate wedding. The love and support from family and friends was deeply felt. There were also the great little touches they thought of, such as including a photo of Sandy’s father on her bouquet.

Here is a peek into their wonderful day…

Wedding at the University of Portland Chapel | Acorn Studios

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