portraits – greengatephoto

Portraits: Bella and family

Last year I photographed Aiden for his third birthday, so Mat and Darcy asked me to photograph their new baby, Isabella, this year! She just turned 8 weeks old and look how cute she is:

As I was going through and editing these photos, I felt like I was seeing her for the first time. I tend to be distracted by photography at portrait sessions and have less time to admire the cuteness.

I don’t have as much experience with baby photography, so it was fun to work out some ideas, especially for the outdoors. This blanket was a special gift, so Mat and Darcy thought it would be cool to feature it in some of the pictures.

Her little ballet outfit. She had a point class to get to after the shoot. 😉

We worked in a few family photos as well.

Bella was getting a little pictured out by now.

Really cute!

You can see Bella was thrilled that her brother was holding her, but he seemed proud and big-brotherly.

Aiden’s turn for a few shots. He’s a big Angry Birds fan.

Thanks, Mat and Darcy!

The niece

I feel so out of touch with this blog! Lately things have been much busier in my life, and not just due to my niece’s visit. But she is here now (soon to leave :() and I will post photos eventually.

Today, after I fixed her hair while we watched Legally Blonde, we did a photo shoot with a few different outfits. This dress was actually an eBay purchase that ended up running very small. It looks great on L, though! Isn’t she cute?

Though I’ve had a lot of fun the past few weeks, I’m looking forward to a bit more routine. I want to get back into the swing of blogging (I have several things to tell you) and catch up on email.

I hope you had a nice Father’s Day. Have a great week!

Portraits: Ashley and Courtney

Just a very small sampling of my favorites from a recent work-related portrait shoot. Ashley and Courtney were happy to cooperate as I asked them to climb on muddy/rocky terrain in their heels, crouch against wet bricks and try various poses in the wind and rain.

This is Ashley!

Looove.

And here’s Courtney. 😀

I know her hair is all windblown here, but I think she looks great!

Thanks, ladies!

Portraits: Hollie (part 2)

More Hollie! I wasn’t happy with many of the purple flower* shots from the first shoot, due to the lighting. When I was expressing this to Hollie, she happily volunteered to put her dress back on and let me try again! I was more successful this time, I think.

Of course I tried a couple more in other locations, before it got too dark.

Have a great week!

*Bluebells, I think, but we have been referring to them as “the purple flowers.” They grow outside our office every year.

Portraits – Hollie

The other day I was telling my coworker, Hollie (who I am always using for portrait practice), how I wanted try some experimental portraits in a particular location (on a nature trail), but that the scene seemed more appropriate for bridal portraits, not just someone in casual clothing. She said her prom dress was sort of like a wedding gown and she had been wanting to put it to use again, and tada!: This photo shoot was born.

I wanted to step outside my norm a bit, but I didn’t get all that crazy. (Baby steps.) I tried a lot of things that didn’t really work, but some did, and I had a lot of fun doing it.

Hollie is always so cooperative. Check her out! (And yes, she’s laying on a plastic mat.)

I love her expression here.

Some of these are more my norm.

Time for the purple prom dress! I actually ended up loving these the most, even though this dress was kind of an afterthought. I wish I had taken a photo of the scene here, because you probably wouldn’t know that we’re just on the side of a road (which is behind her) and next to a big wire and telephone pole. I found just the right spot up on a hill to stand and get a great angle on her.

She was actually taking her hair down in this one, and of course I’m snapping away like the
paparazzo that I am. But I think it’s cute and natural.

Thank you, Hollie!

Portraits: Ning

The other day a work photo shoot led into a bit of portrait practice with the lovely Ning. It was a super fun mini-session and Ning is a natural in front of the camera. Read between the photos for a bit more about her!

Ning is from Taiwan, but is attending college here in Oregon. I asked what she liked about Oregon: My favorite things would probably be the pretty trees and scenery in general.

What’s your major and what do you want to do after college? My major is psychology, and I want to be a counselor after I get my degree. I want to work with families and kids (part of the reason is I love kids so much).

Describe your personality. I am pretty easy going, friendly, positive, joyful and energetic.

Beauty! Thanks again, Ning. 🙂

Portraits – Miriam

Just a few photos from a work-related shoot I did the other day. It was very brief (it was cold and raining!) and I had to fill a vertical space. (Otherwise, I really like doing horizontal/landscape photos when I can.) Miriam is very nice and pretty (obviously), and fun to work with. This was the second time I’ve photographed her (see first time here) and I’d love to photograph her again sometime!

Favorite portraits

Hi there! I’m home and feeling that new year inspiration that I get each December after Christmas (if only it would last!). As we finish up 2011, I want to post a few entries that sum up my year. I hope they are entertaining to you, but they mostly benefit me, as they remind me of my progress and experiences.

For starters, I think I’ll post some of my favorite portrait photos from 2011. I’m so thankful for the portrait photography opportunities I’ve had, even when some experiences resulted in me feeling bad about myself. I learn from them all, right? I think I’ve learned a LOT this year (I’ve certainly made a lot of mistakes). Enjoy!

Thanks for looking! If you’d like to view more portraits, I have them all tagged in the portraits category along the right side of my blog. Or you can just click here.

Portraits – Kayli

Yesterday I was able to get outside for a portrait session, and it was just what I needed on an otherwise gray day. I think I get a little high off of taking pictures, sometimes! Kayli was an excellent subject–beautiful and comfortable in front of the camera.

I was really excited about how many of these turned out. It was hard to narrow down which ones to post, so I tried to choose a variety. Be sure to read between the photos for Kayli’s mini interview responses!

What do you do for fun in your spare time? In my spare time I enjoy riding my horse, running, and hanging with friends and family.

What kind of music are you listening to lately? I love my country music!

What’s your favorite holiday treat? My favorite holiday treat would probably be peppermint ice cream.

Don’t you love her hair?

What’s your favorite thing about college? I love college because I’m learning so much about my career, being encouraged in my faith, and getting to hang out with some amazing peers 🙂 (sorry I guess that’s three things!)