Kaisha - Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden Portrait Photography

So I basically love this girl. One of the best parts about my job, is when photo shoots turn into friendships. Not only is Kaisha absolutely beautiful, but she's adorable and fun, sweet and kind, and off her rocker funny. She's the type of girl you could spend every afternoon with, laughing until you cry, and just plain enjoying life with. We met by chance, hit it off immediately, became fast friends, and have been nearly inseparable ever since. It was like discovering a best friend I didn't know I had. A friendship I am truly grateful to now have.

Here are some photos from our session a couple weeks ago at the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden. 

Fun fact about Kaisha: She's a photographer too!! Go check out her lifestyle photography at klisbethphotography.squarespace.com

Andre - Sneak Peek

Here's just a little sneak peek at my session with Andre! Enjoy! :)

Kirstie Wight Makeup & Hair

She's hilarious, she dresses cute, she's super sweet, fun to hang out with, pretty much adorable in every way.......oh yeah....and she has this near-magical ability to make you look drop-dead-gorgeous!  Who is this fantastical creature that I speak of??! The incredible Kirstie Wight, of course!!

Kirstie is a local hair and makeup artist in Portland, Oregon, not to mention one of the sweetest girls I know! She specializes in wedding day makeup and hair, but recently collaborated with me to do some senior portrait before and after shots.

Below are a few photos I captured while hanging out in her adorable little makeup studio in NE Portland.

Below is a before and after of Kirstie's hair and makeup artistry (no retouching or photoshop at ALL!!!). Stephanie, our model (and before-and-after volunteer!), is gorgeous to begin with, but having a professional do your hair and makeup makes such a difference in the end result of your photos!

A great foundation of natural looking makeup, and hair that's beautifully styled, brings each photo to the next level before the editing process even begins! It boosts your confidence because, lets face it, you look and feel gorgeous, but most importantly, it lets your natural beauty shine. Also, there's just something super fun and relaxing about getting pampered before your session!

So whether it's a maternity session, engagement shoot, senior portraits, or something else, getting your hair and makeup professionally done is always a great idea, and I whole-heartedly recommend Kirstie to do it!

Go to her website to see more examples of her work >> www.kwmakeupartist.com

PS. Ever wished you knew how to apply your own makeup better?? (Let's face it, we all said yes!) Well now you can because Kirstie offers personalized makeup lessons! How great is that!?! Read more info about them here!

Pinkd Jewelry

I was like a kid in a candy store! I opened up the bag and all I could see was an assortment of glittering gems and marbled looking stones. I didn't know where to begin! There were just so many choices! And so many pretty things to photograph!!

A couple blog posts ago I talked about one of my awesome 2014 high school seniors, Stephanie, who also happens to be a super talented jewelry artist too! Before her senior photo session, while she was getting her hair and makeup professionally done by my other talented friend Kirstie Wight, I thought it would be fun to photograph some of Stephanie's hand-made creations. I asked if that would be ok and she said, "Sure! It's all over there in that bag!" I didn't really know what to expect but, when I opened what was inside I was floored with how unique and beautiful her jewelry was! Her work truly speaks for itself. Each piece is so professionally crafted you would have no idea that the woman behind it all is only 17 years old! Just looking at her work, you can tell how much thought and care she puts into selecting the stones and jewels she uses for each piece. Each set is truly a work of art.

Below is just a taste of the jewelry she creates. But don't just stop there! Check out even more of her jewelry here, in her online shop!