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Portland portrait photographers, we know that early fall is GOLDEN! The weather’s cooled down, but it hasn’t started to rain yet. Late September and early October truly are the magic times to get your portraits done in Portland in the fall. For this family, we were able to use their incredible hazelnut orchard at sunset […]

family of 3 sitting in hazelnut orchard by Portland portrait photographers Samantha Shannon

As a photographer serving Vancouver WA and the greater Portland metro area, I have the honor of planning photo sessions and creating artwork with some of the kindest families. Today I’m sharing one of these families, and their morning garden session that highlighted their family’s joyful, connected love.     Morning sessions truly are the […]

mom holding baby in a flower field at spring family picture location luscher farms lake oswego

If you’ve been around the photography space for a while, you’ve probably noticed that there’s no shortage of incredible wedding photography publications.  As a photographer, getting your photos published in a magazine, whether in print or online, can have so many benefits. It’s no wonder that photography submissions are often a part of a photographer’s […]

family of three at beacon rock near portland oregon for family photos

Photographers: are you struggling with cloudy day portrait photography? After living in Oregon, which has more cloudy days than I actually thought possible before moving here, I’ve learned how to still create light, airy photos on overcast days. The good news is: you CAN get light and airy photos in overcast lighting when you follow […]

family of three light and airy family portrait

While you’ll often find me over on Instagram, sharing recent work and connecting with my favorite local businesses, I’ve been spending more and more time reading local mom blogs! I don’t know about you, but I find it so much more informative to read a whole blog post with all the links right there in […]

lavender field photoshoot portland oregon family photographer

Nestled above the hills north of Corvallis and west of Albany is this beautiful little park. It has California vibes so strong it makes me homesick for my Sacramento days. Tall fields, rolling hills dotted with oak trees, and the coastal range off in the distance: if you’re an Albany, Oregon photographer this is the […]

family of three in a field with a view by portland oregon family photographer samantha shannon

If you’re wondering whether it’s worth it to hire a professional makeup artist for your family photo session, my answer is always YES! This question comes up a lot in my pre-session consultations as clients decide what sort of experience they’d like. I wanted to take a minute to round up my favorite resources about […]

headshot of samantha shannon with makeup by portland makeup artist allelu beauty

Family pictures coming up and you’re wondering how to pose for pictures to look your best? Today I’m sharing my top three tips for how to look great in family photos! While gently guiding my clients into flattering poses and authentic moments is my job, I always like to start out with these three reminders. […]

Family of 5 in a lavender field

As you’re trying to figure out what to wear for your next family photos, a good place to start is to figure out your best colors for family pictures outside. Once you have a color palette in mind, it’s usually much easier to shop for clothing for pictures. I’ve rounded up my eight favorite outdoor […]

Family photo with burnt orange, olive, and cream color palette

Follow along for all the pretty on the daily: what I'm working on, my current favorite hikes around Portland, and what I'm reading!

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@samanthashannonphotography