Before we jump into today’s post, take just a minute to imagine the ultimate themed boudoir session…

To give you some ideas… Think a session with a vintage theme and retro hair, makeup, and styling! Or a session with a masquerade theme that features a mask as an accessory to a sexy satin slip dress!

Now that you have the idea for your themed shoot, think about how much a session like this might cost… What may surprise you is that you can have a beautiful themed session on a budget… and I promise, it truly is budget friendly!

After creating my recent “Build Your Own” Session special… I realized there was a need for an a la carte boudoir menu for my clients with varying budgets, so I made it happen. (To see these a la carte options for yourself, check out my consultation guide!) This new menu allows you to add extra studio sets and services to your boudoir experience, or you can choose to keep it minimal.

Preparing for ANY photography session can feel overwhelming. You want to make sure that you look good and likely worry about what to wear or how to pose. You want to make sure to get at least one good image to hang in your home. But when it comes to a business branding photography session, you may feel a little EXTRA nervous as these photos are not intended for personal use, but rather to be in front of the public with as many eyes as possible viewing them!

Here are a four tips to help you be (and more importantly, FEEL) better prepared for your business branding photography session.

If you could build your own boudoir session… what would you include?

Would you keep it simple with just the bedroom set? Or would you get adventurous and try out some of my special sets… like the bathtub or dressing room? Would you want a Hair and Makeup Artist to create your boudoir look? Or would you feel more comfortable glamming yourself before the session?

…And these questions are just the beginning!

I realized that being able to build a customized shoot outside of my boudoir packages would give my clients SO much room to choose… Which is why I created a “Build Your Own” Boudoir Session special!

In all of my years working as a wedding photographer in the Pacific Northwest... I’m sure you can imagine that I’ve seen ALL kinds of weather while covering a wedding! I’ve dealt with sunny days, overcast skies, super hot temperatures, and the freezing cold, too. At this point in my career, I’ve learned to be prepared for just about any weather!

For Sienna and Tyler’s wedding, though, there was a unique weather forecast that had us all a bit nervous in the days leading up to the big day... Their Valentine’s Day wedding was predicted to be very snowy!

The day before the ceremony, the weather prediction came true. We unfortunately did have some snow and freezing rain in the Vancouver, Washington area! At the time, I remember that this weather was overwhelming to see, but believe me... We were all determined to not let some snow stop Sienna and Tyler’s special day!

As a photographer who has been working with clients for quite some time... it’s SO fun to look back at older photography sessions and see how things have changed! When it comes to any type of portrait session, it’s expected that there will be changes over time because of our ever-evolving bodies and personal styles.

With my brand story sessions, though, I usually notice fewer changes over time. Because these sessions focus on you as a business owner, the services you offer, and the types of products you sell... the photos that we capture are able to reflect the very core of your business. This means that your brand story shots will hold up well over time, and you’ll be able to use them on your website and promotional materials for years down the line!

This was exactly the case for one of my brand story clients, Shea Vollstedt. Shea is an extremely skilled furniture maker who owns Vollstedt Furniture and Design in Beaverton, Oregon. I was lucky to work with him MANY years ago for a brand session.

I know, I get it. Running a small business is not cheap. You’ve already invested a lot into your business to get it up and running. You also have a cell phone that works “good enough” for images for your social media and website, right? So why do you need a business branding photography session?

Well… I’m sorry to break it to you, but No…. those cell phone snaps are not “good enough” and are not going to help you the same way that a professional photographer/quality images will.

Here are four reasons why you NEED a business branding photography session.

When Andrea and Kasey first reached out and asked if I could photograph their wedding, they shared that they were planning a church wedding.

(Here’s a spoiler for you... If you take a peek at the photos in this blog post, you won’t see a church in sight!)

After having some major changes with life and work, they ditched their original plans and decided to elope instead! They tied the knot right on the build site of a new house they were building together, but they still wanted to have a reception a month or two after they eloped... That’s where I came in!

Not too long after their big day, Andrea and Kasey had a fall wedding reception at The Cove in Vancouver, Washington. It was SO much fun to document the celebration and watch them have a ton of fun with family!

As a photographer who offers brand photography packages, I’ve been lucky to meet a huge variety of business owners in the Pacific Northwest! Each of these incredibly hard working individuals ends up inspiring me during our sessions, but I have to admit... I’m especially inspired by professionals who make client relationships their very top priority!

And that’s exactly who I found when I met Korrie Hicks! Korrie is the Principal Broker and Owner of KOR Realty, a real estate company based in Gresham, Oregon. Korrie serves the Greater Portland area, so whether you’re looking to live in Hillsboro, Newberg, or Vancouver... Korrie can help! 

From the minute I met Korrie and learned about her offerings, she made it clear that she’ll always go the extra mile for her clients... whether that means assisting with home staging or even treating her clients to movers and a truck. (Yep... You heard that right! It’s a complimentary service for each client!) This desire to go above and beyond for her clients is what Korrie calls her “rock star agent superpower.” I was lucky enough to see this superpower in action during our first photography session together!

As a photographer, let me tell you... it’s not everyday that you get to photograph a big life event for somebody that you personally know. When you do get that opportunity, it’s always SO exciting, and I always jump at the chance!

I met Katy over 20 years ago at Southern Oregon University where we lived on the same dorm floor. We reconnected after she shared with me that she needed a photographer for her engagement session and her wedding, too! It was a ton of fun to catch up with her, meet her now husband, and also reunite with some old friends at the reception.

When originally updating me on the wedding plans, Katy also shared that she and Michael had been together as a couple for over a decade! Hearing this made me even more excited to capture these memories for such a strong, fun couple.

Being a photographer in the Pacific Northwest, I’m lucky to see so many beautiful wedding venues that are surrounded by gorgeous landscapes. Each venue has mountains and tons of natural greenery as a backdrop, so you truly can’t go wrong when choosing the location of your wedding.

When it came to Bill and Barbara’s wedding, they chose a venue that was stunning AND had a ton of importance to them... their own home in White Salmon, Washington!

They shared that they had the house built together and wanted it to be a central element in their celebration. For this reason, they chose their home as the location for both their engagement photos and their ceremony!

If I told you that I started using a kitchen as a photography set, what kinds of photos do you imagine me taking in that space? Here’s a hint that might be surprising... I’m not taking family portraits in the kitchen!

Especially during the holiday season, it’s common to spend a TON of time in the kitchen with our families... so I completely understand how you could’ve guessed that I’m using my kitchen set to take family photos.

To get the right answer, let’s think a little bit more about food and how much fun we can have with it! Cooking can be a playful experience, and we can also use the ingredients and kitchen accessories to create a flirty feel in our photos... Think about how fun it can be to use flour and an apron in a photography session!

After reading this, do you have your final answer? That’s right... I’m now using a kitchen set to take boudoir photos!

If you decided to create your very own boudoir studio, what types of studio sets would you include? You can think BIG here... the choice is all yours!

Luckily, we’ve highlighted many different kinds of boudoir sets in my studio set series, so you’ll have some inspiration when making your choice! Lately, we’ve shared more about my special sets like the piano set, the bathtub set, and the shower set. If you enjoy non-traditional boudoir sets and want to offer creative sets to your clients, these are all great picks! You could even include a solid backdrop in your studio to create boudoir photos with more of a fine art style... The options for studio sets are truly endless!

So... what sets are your top picks? Does your list include a dressing room set?

After trying out my new dressing room set and using it with a model and my boudoir clients, I’m here to share my love for this set! Here’s why the dressing room set is on the top of my personal must-have list...

What’s the first thing you notice when you look at these boudoir shots?

At first, you’ll probably see that they include a piano! It’s a huge piece that’s also a new addition to the studio, so it’s sure to catch your eye. Plus, when looking at my studio sets... you would typically see a bed, couch, or even my window seat. You aren’t used to seeing a piano in my boudoir photography, so it’s guaranteed to stand out!

When I look at these photos myself, though... I see something entirely different! This new set in my studio is FILLED with sentimental items from my family, so my eye goes to those items first. Once I spot those items... I’m immediately reminded of special memories that are tied to those items and the people that I love. So even though we’re seeing the same photos, I’m also seeing years of memories when I look at these shots!

When it comes to the boudoir sets in my studio space… all of them are loved equally, but I’ve noticed that some of them definitely offer more flexibility than the others!

I have sets that are more on the “permanent” side in terms of where they’re located in my studio… like my living room set! But I do have a bit of flexibility because I’m able to swap out decor that’s used in the space. The bedroom set is similar! I can change out the linens on the bed, but the bedroom will always be located in the same spot in my studio.

Lately, I’ve been really excited about some of the special sets that allow me to get flexible with the location of the set AND how we use it… like the bathtub set!

If you’ve checked out any of my blog posts in the past, you might have noticed that boudoir sessions with me usually fall into one of two categories…

The first category is the most common session type! When clients reach out to book a shoot, we typically set up a standard studio session that includes photography time in the living room set, bedroom set, and one special set of your choice.

But occasionally… I’ll work with a model who visits the studio and tries out a new studio set with me! During these model sessions, we test out a new area inside or outside of the studio to see how it looks on camera and make sure we can work out any hiccups (like these!) that may pop up while shooting.

On rare occasion… I have models who stop in the studio to help me out by posing in a new studio set, but they also have their own boudoir vision in mind! In this case, I can work with them to add on additional photography time and snap some shots in another set of their choosing. This is exactly what happened when I scheduled a boudoir session with my model!

Whenever I’m preparing to photograph a new wedding, it’s always exciting to learn more about my new couple and their personalities!

Let me tell you… When I met Mary Ann and Cheryl, I immediately knew that their big day would be full of SO much laughter and love. I just couldn’t wait for their wedding!

In April 2024, Mary Ann and Cheryl had an intimate ceremony at the Historic Covington House in Vancouver, Washington. It was a beautiful spring day filled with tons of joy and their closest family and friends.

When Kalina and James reached out to me and shared that they were looking for a wedding photographer… They also told me that together, they’re going to have a 7-person family!

It’s such an honor to see a blended family come together in a wedding ceremony, and it’s also so fun to see the excitement of the kids as their parents make it official! For these reasons, I was especially looking forward to working with Kalina and James.

Their July 2024 wedding was held at McMenamins Cornelius Pass Roadhouse in Hillsboro, Oregon. It was a warm, beautiful day that was perfect for celebrating their love!

Now that you’ve had an inside look at many of my studio sets… Do you have a favorite?

If you’re a fan of traditional boudoir sets, then your favorite might be the bedroom or the living room! These two sets are classics for a good reason, and they’re used in just about every boudoir session I’ve had.

If you’re a fan of my special sets instead, then the shower set or solid backdrop would be up your alley! Plus, there are many special sets that haven’t been featured in a blog post yet… It’s possible that your favorite set is actually one of my special sets that you just haven’t explored!

At the moment, If I had to pick a favorite… I would have to go with my fireplace! Getting the fireplace together was truly a labor of love, and I’m thrilled with the way that each piece adds to the vintage vibe of the set. I’ve been excited to talk about what it took to make the fireplace set come to life, and it’s finally time!

If you’ve been a boudoir fan for quite awhile… It’s likely that you’ve seen some of my recent boudoir photos AND many of my older shots from a couple years ago! When you compare my older shots to the newer ones, what are some of the differences that you’ve noticed?

One of the most noticeable changes is the number of special sets, backdrops, and themes that I’ve recently tried out… I’m always thinking about new special sets that I can bring to life in my studio (like my solid backdrop and shower set), and I’ve been lucky enough to have amazing clients and models who help make these visions happen!

If you take a closer look… You might also notice that my classic sets have changed, too! Even though the living room set is one that I’ve used consistently, there have been SO many changes to it over the years.

Today’s post is ALL about highlighting these fun upgrades and new details that I’ve added to the living room set! Just about every boudoir client uses this set when they step in the studio, so I’ve decorated this area with a lot of thought and special intention… I can’t wait to share a behind-the-scenes look of this space with you!

Before we hop into today’s post, take a minute to think about a time when you had the perfect creative idea… But it ended up being SO much harder to execute than you originally thought!

Maybe this happened to you at home when planning your dream renovation or even when trying to make a new dish from scratch…

Or maybe this happened to you while you were at work… Whether you’re an educator, creative, work in a trade, or own your own business, I know we’ve all been there!

Let me tell you… As a photographer, I run into these obstacles, too! In my blog posts, I often share that I love the opportunity to bring creative visions to life! Whether it’s my own vision or my client’s vision, it truly is super fun and rewarding to be able to turn a certain set, theme, or backdrop into a reality. Sometimes, though, I run into unique challenges as the vision is coming together… And it’s not everyday that I talk about those struggles!

Today is a bit different, though! You’ll be getting the inside scoop and seeing what it’s like to bring a new set to life… This includes the highs AND the lows that happen along the way!