As a photographer who has worked in the Pacific Northwest for many years (and lived here for many more), I've definitely seen my share of gorgeous outdoor locations that can be used as photography sets! I would even say that I've become a bit of an expert when it comes to scouting out great locations.

Here's what I've learned...

If you're looking for a mountain view, a lush forest, or a sandy beach for your session... you can easily find it in Washington or Oregon! I've shot countless weddings, engagement sessions, and family portraits outdoors... and it's never too difficult to find a setting that meets the needs and vision of my clients. Usually, the only hard part about choosing a location is having to decide between too many gorgeous options!

When it comes to a boudoir session, though, it can be a bit more challenging to find an outdoor location...

There are a LOT of photographers out there. If you drop a “I’m looking for a photographer” in any local social media group you’re bound to get AT LEAST 100 comments with recommendations. I’m here to help you figure out how to narrow it down and find the BEST branding photographer FOR YOU*.

Before we jump into this blog post, take a moment and think about some of the bachelorette parties you've been to... What types of activities were planned for the bride and her friends?

Many brides have close friends there to plan the party for them, so their bachelorette activities tend to match the activities the bride already enjoys! If the bride is outgoing and loves to dance, her party might include going out for a night on the town and letting loose. Or if the bride loves to stay in and have self-care time, there's a good chance that her friends planned a spa day or at-home slumber party as part of her bachelorette activities.

Using the bride's interests to plan her party is a guarantee that she'll have a fun time... but you'll also end up with activities that she's done before. (And chances are... you've done them before, too!)

So if you're a bride who's looking for a one-of-a-kind idea for your own bachelorette OR a thoughtful friend who's planning a unique party for your friend, I have some inspiration for you!

I'm a wedding photographer, so it's no secret that I really LOVE love... but there's an extra soft spot in my heart for long distance love!

Whenever I'm able to help capture memories for a long distance couple who's getting married, it's especially meaningful. Whether they’ve been long distance for months or even years, I can always see the relief on both of their faces when the big day comes. Once they tie the knot, it means that the end of their separation is here… and it’s the start of a new life together!

When I learned that Jaquie and Christopher planned their wedding while being separated by (almost!) an entire state, I couldn’t wait to help them capture memories on their big day. Christopher moved to Eastern Oregon for his new job while Jaquie stayed in Portland, and they were only able to see each other on the weekends.

Thankfully, their living situation was going to change after the wedding… making what was already a highly anticipated wedding even MORE exciting!

Ever since I’ve been offering brand photography services, I’ve been no stranger to traveling all around the Pacific Northwest so I can meet with my clients and learn all about their businesses. Speaking of traveling, here’s a fun fact… For this particular shoot, I set a record for the most distance traveled for a single branding session!

Now, you’re probably wondering why I drove so many miles for just one shoot! The answer? This session occurred over the course of three days, and I photographed seven different properties in that amount of time! Each property was a multi-family complex that just had landscaping work completed by Green Envy Landscaping, which is a company based out of Portland, Oregon that offers custom landscaping solutions. My job for those three days was to capture their gorgeous landscaping work! After those few days, I ended up with a lot more miles on my car along with MANY beautiful shots of the grounds they worked on.

You’ve scheduled your business branding photography session… Yay! But now you’re stressing about the BIG question that EVERYONE asks: “What do I wear??”.

The answer to this question can vary depending on your specific business, branding, and vibe that you want to portray. Here is a breakdown of four different styles/vibes to consider when making your outfit selections!

As a photographer, I’ve had so many different “firsts” in my career… My first time photographing a wedding, my first ever boudoir session, and the first studio I had all to myself! Each one has felt SO special, and it’s so exciting that I have photos to look back on whenever I want to relive these “firsts.”

This branding session includes another “first” for me! This is the first time that one of my images has been used on a billboard. Yep, you heard that right… A billboard!

Normally, I don’t make blog posts for my single branding sessions, but how could I NOT make a post about this one? It’s not every day that I can say that my work ended up on a billboard. Plus, I wanted to make a post to celebrate the incredibly skilled Megan Webb!

If you’re looking for a 100% staged, smile at the camera, business branding photography session, I may not be the one for you. Sure, I CAN do those images (and I will if you really want me to) but my LOVE and specialty is focused around the “real life” and showing your prospective clients what it ACTUALLY looks like to work with you.

It’s TI-IME! (If you read this in Mariah Carey’s iconic singing voice... then you TOTALLY understood what I was going for here!)

It’s time to talk about one of the most wonderful times of the year... the holidays! Not only is it wonderful because of the magic in the air and the special times spent with family... It’s also amazing because of the chance to win TONS of free goodies in my Facebook group!

The best part is... entering to win is SO simple! All you have to do is look out for my “12 Days of Xmas Giveaways” in December, and you’ll be able to enter each giveaway if you’re a member of the group. We’re still a couple months away from December, but it’ll come up fast... so make sure you join this group of positive, empowering women before the holidays sneak up on us.

Last year, I highlighted the woman who won the grand prize of my 2023 giveaways. Now in this blog post, it’s time to feature my 2024 winner!

If you’re a lover of ALL things boudoir... then you’re really in luck today! Why? I recently shared a blog post that highlights one of my model sessions in the studio, and it features some behind-the-scenes photos of me at work!

But if you REALLY can't get enough of boudoir content, today's post will be a fun bonus for you! I'll be highlighting a second model session that I recently captured, and this one goes to show that no two boudoir sessions are ever the same...

Even though boudoir sessions usually include the same bedroom set... each model brings her own style, personality, and energy to the shoot, making each one totally different! On top of this, some sessions even include the use of a "special set," which allows us to try out unique sets like our bathtub set, rose petal set, or kitchen set. And that's exactly the case with today's model session!

For this particular shoot, I knew that I wanted more boudoir content that could be shared online and on my website, and on top of this... I was hoping for behind-the-scenes content that showed both me and my model in action while using the shower set (which is one of my favorite special sets!) and the fireplace set. So that's exactly what we planned for!

When it comes to a business branding photography session, I want to make sure that we are getting the shots that you want and NEED for your business! I also want to make sure that you have lots of options and variety in your images so that you can use them for YEARS and for various marketing efforts and campaigns! In order to accomplish this, I have my session experience set up in a pretty specific way. So, here are four things you can expect to see/experience during your session with me to make these goals a reality!

When you think of the ideal date night for you and your partner, what types of activities do you imagine?

If you love to turn up the romance… Maybe you imagine a private, candlelit dinner as the date of your choice! Or if you prefer a date that’s filled with adventure… Maybe you’d rather go on a hike (through some of the gorgeous outdoor sights we have here in the Pacific Northwest) followed by star gazing.

But if you want both romance AND adventure, I have just the date night activity for you… A couples boudoir session!

I recently offered a Date Night Boudoir Special that was the best of both worlds… It was an amazing opportunity for partners to connect romantically AND was a way for my clients to try out a new, adventurous activity. On top of this, a couples boudoir session definitely gets points for being a unique date… It’s something way different than your average dinner and movie night!

If you've checked out my blog posts before... You've probably noticed that sometimes I'll have model calls! I'll have models stop in the studio if I want updated photos that highlight new sets I've created OR if I need marketing images to promote new a package that I'm offering.

Sometimes, I have a need for BOTH of these things... which means that I have to set up a multi-purpose model session (just like this one) to get the job done!

Today's post is ALL about my most recent model call! Like I mentioned, this day in the studio ended up having a few purposes... I realized that I wanted more photos taken in some of the newer sets of my studio, like my bathtub set and piano set. Clients use my living room set and bedroom set most often, and I don't always get to shoot new content in those two newer spaces... so why not dedicate a special day for this content?

There are many different “styles” of photography out there. I definitely fall into the “documentary/lifestyle” variety — photographing what’s going on/candid moments rather than lots of posed images. But for business branding photos there will be some posed moments, and these are my TOP tips that I give all of my clients during their sessions!

When it comes to my boudoir sessions... I offer my clients a TON of variety!

In my bedroom set, you get to choose the color and fabric of your sheets. And if you're not a fan of this traditional bedroom set that's typically used in boudoir shoots? No problem at all! You can choose one of my special sets like my piano set or kitchen set! Not to mention, I also offer tons of wardrobe options! In my client closet, you can find everything from matching lingerie sets and teddies to jewelry and pumps... The choices are endless! You can even choose from the standard boudoir experience or build your own budget-friendly session... just like this client and this client did.

With SO many options, you might think that my clients would have wildly different boudoir experiences! But no matter which options you pick, one thing is true for everybody...

Boudoir is guaranteed to help you LOVE your body and feel confident about it!

Before we jump into today's post, I have a question for you... What do you get when you combine a group of powerful women, a stunning outdoor setting, and a whole lot of confidence? If you put them all together... they become a recipe for the PERFECT group boudoir session!

And I'll tell you, outdoor group boudoir shoots are a ton of fun for everyone involved... even me! As a photographer, I have outdoor sessions pretty often (especially when it's wedding season), but it's not every day that I'm able to have boudoir sessions outside. I've organized outdoor boudoir shoots in the past, but they happen pretty rarely. Because of this, it feels VERY special when we're able to coordinate everyone involved, find the perfect shoot location, and make it happen... like we did here!

These types of sessions are also SO much fun for the models who join me! I usually bring along props that can be used during the shoot, and sometimes all of the props are themed… just like they were in this case!

Now you might be wondering... Why were the props all themed? We were having a Witchy Group Session!

When is the best time for a business branding photography session?

The answer to this question is…

It depends!

Really helpful, huh? lol I’m going to go into more details below, but the best time to schedule your business branding photography session really depends on your business and your goals for the images. Read below for the seasonal breakdowns!

Before we jump into this next post... Take a moment to think about your own personal style! How would your own personal style translate to a boudoir setting?

If you have a darker, alternative style, you can always add a strappy harness on top of your lingerie to make your boudoir look feel more personalized to you. Plus, you can consider a leather top or corset to really add a gothic feel.

If you have a retro style, you can add classic Mary Jane pumps that will complement modern lingerie pieces just as well as they complement a vintage look! To take your retro outfit to the next level, include a garter belt with stockings or even thrifted, antique jewelry.

No matter what your personal style is... there’s always a way to bring elements of your style into your boudoir session! I’m always happy to talk to my clients and help you decide which of the pieces in your closet would translate well to a photography shoot.

When it comes to all of the different sets that I’ve highlighted in my Studio Set Series… I can definitely say that ALL of them were a labor of love!

For the living room set… I took time to choose a couch and blanket that would match my floral wall, picked out plants, and even shopped for boudoir-related books to go on the shelves. For the fireplace set… I searched until I found the perfect mantle on Facebook Marketplace!

I put SO much hard work into each of my studio sets, truly making them a labor of love… but once they were set up, they were totally set up!

When it comes to my rose petal set, though, it’s a totally different story! Not only did the rose petals take forever to prepare when I first bought them... It takes a lot of effort to snap the “perfect” shot as the petals fall and to clean everything up, too.

Who/What types of businesses need branding photography?

Well… the short answer is ALL of them!

But short answers don’t make for good blog posts, so here are four different industries and examples on “why” professional business branding photography is beneficial for each of them!