Eugene, Oregon maternity photographer: Bri

 It was a pleasure to have beautiful mama-to-be Bri and her husband Hunter in my Eugene, Oregon photography studio early this year for a maternity photography session.

We started off doing hair and makeup with my go-to girl, Sami. I offer professional hair and makeup services with my full maternity sessions. This is a really popular option with clients! I want you to look and feel your very best during your maternity photo shoot, and provide not only hair and makeup services, but also a wide range of beautiful gowns so you can have the special, luxury experience you deserve.

Once hair and makeup was finished, we spent some time in the studio for some couples photographs and maternity portraits of Bri. She chose my cream silk maternity gown, a new mauve tulle, and then a black strapless gown for a more modern look. I love the combination of different textures and colors.

We finished our session with some milk bath maternity photos. Milk baths can be added to either my full or mini maternity sessions for a small additional fee, and are a great way to create some very feminine, unique pictures. In this case, I really liked the way it softened things up. Since we’d gone with some more modern, high-contrast looks in the studio it was nice to have the balance between that and the softer look of the milk bath.

We also chose some really gentle, soothing colors for the milk bath portion of our session. Since everything else is white, you really don’t need a ton of color for it stand out. Cream-colored flowers with just a few blues and purples looked absolutely beautiful. Bri also has some great tattoos that we were able to show off a bit during this part of the session.

Really enjoyed my time with this great couple. They are excited about welcoming a little one into their lives and I couldn’t be happier for them! The excitement and expectancy of this stage of parenthood is so special. As a maternity photographer, I love helping my clients record their pregnancy and build the anticipation for their new arrival. Congratulations to Bri and Hunter—best wishes for you and your little one!

Interested in professional maternity photos? I offer both full (1 hour) and mini (20 minute) maternity sessions, so you can choose what fits best with your lifestyle and what you’re hoping to get from your session. Both types of sessions can be started in the studio and finished with a milk bath, and both can be either mama-to-be only or include your spouse and/or other children. Check out my investment page for more details as well as pricing information. And of course, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. I’m happy to provide more information about what to expect, help you choose which option is best for you, and discuss your vision for the session. Spaces fill up quickly, so contact me as soon as possible to reserve your session date!

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Eugene, Oregon maternity photographer: Jacquellynn

 It’s been a while since I’ve shared any maternity photos on the blog—and even longer since I’ve had a whole family in the studio for a maternity photography session! So much fun! I’m excited to finally share the great photos we got.

Jacquellynn wanted both studio and milk bath photos for her session. Milk baths are a really fun and beautiful option—something a little different! (Both my full and mini maternity sessions can include a milk bath option as an add-on. If you’re thinking about your own maternity photography session, check out the investment page for more details.)

Dad (Dylan) and older brother Eden joined us for the first part of our session. We got some wonderful family photos—I love how they turned out! Expecting mothers often ask if their spouse/partner and the other kiddos in the family can join in for part of the maternity session, and the answer is, “Absolutely!” It’s wonderful to have all that family support when you’re getting ready to welcome a new baby, and I love including everyone in those photos.

Of course, the star of any maternity photography session is the beautiful mother-to-be. After we got some family pictures, we moved on to some portraits of just Jacquellynn. She picked out a couple of gorgeous maternity gowns from my collection. (I have lots of gowns for my clients to choose from, so if you don’t have something you’re excited about wearing, don’t worry! I’ve got you covered. We finished up with our milk bath maternity photos. So pretty! A mix of mauve and cream flowers gave our photos some color. Jacquellynn has the most amazing hair too, and I love the way that beautiful color stood out against the white.

We did this session in early December, and I was so excited to meet the new baby! At the beginning of February the whole family brought him back to my Eugene, Oregon photography studio and we got such great pictures (plus a behind-the-scenes video for my new TikTok). Keep an eye out on the blog for those baby photos in the next few weeks! You’re going to love them!

Are you expecting? Congratulations—I’m so excited for you! If you’re interested in professional, personalized maternity photos, please get in touch. I’m an award-winning Eugene, Oregon photographer who specializes in capturing these extra special stages of your life. I would be delighted to help you record your pregnancy.

As you’ll see from scrolling through my maternity portfolio, I have tons of options and am happy to customize your session so it’s completely unique to you. No matter what style you have in mind, I can help you create exactly the session you’re hoping for.

A little past the expecting stage? That’s wonderful news too! I also specialize in newborn, family, and baby and child milestone photo sessions. No matter what stage of life you’re in, it deserves to be recorded. I would love to help you create beautiful images of these irreplaceable memories.  

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Eugene, Oregon newborn photographer: Welcome Navy!

 It was so great to see this family again as they welcomed the newest member! Brandi Jo and Nathan welcomed baby number four to their growing family last year. I had done newborn pictures for their third baby (Bowen) and was thrilled when they asked me to do a newborn photography session for Navy as well!

Both parents and all of Navy’s older siblings (Beck, Maesa Jo, and Bowen) were able to join us. I always love it when the whole family is involved in newborn pictures. As a photographer and a mom I know how important it is to capture those relationships. That’s one of the reasons I make sure my Eugene, Oregon photography studio is a comfortable place for the whole family. I keep it well stocked with toys and snacks for siblings and coffee for mom and dad. Several of my clients have told me how much they enjoy the comfortable, relaxing experience of being in my studio while I take care of their little one’s baby pictures. Makes me so happy!

Since I had photographed this family before, we thought it would be fun to recreate one of the shots from their earlier session. When Bowen was a newborn we had his older brother and sister pose with him on the bed, and we did the same thing with Navy and his older siblings. They are so cute together!

As a newborn photographer, I’m always trying to come up with creative ideas for baby portraits, whether that’s baby by themselves or with other members of the family. With Navy, I thought it would be beautiful to have a shot of him with everyone’s hands cradling him. I love the way that image turned out! It’s so expressive of the love and care this little man is blessed with because of his family. So sweet.

Brandi Jo wanted simple grays and whites for this session and preferred no hats. I love it when parents give me these kinds of details so I can make sure picture is perfect for them.

Navy woke up briefly during our newborn photo session so we could get those beautiful baby eyes—and a huge yawn! What a cutie.

Loved having this family in the studio again to record this exciting change! I’ve enjoyed getting to know them a little bit and was so glad to get to know them a little better this time around as well. They are so much fun and a beautiful family.

Thank you for visiting Shanna Chess Photography. I’m an award-winning Eugene, Oregon photographer specializing in maternity and newborn photography as well as baby/child milestone and family sessions. If you’re interested in booking a newborn photography session or have any questions about how my services work, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. I would love to hear from you! You can find basic session information and pricing here. And if you’re still exploring, check out my portfolio so you can get a better sense of my style. I hope to see you in the studio!

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Eugene, Oregon family photographer: Fall Minis 2020

 I know we woke up to fog this morning in Eugene, but the past couple of days have been absolutely gorgeous! Sunshine and blue skies—plus I’ve been seeing daffodils and tulips popping up around town. All the color and warmth are getting me so excited for spring! I am itching to get outside again, but for now I thought this would be the perfect time to share photos from my outdoor minis last summer.

These have become an annual tradition for me and something I look forward to every year! I generally hold spring minis, late summer/early fall minis (like these), as well as Christmas minis. Many of my clients join me for these outdoor mini photography sessions every year, so I try to switch up the location. It’s fun for me to try new places, and I want to make sure my clients have something new and different for their experience. Last year a friend of mine was kind enough to let me use her property in Veneta. It’s a beautiful place—even has a vineyard and a cute little pond.

We spread these mini photo shoots over several days in August, September, and October. We had a lot of fires in the area this summer and I had to reschedule a couple of evenings because of smoke. Also had to reschedule once because of rain, but we managed to get them all in before the wet season started and it was time for the grapes to be harvested.

These family photography sessions are always such a great time to reconnect with my clients. I was able to photograph over 21 families this last time. Many of them I’ve worked with for years, and it’s so special to see them again and catch up with how they’re doing. It’s also amazing to watch the kiddos grow! I photographed some of these cute faces as newborns, and it’s hard to believe how fast they’re growing up.

I’m so glad these outdoor family minis have become so popular and that more and more people are interested every year. As a Eugene, Oregon photographer I know how important it is to record these memories, and I’m honored to be a part of that. Had so much fun doing these last summer, and I’m already looking forward to my next round of minis. Bring on the sunshine—my camera and I are ready!

Thanks so much for stopping by! I’m an award-winning photographer specializing in maternity, newborn, baby and child, and family photography. It’s my pleasure to serve families all over Oregon, and to record the many exciting stages of their lives.

If you’re interested in professional portraits of your family, I hope you’ll get in touch with me. I’m happy to answer any questions you may have. I look forward to getting to know you and your beautiful family!

Find information about pricing and the types of sessions offered by Shanna Chess Photography here.

Want to know more about the studio? Check it out!

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Eugene, Oregon newborn photographer: Welcome Beau!

 Another newborn photography session with the whole fam there. I love these! Parents Cassi and Chuck recently welcomed their fourth baby to the family. They brought little Beau in to my Eugene, Oregon photography studio in December along with older siblings Ana, Christian, and Ava. So much fun!

I have done photos for this family several times before, so it was amazing to see them all in the studio. I think the last time we had the whole family together for photos was when Ava was a baby, so this time around brought back a lot of fun memories! I was looking back and realizing that the last time we were all in the studio together it was 2019—before all this COVID craziness happened. Lots of things have changed since then, but what a great reminder that the most important things—love and family—can always be counted on!

Beau was just perfect for me. Even got a little sleepy smile out of him. 😊 He looked so much like his big brother Christian did as a newborn. Love that sweet little button nose!

We picked out some really nice deep blues and grays for Beau’s newborn photography session. Really liked those dark colors—everybody in this family has such pretty fair hair, so it was a great contrast.

Big sisters and big brother all did such a great job posing for me too. They’re always a pleasure to have in the studio and it was so fun to watch them interacting together and snuggling with new baby brother.

My repeat clients are so special to me, and it’s extra fun when, as with Cassi and Chuck, I’ve gotten to see them many times over the years and celebrate several new arrivals with them. So excited about this latest addition to their family, and loved spending more time with in the studio! Such great memories, and the sweetest ever images.

Thanks so much for stopping by the website! If you’re looking for a Eugene, Oregon newborn photographer, I hope you’ll get in touch with me. I love capturing every age and stage of life for families throughout Oregon, and newborn photos are my very favorite. They’re what started me on the road to professional photography in the first place! I also specialize in maternity, baby and child, and family photography, so you can have beautiful images of all the important milestones!

If you’d like to learn more, feel free to explore the website. You can find information about pricing here, check out the studio here, or get to know me a little more on my about page. And if you need more adorable baby pictures in your life—let’s face it, who doesn’t?—be sure to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. There’s nothing better than adorable baby pics in your social media feed, and every once in a while I have special opportunities, deals, and model calls that you won’t want to miss out on! Hope to see you in the studio!

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Eugene, Oregon newborn photographer: Welcome Jules!

 I had so much fun doing this newborn photography session! Honestly, I love every session I do, but this one was especially fun because the whole family was able to join in: mom, dad, and big brothers Lucas and Asher all came with baby Jules to her newborn session. How often do I get to have a family of five in the studio? Had an absolute blast with them!

Since we had the whole family there it was the perfect opportunity to get some group portraits. We got pics of baby girl with mom, dad, and both of her big brothers. They are all so excited about this new little sister! I don’t blame them one bit.

Parent and sibling images are offered with my full newborn sessions, so those are a great way to go if you’re looking to include the whole family. Of course, it’s completely up to you—some families like to focus only on baby during their session, which is great also. You can compare my full and mini newborn sessions here to get a better feel for which type of session would be right for you. Although I love both types of sessions, I’m really glad this family chose to include everybody!

One of the things that was fun about having the whole family in my Eugene, Oregon photography studio was seeing them interact together. This family is just so in love and sweet with each other. I seriously could have photographed them all day! Lucas and Asher were so great about posing with their little sister. Maybe it’s genetics, because baby Jules was the same way—she posed like a dream!

Oh, and did I mention how gorgeous Jules was? Just look at that sweet little face! I also love the pretty colors we picked out. Peach and pink go great together and it’s a fun way to add a little more color to the traditional pink and white for girls. Flowers are also a classic and beautiful touch if you’re welcoming a girl to the family.

We did mostly neutral colors for our baby and family photos. This is a great way to go since it ensures that your photos will work with any décor over the years. I often like to get a collection of neutral-colored shots, more colorful pictures, and a few black and white images so families have a variety to choose from during their ordering session.

Such a fun time with this family—Jules was absolutely precious and I loved being her newborn photographer!

I’m so glad you stopped by! I’m an award-winning Eugene, Oregon photographer who specializes in family, maternity, baby and child, and newborn photography. It’s an honor and a pleasure to help families record all the amazing ages and stages of their lives together! If you’re interested in professional portrait photography for your family, I hope you’ll get in touch with me. I would love to be a part of your journey and to create beautiful images for you to treasure.

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Eugene, Oregon newborn photographer: Welcome Delilah!

 Valentine’s Day is coming up, and what better way to spread the love than by sharing pictures from this sweet baby girl’s newborn photography session? She was so adorable and just a delight to have in the studio. Love the way her baby pics turned out. Enjoy!

Danielle and David welcomed sweet Delilah to their family in the latter part of last year and scheduled her for a newborn mini session. These are a little different from my full newborn sessions, and they’re a fantastic option if you’re looking to focus just on baby and want more of an all-inclusive package. My mini sessions are nice and short—only an hour long—and include five high-resolution digital images. There are no parent/sibling images included, so if you want baby pictures only, this may be the option for you.

The sweet spot for newborn photography is when baby is between seven and fourteen days old, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get beautiful photos beyond that. Little Delilah was almost four weeks old when she came to my Eugene, Oregon photography studio, and she was just amazing! Still nice and sleepy, beautiful skin, and the best rosy cheeks!

Since our session was short, we didn’t want to mess around too much with changing Delilah in and out of outfits. Instead, we chose some pretty headbands and soft swaddles that looked adorable and kept things simple. Swaddles are a really nice way to get the “newborn pose” look even with older babies. I absolutely loved the pink and mint combo that Delilah’s parents picked out!

I also couldn’t resist getting some closeups of those precious baby fingers and toes. My little felt hearts make really popular props, and they’re never cuter than when they’re tucked between baby’s feet.

I think we must have known that I would be posting this session in February, because hearts were a bit of a theme in Delilah’s photos! We also used one of my favorite props (my wooden heart bowl) to cradle Delilah against a pretty pink background. Love it!

It was so fun to work with this sweet family. Delilah is gorgeous and I’m so glad I got to meet her! I hope you’ve enjoyed the photos of this little sweetheart.

If you just can’t get enough baby photos in your life—and let’s face it, who doesn’t need more cuteness?—be sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook.

Thanks so much for stopping by the website! I hope you’ve found everything you’re looking for. If you’d like more information about pricing and the types of sessions I offer, check out the investment page. Or, if you’re interested in booking a session or just want to chat, please get in touch with me. I’m an award-winning Eugene, Oregon photographer specializing in maternity, family, baby and child, and newborn photography. Whatever stage of life your family is in, I’d love to record those precious memories for you. Can’t wait to see you in the studio!

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Eugene, Oregon newborn photographer: Welcome Henry!

 Happy February, everyone! Last year felt like it lasted forever, but I think this year is going to fly by. Seriously, it was New Year’s yesterday, right? Hard to believe it’s already time to start shopping for Valentine’s treats. It’s also hard to believe that it’s already been three months since Rustin and Carlina brought in their adorable new baby boy, Henry! I hope you enjoy the photos from his newborn photography session!

I was so excited to see this little guy in late October. Both his arrival and his photos had been long awaited, so it made me extra happy to watch this family expand with Henry’s arrival—and so special to be able to record it for them! Memories like this are so incredibly precious, and that stage of infancy goes by in the blink of an eye. That knowledge is one of the things that led me to my current profession: After my first daughter was born I knew I didn’t want to lose a single moment of watching her grow. With photos, there’s a way to hold on to those memories forever.

Henry was such a sweetheart for me. Cute as a button, and nice and curly so we could get some of those classic newborn poses. Working with babies like this reminds me of just how lucky I am to be pursuing my dream job as a newborn photographer! I love all kinds of portrait photography, but there’s no question that my passion is working with these tiny new babies. Although working with newborns requires extensive training and is a unique challenge, it’s also my favorite thing ever!

Mom and Dad decided to go with lighter colors than I usually see for boys—which I’m all for! Although I’m always happy to offer suggestions and help people figure out what might work for them, I also love it when parents have their own sense of style and know exactly what they want. These are your baby pictures, so you should absolutely use the colors, styles, and props that capture the feeling you want.

Loved having Henry and his parents in my Eugene, Oregon photography studio. They are fantastic people and I’m so happy for them!

Thanks so much for stopping by the website! I’m an award-winning Eugene, Oregon photographer specializing in maternity, family, baby, and child, and newborn photography. I’m honored to serve families all over Oregon, including Eugene, Springfield, Cottage Grove, Creswell, Junction City, Bend, Florence, Salem, and Roseburg.

If you’d like to learn more about what Shanna Chess Photography can offer you, feel free to explore the site or contact me with questions. I’d love to chat with you! You can also find information about photo session options and pricing, check out the studio, or learn more about me and my work.

Need more adorable baby pictures in your life right now? I know you do! Check out the newborn gallery for photos from past sessions, and don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for all the latest news and pictures!

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