Shanna Chess Photography

 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 ...

 What a perfect summer session! I can’t think of a better way to spend a summer day than at the beach. One of the reasons I love Eugene, Oregon is that it’s so close to all kinds of fun outdoor activities. We’re an hour from the mountains in one direction, and an hour from the ocean in the other, so quick day trips to fun places are super easy. Sarah and Luke requested a beach location for their family photography session, so we met at Heceta Beach in Florence, Oregon last month. We got so lucky with the timing! The tide was out, and we found a bunch of tide pools that were just teeming with life, like big starfish and tiny little crabs. The kiddos and even dad were super interested in these natural wonders, so our photos took more of storytelling approach instead of a posed one. I love the spontaneity and family togetherness they convey! As a family photographer , I want your session to be genuine and reflect the unique and wonderful personalities of each family member. As such, ...

 It was so good to see Megan again for this maternity photography session. And it was especially fun because the whole family was able to join us! Megan and DJ are expecting a little girl very soon, and older siblings Jacoby and Violet are very excited that they’re going to have a baby in the family. Although most of my maternity sessions focus on mama, it’s always an option to include your partner and/or your other children. It really just depends on your personal preference and the feel you’re going for. If you’re expecting, be sure to check out my maternity photo gallery for lots of ideas on different styles, indoor vs. outdoor sessions, milk baths and more! (I also did several studio maternity sessions in August, which I’ll be blogging over the next few weeks—so be sure to check back for more gorgeous pictures!) As a maternity photographer , I’m happy to customize the experience to suit your needs. This type of session really is all about you! For this mama, I knew she want...

I did this family photography session in mid-November—which feels so long ago! We had the most beautiful fall last year, with warm sunny days lasting all the way through October, and we were only just starting to think about winter when we took these photos. Now it feels like winter has lasted forever and I’m so ready for spring! I thought it was here a couple of weeks ago, but the weather has turned cold and gray again. Oh, well. Hopefully soon!

The Coleman family was back in the studio in November and I was so excited to see them all! I’ve gotten to know this family really well over the past few years since becoming their family photographer . My first session with them was when their oldest, Goldie, was a year old, and we’ve been meeting regularly to record their family memories ever since.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! How are everyone’s preparations going? Shopping done, menus planned, list checked twice? Yeah, me neither. But that’s not to say that there hasn’t been some Christmas magic going on at my Eugene, Oregon photography studio ! I did my annual Christmas minis in early November and it went so well! I’m super excited to show you a few of the photos from this latest holiday-themed family photography collection. Enjoy!

Danielle and Jim booked a family photography session with me so they could get updated pictures of the whole family. Fall is a popular time to do these types of shoots since there’s still a decent chance of good weather and the autumn colors make a beautiful background. The timing also means that families have the option of using the photos from their session for holiday cards. Fall is definitely a busy season for me as a Eugene, Oregon photographer , but it’s the best kind of busy and I love it!

Fall is my busy time of year. I have my usual schedule of newborn, maternity, family, and milestone shoots, but it’s also the season when I do my fall minis and prep for Christmas and holiday mini sessions as well. The schedule definitely keeps me on my toes, but I love it and wouldn’t have it any other way!

Mason, Amanda, Nolan, and Cora met me at Dorris Ranch on a beautiful evening in late August for a family photography session. Amanda was referred to me by some previous clients of mine on a Eugene Facebook group and I’m so glad she reached out! Her family is absolutely adorable and I loved getting to know them.

One of my last sessions in August was an outdoor family photography session for Kelly, Jason, and their two sons, Dylan and Jaxon. What a lot of fun we had! The weather was perfect, the location was beautiful, and taking pictures was my idea of the perfect way to end the summer.

It was so great to get Shawn, Betty Lou, Josie, Quinn, and Kellyn in front of my lens again! I have photographed this family every few months since just before the twins were born and have loved getting to know them. (Click through to see Betty Lou’s maternity session , and the twins’ Fresh 48 , newborn , 3-month , 6-month , 9-month , and 1-year milestone sessions.) They are such an awesome family. This was our first outdoor session together and we all loved it!

It was so wonderful to see this family again! I haven’t seen Katharina and Jacob for almost two years, since a Christmas mini session back when their daughter Karoline was just a baby. She’s grown up so much and is a big sister now—to twins!

I’m so excited to share the photos from this cake smash photography session with all of you! Jamie (mom) requested an outdoor cake smash for Addalynn’s birthday. Although I do lots of outdoor photography, an outdoor cake smash was a first for me. I’ve always wanted to try it though, so I was really looking forward to this session. It turned out great and we ended up having so much fun together!

It was so fun to see Amber, Grant, and the girls in my Eugene, Oregon photography studio last month! I have been photographing this family since Goldie was a year old, and they’ve been coming to me regularly at least once a year ever since. I’ve done family, milestone, and baby photography for them, and most recently did a maternity and then a newborn shoot as they welcomed their second daughter, Glory, to the family.

I was so excited to see Miss Arabella again for her one-year baby photography session a few weeks ago. I photographed her as a newborn (be sure to check out some of the photos from her session here ), and she was such a sweet baby. When Tanya and Don contacted me about doing some milestone photos for their family I was delighted that I would get to see them all again.

I was so happy to see this family again and to finally meet Amanda’s husband, Jared. Last time Amanda just brought the kids to the studio, so it was wonderful to have everyone together for this family photography session.

Cassi, Chuck, Anna, and Christian brought new baby Ava to the studio last month for a newborn photography session. I was so excited to meet her, and to have the whole family in my Eugene, Oregon photography studio . Cassi and Christian were the only ones who were able to make it to Cassi’s maternity session back in February, so it was wonderful to have the whole family together for pictures.

Erin, Joe, Brynlee, and Aubree came in to my Eugene, Oregon photography studio last month for some family photos as well as a cake smash session to celebrate Aubree turning one. It was wonderful to reconnect with this family. I did Aubree’s newborn pictures when she first arrived (can’t believe it’s been a year already), so it was fun to see how big she and big sister Brynlee have gotten. They are a couple of cuties, for sure!

It’s that time of year again! The sun is out, the flowers are in bloom, and the promise of summer is just around the corner. Last month I held my spring mini sessions and was joined by eleven wonderful families, with kiddos of all ages. It was wonderful to be with so many people I’ve come to know over the years through my work as a Eugene, Oregon family photographer . Everything went so smoothly from start to finish and our pictures turned out beautifully. I’m excited to share them with you and hope they bring some spring sunshine to your day!

It was so great to see Brooke, John, and little Isabel in my Eugene, Oregon photography studio earlier this month. They made the drive over from Florence, about an hour away. This is the first time I’ve seen them since Isabel’s newborn pictures , so I was very excited to see all of them again! Hard to believe six months have gone by, but this little lady has already grown up so much. I can’t wait to share her pictures with you!