Shanna Chess Photography

As a Eugene, Oregon maternity photographer with a dedicated studio space, most of my clients come to me so they can have the full studio experience. But I’m also happy to travel to you! I’ve done several outdoor maternity sessions on the beach, in the mountains, and at various parks and recreational areas. It was really fun to do this particular maternity photography session at the client’s home. Sonia booked this maternity session for the end of May, when the weather was starting to warm up a bit. She has an area of her yard closed off where she keeps her hot tub, and told me she uses it as a calming space and often goes there to meditate. She thought it would make a great location for her maternity photos and I totally agree! Of course, one of the main things that makes somewhere a good candidate for a maternity photoshoot is the way it looks. I really liked the simple wood paneling that enclosed Sonia’s space. It made a great backdrop for photos with all the advantages of natura...

Is this year flying by for anybody else? I cannot believe we’re halfway through September already—and that Gianna’s one year cake smash photography session was three and a half months ago. Crazy! Here are the photos from her milestone photo session—you’re going to love them! Adriana and Oscar brought in cutie Gianna for a one year baby photoshoot plus cake smash. It’s a great combination! This type of session is really popular for that one-year milestone, as it allows us to get some classic portraits along with photos that are more birthday party themed. (Adding a cake smash setup to your little one’s baby and child milestone session is only an additional $50, so it’s a super affordable way to have the best of both worlds. You can check out more about session options here . ) Gianna was absolutely adorable and such a happy kiddo! She smiled almost the entire session, so I know I wasn’t the only one having a great time! (I loved the double top knot thing she had going with her hair—...

This newest little Oregon Ducks fan is just too cute! I did this little lady’s session towards the end of April. It was so wonderful to meet her and see the family again! (I did big sister Penelope’s newborn photography session a couple of years ago.) Always love seeing past clients back in the studio! It’s fun to catch up and see how much little ones have grown since I photographed them as babies. Baby Abigail was a teeny tiny thing that looked so much like Penelope did as a newborn! (Penelope was born early, so she was very little too. Not anymore though! Look how much she’s grown. Such a gorgeous girl.) One of the many fun things about being a Eugene, Oregon newborn photographer comes from the fact that Eugene is a college town—and we love our college football! I invested early on in some baby-sized jerseys and outfits in the colors of Oregon’s two rival teams, the Ducks and the Beavers, so that no matter who parents root for, they can get baby’s team spirit on from day one! Pa...

Hope you’re all enjoying the last week or two of summer! It has flown by so fast this year. (Who am I kidding? It always does!) Like most of you, I’m currently in back-to-school mode, figuring out schedules and supplies and all the other fun stuff. But none of that was on my radar when I did this maternity photography session back in mid-June! Corrine traveled all the way from North Bend to my photography studio in Eugene, Oregon —about five hours away! It’s such a huge compliment to have clients seek me out over those kinds of distances. It really is worth the extra travel time when you find a photographer you love. After all, these pictures are your forever memories—you want to be sure they’re exactly what you want! One of the things I love to do as a Eugene, Oregon maternity photographer is pamper my clients! As a mom myself, I know that sometimes giving yourself a little TLC can feel kind of low on the priority list, but it is so needed! Just one of the reasons I offer profession...

Can’t wait to introduce you to Liam! Mom (Loren) brought him to my Eugene, Oregon photography studio in June, along with older siblings Landon and Alivia. I photographed Alivia as a newborn too, so it was great to see her again. She’s gotten so big and I love her curly hair! Loren decided to bypass parent and family photos and do newborn and sibling pictures instead. I remember we took a similar approach when Alivia was a newborn, and we focused most of the session on her, with a few pics of her with big brother. It really is totally up to you when it comes to who should be included in your newborn photography session. For some parents, like Loren, getting those sibling pictures is really important. For others, portraits of mom or dad with baby are a priority. And others like to do exclusively newborn pictures. (And no, those aren’t all the options, in case you’re wondering! I sometimes have sessions that include parents, siblings, and grandparents—Like I said, it’s up to you who yo...

Look at this little sweetheart! Parents Samantha and Andrew brought her to see me along with their other two kiddos Evelyn and Theo. It was great to have the whole family there—especially since I’ve been photographing them for years. I did newborn photography sessions for both older siblings (you can check out  Theo’s session here ), as well as milestone photography. And I’ve also done maternity pics for Samantha to document her pregnancies. Samantha and I have known each other for years through our work with the Junior League of Eugene , so I love it every time I get to see her and her family for photos! I was so excited when I learned that Samantha and Andrew were expecting their third little one, and of course, thrilled that they asked me to be their Eugene, Oregon newborn photographer again! It was wonderful to welcome the family to the studio again. Baby Annabelle was the cutest thing ever—just like her brother and sister! She also had the most amazing auburn hair. I couldn’...

I’m excited to show off these gorgeous maternity pictures! Affinity and her husband Shawn came in last month for a session. They are expecting their 5 th child and this will also be their last baby, so they wanted to do something extra special. Since they hadn’t done maternity photos when Affinity was pregnant with any of their other kiddos, they decided a maternity photography session would be the perfect way to remember this special time of growing their family. I couldn’t agree more! One of many clients’ favorite things about their maternity photo shoot is the pampering that happens beforehand! As an expecting mother—especially if you have other children—it is so nice to get the spa treatment every once in a while. Moms, you know what I’m talking about! That’s why my maternity sessions include professional hair and makeup, so you can not only look your best for pictures, but really feel like you’re doing something special for yourself. Affinity told me she loved the pampering and...