The Clayton Family

Truth be told, the Claytons knew me even before I knew myself. Keith is one of my brother’s best friends in the entire world and I have memories of the two of them going on wild adventures in our backyard and tackling mighty Boy Scout challenges for as far back as I can remember. It seems like there are few childhood memories with my brothers that, one way or another, don’t include a Clayton in them! When Melissa emailed me to ask if I might be able to take pictures of their family, I was obviously thrilled. And when the Clayton's asked to share their session with Melissa’s sister and brother in law, I was even more excited. While I never thought I’d say this, I’ve become quite the fan of family portrait sessions this summer. Sessions with kids and cousins and parents and siblings just have such a beautifully crazy chaos to them - and I really, truly love it. For one afternoon The Claytons and The Gilstraps joined me in Bend for some stump jumping and shoulder riding and synchronized jumping. And for two whole hours I couldn’t stop smiling…

Family jumping picture for the WIN!

Amaia

Her first email to me involved lots of exclamation points, excessive repeats of the same letter in words like ‘Hiiiiii’, and a few super smiley, smiley faces. This was also the exact email in which I decided that I really, really liked Amaia. This beautiful girl is about to begin her senior year at Redmond High and for one summer evening she let me traipse around Bend’s Old Mill District with my camera in hand as we documented her gorgeous smile. AND her absurdly perfect hair.

Amaia, your joy radiates through that constant smile of yours! Thank you for letting me capture this exciting season in your life. I’m so pumped to hear all about your college decisions and to see what direction to choose to take this bright, bright future of yours. Wherever you go and whatever you decide to do, I’m absolutely certain you’re going to do amazing things!

Lots of love, Michelle

The Barrie Family

I’m not sure where to start with the Barrie family. They’re the type of people who never quite cease to bless your socks off. When you buy a house they buy you bottles of wine and gift certificates to Pottery Barn. When you join them for breakfast they buy your meal and refuse to let you pay. And when they accidently write your check for more than the portrait session fee, they absolutely positively will not take their money back. …Not that I speak from personal experience.

So when Kary wrote to see if I might be able to photograph her amazing family, I jumped on the opportunity. Any chance I have to spend with Kary and her husband (we like to call him Crazy Mike) AND the, hands down, coolest eight-year-old I’ve had the pleasure of meeting, I’ll take. These three traveled over the mountain from Portland for an afternoon of park playing and karate move showing and traipsing around Redmond’s Sam Johnson Park. And all week I’ve been smiling as I’ve had the joy of working on their photos.

And on that note, it's my pleasure to introduce you to Kary, Mike, and Ben.

Watch yourself - they'll make you smile.

See Ben jump!

See Ben run!