45.5152° N, 122.6784° W
a momma and her babygirl
"A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path."
- AGATHA CHRISTIE
the apex studio
portland, Oregon
What a fun and heartwarming Mother’s Day session it was with Lynsey, Halen, and Shane at the Apex Studio in Portland! I have been documenting sweet moments with this family for the last 5 years and this day was no less sweet emotional to watch them all interact, smile, and giggle together. Lynsey looked stunning in her flowing pink summer dress, while Halen, with her sweet flowered dress and Vans, was full of energy and silly smiles. It was so special seeing Halen and Shane matching in their Vans—it’s a tradition that makes the photos even more meaningful.
Lynsey’s love for Halen is just so big, you can feel it in every sweet look she gave Halen, and with every hug and kiss. Halen, with her big heart and silly personality, made it impossible not to smile. And Shane, so proud and in love with his sweet girls was happy to see them chase each other and giggle but also happy the attention was off of him, which is not an uncommon feeling for dads. He joined in for a few family shots at the end, which made for the cutest family photos. I loved seeing how much joy he took in watching Lynsey and Halen together, knowing just how lucky they all are to have each other. It was such a fun, lighthearted session, and I never stop looking forward to the next time we all take photos together.
We decided to get married in Cancun and there was no one else we would have wanted to come and take pictures of our big day and party with us. We had the best week ever and having the best photographer is just the cherry on top. We love Mel and are so grateful for her. I've looked through our gallery several times already and I could cry. I love our photos and I felt like I was right back in Mexico with my best friends marrying the man of my dreams.
- Jackie C.
We decided to get married in Cancun and there was no one else we would have wanted
Melissa has been my go to photographer for the last 5 years (from casual photos, to engagement photos, to our wedding photos!) and I cannot put into words how thankful I am for her capturing some of the most precious moments. Especially thankful for her on our wedding day, one of the most stressful days of my life and she made things SO smooth. Plus, she’s a girls girl and will ALWAYS make sure you look your absolute best in photos. A few photos from my wedding attached. The best human and the best photographer.
- Samantha M.
Melissa has been my go to photographer for the
last 5 years
Mel is just PHENOMENAL to work with!! My husband and I have used her several times and could not sing her praise enough. She makes us feel so comfortable and relaxed and we get so many STUNNING photos that really capture our energy. She is our first recommendation to friends & family… everyone for that matter!
- Selah T.
Mel is just phenomenal to work with
I absolutely love our photos and cannot wait until next year to shoot together again. Melissa is so great and it just felt so natural. She was so positive and made it so much fun for us, we felt so comfortable. I want to post them all, we can't stop looking at them! I always wanted pictures in my dream Pinterest outfit and Melissa made my Pinterest Board dreams come true!
- Jordyn C.
Melissa made my Pinterest Dreams come true
Mel is hands down the most professional and kind hearted photographers I have ever worked with! It is truly like hanging out with a friend! She prioritizes making sure you feel comfortable during your shoot, and is the ultimate hype girl! She made me feel so confident, and the images are ones I will treasure for a lifetime. Mel is truly a gift, worth every penny. Could not recommend her enough!
- Emily P.
she made me feel so confident
I have absolutely nothing but good things to say about Melissa. She has captured our most important life milestones, that I will cherish forever. She’s extremely detailed oriented, punctual, cares about what you genuinely want, but also has the most amazing way of capturing pictures (candids) when you least expect it! She truly has a gift for photography, wonderful ideas, and the only person I will ever use/trust for my photography needs! Highly recommend!
- ASHLEY M.