So Many Moments Blog

I took the train up to Seattle last week to spend the afternoon photographing 9 day old Willow and her lovely little family. It was a beautiful day; the sun was shining and the new parents were glowing! Being pregnant myself made it all the more special to hold this teeny tiny precious bundle of brand new PERSON! I had such a wonderful time, and they even made sure I had a PB&J and apple before boarding back on the train home! Clearly, they’re already fantastic parents and I’m so happy they chose me to take these first portraits of their family together.

When we found out we’re expecting a little 1/2 Sam + 1/2 Matthew baby to join us later this year, it was just a couple weeks before a trip to Florida. We decided to keep the big news to ourselves so we could tell our families in person. And what kind of photographers would we be if we didn’t take a photo of the moment?

We got landed about midnight, so Matt waited until the next morning before he asked my mom and brother to pose with me for a quick family photo. “1…2…3…CHEESE!” *click* “1…2…3…Sam is PREGNANT!” *click*

I love that we have my mother’s priceless jaw-dropped expression captured forever more! I tried to recreate the same magic when we crossed the the other coast to visit with Matt’s family, but Matt’s mom immediately rushed over to give me a big hug! It’s difficult to take photos of things occurring behind the camera. After drying some tears, we composed ourselves to take a funny little portrait all together to commemorate the occasion.

We couldn’t be more excited to embark on this next ERA of our lives together and to begin to grow our family.

And to my fabulous clients, this was carefully planned with you in mind. I wanted to be pregnant, but not TOO pregnant or too FRESHLY pregnant during the height of wedding season. This way, we’ll have our newborn during the slow winter months, and our little bundle will be ready to travel for our destination 2013 dates. Excited grandmothers have already volunteered babysitting help while we’re off shooting our weddings!

When we tell the visual story of a wedding day, we like the tell it from the perspective of the couple. Some photographers run around a lot trying to capture all the action of the guests and families, but I like to stay in close to my brides and grooms, to tell the story the way they experienced it. There’s an inherent intimacy in being so close, and documenting so much, of someone’s special day. It’s easy to see how the lines between ‘client’ and ‘friend’ can blur, and for me, it seems they always do.

I get so attached to my couples because I love being the person they trust to document their celebration. I like to know what DIY projects they’re planning, who their best friend is, what their grandmother’s name is, because on the day of the wedding I’m that much more in touch with their experience.

This season, it seems some of our closest friends are slipping on engagement rings and coming to us to be their photographers. Monday, my amazing friend Lesley came into the office to sign her contract and before I knew it, we had moved the coffee table the see if we still had the skills to somersault. Somersaults turned into lunch, and lunch turned into an afternoon at her place cutting paper hearts out of construction paper, and singing show-tunes to her dog. Of course, I couldn’t be more excited to photograph Lesley’s wedding. But, what I realized is I feel this excitement for every one of my weddings.

They’re all so different, but the intimacy is the same. I’m being chosen, from all of the photographers in the world, as the artist that MY couple’s want to be there on that day. And for me, there’s not greater honor in the world. To say I love my job just seems such a vast understatement.

You’re engaged! CONGRATULATIONS!!! Having been a bride recently myself, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite tips for keeping yourself inspired (& sane) while you design, plan, and create your wedding day celebration.

• Stay organized. Start a ‘wedding binder’ with separate sections for your guest lists, creative ideas, financial breakdown, and important vendor contracts.

• To give your party a color theme and direction,  collect images and things that you like to create an inspiration board. In the digital realm, pinterest is a great tool for this.

• Share your ideas and get feedback; bridal party members and family love this as it makes them feel included.

• Do not do things just because it’s how it’s “supposed” to be. Let your celebration be a reflection of who you are as a couple and what makes sense to you and your fiancé personally. Creating your own traditions can be very romantic.

• Don’t ever forget to have FUN with it all. If you’re feeling stressed out, let yourself take a break for a few days.

• Get really comfortable with your personal style and expressing it by experimenting and being open to new things.

• Talk to your parents or married friends about their weddings; ask them what was really important and memorable after all was said and done.

• Take risks! You only get to throw this party once, be unique!

• Make sure you hire professional vendors you like, as they’ll be around all day.

• Check online reviews on WeddingWire and contact previous clients to ask about their experiences with your vendors. For photographers, (if you haven’t already hired me at SoManyMoments.com!) the WPJA is a wonderful resource for finding the best of the best.

• Take your fiancé on a date before the wedding with the only rule being NOT to talk at all about the wedding.

• Enjoy every moment of being engaged. It’s such a gift you’ve found someone so perfect for you, and you’re planning a party where all of the people you love most will gather aroundto wish you nothing but the best. Try to remember that this is what this is all about. <3

Matt and I couldn’t have dreamed up a better way to kick off the 2012 wedding photography season then on a cruise to the Bahamas!

Carol and Jonathan were are such an incredible couple to spend a long weekend with and all of their friends and family were just as awesome. The festivities began with the legal ceremony over dinner in Miami the night before we set sail and commenced with a more traditional ceremony and reception on board in the Bahamas. Three full days of sunshine, teal blue water, and excessive eating and you have yourself a recipe for lots of laughter and two very happy photographers!

I don’t think the smiles left our faces all weekend, and with our cameras in tow much of the time, we caught a lot of the action! With so many photos from the weekend, it’s difficult to chose which to share so this is just as assortment of favorites and then I’ll post up loads more photos on the So Many Moments Facebook page soon! Please, check it out and, if you were there, be sure to tag yourself and your buddies too!

Photography: So Many Moments, Samantha & Matthew Moore

Coordinator: Pam Jarvis

Miami Venue: Tony Chan’s

Bahamas Cruise: Norweign Sky

I learned a lot in 2011. And many of those things were discovered while renovating the old location of Little Things into the new So Many Moments photography office! From refinishing the walls with joint compound, to laying my floor, and the giant stencil I did on the back wall, it was all a labor of love. Matt was happy to help me with sanding down the walls, which was a terrific help! And the back wall was inspired by stylish and HELPFUL designer Courtney Out Loud.  I’m so happy in my new little nest, and love working from here. You can hardly tell it’s just a garage anymore!

I can’t wait to see all of the photos I’ll edit here in 2012. Oh, and I adore distractions, so random visitors please, swing on by to see it for yourself next time you’re in NW Portland!

‘Tis the season to be celebrate our families! Our friend Jesse had his brother and his brother’s wife in town from Arizona, so his parents thought it the perfect opportunity to get a few photos of them all together. It was a beautiful crisp morning in St.John’s and the Adams family was a joy to spend it with. When we came upon a row of trees with some of the bright yellow leaves yet to fall, the “kids” were happy to dive in and play to break up the traditional portrait pairings.

I think it’s so important we document our time together with loved ones, at every age. I’m inspired by the Adams family to take the time on our next trip to Florida in January to wrangle our parents together for family portraits as well.

This first time we met, Michelle told me this fantastic story about her first trip to Greece. She went alone after college, and fell in love immediately. She told me it was the most romantic place she’d ever been, and how she had vowed to herself not to return until she was getting married there. Cue in lucky Mr.Sam and her dreams became reality.

While I’ll likely regret not going with them to take their wedding photos for… FOREVER, I was very happy to take the photos of their reception dinner once they got back. They choose the library at the Portland Art Museum to wine and dine a few of their favorite friends and family. They also had some incredible photos to share from their big trip!

Michelle was a dream bride to work with. She was super excitable, always smiling, and supremely organized. Certainly my first bride to ever bring a power point presentations to a meeting! But, even with all of her type-A tendencies, she was more then capable of just relaxing and have a great time. She and Sam were such a joy to work with, and Matt and I wish them all the best!

Photography by Samantha and Matthew Moore of So Many Moments