I’ve certainly purchased more than my fair share of mall photos with my kids sitting on Santa’s lap. Or in front of the sheet of plexiglass 6 feet away from Santa in 2020 and 2021. The photos are okay, but I’m never quite satisfied with the final results. I always want something much more magical looking and feeling. So I decided to create my own Santa photos this year. I love them so much that I’m now offering these Santa sessions in Portland to you!
Santa Mini Sessions
The Santa mini sessions will be held at my studio in Tualatin on December 10, 2022. The session fee is only $99. This is introductory pricing since this is my first year offering these special sessions. If I offer them, again, next year, the price may change.
Photos are purchased separately. Photos are $190 each and are “buy 2 get 1 free.” Each photo purchased includes the digital file and a matted print.
If you want a “Christmas morning” feel, then I suggest dressing your kids in pajamas for the session. Alternatively you can go with something more dressy. Once you book your session, we will have a wardrobe consultation to go over ideas.
Personalization
The first Christmas is a story that is very meaningful to my family so I loved incorporating a manger and baby and having Santa read from the Bible. These nativity props I do keep in my studio in case you want to use them. I also invite you to bring in props that are meaningful to you. A special blanket, book, or toy, perhaps?
Parents are invited to join for a few family photos, as well.
We end the Santa mini session inviting the children to have milk and cookies with Santa!
It’s almost the end of the year and appointments are limited.
Does is seem to you like we went straight from Summer to Winter? Fall is my absolute favorite! So I’m a little sad it was so short this year.
That being said, when planning photo shoots for Christmas, you have to plan ahead in order to get your photos in time for gifting. So the Christmas set in my studio has been up since mid October!
This is a busy time of year and I only have 2 spots left to book photo shoots before Christmas.
Christmas Beauty, Boudoir, or Mother-Daughter Sessions
Are you thinking about booking a Winter photo shoot? If so, reply to this email and let’s chat about your session!
Send me a message!
If you are ready to book your shoot, please send me an email and we can chat!
A fun new restaurant recently opened up near my Tualatin, OR photography studio, called 60’s Diner. My family has had lunch there multiple times. As a Portland pin up photographer who loves doing 50’s and 60’s themed photo shoots, I kept thinking about how much fun it would be to do a pin up inspired diner photo shoot.
I asked the manager, Michael, if that would be a possibility and he was happy to have us in. So I went on a hunt to find a model and a hair and makeup artist to join me on this creative collaborative project. I absolutely love when small businesses come together to support one another.
Miss Portland
I did some Instagram surfing to find a model for this collaborative styled photo shoot near Portland. Happily, I came across Karson Fair, who just so happens to hold the crown for Miss Portland Metro. I love her commitment to helping women know their worth, which is an important aspect of my photography business, as well. So I knew she’d make a great addition to the team. It certainly helps that she’s cute as a button and has the sweetest personality. She was a dream to photograph.
60’s Diner
What I love about 60’s diner in Tualatin is that it’s so family friendly, which is great for people like me who have little ones. What my kids love is that they have TVs sprinkled around that show old cartoons that they get to watch while they eat their grilled cheese sandwiches. The burgers and fries are great, but the milkshakes are what I show up for. In fact, after spending a few days working on all these photos, I just had to pop in for a peanut butter milkshake earlier today. It did not disappoint. They even have boozy milkshakes if that tickles your fancy.
Wardrobe
I chose a few outfits on Amazon that I thought would work well and then Karson let me know which ones she liked best out of the options. I didn’t have to spend a lot of money for the outfits, which was a bonus. She was able to find some pearls and retro looking shoes from a friend that worked great. The hair and makeup artist brought the headband. So these looks were really a team effort.
You can almost hear Chubby Checker singing, The Twist, from the jukebox when you look at these photos. Of course Elvis made a couple of appearances through the speakers, as well.
Professional hair and makeup
It’s not easy finding hair and makeup artists who have experience with retro inspired looks. My go-to artist for pin up inspired photo shoots was unavailable but I’m so thankful she was able to refer me to Crystal Sanchez. Crystal was so great to work with and I’m happy to have met another talented hair and makeup artist. She’s great at what she does and she is super nice. Her and I enjoyed a delicious lunch together afterwards (Burgers, of course), and I loved making a new friend. Crystal loves doing hair and makeup (not just retro style) for photo shoots and weddings.
The team for this pin up inspired diner photo shoot
We grabbed a timer selfie for all those who took part in this collaborative, creative photo shoot. Crystal (the hair and makeup artist) and I (Rayleigh, the Portland pin up photographer) are in the back. On the left is Taimi, the diner server who made us a photogenic and delicious milkshake for the shoot. In the middle is Michael, the manager of 60’s Diner. We are posed around his impressive Harley Davidson bike, which is always parked outside the diner. And on the right is Karson, our beautiful model.
Right after this photo was taken, Karson headed off to a work meeting. Can you imagine showing up to work looking like you just stepped out of the 1960’s? I love it!
A pin up inspired diner photo shoot
I’m so glad my shoot idea was able to come to fruition. I loved the team that I was able to gather together and we all had a blast. As a photographer, it’s always so much fun getting to know other people in the Portland community and working together to create something fun and beautiful.
Want to see more of my vintage themed photography work?
Pin up photo shoots are typically done in my Tualatin, OR studio. If you’d like to see more of my themed studio work, please click here. I even have some super cute maternity photos done pin up style and you can view those by clicking here. I don’t only do pin up work, so feel free so peruse my website to see my other beauty photography.
Are you interested in experiencing a photo shoot?
If you think this looks like a ton of fun, let’s chat and see what kind of session we can design for you. Please send me an email and we can talk details!
You’ve got a photo shoot coming up and you are looking for inspiration and ideas for your photo shoot wardrobe? You’ve come to the right place. I’ve written a number of articles that give ideas for what to wear for a photo shoot in Portland. The articles are each focused on a certain type of photo shoot or a certain season. This page will serve as a resource for you and a convenient place to find all of the articles. I hope it helps!
A Fall Photo Shoot
Ahhh… the time of year I look forward to most! I know some of you ladies treasure your sunny days, but all summer long, I’m dreaming of the day when I can don my cozy Fall attire. Whether you are doing a family photo shoot or an individual beauty, boudoir, or maternity session, you may be wondering what to wear for a Fall photo shoot in Portland, OR . Here are some ideas to give you inspiration.
A Winter Photo Shoot
If you have a Winter photo shoot planned, you might be looking for some ideas for how to dress for the season. These ideas can give you inspiration for a family, boudoir, beauty, glamour, headshot, couples, maternity, or senior portrait session.
A Maternity Photo Shoot
If you are reading this, it’s likely that you are neck deep in planning and preparing for your sweet baby to arrive on the outside, all while having pregnancy brain. It’s a lot! I get it and I’m here to help. Here are some ideas to help you decide what to wear for a maternity photo shoot.
A Pin-Up 50’s style Photo Shoot
I’ve pulled together some images from a few of my past 50’s inspired photo shoots to give you a little inspiration for your own retro pin up session. It may seem daunting at first to come up with a few outfits, but it’s actually pretty easy to find some really cute pieces online. You may even find that you have some things in your own wardrobe that will work. Here are some ideas.
Coming Soon
I’ll add more articles to this resource as I write them. I intend to add some articles soon about wardrobe for Spring and Summer sessions, a modest boudoir session, and a bridal photo shoot. Please sign up for my emails, if you haven’t already, to be sure to get that info when it comes out.
Let’s chat!
Is there anything else you want help with? Just let me know. If you are ready to book your photo shoot, I’d love to be your photographer. Please send me an email and we can chat!
A Valentine’s Day Gift Idea – Portland Photography
Are you looking for a great Valentine’s Day gift idea for your sweetie that is something different than the usual flowers and chocolates? Hiring a Beauty (Glamour) or Boudoir Photographer in Portland is definitely a way to create a gift worth treasuring. The amazing bonus is, it’s also a gift for yourself. An experience with Photography by Rayleigh gives you such a boost of confidence and you will leave the shoot feeling on cloud 9. The fact that you can also give the photos as a gift to someone special is a win-win.
A Unique Session
These unique photos that I’m sharing with you today are from a shoot that I did just for fun. As a Portland Photographer, I sometimes like to branch out and do something a little different than my usual work, just to stretch those creative muscles. I thought an all red themed shoot would be gorgeous. Red is a very glamourous and stunning color. Fun fact about me… I chose a red ballgown for my wedding dress. I just thought it looked better on me than white.
I reached out on my Facebook page to see if there were any ladies with fire engine red hair who would like to model for me and the lovely Aarielle volunteered.
Valentine’s season seems like a perfect time to share my red themed session.
Hair and makeup for this themed shoot was done by the super talented, Tracy Schulz. She is very experienced with all kinds of looks, including costume looks, so I knew she’d be perfect for this shoot.
I’m dying over those perfect ringlets. I love them so much!
What do you think of this Valentine’s Day Gift Idea?
You certainly don’t need to do an all red shoot, if that’s not what you are drawn to. My shoots are catered to each individual to create an experience that suits each of my clients.
Let’s chat!
Do you have a unique idea for a portrait shoot? Or do you want to do something that is more like my usual work? If you are ready to book your shoot, please send me an email and we can chat!
I am a portrait studio photographer in Tualatin, and I serve clients from Portland, Lake Oswego, Beaverton, Salem, and Vancouver.
A Christmas Mother-Daughter Session – Portland Family Photographer
I’m excited to share with you these images from one of my favorite shoots. I absolutely love doing Mother-Daughter sessions. Don’t get me wrong, men are great. Family sessions with the Dads and sons are wonderful. But there is something special about an shoot for just the ladies. These gorgeous gals came in for a mini session when I was offering Christmas Mother-Daughter Sessions (Portland Family Photographer).
My Christmas Set
This cute little Christmas set was in a corner of my studio for a few December shoots that I had. I wanted a soft, relaxed, comfy feel for the set.
Wardrobe
For this shoot I suggested pajamas for their wardrobe. The family bought some really cute outfits online. Big Sister’s pink pajamas were purchased on Amazon. That style of pajamas is very photogenic and they come in a bunch of different colors, which is great for photo shoots.
One might not typically think to wear shorts for a Christmas themed family photo shoot, like this mom did. However, I love how they give off a comfortable “relaxing at home in front of the fireplace” vibe.
I love when moms and daughters (or sisters) wear matching accessories. It’s one way to be matching without having the entire outfit be too matchy-matchy
Colors
Pink and white for colors instead of the typical red that you would normally see for Christmas themed photo shoots was an idea that I had and I’m glad we went that direction. I thought it would be fun to do something a little different and a little more girly. I absolutely love the outfits they brought and I love how the pink and white looks with my gold, cream, and beige Christmas set. Neutral colors were intentionally used for my set so that it would go with any color of wardrobe and it worked so great with these particular outfits.
Sisters
Little Sister wasn’t too interested in smiling but, as you can see, she’s still absolutely adorable. Those cheeks! Big sister was a champ and her sweet smile is so perfect.
Wall Art
I have this picture (above) as a large print in my studio with a gorgeous antique looking white frame. I love how sweet these two lovely ladies look together. As a bonus, the pink and gold matches my studio colors.
A Christmas Mother-Daughter Session – Portland Family Photographer
If you are interested in a Mother-Daughter session or other family session, I’d love to talk with you about your shoot and come up with a look that matches your taste and personality. Please send me an email and we can chat!
Christmas Mini Sessions – Nativity Portrait Experience in Portland, OR
Last week I held my first ever Christmas mini sessions – Nativity Portrait Experience at Riddle Farm in Sherwood, OR. The idea for these sessions is something I had been working on for a couple of years. I hadn’t seen anything like them done before. Celebrating the first Christmas is very meaningful to me. I’m so thrilled to see my vision come to life!
I’m excited to share with you some photos from my sessions. I plan to offer them, again. So if you are interested in finding out when they are happening, please make sure you are signed up to receive my emails. You can sign up here.
These sessions look different depending on how many kids you have and what gender they are. In the image above there are two girls, so I dressed them as the virgin Mary and an angel.
The farm where the nativity sessions took place has two sweet cows. Sometimes they peek their heads in to see what we are working on, as you can see in the photo above.
If your family happens to have a newborn baby, it would be so fun to have a live baby Jesus. Otherwise, a doll will do.
The sweet family in the image above has 4 children. Two boys and twin girls. It worked out great to have a Mary, a Joseph, a shepherd, and an angel. I told their Mom that she needs to have three more kids in order to have the three Wisemen. She said that’s not happening. haha!
I love that one of the cows popped in for this photo (above)! The cows aren’t cooperative models so if they happen to show up in a photo, it’s by pure luck.
Unique Christmas Nativity Portraits in Portland
I’m so pleased with these Christmas mini sessions – Nativity Portrait Experience and I believe these families will treasure their unique and meaningful photos. The kids had fun visiting the farm, as well.
Be The First To Know When I’m Holding These Sessions, Again
These sessions were held in November this year, however, I’m considering holding them in the summer next year. That way the ground won’t be so muddy, the weather will be warmer, and the photos will be ready with plenty of time to get Christmas cards out.
If I get enough interest, I’d love to hire some petting zoo animals for the shoot. Wouldn’t that be so cool?
If you’d like to stay in touch so that you can hear about these sessions and my other types of sessions, please sign up for my email list.
Limited Time Christmas Nativity Experience in Portland, OR
I’m so excited to announce something that I’ve had in the works, at least in my brain, for a couple of years. I’ve seen some amazing Christmas sessions being offered by other talented photographers in Portland, such as beautiful Santa sessions and mini photo shoots, that are so much fun. In our family, though, we find a lot of meaning in remembering the first Christmas. So I came up with the idea of offering a stylized Christmas nativity experience. I’ve never seen anything like this offered, before, so I’m super excited to offer this unique opportunity to my clients. How breathtaking to experience the magic of the most important Christmas there ever was.
Your Family Portraits
Each family will have a unique look to their portraits depending on what characters your family can play. Do you have a daughter who can be Mary or an angel? Do you have sons who can be Joseph, a shepherd, or an angel? If the timing is just right, maybe you have a beautiful new baby who can play Jesus. Or a dog who can dress up like a sheep. Mom and Dad could also play Mary and Joseph.
Costumes
I have a few costumes that are available for use and I also have an ideas list on Amazon for costumes you may need to get for the shoot. We can discuss your shoot and figure out what we need.
The Details
I’ll be holding sessions at a farm in Sherwood, OR on November 6, 2021. If this date doesn’t work for you, though, please let me know. I may open up a second date, depending on interest.
$99 Session fee
The “Fine Print”
5 available sessions
Live animals are a possibility but not guaranteed
Minimum purchase requirement of $500 for portraits
IF you have any questions or if you are ready to book your Christmas Nativity Experience, please send me a message to claim your time slot.
For the first time, ever, I’m offering a day of limited edition Christmas pajama sessions. You won’t find me offering these types of “mini” sessions often. So if you have been wanting to book a shoot with me and you are looking for a lower cost option, this might be the opportunity for you! These shorter sessions will be held on one day only and there will only be 6 spots available.
Limited Edition Christmas Pajama Sessions November 23, 2019
Slots will be in 30 minute increments between 10:00-1:30
What is different about these sessions?
The session fee is waived! (Usually $690)
Professional hair and makeup is not included but is available as an add on
Photo shoots are 20-30 minutes long
Special pricing! If you purchase two individual photos, you get one free. I will also have a small package available to save even more money. This special package is only available for these limited edition sessions.
Who are these sessions for?
These sessions can be scheduled for individuals (beauty or boudoir) or families.
Do I have to wear Christmas pajamas?
Although, I think a Christmas pajama session is such a fun idea, you can opt to wear something different. Just make sure your outfits go with the Christmas theme. Red, green, gold, gray, beige, and white are the best colors for this Christmas set. Pastel colors, like light pink, can go well, too, if we take out the reds in the set up. By the way, if you do wear pajamas, they don’t have to be red “Christmas” pajamas. They can be neutral colors, too. Any of the colors mentioned above would work fine.
What is the special pricing?
Photos can be purchased individually, which means you get the full size digital version of the photo, as well as a complimentary print of the photo (your choice of 5×7 or 8×10 print). Photos are $250 each. For these limited edition sessions only, if you buy two photos, you get one free!
For the highest value, consider purchasing a package of 10 photos, which includes the full size digital versions of the photos on a crystal USB drive and an heirloom quality album. The special price for this package is $1200.
Can I get professional hair and makeup services?
Professional hair and makeup services are available at an additional cost. That cost is subject to change depending on the hair and makeup artist. So please ask me about that when you book your shoot. There are only 3 slots available that will allow time for hair and makeup services, so you’ll want to grab one of those spots quickly.
What if I’m not available on November 23rd?
If the mini session day doesn’t work for you, please consider a booking full size session. Full size sessions can be booked on a day that is convenient for you and includes a more full experience compared to a mini session. Pricing will be regular pricing. The Christmas set will be available until mid-late December.
How do I book my shoot?
Spots are limited! So contact me soon to ask any questions and to book your limited edition Christmas pajama session. A deposit of $250 is required to hold your spot and that deposit goes toward your photo purchase.
I’ve added a brand new boho style set to the studio that will be available only for the month of June. If you’d like to use this set, make sure to schedule your session for June 2017. Clothing and accessories are also available for you to use.
