courtney jade’s blog

It’s that time of the year again, and Autumn is fast approaching! I know, I know, it seems like summer hasn’t even graced us with it’s presence yet here in the NW… but before we know it, it will be September! (I’m crossing my fingers for an Indian Summer!)

Photos are a great Christmas gift, and Autumn is a great excuse to get those annual photos of you and your family,  your kids, your lover, or your pet! Skip the cheesy studio portraits and get some REAL lifestyle images this year! The NW has SO much beauty to offer, and it’s amplified in the autumn months when everything starts changing colors! It’s a great time to make some memories and get your Christmas cards out of the way (early this year!).

I am currently booking sessions on weekends in September, October & November. (I won’t be taking any sessions in December with the exception of newborns this year)
Last year I booked up completely, so make sure to book early this year to ensure your spot!

The Deets!
Sessions are $150 for up to 3 people (additional people are $25/each)
*Please note that the session fee covers only the actual session & post-processing work; prints & digital negatives are additional.*
There is a $50 non-refundable deposit required to secure your date; re-scheduling is limited and subject to availability and weather circumstances.
We will shoot at a location of your choice (Let me know if you need recommendations or ideas!)
Your photos will be ready within 2 weeks of your session date for review/purchase.

This year, give someone the gift of memories!
Contact me today more information, or to reserve your spot.

meet the lovely Juliann, and her man, Adam.

We had the pleasure of shooting on one of the most beautiful autumn days this year. We went up to Bridal Veil, which is along the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon. The leaves on the trees were absolutely stunning, the sun broke through just a little bit, and it was chilly, but gorgeous.

Adam really knows how to make a photo shoot fun! It seems like more often than not, the guys are not so into the photo thing, and the girls are more than into it. Adam, however, was just having fun and being himself, it was refreshing I love when people can just let loose and be themselves. I’ve been lucky with that this year I think, my clients just keep getting better and better!

Without further a due (sp?), here is the beautiful couple!

Meet MaryAnne and Karl.
If Karl were a pancake, MaryAnne would be the syrup. They are both so sweet, and a perfect match!

MaryAnne and Karl met while attending college at Oregon State University in Corvallis, OR. They are two of the sweetest people I have met! I am so thrilled to be a part of their special day next year!

Due to horrible weather, we had to reschedule their engagement shoot, however it worked out for the best. The rain held out for us, and the trees and leaves were picture perfect. We couldn’t have asked for better conditions! What a more fitting place to shoot them, than the OSU campus!? There were so many amazingly beautiful spots to shoot, it was almost unbearable. If it were closer, I’d definitely shoot there a lot more often!

When Karl proposed to MaryAnne, he took her to Avery Park, just off campus. We hopped over there to get a few shots as well. I don’t know if any of you are Twilight fans out there, but the area we shot in is exactly what I imagined the “meadow” to be like. Insanely beautiful, and perfect in every way.

This has got to be in the top 5 of my all time favorite shoots.
The photos just turned out SO beautiful! Their session looks like a fairytale to me

Congratulations MaryAnne + Karl! Enjoy your photos

Sneaky peekie!!!

Beautiful couple, beautiful location, beautiful day = beautiful photos

more to come soon… and also be on the lookout for the engagement shoot i teased earlier…

As many of you who follow my blog know, I have a very good friend– Tonja, who owns her own boutique lingerie line- Knickers Lingerie.
And if you know that, you probably also know that she has a very beautiful daughter– Madi.
And you probably know all of that because you are my most faithful and loyal followers, and have been following my stream for quite some time

But for those of you who didn’t know, let me introduce you to two of the lovliest ladies who always leave me smiling- Tonja & Madi.

Tonja is a fashionista, seeker of beauty, and an extremely talented apparel designer. While she has recently launched her extremely gorgeous lingerie line, Knickers, she also gets to use her talents at her day job! During the 9-5 (and sometimes after-hours), Tonja is an Assistant Designer for Nike’s swimwear line.

Her daughter Madi, short for Madeline, is a beautiful, curious, intelligent and fun-loving five year old. She just started kindergarten this year, and while I’ve only known her a bit less than two years, it’s simply crazy to see how fast she grows! She loves animals, faeries, playing solitaire, and her favorite princess (also her most recent Halloween costume– which Tonja made from scratch btw) is Aurora from Sleeping Beauty.

Now that you know them a wee bit better, onto the photos! Oh yea, we met at Starbucks, LOVE those pumpkin spice lattes! lol

Every year my sisters and I get our photos done about this time of the year to give out to our family for Christmas. (I wouldn’t say anything, but it’s been about 5 years since we started this tradition, so honestly, I’m sure it’s no surprise to anyone who may be reading this ) So when the beautiful Holli asked me to do photos of her and her sister for their family, I was quite excited! I do a lot of couple shoots and group family groups, but not so many “sister shoots”.

We decided to shoot at Laurelhurst Park, since it’s one of the most beautiful locations in the Portland area during this time of year. The trees, leaves, and entire setting is just picture perfect! Plus, while Holli and her family have lived here in Portland for a few years now, they are originally from New Orleans– so I thought it would be the perfect landscape to capture some memories!

Holli and her sister Lindsey are so gorgeous, they made my job really easy!! I’m really happy with their photos

(random side note- I got my passport this weekend!!!! AHHH!!! I’m so excited!)

Ok, now onto the photos!!!

i drove down to Corvallis, OR today to shoot with this beautiful couple. I am so excited about their photos, I just had to post one!

Many more to come soon… along with other shoots i’ve done lately

Oh, October. I love you.

It’s been a while since I’ve posted, that is partially due to lack of time, and partially to the internal debate of what to post.
I keep arguing with myself over what should and what shouldn’t be included in this blog. Part of me wants to use this as a blog to track my daily happenings, as well as my professional work, while the other part thinks I should keep it strictly business. I find myself contemplating this often, and not posting because of it. However, I have decided that all of my favorite blogs include personal posts, and therefore, mine will too. I want my readers to get to know me, not only as a photographer, but also as a person. I think it will be more entertaining also, as I have some fun/funny stories on occasion that I would love to share!

I ventured out to the Pumpkin Patch with my cousins, and their kids recently. I forgot how many different activities and fun things there are to do at the patch!!! A mini train to ride, hay mazes, corn on the cobb, elephant ears, a mini petting zoo, corn maze, a huge haystack, a flower garden, and of course– PUMPKINS!

I don’t remember any annual pumpkin-getting traditions from when I was a kid… this could be because I was too little to remember… I think we just went to random patches each year… I do remember one year, riding on a hay ride pulled by a tractor… could have been a school feild trip? I remember one year though, we went out to this HUGE field, and it was cold and rainy, and muddy all over, and my dad had a wheelbarrow for us to put our chosen pumpkins in. I believe there is a photo of this trip somewhere at my dad’s house… I should find that… Anyways, it was super fun It makes me wonder if these kids will remember these trips in years to come. Good thing I’m around to capture the memories for them

Some of my favorites from the day and a video at the end!

Here’s a video of all of us trying to get the kids to pose for a shot: exhibit one why I prefer being a “photo-journalistic” photographer, ha! So much more natural… but we got it eventually…

Here is the final shot:

What are you going to be for Halloween?! I still have to get some good pics of Quincey in his costume to post on here! Haha, oh, and for those of you who don’t know, Halloween is Quincey’s birthday! He’ll be two this year I can hardly believe it!!! He will always remain my baby though <3

I think mark and I have figured our costumes out… (yes, we may actually dress up this year!! I know!?) We’ll see…..

until later <3

well, autumn is officially here! The smells are starting to saturate the air as the season comes into full swing. Autumn is my favorite time of year!!! Especially here in Oregon. I’ve never seen more beauty in the change of seasons anywhere else. Granted, I’ve only lived here and Hawaii, and Hawaii has like 2 seasons… rainy/stormy/way-too-humid, and beautiful sunny and warm. The change of the seasons was something I really missed during my time there. I love the cool, crisp fall air. I live for dressing in layers, long sleeves, boots, hoodies, and cute vests.

That being said, this is really my most exciting autumn thus far in life. I could say that because I love to live for the day, but I am also saying that because finally in life, I have some stability. There is so much chaos and excitement around this time of year, that it feels good to finally be on a regular schedule with work, and feel like i’m finally keeping my head above water. Years in the past, I’ve either been caught up in school and multiple jobs, working the crazy retail job, or busy being a slave to the hungry at restaurants. I’ve had to work crazy hours, weekends, late nights, and all with very random schedules that changed weekly. I’ve missed out on family gatherings, fun seasonal events, and most of all having the luxury of days off. Don’t get me wrong, those times in my life, and those jobs were all very fun. I look back and miss my co-workers, the hustle and bustle of it all, and being in the prime of “holiday”. But those times are over, and I can breathe a HUGE sigh of relief.

Last year about this time, I was in the midst of being laid off from a job I truly loved. It was really hard, especially knowing I was to face the holiday season possibly jobless, and most definitely broke. But last holiday season turned out to be one of my favorites. I decided not to buy gifts for anyone except my parents, sisters, and mark. I couldn’t afford to, and while I get great joy out of giving, there was a silent bit of relief… all of that shopping gets crazy stressful!!! I made the best of it, but I still missed out on a lot of the holiday events I love so much.

This year, will be amazing. I have a full time job that I love, and excel at. My photography is doing extremely well, and I have many new and exciting things in store for my brand (so keep your eyes peeled, and get excited!!!). Mark and I FINALLY have the same days off (which has been SO wonderful, and I feel has really strengthened our relationship), and my schedule is totally and completely regular. No more working on holidays, infact now I’ll even be paid to NOT work them! (Seriously a perk I completely saturate myself with happiness over)

This year, I am embracing the season like never before. I am sure to be super busy shooting and editing photos (as my fall schedule is about half booked already!), but I will have time to do all of the fun holiday festivities that I love so much, and I’ll be able to enjoy them with Mark. Since he’s moved here, we haven’t really had any sort of “regular schedule” that allowed us to spend time planning things, and embracing this beautiful city we live in, and all it has to offer. Sure, we squeezed things in where we could, and had a great time, but there are SO many things I love doing during the holidays, and knowing we’ll be able to PLAN and actually DO these things together gives me so much happiness, I can hardly explain it! (Obviously, I keep talking myself in circles….)

So I’ve decided to share with you a few of my favorite things about this time of year, and why I love it so much. Here goes!

the smell of the air
the beauty of the changing leaves
everything pumpkin
especially pumpkin lattes
Scarfs & hats & boots & vests
candy corn
being around family & loved ones
celebrating thanksgiving
christmas music!!!
going to watch Grant’s Acapella choir at the grotto’s festival of lights (my old HS choir)
zoo lights
pumpkin patch & carving
shopping & seeing all of the holiday displays
ice skating
fires
caroling with friends
christmas eve & day with my family
decorating a christmas tree
buying & giving presents
mittens
peacock lane
Laurelhurst park, late October

there is so much more, but this post is getting a little rambly, so I’ll leave you with some fun photos from years past

my first pumpkin spice latte of the season

fall leaf marks

pumpkin patch fun

The apple festival

zoo lights & christmas fun

and yummy treats of the season

sorry about the poor quality of some photos, these are from the past couple years

I hope you are all looking forward to this season as much as i am!!! What’s your favorite part of this time of year? What do you look forward to?

<3