Western Sky Photography

Hands full, hearts fuller 💕

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You know those moments where you can't help but smiling at and even feeling someone else's pure joy?

That was me yesterday when my son got to put on his whole Halloween costume for the first time 😍

I present to you, The Lone Ranger! ⭐️ (and his sister's "horse" 😂)

What are your kids going to be for Halloween this year? We'll have Hermione casting spells around here, too 😊

We wear so many hats as parents.

Taxi.
Referee.
Chef.
Event coordinator.
Life coach.
Teacher.
Jungle gym.

(to name a few 🤭)

Try not to wear too many of them at once, but know that you're doing a great job at this parenting thing - we're all learning as we go! ❤

The simplicity of in home newborn sessions is just the best 💕

Being in the comfort of their own space let's families relax and just be themselves while we get all that sweetness of a new baby on camera.

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If you want those cozy fall vibes in your photos, now is this time to get them scheduled!

Follow the link in my profile to get your date reserved 🍂💛

Fall dates are open and ready to book!📣

Reminder that I'm only going to be taking 2-3 full family sessions each month. Once that's reached, I'll be closing the calendar for that month!

MINI SESSIONS are also open. They will he held at Fort Steilacoom Park on October 20th. Sessions are 20 minutes and includes 10 images.

Let's get your photos on the calendar! Link to book in profile 😊🍂

Don't forget! Fall session openings will be live tomorrow for my email list. Add your info using the link in my profile 💌

COMING SOON!

Booking calendar for fall sessions (and the rest of 2024) will be sent out to my email list on August 12th!

✨️ I'm doing things a little differently this fall - I'm only going to be taking 2-3 full family sessions each month. Once that's reached, the calendar will be closed for booking! If you know you want photos, be sure you're getting emails from me to get first pick of dates.

✨️ I'll also be sending out the booking link for the fall mini sessions, which will be held on October 20th this year.

Need to get yourself added to the email list? Send me a message with your email or visit the link in my profile 💌

One of the first summer family sessions this year ended up being a bit of a rainy one, but this family didn't let it stop them. We had so much fun, sprinkles and all! 🙌

Spots for family sessions through August are officially full, but I have room for 2 more families in September! And room for a few more babies, too 😊

Dates for fall sessions + the rest of 2024 will be released in just a few weeks. Stay tuned here or get on my email list (link in profile!) ✨️

I’m still not sure this is for real. To whoever nominated me to be included in this, you’re too kind! And thank you ❤

(...anything to confess, mom? 😆)

I debated even sharing this because I don’t believe there’s one best photographer. There’s so much talent on that list, many different areas of expertise, and some that I wouldn’t dream of comparing myself to. It’s impossible to pick just one.

As weird as it feels to share this, I’m humbled to have been nominated by even ONE person who felt my photography is worthy of the title. If you feel so inclined to vote, you can do so every day until July 8th. 

www.votepiercecounty.com

(Choose Services, then Photographer)

And now for the final post of the summer session series - FAQs!

What if it rains?

Can we have extended family join us?

Can we take photos at our home?

Will you help us choose outfits? 

What if my kids don’t want to cooperate?

--> swipe through to see the answers 😊 Send me a message if there's something else you wanna know :)

I can only take on a few more summer sessions, so head to the link in my profile to get more information and check out my calendar for available spots 💛

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[Keywords: Tacoma family photographer, Tacoma maternity photographer, summer family photos]

The question every photographer gets - "what should we wear for photos?"

I don't like giving super specific recommendations for outfits, but I'm happy to help you decide between options and pick out colors.

Why? I want your photos to look and feel like YOU when we are done.

👉 Start with picking out mom's outfit. A comfortable and confident mom is a happy mom 🙌

👉 Choose colors that complement mom's outfit choice and avoid exact color matches. We don't want anyone to get lost in the photos 😆

👉 Think about the location and choose colors (and shoes!) that would coordinate well with the scenery.

Overall, choosing comfort while elevating your everyday style will always be a win!

I've got even more details on what to wear over on the blog - comment or DM and I can send you the link ❤️

Up next: adventure sessions!

Ready to book a summer session? Head to the link in my profile to get started!

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Where should you take photos around Tacoma in the summer?

While I'm always up for trying out a new spot or taking photos somewhere that has meaning for your family, I do have a few favorite places!

Chambers Bay park, Fort Steilacoom park, Owen Beach/Point Defiance, and downtown Tacoma top my list of recommended places for families (and not just in the summer!). Each one of these have variety in scenery and are easy to walk around for young and old. 

Whether you're looking for views of the water, big open fields, or city vibes, we’re bound to find scenery that fits what you'd love in the background at one of these tried and true spots.

Head to the link in my profile to get more information about family sessions + check out my calendar for available spots

Next up in this series: choosing outfits for summer family photos

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Tacoma Family Photographer | Summer Family Photo Locations around Tacoma

The forecast for the next week is finally showing signs of the sunnier, warmer days I've been craving 🙌

Over the next week or so I'll be sharing a series I've put together that has everything you need to know about getting photos in the summer months.

First up: why schedule family photos in the summer?

The biggest reason: the weather! We are incredibly lucky to have such beautiful AND mild summers around here, usually with very little rain (read: less likely to have to reschedule for Mother Nature.)

A close second is the longer days, making it easier to get photos done in the evening and not necessarily on precious weekend time. (And, let's be honest - those kids aren't going to bed early in the summer anyway 😏)

Head to the link in my profile to get more information about family sessions + check out my calendar for available spots!

Next up: where to take your family photos

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Tacoma Family Photographer | Summer Family Photos | Tacoma Photographer

Now booking Summer 2024 sessions! ☀️

If you want to take advantage of the prime summer weather for photos this year, my calendar is now open through Labor Day weekend!

To make it super easy to book, I've added dates and times I'm available over the summer to get your family in front of my camera 📷

Don't see a day open that you had in mind? Just ask! There may be a way to make it work ✨️

(Link to the booking calendar and more info about sessions is in my profile!)

New photos call for a re-introduction post! 😄

HI! I'm Ashley - a Tacoma-based life photographer for new babies, spirited toddlers, and growing families. I love helping new and seasoned parents see how beautiful their everyday, real-selves are with photos that don't require perfection of any kind.

My goal with every session is to make it an easy + enjoyable experience through the whole process. There's no need to fret over making your family look "magazine worthy", to worry about your baby being awake or crying during their newborn photos, or your toddler embracing their wild side on photo day - it will be just fine!

With a focus on connection and making you comfortable, it's pretty hard not to get photos that are full of meaning and life.

Some of my favorite local spots are Chambers Bay, Point Defiance, downtown Tacoma, and clients homes. I also love a good adventure and have select days you can meet me on the coast or in the mountains for photos with a stunning PNW backdrop 💛

For more info on sessions + pricing, or to get yours on the calendar, check out the links in my profile 😊

I love finding these little guys in our back yard! He kept the kids entertained for a solid 10 minutes 😆

This week's photo challenge was something I'd never attempted before but had heard of - freelens. You take photos without the lens actually attached to the camera and can get some pretty cool artistic blur and other random effects (that's definitely the technical term for it...)

Anyway, it's pretty tricky to get focus! So naturally I decided to try to do it on a moving object 😂 BUT I think they turned out pretty cool!

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Week 19: freelens / reverse freelens

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