After choosing Aeden from Groupon, I messaged Melissa on Instagram to see about scheduling. She was…read moreincredibly helpful, and I feel so lucky that Melissa nailed the feeling I wanted for our photos. Her assistant Kelsie was so sweet and their chemistry made it easy to chat with them and feel at ease the entire time. They were very accomodating of my mom who walked slower as well. Not only was Melissa able to accomodate our super limited availability due to having a guest in town, but she also caught that our humor isn't the goofy jumping in the air type. We have a far more intimate type of humor in our family and she drew it out beautifully. I now have a collection of photos with both my husband and mother that I could have never pulled off with just a camera on a tripod. Melissa had the timeline and locations down pat, and even though our group was a few minutes late, she was a breeze and ended up with over 200 images for my husband and me to review. Naturally I wasn't fully aware of the way pro photos are priced, but after doing more research on Groupon for a boudoir style shoot, I realized that of course the copyright is where the photographer's bread and butter is. That made far more sense than her being able to make money off $45 groupons. She was very transparent, and asked us to review her site at the end of the photoshoot, as well as spoke about the proofing during the shoot. Melissa is very friendly and frankly honest about where your value is for your photos. Since she helps you create your vision in the photos, you already have a lot to choose from that are spot on. She has a lot of experience assisting in you pare down when you're not sure, and that leaves you with a far more manageable number of photos to look through that you genuinely want to own the license to. I originally got from 200 to mid 40s and thankfully, she helped me narrow down again. Each of them were fantastic, and there were no closed eyes or awkward faces. I ended up with 24 when we were narrowing down, and would have had a truly difficult time had it not been for her fantastic technique of comparisons. She was able to assist us in choosing the images we felt were the best value and the most "Marie Kondo", if you will. We just couldn't live without them. Thank you, Melissa!

We absolutely loved our photo session with Melissa and Annabelle! They made us feel very…read morecomfortable and the photos turned out AMAZING!

Went for a group photoshoot and had the BEST time. Eric was a joy to work with and the photos came…read moreout beautifully. Will definitely come back for all my professional photo needs

Everything at Portraitlandia is over the top and beyond expectation! I've been for two shoots --…read moreone solo and one group shoot and have nothing but raves and the highest compliments. From the sets to the photography and styling -- this is everything you could possibly want for a fantastically fun time. The dressing room and bathrooms are even decked out for fun selfie time during outfit changes and the accessory station is divine. Eric and the whole crew bring so much fun and creativity to each session and set, you cannot go wrong. If you've never gone and gotten professional shots done, it is worth every penny and moment. Also, best date ever. Who doesn't want to sit in front of a camera on a glamorous set feeling pretty???

I met Bill and Tammy Linns, when the cast of "Hamilton" was in town. I was assigned to photograph…read morethe entire cast, but my little studio wasn't well equipped or had space enough to support such a major operation. That's when Bill and Tammy came to rescue me and my crew. Cobalt Studio is a photographer's paradise and has everything you need for a great session-- whether your session is a national advertising campaign or a senior session. Bill's slogan is " if we don't have it today, swing by tomorrow--we more than likely will have it here;" and he lives up to his mantra. Being amazing studio managers and even more incredible human beings, Bill and Tammy became family, and now all my commercial and personal sessions are shot at their place. If you want high-end gear, affordable price, and an amazing couple as studio managers, you just found the place.

Parking is the reason why I am taking off a star. It is best to carpool here since there isn't a…read morelot of parking spaces. If your photographer is doing minis here that day, you might have to park far. Cobalt Studios is kind of hidden, you wouldn' t think there is photography studio near the entrance of Ross Island bridge. The people running it are fantastic and are COVID conscious. The online scheduling is good too The dressing room is bright and great. The space can be a little chilly since it is an converted warehouse space (very industrial).

Technology Association of Oregon used Jason DeSomer to photograph two events in 2016 - Oregon…read moreTechnology Awards in May and Party in the Pinot in July. We were blown away by his shots. His images capture the spirit of our events and eliminate the contrived photos that are typical of awards ceremonies and outdoor events. He is extremely professional, and non-intrusive while interacting with guests. He captures the moment at our events in so many different ways we can't quite figure out how he got from here to there in that amount of time - but its impressive. And he provides our photos quickly so we can send them out to our community in a timely manner. In 2017 we booked early to lock down those two events, and two more our Kickoff Party in January and Kickball Tournament in August. When planning events you are always looking for great vendors who, in addition to providing stellar service, make your life easier the day of the big event. Jason DeSomer does this, and I can't recommend his services enough.

Jason was everything I was looking for in a photographer, and more!…read more I was searching for a photographer online and Jason's work stood out to me because he has an eye for great camera angles and subject placement, and his photos were very crisp and clear with great lighting and editing (something I found lacking in many others' portfolios). When I emailed him, his quotes were clear and reasonable, and he outlined everything in detail. I was modeling some outfits for a photo shoot in my house. Thankfully, Jason had a lot of great ideas for posing and I already knew the photos would turn out amazing! (I've done shoots with other photographers where I was given no direction and most of the photos came out awkward or meh). I was very happy with the shoot and the photos I received. I would definitely work with Jason again, and recommend him to anyone needing quality photos!

Russ and Thet are amazing! We hired them to do our videography for our wedding and they did NOT…read moredisappoint! We are so grateful we have the ability to re-live our special day! They are extremely professional, friendly and a pleasure to work with. Definitely recommend!

So glad we took our Holiday photos with Russ; he's so experienced with different angles and…read morelighting. Very patient even with our crazy boys. Also, after the photos, turnaround time was extremely reasonable. He is our favorite family photographer and highly recommend!

I highly recommend Lelia if you're looking to take baby milestone pics and family pictures. First…read moreof all, I came down with mastitis the day of our family photos and had to call Lelia to let her know. She was beyond understanding and rescheduled it for us no problem. Then she reached out to us to reschedule it TWICE because the weather was looking gray and she wanted us to have clear sunny skies for our photoshoot. Seriously, who is that caring?? She even lent me a dress to wear, brought us water bottles, and provided props for our baby. We are in love with our sunset family pictures! We also took our baby's sitting up milestone session in her home studio. Again, she provided beautiful clothes, accessories, and props for our photoshoot. I thought I was going to have to stand behind the camera to get my baby to smile but Lelia took charge! She has so many tricks to get your baby to look up and smile. My baby even belly laughed! We were so comfortable in her studio and it really shines through in our pictures. We received prints in the mail and were shocked at how beautifully everything was wrapped and packaged. Lelia has such a great artistic eye and attention to detail. Cadeau photography is 100% worth your investment!

Lelia is a fantastic photographer. She did a wonderful job during our maternity photo shoot. She…read morehas a true talent identifying the perfect shot and capturing the moment so well. She was easy going, pleasant and also very patient. She was a good sport letting us include our dog in the photos too. I would highly recommend her.

We had our newborn session with Ms. Laurie, we LOVE our pictures!! We're so impress by her awesome…read morework! What I loved about Laurie is that she had the patients and took the time and dedication to take each picture, you can tell that she loves what she does by her enthusiasm. I would highly recommend Laurie for your newborn session! Pictures are memorable and having someone experience like Laurie was the best choice I made. Thanks Laurie for our beautiful pictures! Carla Herrera

Laurie is a truly amazing photographer! She took our engagement and wedding photos and hopefully…read moreone day, our maternity photos. She is not only amazing behind the camera but she is always fun, engaging, and helps us feel comfortable in front of the camera. My husband is usually really shy but he definitely opens up and our photos always turn out fantastic! Thank you Laurie! You are a gift for us!

As someone who doesn't like having pictures taken, getting my headshots done is a nerve-racking…read moreprospect. But when I got my new 'dream' job-- writing for a health magazine--they needed a headshot. And to be honest, I was also tired of my linked in being just a picture of my horse...so I had to pony-up (ha ha, puns are fun!) and find someone who could help me not look like my usual petrified-in-front-of-the-camera self in a new headshot. I first called Storytelling Headshots, because, come on: the website looks gorgeous. There was something really different in the images on her website, the colors, the light it all just looks... cool. And the people, they were clearly not just a subset of her most attractive clients. They all looked good but they also were not just models, they looked real, like someone you'd like to meet. So, I knew okay, this was a good photographer. But I realized there was still one problem: me. I am a total chicken when it comes to being photographed. I mean, I've never met a camera that didn't somehow think I had murdered it's mother or something...they are all out for revenge!!! And the pictures I get back always just look: ugh, well it's not pretty. I'll admit it: I am a photographic problem-child. And usually I get the feeling that the photographer can sense this about me. ( I guess photographers are like horses...they smell fear. Or maybe they smell non-photogenic-ness--in my case, both is true.) Anyway, I always get the feeling after a few minutes working with any photographer that they are getting impatient and want me outta there as fast as possible. (I mean, that makes two of us....) so that they can work with someone cooler, or better looking... which only makes my nervousness worse. But this experience was totally different. For one thing, I got to talk with AJ, the photographer, before we even set up the appointment. And immediately I felt like she wanted hear my story and take time with me to listen why I was getting the headshots and how she could help. She asked a lot of great questions about what characteristics I wanted to convey and what my personality was like. In general, she really seemed to care. So I took a risk and booked a session. Look, I know I'm a 'problem child' in front of the camera -- I have plenty of past 'photographic' evidence. For one thing, I am the queen of blinks! But for some reason, these images that AJ got blew me away, even just seeing them in camera. She said she is good at 'surfing blinks' -- i mean she didn't seem phased at all by my non-photogenic superpower of blinking at just the right moment. Long story short, it was a world of difference from other shoots I've had in the past. AJ showed me the images as she was photographing me and even asked me for feedback so that she could learn what I liked to see in a picture of myself. And she really listened and made a real effort to 'get in my head' and learn what I didn't like about photos in the past and what I wanted my headshot to be like. That has never happened before in my past photo shoots (Usually, I don't get to see the images until the proofs arrive, and it's always a disaster, with almost no images that I like.) This time, when I saw the back of the camera...I couldn't believe what I was seeing: they looked like a different person, well not exactly different-- in fact they more like the 'real me' than anything I've had done in the past. But it was not the blinking, awkward me I was used to seeing in pictures. I guess it's me in an alternative universe, one where I do know what to do in front of the camera. If you feel like me, you should definitely call this studio. AJ is working on a whole different level. Just the lighting alone is crazy-good, but I think it's the patience and willingness to go the extra mile that really makes this place special. I was so worried going into this...but, (and I can't believe I'm saying this), but by the end of the session, I actually felt I had fun. (Okay, maybe 'fun' is too strong...but I was definitely relieved that I had seen a good number of shots, even in the session in the back of the camera that I liked of myself. Impossible, but true. Anyway, it's a g.d. miracle, but I actually really love my final headshots. Honestly, I would have been happy to have one shot that I liked ( since that never happens.) But when we did the 'proof review' there were many, many of my proofs that I liked. (Again, this has got to be mirror-world because that never happens to me.) Okay, I know that's this has been a long rant but I'm still flabbergasted at how this turned out: In that it turned out really good! If you are anything like me, you know how difficult that is to do. So, anyway that's my two-cents: if you are photo-phobic and in the market for a headshot miracle-worker, this is the place.

As I got closer to launching my new website, I knew I needed to get serious about getting a proper…read moreheadshot. The problem was that I didn't want a run-of-the-mill picture. I wanted a photograph that would capture the joy I have for my work, my desire to help people, and that I am a friendly, fun, accessible teacher. Yikes, tall order - especially given that I don't think I've ever seen a photo of myself that conveys those things. Fast-forward to the day of my photoshoot with Storytelling Headshots and there's AJ: taking the whole thing in hand with calm, humor and clarity - including my anxiety that this was never, ever going to work out. Long story short, my headshots are unbelievable. (All of them, I kid you not.) Not only did I get a great picture for my homepage, I got about ten. AJ has this rare gift of being able to capture the essence of spirit in a photograph. If you look at any of the photographs on her website, you'll know exactly what I mean. If you need the most dynamite photographs of your life, AJ is a master of her craft and worth every single penny. Your only worry is going to be if she has any openings in her schedule (no joke).