Rachael Venema Photography

05/14/2026

Some posts are harder to share than others.

Amy was a friend who impacted my life, and so many others, in ways that are hard to put into words. This isn’t about business. It’s about remembering, honoring, and holding onto the people we love.

I wrote something from the heart about legacy and why photos matter more than we often realize.

You can read it here:
www.RachaelVenema.com/blog

05/10/2026

To the moms who wake up every day and quietly carry the weight of the world for their families… we see you.

To the women who keep everything running behind the scenes.
The planners.
The comforters.
The safe place.
The late-night worriers.
The appointment schedulers, lunch makers, homework helpers, cheerleaders, encouragers, and exhausted hearts who still keep showing up with love.

Today, we celebrate you.

We celebrate those who have beautiful relationships with their moms and those who carry complicated or painful ones.
Those who are mothers.
Those longing to become mothers.
Those who have experienced miscarriage, infertility, or the heartbreaking loss of a child.
Those missing their mom deeply today and wishing for one more hug, one more phone call, one more moment.

We celebrate the women who stepped in as mother figures when someone else could not.
The grandmas, aunts, sisters, mentors, friends, foster moms, bonus moms, and women who loved others like their own.

Mother’s Day can hold so much joy and so much ache at the very same time.
And wherever your heart finds itself today, you are not alone.

So today, we send love to the women carrying both gratitude and grief.
To the women giving endlessly to those around them.
To the women healing.
To the women holding others together while quietly needing someone to hold them too.

Hugs to those who fill these roles in beautiful ways.
And gentle hugs to those whose hearts hurt today.

You are deeply loved.
Happy Mother’s Day.

~ Rachael
Rachael Venema Photography

04/24/2026

04/07/2026

Jamie didn’t think she had a story worth telling.

Like so many of us, she felt like her life was just… her life.

But after losing both of her parents within just a few years, everything shifted.

As she went through old photos and memorabilia her mom had carefully kept…
pieces of a life, moments that mattered, stories held in every image…

She realized something deeper.

These stories…of faith, of life, of everything they had walked through…needed to live on.

But how?

How do you preserve something like that?
How do you capture more than just a moment… and actually hold onto a life story?

Then she came across my website and read about Storytelling Portraits.

And she knew.

This was how she wanted to preserve it.

Not just in photos…
but in her voice, her story, and the legacy she would pass on to her family.

And as she began to share, something shifted again.

She realized her story isn’t finished. It’s just beginning.

She talked about how she has learned to never stop being grateful for the hard…
because it’s in those seasons that God has been the most faithful.

And she knows that in the next 30+ years, there will be even more moments, more faith thresholds, more stories to tell.

Each of us has been given a life story.

And when we choose to share it, it has the power to impact others in ways we may never fully see.

Jamie’s story is one of God’s faithfulness.

Of waiting.
Of walking through the hard.
And of how God brought even more joy on the other side and gave her a greater story to tell.

By sharing her story, she’s allowing God to use it…
to show others His love, His faithfulness, and His presence in every season.

Stay tuned to see her full story, beautifully captured by RoTi Films,

and the portraits I created for her that will live on in an album for her and her family to hold onto for years to come.

This is a small piece of her story… and a reminder that yours matters too.

Your story matters.
If you’d like to preserve it for your family, you can learn more here:
www.rachaelvenema.com/storytelling-sessions
{Link in Profile}

04/02/2026

At the Radiance Retreat that I attended last November, I wasn’t just there to photograph and serve the women…

I was part of the experience too.

Jen created a space for all of us to slow down, reflect, and step into something deeper.

Desiree helped guide us in putting our stories into words…
in a way that brought clarity to what we’ve lived through and who we’ve become.

Then Rorey captured each woman and those words on film.

And I had the honor of creating portraits of each woman, using the words from their story to reflect who they are.

These were just mini storytelling sessions…
but this video means more to me than I expected.

It helps me see myself the way others see me.

It shows me the woman I am… and the woman I’m becoming.

And it brings me right back to how I felt in that space: seen, loved, and free to be fully myself.

But even more than that…

It reminded me why my story matters.

I want my story to be shared so people can see how God has worked in my life…
how He has carried me, healed me, and allowed me to share His love with my family and those around me.

Because of the work I’ve done in healing from my past, I’m able to help others see themselves differently…
through the portraits I create for them.

This idea of Storytelling Portraits… it wasn’t random.

I truly believe God placed it on my heart.

So people would realize:

They have a story to share.
Their life has meaning.
Their legacy can live on.

And for those who desire it…
their faith story can create ripples of impact far beyond what they can see.

You have a purpose in this world.

This is a small piece of my story…
and why I believe yours matters too.

04/01/2026

Yesterday was and I didn’t even realize it until I was already deep in it.

I was pulling photos for Isaac’s senior yearbook—baby photos to now—and it sent me down a rabbit trail of searching through old files.

What I found honestly surprised me…

Photos that only lived on flash drives. Not backed up anywhere else. One of them was even starting to rust.

So I spent the day backing everything up—hard drives, cloud, phone photos—and it also made me realize something else…

I’m years behind on my own kids’ albums. (I am making this a priority THIS YEAR!)

I create albums for my clients all the time. I believe in them deeply.
And yet… life gets busy.

But here’s the truth:
Digital files are easy to lose. Hard to organize. Easy to forget.

Albums are different.
You open them—and everything is right there.

So let this be your reminder (it was mine too):

Back it up.
Print it.
Keep your memories safe.

03/10/2026

Senior year has a way of making you pause and take it all in. 🏀

Watching Isaac out on the basketball court these past years has been such a gift. I recently took some photos of him in the gym, and as I watched him dribble the ball, line up a shot, and move around the court, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of pride and a little sadness. This season is coming to an end, and it’s hard to imagine not sitting in the stands cheering him on anymore.

It feels like just yesterday he was a little boy learning the game, and now here he is… a senior, about to graduate. Everyone always says, “Don’t blink,” and now I understand exactly what they mean. The years truly do go by so quickly.

Of course, Isaac also insisted on getting a photo with his girlfriend Belle in the gym too. 😊 She was sweet enough to give in to his wishes. Those little moments are part of the story too.

What a joy it has been to watch him grow—not just as an athlete, but as a young man. I’m so proud of the person he is becoming.

As he steps into this next season of life, my prayer is that God will guide his steps, lead him in his decisions, and continue shaping his heart for the future ahead. We pray we’ve prepared him well for life and that he knows he is deeply loved and supported wherever his path leads.

Senior year… how did we get here already? 💙

02/15/2026

If you’ve been dreaming of an Almond Blossom session in Ripon… this is your moment. 🌸

We are releasing a once-in-a-lifetime special offer for sessions happening this coming Saturday & Sunday only.

And the best part? The weather is supposed to be absolutely perfect. Soft blossoms. Beautiful light. Ideal temperatures. The kind of weekend you can’t plan twice.

If almond blossoms with your family in Ripon, CA have been on your heart, you truly don’t want to miss this.

The announcement goes out tomorrow morning to our email list — and spots will be extremely limited.

Join the list here:bit.ly/ca-friends

Be the first to see the offer. Be the first to reserve your date. Once the weekend is full, that’s it. 🌸

01/15/2026

There’s something incredibly special about the first time a family sees themselves all together.

Elly and her family had never had a portrait of their entire extended family before. What she wanted was simple—but deeply meaningful:
a beautiful family portrait for her family room, along with prints and digital images they could truly enjoy.

From our very first conversation, my goal was to make the process feel easy, guided, and enjoyable—so no one felt overwhelmed by decisions or details. When families are cared for well throughout the experience, the final artwork carries so much more heart.

Here’s what Elly shared after seeing her finished portraits:

“Rachael put me at ease from our first conversation about the photo session. She was very forthcoming with suggestions and ideas that made the whole process enjoyable! I feel she truly wants to do her best job for her clients and helps them with all the decisions, whether large or small! The finished products were beyond my expectations and we are thrilled with everything we purchased. I highly recommend her to anyone that wants an exceptional experience and result!”

These are the portraits that live on your walls, are passed down, and become part of your family’s story.
And it’s always an honor to create them.

01/10/2026

A portrait session with me is about more than photos.
It’s about creating artwork you’ll love living with every day.

We begin with a consultation where we talk through your vision, wardrobe ideas, and how you’d like to enjoy your portraits in your home. We’ll plan the details together: your family dynamic, style, and whether your session takes place in the studio or on location, so everything feels thoughtful and personal from the start.

On session day, the experience is designed to be relaxed and stress-free. Hair and makeup are taken care of, wardrobe planning is simplified, and everything is prepared ahead of time so you don’t have to manage the details. Snacks and little surprises help kids feel comfortable, allowing your family to simply enjoy being together.

After your session, you’ll return for your image reveal. You’ll see your portraits for the first time in a beautiful slideshow, and then we’ll design how your images will live in your home. Exploring wall art, collections, sizing, and framing so your memories become meaningful artwork.

Finally, your finished pieces are delivered to your home, ready to be enjoyed every day. These portraits become more than pictures. They’re reminders of your family, this season of life, and moments you never want to forget.

If you’re ready for a portrait experience that’s fully guided from start to finish, I’d love to connect.

Learn more at www.RachaelVenema.com

01/04/2026

California friends 💛

I’m currently working on details for my trip back to California during the last week of February, right in the heart of almond blossom season. I’ll be offering a limited number Almond Blossom Portrait Sessions, along with a few spots available for other portrait sessions for anyone who has been thinking about updating family photos, creating something meaningful, or finally being in front of the camera themselves (Family Portraits, HS Seniors, Child Portraits, RAW Portraits, Storytelling Portraits, Headshots, Branding, etc)

Because almond blossoms are always a bit unpredictable with weather, I’ll be taking a limited number of almond blossom sessions this year. If this has been on your heart, I encourage you to reach out sooner rather than later.

Send me a message here or email me at [email protected] if you’d like more details or want to be on the schedule.

I’m so looking forward to being back and seeing some of my California friends again — it always feels like coming home. 🌸