Carmen Dunham Photography

08/12/2026

Cue the 90s dance moves. 🎉

Bay Area Parent just announced their Best of the Best Awards, and they recognized me as one of the Best Photographers in the SF Bay Area.

Ten years of documenting your beautiful mess, the toddler chaos, the teen eye-rolls, how you continue to show up for each other with humor and grace...and you all showed up to vote. That means everything.

This one's yours as much as it is mine. Every single session, every ounce of trust you've handed me, every unscripted, real moment—that's what built this. So, truly, THANK YOU!

More sessions, more stories, more totally-you moments coming your way. 💛

These Family Photographers were voted the the best in the Bay Area in Bay Area Parent’s 2026 Best of the Best reader poll.

07/29/2026

Returning to a family you’ve photographed before is one of the best parts of this job. Even when the session is a goodbye to their home that held several chapters…and then some.

Their story started with just the two of them, so full of anticipation for what was to come. It also happens to be the home where the dad grew up. So the walls held more than one family’s worth of memories.

We moved through every room, captured the everyday moments that make a house feel like home, and recreated a few photos from the very beginning.

This is what’s possible when you keep coming back. It doesn’t take long to feel at ease, sometimes just one session. But the longer you stay, the deeper the story gets. And at some point, you stop keeping track of how many sessions it’s been. Because it just feels like showing up for people you know.

This is the work that makes everything else feel worth it.

✨My fall schedule is filling up. If you’ve been thinking about booking, sooner is better than later. New here? Link in profile to grab a call. Returning families, you know where to find me. Reach out before the vortex of back-to-school sucks us all in. ✨

07/15/2026

There’s something freeing about letting go and letting the current take you.

We’re in a strange free-fall state of summer over here. With a teen in the house, we’re walking a fine line between respecting their need for personal time and spending time together as a family. And honestly, I’m learning to lean into it. These years go fast.

Parents of teens, how are you finding the balance between giving them space and luring them out from their lair?

PS — This image was taken in Kauai, just about my favorite place to just let go. Turns out a bfast buffet is all it takes to get this teen out and about on vacation.

✨

Welcome to the where we chase whatever the wide-angle world hands us: waves, trails, backyards, trips, chaos, and everything in between. Click the hashtag to follow along and see the world through everyone’s lens.

07/13/2026

Gosh. Dangit.

I’ve been avoiding film for years and for good reason. It’s fussy. It’s expensive. Half the horror stories I’ve heard involve the film not loading right or the camera just betraying you. And after all that, it’s anyone’s guess how the images will turn out. Def not for the faint of heart.

So naturally, I am completely obsessed. 😅

These scans are my first rolls since teenage-me picked up a film camera. They span a photo retreat in Ojai to a side quest to Santa Barbara and bringing a bright spot to my day.✨

(Shot on Canon Elan 7s w Portra 400, for the film nerds out there.)

First image by Meli Melissa Schmidt

06/30/2026

I've been thinking a lot lately about what it means to do this work.

Going out on your own is a leap. A big one. And there were plenty of moments early on where I wondered if I was doing the right thing. But I made myself a promise: take it slow, do it my way, and never stop showing up for the families who trust me with their most ordinary and most extraordinary moments.

The family in this post is a good example of what that looks like in practice. I met them before this home held any children at all, and I was there again on their way out the door. That kind of bookend isn't something you get to do very often.

That's the part of this job nobody tells you about. Families let you into their homes, their routines, their inside jokes. They share spaces that most people never see. And somewhere along the way, their milestones start to feel like yours too.

I'm so glad I didn't talk myself out of it. And I'm so grateful for every family who's made it worth it. 💛

An Oakland family photographer on why returning clients make for the best sessions — and one family's story from maternity to moving day.

05/08/2026

Photography has enriched my life in ways I never imagined. I picked up my camera to capture those early sleepless newborn days I knew I’d be too tired to remember. As an introvert, it became my gateway — and quietly, my love language. A way of saying I see you without having to find the words.

And boy, has it led me to some beautiful souls. Many of them women. Mothers. A powerhouse of multitudes.

This Mother’s Day weekend, I’m thinking about all the ways love shows up without announcement. These portraits were taken at The Family Narrative Retreat in Ojai — a family of badass photographers, showing up for their craft, for each other, and for the families they document. I’m so grateful to see and be seen by you. ❤️

Photo of me by
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Welcome to the — We’re a community of alumni connected by our love for cinematic storytelling. We find beauty in the narrative depth of daily life, and while each of our styles is beautifully unique, we all share the same goal: to weave light, composition, and emotion into a photograph that feels like a remembered scene.
Our stories may be different, but each one is worth telling.
I can‘t wait to see the story you share. Next up is: ✨

04/30/2026

Being lifted and inspired by incredible photographers is a gift. ✨

This week I attended retreat, where our first photo assignment was to channel some of the greats. We had the honor of emulating , an artist who I admire and continue to draw inspiration from. I knew right away that my favorite dress would pair perfectly with the photo challenge and volunteered to “model” in it. The collab in itself was fun, light, and magical—an art form that Jesse embodied. Image captured by Maryam and edited by me in Mobile.

04/03/2026

Senior sessions are in full swing, and we’re having a blast. What I’m loving most? Collabing with these big kids, bouncing ideas off each other, and just having fun. It’s a vibe, and I’m here for it—here for them.

For this session, we went back to where it all began for this senior: Fairyland, Oakland’s beloved storybook park where time stands still—except when you’re graduating, and suddenly it doesn’t.

His mom absolutely understood the assignment and showed up with a rolling suitcase full of treasures, including the astronaut helmet he wore nonstop as a kid. Watching from the sidelines, I could feel her heart melting. Honestly, it was the sweetest.

The whole session felt so easy. We bounced between the Fairy Gates and the lake, and everything just clicked. Before we knew it, the sun had set with the pinkest of skies.

This is what non-traditional senior portraits look like. Creative, personal, nostalgic, weird in the best of ways, and completely you. ⚡️🎓✨

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Welcome to the — We’re a community of alumni connected by our love for cinematic storytelling. We find beauty in the narrative depth of daily life, and while each of our styles is beautifully unique, we all share the same goal: to weave light, composition, and emotion into a photograph that feels like a remembered scene.
Our stories may be different, but each one is worth telling.
I can‘t wait to see the story you share. Next up is: .photography


oaklandclassof2026

03/12/2026

Some good news! One of my favorite photos was chosen as a finalist in the Landscape category for Click Magazine. 🎉

This one was taken on an epic road trip along the coast with dear family. I knew it was something special the moment I took it, but as family circumstances have changed, it has only grown more meaningful. So grateful for these little pockets of light to look back on.

Big thanks to Click Magazine for fostering such a supportive community (I heard the news from friends first, which made it even sweeter). And congrats to the winners — you all continue to blow me away.

Oh, and if you need to hear it today: always insist on just "one more photo." Your family will thank you later. 🩷

03/04/2026

Today marks the last of the Lunar New Year festivities welcoming in the Year of the Fire Horse. And we didn't just show up, we showed UP: lion dances on repeat, two Chinatowns (SF + Oakland), the celebration at Oakland Museum of Modern Art, and yes, I made my mom's famous noodles. Because some traditions are non-negotiable. 🍜

There's something about watching communities fill the streets with pride that feels both necessary and healing right now. Let's carry that fire into everything we do this year. 🧧✨"

And hey, this is your sign if you've been waiting for the right time to finally capture your family, refresh your headshots, or let the love you poured into your work be seen.🔥🐴

Let’s talk. I'd love to make it happen.