Lilac and Ivy Photography

Lilac and Ivy Photography I'm Mercae, a family, maternity and newborn photographer based in Seattle, WA.

Hi, I’m Mercae (pronounced Mer-say), a neurodivergent Seattle mother to one wild preschooler boy and a portrait photographer. I am deeply passionate about providing parents with tangible reminders of their families connection and love story because of my own experience as a mother. Looking up at the wall, seeing myself at the heart of my beautiful family brings me so much light and joy and made ev

en the toughest days of postpartum depression bearable. I know it can help other parents both in the moment of the session, taking time to be together, and after, when it comes time to mount their photos on the wall or thumb through their album again.

04/17/2026

Taking off the weight of untreated bipolar II and CPTSD and stepping into my flourishing healthy mind and body season 🤍. Talk therapy, a psych who understands me, and a lot of hustling has been life changing. What are you putting down this year?

04/12/2026

Hot take, but it needs to be said:

If you’re asking for raw files, what you’re really saying is “I don’t trust you.”

And that’s a hard place to start from.

Because when you hire a photographer, you are not just paying for someone to click a button. You are choosing an artist. You are choosing their eye, their restraint, their ability to see light and emotion and shape it into something meaningful. The finished image is the work. Not the halfway point. Not the ingredients sitting on the counter.

No one walks into a bakery and asks for a bowl of cake batter so they can take it home and finish it themselves. You go because you trust the baker to turn simple ingredients into something beautiful, something intentional, something complete.

Photography is no different.

Raw files are unfinished. Flat. Incomplete. They are not a reflection of the photographer’s work, they are the starting line. Handing those over is like handing over a sketch instead of the painting, like delivering fabric instead of a dress.

And photographers, gently but honestly, when you give those away you’re not so subtly telling your clients your final work isn’t enough on its own. That your process isn’t trustworthy. That you have no artistic integrity or business sense. That your vision can be picked apart and reinterpreted by anyone with a preset.

That’s not generosity. That’s dilution.

Clients deserve a finished gallery that feels cohesive, thoughtful, and true to the artist they chose. And photographers deserve to be trusted to complete the work they were hired to do.

So if you love someone’s style, if you’re drawn to the way they see families and light and connection, let them do their job. Let them finish the story.

And if you don’t trust them to do that… it might be worth asking why you’re booking in the first place.

04/12/2026

I actually specialize in studio maternity and in home newborn photos but every so often I collab with local models and businesses to stretch my creativity.

stclair


04/10/2026

Opening ONLY to my email waitlist May 15th. 🌹

Rose Garden sessions are coming for maternity, newborn and family sessions. 🌹 Join the waitlist in the links or miss out...
04/10/2026

Rose Garden sessions are coming for maternity, newborn and family sessions. 🌹 Join the waitlist in the links or miss out on the May 15th booking calendar release.

🩷

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04/04/2026

Where are you doing your maternity photos this spring? 🌸🌸🌸

04/01/2026

is my go to tool to renting studio space in Seattle 🤍.

Today I took some time to photograph my entire client closet on a mannequin for the first time. I put on classical music...
03/31/2026

Today I took some time to photograph my entire client closet on a mannequin for the first time. I put on classical music and had a bit of fun recording some behind the scenes… Thank you to for hosting me.

The dresses you see here are just a small glimpse into my client closet. I’ve spent so much time carefully curating pieces that feel nostalgic, feminine, and effortlessly elegant… the kind of styling that feels timeless without ever feeling overdone. Everything is chosen to photograph beautifully while still feeling like you.

When you book with Lilac & Ivy Photography, you’ll receive my wardrobe guide where you can browse available pieces, view sizing, and choose what feels most aligned. You’re never left guessing or overwhelmed… it’s all laid out for you in a really simple, supportive way.

My goal is always to take this off your plate so you can walk into your session feeling calm, prepared, and fully present. Because the way it felt matters just as much as how it looks 🤍

03/31/2026

Check out what I was able to do at - their studio is perfect for client closet photos, fashion, portrait, and anything that can use the white cyclorama walls. I put on my headphones and was able to totally create peacefully - literally walked to the studio from my apartment!

03/30/2026

Literally, marrying anyone but another photographer is not in the cards for me I swear. 🥺

03/30/2026

I’m being hyperbolic so you’re safe for now, but these are my tips for achieving elegant, timeless and heirloom photographic artwork.

Please god, do not wear:

1) socks with sandals. Absolutely not. Matter of fact, put them dogs away. I recommend “close toed” sandals unless you want your little piggies immortalized on your mantle or heirloom album in which case, the client is always right in matters of taste.

2) Patagonia for every occasion. For a photoshoot put your puffer or vest away, try a cardigan or fisherman’s wool sweater. A little more tasteful and timeless and still cozy!

3) Photoshoots with pets in neon color leashes and collars. Every dog has his day, and I recommend purchasing leather leashes and collars - it makes things really cute and dapper. Tip: Do not allow the dogs near the leather leashes until you’re ready to leash them up on location in case they like to chew.

4) Black everything. Black tends to blur together in the film style I shoot and if black isn’t in your color wheel it can wash you out. I actually recommend lighter colors. They do not make you look “bigger” - the draping and cinching in an outfit can emphasize different features depending on where you want to draw the eyes.

5) Jeans. Jeans are often hard to move in most times and can look very dated in years following your photoshoot depending on the cut. One thing that upscales a photoshoot is fabric movement and quality. A beautifully draped dress from my client closet designed to be photographed gives you gorgeous movement, beautiful color and is able to highlight your favorite angles without restricting your movement.

03/30/2026

I’m a Seattle studio maternity and in home newborn photographer 🤍. I love my cameras and have everything needed to create stunning, heirloom artwork to fill your home.

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Seattle, WA

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