Mountain Laurel Photo

10/19/2026

Swipe through to check out what sessions will be available this Winter and Spring! The 2027 booking calendar will be released on November 1st.

Snow sessions on Mt Hood! Think sledding, snowball fights, sipping warm mugs of cocoa while the kids build a snowman amidst dramatic snow-covered trees! Fast-paced so no one freezes, doggos welcome. Bonus points if you want to build a snowy campfire!

Wildflower Sessions in the Columbia River Gorge. Make an adventure out of your family or maternity session! Spring wildflower season in the Columbia River Gorge is unbelievably gorgeous, and it can be the backdrop to your family’s story next year.

Spring Flower Mini Sessions! Lots of colorful flowers and a lacy white backdrop in a beautiful forested setting. Would make a wonderful Mother’s Day gift! These limited spots will be released to my email list first. DM to get on the list!

These are short, fun family photo sessions on weekday evenings at Thousand Acres Park, Lewis & Clark State Park, and other beautiful parks in Troutdale, Oregon. Exact location varies by season.

Personality Portraits! Simple, fun photos of your kiddos that show off their true personality! Whether they want to smile politely, be super silly, or just stare at the camera with some classic teenage sass, we’ll capture your kids as they really are.
P.S. these will be completely free for all past clients!

If you’d rather stay warm and cozy, a home session is the one for you. Snuggle up on the couch, bake some cookies, have a dance party in the living room - your home, your family, your real-life memories.

If you’re into foggy mornings, splashing in mud puddles, and leaning into the wet PNW winter, I’m a hundred percent here for it. Bundle the kids up and let’s go adventuring!

Maternity Sessions with me are simple, laid-back, and fun! I will guide you through playful poses and fun prompts, and all along we’ll be creating images that look and feel connected, empowering, and beautiful. Partners & children always welcome.

A gentle, natural newborn photo session experience in your home. With calm, quiet energy, I lead you through the session, so you can focus on what matters most: getting cozy as a f

10/09/2026

I’ve been photographing families for a hot minute. Over the past 5.5 years I’ve seen it all, and am not even slightly fazed by your fussy baby or wild toddler or sullen teenager, or even your posse of feral barefoot homeschooled children with their horses and riding cows. Bring on the chaos! I am all for documenting real life in all its glory.

Oregon Family & Newborn Photographer | Portland and beyond | maternity and newborn photo shoot | pregnancy and baby | playful photos for cuddly people

10/04/2026

Winter is coming and so is snow on the mountain (hopefully). Let’s go frolic in it! These were all taken at a trailhead right off highway 26 - super easy access, no actual hiking required. I don’t know about you but evergreen trees covered in snow is maybe one of my favorite views in the world and I would be beyond stoked to work with that view more.

My 2027 winter calendar will be opening up soon but if you already know you wanna book, you can go for it - just pick any date and let me know that it’s actually for winter ‘27. As soon as the calendar opens up you’ll get first dibs on dates.

As always all the links are in the link-in-bio linky link. (Ok it’s a weird word now.)

Portland maternity photographer | Mount hood maternity photographer | winter snow maternity photos | playful photos for cuddly people

10/04/2026

10/04/2026

Here are some examples of fall color palettes for family photo outfits, with the colors taken from real outfits on real families I’ve photographed! Swipe to the end for a few tips for bringing it all together.

Portland Family & Newborn Photographer | playful photos for cuddly people | PDX fall family photos

09/21/2026

Remember that Fresh 48 session I posted a few days ago? Here’s that same newborn baby, at home, about 3.5 weeks later. See what I mean about how much they change in those first few days and weeks?

I’m gearing up for a fall full of families and a winter full of babies. My 2027 calendar isn’t open quite yet, but scheduling for newborn sessions is, of course, super flexible, so if you wanna get on there for early 2027 just shoot me a message and we’ll get it lined up.

I’m also putting together a blog post with everything I can possibly think of to tell you about Portland newborn photo sessions - it’ll be published this week and I’ll post the link. What questions do you have? Leave ‘em in the comments and I’ll make sure to include my answers in the post!

Portland Newborn Photographer | In-Home Newborn Photography | natural baby pictures | cozy photos for cuddly people

09/14/2026

There’s newborn, and then there’s NEWborn. Fresh 48 sessions are (as the name implies) done within the first 48 hours of your baby’s life, often in the hospital, so that you can intentionally capture those earliest moments of your tiny little babe and new parenthood. Are they glamorous? Nope. Is newborn life glamorous? Nope. Are they impossibly sweet? Absolutely. Will you tear up some every time you look at them for the rest of your life? Maybe (I do). In all seriousness though, if you haven’t seen it with your own eyes it is impossible to describe how quickly newborns change, even in the first week. Not everyone loves the squishy-faced freshie vibes, but if you’re into it, this session type is for you.

You can bundle it with a first year package at a discount to get the at-home newborn session plus 6 month and 1 year photos too (and maternity too, if you want!), or just take it as a standalone instead of a newborn session. Your call. I support whichever decision you make and will make the experience easy, simple, cuddly, and maybe even fun.

I honestly can’t wait to meet you, and your baby. Lemme know what you want and we’ll make it happen.

09/12/2026

I probably yap too much about work and not enough about who does the work (ie myseeeeelf) around here. As a photographer it’s tempting to hide behind the lens or the screen but I also know that when I’m thinking about hiring someone, I’m hella nosy and want to know everything about who they are personally. Don’t love admitting it but I once wasted at least an hour digging through the Pinterest boards of a therapist I used to work with because it was the only thing she didn’t have locked down. (But what does the inside of their ACTUAL house look like???) Okay now that I’ve made myself sound thoroughly creepy, I promise I’m actually not!!! I don’t have time for Pinterest-stalking most people anymore even if I was.
Ok anyway my point is HI I’m Laurel! I am the tired mother of 2 small feral boys and also of 2 small local businesses (this one, obviously, and I also run a small home daycare). I’ve been professionally wrangling kiddos since 2015 and professionally photographing them since 2021. I’m a Scorpio and I half-heartedly-kinda-jokingly-but-also-ummm-it’s-spot-on believe in everything my natal chart has to say, but I couldn’t tell you what signs my kids or husband or dog are. I find it damn near impossible to “just rest” or “relax” because there are a gazillion things I want to do with this life and zero time to do 99% of them. Haven’t yet decided where this falls on the spectrum of healthy character traits. I find joy in watching my kids’ brains whir to life as they figure out the world, in being able to say “thanks, I made it myself”, and in baking (especially breads). I was homeschooled and spent a very solid chunk of my childhood in the Cambridge Public Library; books were my first true love and “bookworm” has been a massive part of my identity for as long as I can remember.
It’s way too freaking late and I gotta go to sleep. This post feels unfinished and kinda silly but if I don’t post it now it’ll get thrown on the “do it later” pile, which is a bit of a black hole.
Gooodnight friends. Glad you’re here.

09/03/2026

If you’re expecting a baby anytime in the next 9 months, now is the right time to book your newborn photos. We’ll do them at your home, anywhere in the greater Portland area. I’ll hold your hand through the whole process. We’ll keep it simple and make it fun. No need to make your baby super sleepy or wrap them up in layers of swaddles. Just hold them close and breathe them in and I’ll guide you through the rest. Siblings and grandparents are always welcome. All the details are in my website. Book online quickly and easily. Email or DM me with any questions. I’m already so thrilled for you and cannot wait to get you beautiful photos of this beautiful moment in time!

Portland newborn photographer | new baby photos at home | maternity photographer | natural, unposed newborn pictures | playful photos for cuddly people

08/21/2026

Booking is open for 2026 Tree Farm Mini Sessions! Fast-paced & fun 15 minute session, includes 15 image downloads (with the option to purchase more if you want after viewing the gallery), $275. These are currently about half full so hop on it while you still can!

Saturday October 17 - morning and afternoon
Saturday November 7 - morning only
Sunday November 22 - morning and afternoon

Booking link is in my bio & in story highlights & on my website, front page

More info (like every detail I could think of to share with you) is on my website - the link is also in the bio, or check it out manually at mountainlaurelphoto.com/mini-sessions

Book online quickly and easily! DM me with any questions! Can’t wait to see you out there!

Christmas tree farm mini sessions near Portland | family photographer near Portland | playful photos for cuddly people