Jessica Shepard Photography

Portland Oregon Wedding Photographer

About Me

I just love what I do. I first discovered photography almost 20 years ago, with a film SLR and my high school dark room. I went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in art and photography. During college, I swore to a friend I would always shoot film. Four years ago, I switched to Nikon digital gear.

For the past five years I have been photographing professionally, going full-time in early 2008. I photograph weddings, babies, families, and pregnancy. When I am not photographing for a client, I am often capturing my toddler, or taking landscapes as we explore the northwest.

I have an amazing energetic little girl, a darling hubby, and two cats. We live in the suburbs, just outside Portland. I'm a bit of a geek and can often be found behind my computer. I love nature, especially the beach, but also have an inner Jersey girl in me that comes out in odd ways.

Friday, July 30, 2010

Karen & Drake’s Wedding

Karen & Drake have been together for a long time. Their wedding was about friends and family coming together from all the times and places in their lives. The couple went up to The Resort at the Mountain the evening prior to their wedding, enjoyed dinner with family and friends at a local bbq place (with the added surprise of good live music), and then had breakfast together on their wedding morning. After, they separated to start getting ready.

I met Drake in the lobby of the resort. It has beautiful grounds, and they provide each couple with a limo golf cart with a personal wedding coordinator to chauffeur them around. Tami, our coordinator for the day, looked through Karen & Drake’s photo display and picked out the perfect spot to do their first look, deep in the golf course by the river.

After taking photos at the resort we headed over to Wildwood Recreation Site to go on a little nature walk for more portraits. Karen led us through a favorite boardwalk style trail. It was deep lush forest, with moss coating the trees. I’ve only seen such density before in the rain forest at Olympic National Park (and I’m pretty excited to find it closer to home).

The wedding itself was at an intimate spot in the park. Surrounded by loved ones, with a ceremony filled with personal touches, the couple said I do. A champagne toast followed, and then Karen & Drake went back to the resort to celebrate at the reception.

Wedding Venues: Wildwood Recreation Site & Resort at the Mountain

Location: Mt Hood – Welches, Oregon

Dress: Lena Medoyeff

Florist: Tayadeline

DJ: Tunes to Go

Cake: Dream Cakes

by Jessica

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Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Wildwood Recreation Site Wedding

Posted in Wildwood-Recreation-Site

This photo is a little different but I think one of my favorites as I process Karen & Drake’s wedding. I was planning on just doing one big blog post of all the highlights of their wedding, but I could not wait to share this one. To me, the beauty of this photo is that they are not posing. Wildwood Recreation Site and the area around Mt. Hood is a very special place to this couple, and they were just enjoying the view and each other here.

Karen – more to come soon. I promise!

by Jessica

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Sunday, July 11, 2010

Sometimes DIY means every detail is you

Posted in Bridal Veil Lakes

When I first met Tiffani, she told me it was a DIY wedding. This can mean a whole range of things. For this couple, it meant thinking of all the little details, constantly working on their wedding for their 2+ year engagement, and enlisting the help of lots of friends. Their energy created an amazing wedding, pulled off with style and grace.

Tiff & Adam’s wedding ceremony and reception were so extremely personalized. Bridal Veil Lakes is beautiful and natural. The Gorge wedding venue really suited the couple’s relaxed style perfectly. During the wedding ceremony, Hawaiian customs such as having the bride’s grandfather place leis on the couple, were incorporated. The officiants were personally selected too, the groom’s father and the bride’s college mentor.

They handmade their own wedding rings through a workshop in Seattle. Each table was decorated with delicate pieces of paper with questions on them, the type that makes you really think. The bride tossed a lavender bouquet for good luck to all the guys and girls that wanted to catch it. Camp songs were typed up and passed out, and of course there was the beer chugging canoe race! Every little detail was thought out, and was just completely Tiff and Adam.

Tiffani – Thank you for choosing me as your wedding photographer, and letting me share your day!

by Jessica

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Sunday, July 11, 2010

Young Nak Church Wedding

Posted in Beaverton

I have never before been to a Korean wedding, or photographed a wedding in another language. Watching the wedding, completely in Korean, and not understanding a word of it was quite a different experience. Every wedding ceremony has common elements but different cultures all have their own rituals.

About ten minutes into the ceremony, terror hit me. I realized I had no way of knowing when the kiss was coming! I watched for queues like the ring exchange, and then realized I could watch all the wedding guests. Suddenly guests started to get out their phones and held them up, and pointed their cameras. I crouched into the position in the middle of the isle, and just froze until it happened. Delightfully, I timed it just right and caught the moment.

But for this post, I’m going to back up a bit, to the bride walking down the aisle with her father. In most weddings, everyone enters except the bride and her dad. At Kelly & Eli’s everyone entered, including Kelly, and waited at the back of the sanctuary. This photo of Kelly walking down the aisle is one of my favorites so far. Her expression just makes the photo for me.