Jessica Shepard Photography

Portland Oregon Wedding Photographer

About Me

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.

I can not kill bugs, and prefer them to be escorted outside the house when the sneak in. Chocolate, red wine, good beer, pasta of any type... I could live on these foods alone. I love road trips, big cities, and small funky towns. I have driven cross country four times, with trips ranging from five days to two months.

I grew up in New Jersey, just outside NYC. After a couple years of art school in the city, I moved 90 miles north to a small town in the Hudson Valley, where I earned a bachelor's degree in fine arts photography. Little did I know I would spend almost ten years of my life in the small town of New Paltz. Eventually I found my way out west, and have lived between Seattle and Portland for quite some time now.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

A new family

When I first started photographing weddings, I under valued family portraits. I figured they were just photos and not moments. One day I started thinking about my own wedding photos. I am glad to have the photos of our kiss, guests blowing bubbles as we walked out of the church, and of course of the two of us. The most important photo to me of all though is the one of all my family. I would never have thought this, but a formal posed portrait of all ten of us is the one I’d choose if I could only make one enlargement.

This bride and groom have an adorable nine month old little girl together, and the bride has a son (with the cutest smile). I have several images of all four of them looking forward but I think there is one particular that stands out. For a moment, the bride stopped thinking about the camera, and turned towards her daughter.

Corbett Oregon Wedding Photos by Portland Photographer Jessica Shepard

Little Boy & Baby Sister by Portland Wedding Photographer Jessica Shepard

by Jessica

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Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Jaymie & Drew {Corbett, Oregon Wedding}

Jaymie & Drew had a fun energetic wedding at a ranch out in Corbett, Oregon. Lots of laughter, a few tears, delicious food, dancing… all surrounded by trees, and fields with horses. I usually prefer the captured moments photos but something about this bride’s shoes really sums up the tone of the wedding.

Check back soon for more photos. (Yes, I realize this is a super tiny unfair tease.)

Wedding Day Shoes - Corbett Oregon Bride

by Jessica

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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

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

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!