2021 was a beautiful year for photo sessions (with a record number of Kiersten Marie Photo sessions!). It was a year I felt intensely grateful to have such incredible clients who trusted me to capture these important chapters of their lives (especially during such a tough year for so many).

I wish I could fit every portrait session in this superlatives list, but I really wanted to do a little roundup of some special 2021 moments. Read on to see photos from the session with the craziest weather to the session that included the most photo-ready pet.

Cuddliest Siblings

There are some family and newborn sessions where I barely even need to encourage the little ones to snuggle up to their siblings (and it makes my heart fully melt). These are some of the sessions where I was able to capture some of my favorite of those ultra-sweet sibling moments.

Dreamiest Weather

Some sessions take a couple of reschedules to find that magic Seattle weather. And there are other sessions where the clouds break unexpectedly for the most glorious, sunny weather. Below are examples of both of those situations via a maternity session and family session (and I was SO grateful for both instances).

Kiddo With the Best Head of Hair

Need I even say more? Below are the amazing little heads of hair on both a toddler and a newborn that I was truly obsessed with (and so jealous of).

Most Eventful

You might not be able to tell from these photos, but this family session was jam-packed with excitement. Much to our surprise, a huge group of high school cross country runners arrived to practice at the Washington Park Arboretum RIGHT where we were shooting.

Cut to me repeatedly jumping out of the way with all of my gear 😂 It all worked out, though, because this little guy was fascinated by the older kids whizzing by.

Kiddo Most Excited to Be in Front of the Camera

It’s not the most frequent experience, but once in a while a little one is beyond excited for their photo session. These types of sessions make my job so easy and it’s truly fun to get to capture their little personalities (but also hard because I end up with SO many photos to choose from 😅).

Twins!

This was my only photo session with twins this year! These shy cuties were so easy to photograph and their big brother was incredible with them. Swoon.

Wildest Weather

There are times as a photographer, when you’re just so excited that it’s not raining (especially in Seattle) that you don’t foresee intense, chilly winds coming off of the Sound. That’s exactly what happened during this evening of windy Fall Mini Sessions.

Everyone involved was an amazing sport about the whole thing (especially the two below who even dipped their bare feet into the water 🥶).

Most Photo-Ready Pet

I was lucky enough to shoot sooo many furry family members this year, but this pup showed up truly ready to pose. Fully willing to sit and just gaze into my camera, I was amazed at how easy it was to shoot this cutie.

Best Fall Foliage

The last day of 2021 Fall Minis brought with it the most amazing fall colors and such an unseasonably warm, lovely day. The two sessions below were absolute knockouts when it came to showing off all that autumn in Seattle has to offer (I was totally swooning while taking these). Give 👏me 👏all 👏the 👏leaves👏

Most Engaged Newborn

I captured so many newborns in 2021 and a good portion of them were wide awake (which makes for photos that are honestly just as beautiful as sleepy newborn photos). BUT! This little guy, in particular, seemed like he really wanted to be a part of the whole experience.

From the first few moments where he desperately tried to keep his eyes open to the part of the session where he looked like he was actually waving to me, he was so present. I haven’t had an experience quite like that one. Incredibly lovely.

Most Magical Light

There’s something about autumn light. It has this warmth to it that feels like a blanket—a perfect contrast to that crisp, chilly air. Both of the below sessions were in the fall. But here’s the kicker—they weren’t both in the evening. Can you guess which one was taken in the morning?

Golden hour will, of course, always lives up to its name… but morning light is wildly beautiful and underrated. So magical.

Washington Park Arboretum, Seattle

Best Spring Blossoms

Motherhood Minis took the prize for offering the best spring blossom backdrop in 2021. These mini sessions were a three-way tie for the best of the best spring beauty. Both the magnolia trees and cherry blossoms trees were so vibrant 🌸

The Most Giggly Kiddo

I photographed an abundance of giggly kids in 2021, but these three girls were the ones that gave me some real-deal laughs. The kind of laughs that are so infectious I have trouble keeping my camera still because I start laughing so hard.

The little one in the final images below started the session off by saying, “I don’t photos” and proceeded to giggle the ENTIRE session. Few things make me happier as a photographer (and even just a human being) getting to hear those laughs.

Learn more about Family, Maternity, and Newborn sessions today!

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