I first met Melissa Bergren when she chose me to photograph her business portraits for her work as a mortgage lender for Evergreen Home loans out of Ellensburg and Cle Elum. We had a wonderful time at her session and I got to know what a genuinely nice person Melissa was! She’s the type of woman who has something nice to say about everyone she knows and I loved that energy. Over time I was able to connect with her and her husband Bryce again in Ellensburg, during the annual Kittitas County Search and Rescue Fundraiser, a cause dear to many of us in the community. So imagine how excited I was when Melissa reached out to me for fall family photographs!

This would be only the second time Melissa and Bryce, along with their three high schoolers (twin girls Haley and Kelsey, and son Zach), had professional family photographs and I couldn’t have been more thrilled they trusted me to guide them through the process. The day of their photography session arrived and it was beautiful but cold at Ritter Farms in Cle Elum. Each family member was a complete trooper and we were able to create some beautiful photographs for them to hang on their walls. During the session, Melissa and I talked about family life. In many ways our families are so similar, teenage kids who are coming and going, two working professional parents, it can feel like we’re always on the go!  But there are some comical ways in which we differ. For instance, Melissa thought it was hysterical that my family sits down a for a formal dinner nightly with cloth napkins and candles, while her family eats together far more informally.  And yet, we are both raining very close-knit families. As our children are growing, now more than ever we both realize how much we love having our families displayed on the walls of our homes. The photographs have a way of instantly transporting our memories to different periods in our families lives.

On the day of their session reveal, I presented Melissa and Bryce with a few arrangement choices in order for them to get a sense of what their images might look like put together on the walls of their home. The family chose to go with one of those arrangements printed on metal wall art because they loved the vibrant color and modern vibe over a traditional canvas. One thing that I loved about their ordering appointment is that they asked me to sign all of the wall art. It’s so meaningful when families understand that what we created together is art – not just another photo.

Bryce and Melissa’s Fall Family Photographs in Ellensburg

Looking for more family photos? Check out this family photo gallery!