Living in Portland, it is hard to not know about the gem that is the Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden. It is one of those places that remind you just how much natural beauty exists within the Portland city limits. A short walk from Reed College and not too far from the bustling Woodstock strip, exists 9.49 acres of picturesque landscaping. It’s also a place that has accessible trails and restrooms and we know that when you do a photo-shoot with children involved, it is never a bad idea to have access to clean and well-kept facilities. Crystal Springs is not only, clean, accessible, and adjacent to the hustle and bustle of busy Portland neighborhoods- it is also a great place to take some great photos of families enjoying each other’s company.

I had a great time taking photos of this family at this location. The park has water features and open grass areas, giving us plenty of space to play with for backgrounds. Creating vignettes on the rustic bridges made for some adorable family and solo scenes for the children. You also can’t forget about the pure joy that seeing flocks of ducks gathering that provides free entertainment and a pep to any photoshoot. I love when nature gives us a hand in helping kids get in a good mood and feel comfortable in front of the camera. Watching ducks swim in formation or experiencing interactions between squirrels and geese brought a lighthearted and fun feeling to this session. Sometimes nature does a better job of making kids smile than a silly joke from a photographer (though silly photographer jokes have been proven to work 9 times out of 10).

Not only is the garden a great place to capture beautiful family images, it also is a great place to brush up on your botanical knowledge as there are more than 2,500 plants located on the grounds.

We look forward to scheduling many more family sessions (and learning about a ton more plants) at this serene location!