Waterfall Portraits

01/20/2025

Thoughts on lighting up a wedding dress?

We were doing photos with led balloons and then I realized they could show through the dress. After a few minutes of stuffing balloons into the it looked like her dress was filled with fireflies! I love experimenting!

Photos are from a recent wedding with an awesome couple 🙂

01/14/2025

Embrace the Beauty of Every Season with Photography!

As winter’s embrace transforms Northern California into a snowy wonderland, it’s the perfect time to plan your upcoming photography sessions. Whether you’re dreaming of:
• Spring Portraits: Capture the vibrant renewal of life amidst our blossoming iris gardens.
• Snow-Kissed Photoshoots: Experience the serene beauty of winter with a photoshoot in the snow-covered landscapes.
• Weddings: Celebrating your love story I travel through Northern California and Oregon to capture your wedding.
• Elopements/Micro-Weddings: Exchange vows in an intimate setting at our secluded venue, nestled in the forest above a tranquil waterfall, or create an adventure elopement on a beach or mountaintop!

At Waterfall Portraits, we specialize in creating timeless, fine art portraits that blend the natural beauty of our exclusive locations with your unique story. Our private outdoor studio features a lush forest, a serene waterfall, and seasonal gardens, providing the perfect backdrop for any occasion. 

Why Choose Waterfall Portraits?
• Exclusive Locations: Enjoy a private, serene environment away from the crowds.
• Natural Beauty: Our property boasts a variety of picturesque settings, from waterfalls and creeks to rope swings and flower gardens. 
• Personalized Experience: We tailor each session to reflect your vision and style.
• Professional Expertise: With years of experience, we ensure your moments are captured beautifully.

Book Your Session Today!

Don’t miss the opportunity to create lasting memories in one of Northern California’s most enchanting locations. Contact us now to schedule your session for spring or to plan a magical winter photoshoot.

(916) 256-0126

WaterfallPortraits.com

Let’s capture some memories before they are gone!

09/22/2024

This one is great for inspiration

06/26/2024

Who may I put down as a photography reference? I need to provide a potential client numbers of a couple people, but I don’t want to without permission

06/26/2024

It’s time to go do photos in one if my favorite places

06/14/2024

Raided the garden for flowers for an elopement today.

06/10/2024

Adding bricks around the old bathtub to make keeping the area clean easier. I think it’s gonna be even better for bubble bath photos 🙂

05/26/2024

Nesting old punch bowls and using them as garden lights can add a touch of whimsy to an evening wedding. I didn’t realize you could invert and put them together to make spheres until today.

05/17/2024

Photos in our iris garden? It’s in bloom now and should be for the next couple of weeks. Engagement, maternity, family, elopement…

The garden is located in our property in Po***ck Pines, on the hill just above our waterfall. Call or message to book a session.

WaterfallPortraits.com

(916) 256-0126

05/14/2024

Wedding season is also anniversary season! Here’s 100 romance (“pickup”) lines from Shakespeare you can use as inspiration for your vows or your anniversary card. 🙂

100 pickup and romance lines from Shakespeare:

1. "Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night." - **Romeo and Juliet**
2. "If music be the food of love, play on." - **Twelfth Night**
3. "Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate." - **Sonnet 18**
4. "Hear my soul speak. Of the very instant that I saw you, did my heart fly at your service." - **The Tempest**
5. "I would not wish any companion in the world but you." - **The Tempest**
6. "Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind." - **A Midsummer Night's Dream**
7. "I love you more than words can wield the matter." - **King Lear**
8. "I do love nothing in the world so well as you." - **Much Ado About Nothing**
9. "You have witchcraft in your lips." - **Henry V**
10. "When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew." - **Attributed to Shakespeare**
11. "What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." - **Romeo and Juliet**
12. "And when love speaks, the voice of all the gods makes heaven drowsy with the harmony." - **Love's Labour's Lost**
13. "With love's light wings did I o'erperch these walls; for stony limits cannot hold love out." - **Romeo and Juliet**
14. "I know no ways to mince it in love, but directly to say 'I love you.'" - **Henry V**
15. "O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright! It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear." - **Romeo and Juliet**
16. "For where thou art, there is the world itself, and where thou art not, desolation." - **Henry VI**
17. "Speak low, if you speak love." - **Much Ado About Nothing**
18. "Thou art as wise as thou art beautiful." - **A Midsummer Night's Dream**
19. "But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun." - **Romeo and Juliet**
20. "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep; the more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite." - **Romeo and Juliet**
21. "So sweet was ne'er so fatal." - **Othello**
22. "The sight of lovers feedeth those in love." - **As You Like It**
23. "I do love you more than words can wield the matter, dearer than eyesight, space, and liberty." - **King Lear**
24. "Love comforteth like sunshine after rain." - **Venus and Adonis**
25. "I am yours, forever." - **The Comedy of Errors**
26. "You are a lover. Borrow Cupid's wings and soar with them above a common bound." - **Romeo and Juliet**
27. "Come what sorrow can, It cannot countervail the exchange of joy, That one short minute gives me in her sight." - **Romeo and Juliet**
28. "One half of me is yours, the other half yours—Mine own, I would say; but if mine, then yours, And so all yours!" - **The Merchant of Venice**
29. "Thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings, That then I scorn to change my state with kings." - **Sonnet 29**
30. "As a decrepit father takes delight, To see his active child do deeds of youth, So I, made lame by Fortune's dearest spite, Take all my comfort of thy worth and truth." - **Sonnet 37**
31. "To me, fair friend, you never can be old, For as you were when first your eye I eyed, Such seems your beauty still." - **Sonnet 104**
32. "Her eyes in heaven Would through the airy region stream so bright That birds would sing and think it were not night." - **Romeo and Juliet**
33. "O, that I were a glove upon that hand, That I might touch that cheek!" - **Romeo and Juliet**
34. "This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath, May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet." - **Romeo and Juliet**
35. "O, speak again, bright angel! for thou art As glorious to this night, being o'er my head, As is a winged messenger of heaven." - **Romeo and Juliet**
36. "Thou art as tyrannous, so as thou art, As those whose beauties proudly make them cruel." - **Sonnet 131**
37. "Her gentle spirit commits itself to yours to be directed, as from her lord, her governor, her king." - **The Merchant of Venice**
38. "O, how thy worth with manners may I sing, When thou art all the better part of me?" - **Sonnet 39**
39. "If I could write the beauty of your eyes, And in fresh numbers number all your graces, The age to come would say 'This poet lies; Such heavenly touches ne'er touched earthly faces.'" - **Sonnet 17**
40. "I pray you, do not fall in love with me, For I am falser than vows made in wine." - **As You Like It**
41. "By heaven, I do love: and it hath taught me to rhyme and to be melancholy." - **Love's Labour's Lost**
42. "I'll follow you and make a heaven out of hell, To die by your hand which I love so well." - **A Midsummer Night's Dream**
43. "Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs; Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes." - **Romeo and Juliet**
44. "For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings, That then I scorn to change my state with kings." - **Sonnet 29**
45. "I will not be sworn but love may transform me to an oyster." - **Much Ado About Nothing**
46. "I would be friends with you and have your love." - **The Merchant of Venice**
47. "Give me my heart," saith she, "and you shall have it; O, give it me, lest thy hard heart do steel it." - **Venus and Adonis**
48. "When I consider everything that grows Holds in perfection but a little moment." - **Sonnet 15**
49. "Thou hast bewitched me, beloved, and I am thine." - **Othello**
50. "O, learn to read what silent love hath writ: To hear with eyes belongs to love's fine wit." - **Sonnet 23**
51. "Thou canst not love disgrace me half so ill, To set a form upon desired change, As I'll myself disgrace." - **Sonnet 89**
52. "All days are nights to see till I see thee, And nights bright days when dreams do show thee me." - **Sonnet 43**
53. "I know a bank where the wild thyme blows, Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows." - **A Midsummer Night's Dream**
54. "Let me not to the marriage of true minds Admit impediments. Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds." - **Sonnet 116**
55. "Her voice was ever soft, Gentle, and low, an excellent thing in woman." - **King Lear**
56. "Love sought is good, but given unsought is better." - **Twelfth Night**
57. "When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st: So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee." - **Sonnet 18**
58. "O mistress mine, where are you roaming? O, stay and hear; your true love's coming." - **Twelfth Night**
59. "Did not I tell you how you should know my daughter by her garments?" - **The Comedy of Errors**
60. "O, from what power hast thou this powerful might With insufficiency my heart to sway?" - **Sonnet 150**
61. "I am perjured most, For all my vows are oaths but to misuse thee." - **Sonnet 152**
62. "My heart is ever at your service." - **Timon of Athens**
63. "You are as sweet as the sum of the sum of Romeo and his horse and his black cat." - **Love's Labour's Lost**
64. "O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!" - **Romeo and Juliet**
65. "Your love and pity doth the impression fill, Which vulgar scandal stamped upon my brow." - **The Merchant of Venice**
66. "For you in my respect are all the world." - **Sonnet 112**
67. "I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap, and be buried in thy eyes." - **Much Ado About Nothing**
68. "You have witchcraft in your lips." - **Henry V**
69. "Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom." - **Sonnet 116**
70. "What is your substance, whereof are you made, That millions of strange shadows on you tend?" - **Sonnet 53**
71. "The very instant that I saw you, did my heart fly to your service." - **The Tempest**
72. "I will make you the queen of Naples." - **The Tempest**
73. "O, how this spring of love resembleth The uncertain glory of an April day!" - **The Two Gentlemen of Verona**
74. "I think Crab, my dog, be the sourest-natured dog that lives." - **The Two Gentlemen of Verona**
75. "Thine eyes I love, and they, as pitying me." - **Sonnet 132**
76. "Let me be that I am and seek not to alter me." - **Much Ado About Nothing**
77. "Henceforward do your messages yourself." - **Julius Caesar**
78. "A heart to love, and in that heart, Courage, to make’s love known." - **Macbeth**
79. "Take all myself." - **Sonnet 72**
80. "You draw me, you hard-hearted adamant; But yet you draw not iron, for my heart Is true as steel." - **A Midsummer Night's Dream**
81. "And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind." - **A Midsummer Night's Dream**
82. "I love thee with a love that shall not die till the sun grows cold and the stars grow old." - **Adapted from The Merchant of Venice**
83. "Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like thorn." - **Romeo and Juliet**
84. "I pray thee, chide not. She whom I love now doth grace for grace and love for love allow." - **Sonnet 105**
85. "So long as I can breathe or I can see, so long lives your love which gives life to me." - **Sonnet 18**
86. "I'll make my heaven in a lady's lap." - **Henry VI, Part 3**
87. "From fairest creatures we desire increase, That thereby beauty's rose might never die." - **Sonnet 1**
88. "Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none." - **All's Well That Ends Well**
89. "She's beautiful, and therefore to be wooed; She is a woman, therefore to be won." - **Henry VI, Part 1**
90. "I love not less, though less the show appear; That love is merchandized, whose rich esteeming, The owner's tongue doth publish every where." - **Sonnet 102**
91. "I would not wish any companion in the world but you." - **The Tempest**
92. "But love, first learned in a lady's eyes, Lives not alone immured in the brain." - **Love's Labour's Lost**
93. "Thou art the best of the cut-throats: yet he's good that did the like for Fleance: if thou didst it, Thou art the nonpareil." - **Macbeth**
94. "I do love nothing in the world so well as you—is not that strange?" - **Much Ado About Nothing**
95. "When you do dance, I wish you a wave o' the sea, that you might ever do nothing but that." - **The Winter's Tale**
96. "O, that you were yourself; but, love, you are no longer yours, than you yourself here live." - **Sonnet 13**
97. "What’s mine is yours, and what is yours is mine." - **Measure for Measure**
98. "I can express no kinder sign of love, than this kind kiss." - **Henry VI, Part 2**
99. "Thou art as fair as thou art beautiful." - **The Comedy of Errors**
100. "Lady, by yonder blessed moon I vow, that tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops—" - **Romeo and Juliet**

04/15/2024

I’ve been collecting vintage swag lamps for a few years to do this photo setup. This is an AI mockup of the overall look. I’m thinking I’ll set it up in May when the weather is better. Who’s interested?

02/16/2024

It’s time to start planning senior photos :) www.waterfallportraits.com

02/14/2024

One of my favorite couples 🙂

Check out waterfallportraits's video.

02/14/2024

Some amazing wedding spots in our area.

02/07/2024

I’m hopeful this will be a lupine super bloom year. The weather is looking good for it. I’ll be scouting locations soon to see how many seedlings came up for an early indication.

02/07/2024

To booze at your wedding or not? Here’s chapter 3 of my DIY wedding guide. At the end there’s a few mocktail and cocktail recipes for weddings and parties.

Chapter 3:
To Toast or Not to Toast

Deciding on the Spirits: Alcohol or a Dry Affair

Your wedding day is a reflection of your personal tastes and the atmosphere you wish to create for yourselves and your guests. When it comes to serving alcohol, there's no one-size-fits-all approach. Some couples envision a bubbly champagne toast and lively spirits fueling the dance floor, while others prefer a sober celebration focused on food, conversations, and different forms of entertainment. This chapter helps you navigate the decision of having alcohol at your wedding or opting for a dry celebration, along with the respective pros and cons.

A Toast to Love - Serving Alcohol

Choosing to serve alcohol at your wedding can add a traditional touch of festivity and celebration. Here are some considerations and tips for hosting an event with spirits:

◈Variety and Selection: Offer a selection of beverages that cater to different tastes. This might include a mix of wines, beers, spirits, and a signature cocktail that reflects your love story or wedding theme.
◈Bartending Services: Consider hiring professional bartenders who can serve drinks responsibly, craft cocktails, and manage the bar area efficiently.
◈Drink Limits: To maintain a pleasant atmosphere, think about implementing drink limits or using a ticket system to encourage moderate consumption.
◈Champagne Toast: A champagne toast is a quintessential wedding moment. Even if you limit hard alcohol, offering a glass of champagne to each guest for the toast adds a celebratory note.

Pros of Serving Alcohol

◈Festive Atmosphere: Alcohol often contributes to a lively and celebratory mood, encouraging guests to dance and enjoy the party.
◈Social Lubricant: Drinks can help guests relax, mingle, and make new connections.
◈Culinary Pairing: Alcohol, especially wine or craft beer, can enhance the dining experience when thoughtfully paired with the menu.

Cons of Serving Alcohol

◈Increased Budget: Providing a variety of alcoholic beverages can significantly increase your wedding budget.
◈Potential for Overindulgence: There's always a risk of guests overindulging, which might lead to disruptive behavior or safety concerns.
◈Logistics: Managing a bar requires additional planning, including obtaining the necessary permits, hiring bartenders, and arranging transportation for guests who may be unable to drive.

A Sober Celebration - Hosting a Dry Wedding

Opting for a dry wedding means alcohol won't be served, but that doesn't mean the celebration is any less joyful or meaningful. Here's how to ensure your alcohol-free wedding is a hit:

◈Creative Mocktails: Offer an array of delicious mocktails and non-alcoholic beverages that are as creative and appealing as their alcoholic counterparts.
◈Focus on Entertainment: Emphasize other forms of entertainment, such as live music, dancing, games, or performances, to ensure guests remain engaged and entertained.
◈Highlight Culinary Delights: Make the food the star of the show by focusing on gourmet, thematic, or interactive culinary experiences that delight the senses.

Pros of a Dry Wedding

◈Inclusivity: A dry wedding is inclusive of guests who don't drink due to personal choices, health reasons, or religious beliefs.
◈Reduced Costs: Eliminating alcohol can significantly lower the overall wedding cost.
◈No Overindulgence Worries: Without alcohol, there's less concern about potential overindulgence or related disruptions.

Cons of a Dry Wedding

◈Expectation Management: Some guests might expect or prefer alcohol at a wedding and may be surprised or disappointed by a dry event.
◈Perception of Celebration: Without traditional toasting or drinks, some might perceive the celebration as less festive, though this can be mitigated with other joyful elements.
◈Finding Alternatives: Ensuring a fun and engaging atmosphere without alcohol may require extra creativity and planning in entertainment and activities.

Making the Decision

Choosing whether to serve alcohol or host a dry wedding is a personal decision that should reflect your values, your guest demographics, and the overall tone you wish to set for your celebration. Consider the following when making your choice:

◈Guest Preferences and Safety: Reflect on your guests' preferences and how alcohol or its absence might affect the enjoyment and safety of your celebration.
◈Budget Implications: Factor in how serving alcohol or opting for a dry event will impact your wedding budget.
◈Personal Beliefs: Align the decision with your personal beliefs, cultural practices, or lifestyle choices.

Whether you choose to raise a glass or toast with a cup of artisanal coffee, remember that your wedding is a celebration of love, commitment, and community. The most important aspect is that you and your guests feel comfortable, included, and ready to celebrate this significant moment in your lives. Cheers to making the right choice for your special day!

Here's a list of popular mocktails that are often enjoyed at weddings. These mocktails are not only easy to make but also budget-friendly as they don't require prohibitively expensive ingredients:

Virgin Mojito:
◈Ingredients: Fresh lime juice, mint leaves, sugar, soda water, ice.
◈Instructions: Muddle mint and sugar, add lime juice, and top with soda water. Garnish with mint sprig and lime slice.

Virgin Piña Colada:
◈Ingredients: Pineapple juice, coconut cream, cream of coconut, crushed ice.
◈Instructions: Blend all ingredients until smooth. Serve in a chilled glass with a pineapple slice.

Strawberry Lemonade Sparkler:
◈Ingredients: Fresh lemon juice, strawberry puree, sugar, soda water, ice.
◈Instructions: Mix lemon juice, strawberry puree, and sugar, then top with soda water and ice. Garnish with a strawberry slice.

Cucumber Cooler:
◈Ingredients: Cucumber slices, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, soda water, ice.
◈Instructions: Muddle cucumber slices, add lime juice and simple syrup, then top with soda water and ice. Garnish with a cucumber wheel.

Watermelon Mint Cooler:
◈Ingredients: Watermelon juice, fresh lime juice, mint leaves, soda water, ice.
◈Instructions: Mix watermelon juice and lime juice, add mint leaves, and top with soda water and ice. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Blueberry Lavender Lemonade:
◈Ingredients: Blueberry syrup, fresh lemon juice, lavender-infused syrup, soda water, ice.
◈Instructions: Combine blueberry syrup, lemon juice, and lavender syrup, then top with soda water and ice. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Ginger Basil Spritzer:
◈Ingredients: Ginger syrup, fresh lime juice, basil leaves, soda water, ice.
◈Instructions: Mix ginger syrup and lime juice, add torn basil leaves, and top with soda water and ice. Garnish with a basil sprig.

Sparkling Cranberry Apple Cider:
◈Ingredients: Cranberry juice, apple cider, sparkling water, ice.
◈Instructions: Combine cranberry juice and apple cider, then top with sparkling water and ice. Garnish with an apple slice and cranberries.

Mango Tango:
◈Ingredients: Mango puree, fresh orange juice, lime juice, ginger ale, ice.
◈Instructions: Blend mango puree, orange juice, and lime juice, then top with ginger ale and ice. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Hibiscus Iced Tea:
◈Ingredients: Hibiscus tea, honey or agave syrup, fresh lemon juice, ice.
◈Instructions: Sweeten hibiscus tea with honey or agave, add lemon juice and ice. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

These mocktails offer a refreshing and delightful beverage option for guests at weddings without alcohol. They're not only easy to make but also budget-friendly, making them a perfect choice for a variety of tastes and preferences.

Here's a list of popular wedding cocktails that are not only easy to make but also budget-friendly, making them ideal for weddings that serve alcohol:

Classic Margarita:
◈ Ingredients: Tequila, fresh lime juice, triple sec (or orange liqueur), simple syrup (optional), salt, ice.
◈Instructions: Rim a glass with salt, mix tequila, lime juice, triple sec, and simple syrup (if desired), then pour over ice. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Mimosa:
◈Ingredients: Champagne (or sparkling wine), fresh orange juice, orange slice or twist, ice (optional).
◈Instructions: Fill a glass halfway with champagne, top with orange juice, and garnish with an orange slice or twist. Serve chilled.

Moscow Mule:
◈Ingredients: Vodka, ginger beer, fresh lime juice, ice.
◈Instructions: Combine vodka and lime juice in a copper mug or glass, fill with ice, and top with ginger beer. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Whiskey Sour:
◈Ingredients: Whiskey, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, ice.
◈Instructions: Mix whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup, then pour over ice. Garnish with a lemon slice or cherry.

Pina Colada:
◈Ingredients: Rum, pineapple juice, coconut cream or coconut milk, crushed ice.
◈Instructions: Blend all ingredients until smooth and pour into a chilled glass. Garnish with a pineapple slice.

Gin and Tonic:
◈Ingredients: Gin, tonic water, fresh lime or lemon wedge, ice.
◈Instructions: Pour gin and tonic water over ice, stir gently, and garnish with a lime or lemon wedge.

Screwdriver:
◈Ingredients: Vodka, fresh orange juice, orange slice or twist, ice.
◈Instructions: Mix vodka and orange juice, pour over ice, and garnish with an orange slice or twist.
◈Upgrade: Consider adding a spoonful of vanilla ice cream.

Old Fashioned:
◈Ingredients: Bourbon or whiskey, sugar cube, Angostura bitters, orange twist, ice.
◈Instructions: Muddle the sugar cube and bitters, add bourbon and ice, stir, and garnish with an orange twist.

Amaretto Sour:
◈Ingredients: Amaretto, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, ice.
◈Instructions: Mix amaretto, lemon juice, and simple syrup, pour over ice, and garnish with a cherry.

Paloma:
◈Ingredients: Tequila, grapefruit soda (or grapefruit juice and club soda), fresh lime juice, salt rim (optional), ice.
◈Instructions: Rim a glass with salt (optional), combine tequila, grapefruit soda or juice, and lime juice, and pour over ice. Garnish with a lime wedge.

These wedding cocktails are classic, delicious, and won't break the bank. They provide a range of options to suit different tastes and preferences, making them perfect additions to any wedding bar menu.

02/06/2024

Spring is coming! I can feel it!