Jen Thompson Photography
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About Jen Thompson Photography
Jen Thompson is a portrait photographer based in Central Oregon. Jen specializes in family, baby, children, senior, and maternity portraiture. Jen serves customers around the country, including Bend, Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles, Orange County, Boston, and Dallas.
Meet Jen
There are some things I know to be fact. I'm not a morning person. I am rarely without a tube of Bonne Bell Dr. Pepper chapstick. My head is full of cluttered inspiration with more creative ideas than I could ever accomplish in this life time. I eat peanut butter by the spoonful. I like expensive coffees and cheap wine, not necessarily together. I'm most comfortable in jeans and flip flops. I'm feisty, stubborn and extremely empathetic. I adore every square inch of my children and beg God daily to keep them small. When I'm talking to you, I'm more than likely, looking deeply for the catches of light in your eyes.
For as long as I can remember, I've been taking pictures. I remember getting my first polaroid camera as a kid and being amazed with the capability of transforming a single moment into a printed piece of history with a simple snap of the shutter. Many years and several candids later, I began to realize the importance of documenting life as it happens. The choice in becoming a professional photographer was a simple one. With the pregnancy and birth of my first son, I quickly realized my true and real passion for photography. For many, the journey into motherhood is an amazing and delicious experience, one that couldn't be replaced and my instant obsession with documenting every tiny aspect of this new tiny creature in my life, his honesty and wonder, sparked a love for photography I never knew. Following art school, several years in graphic design and marketing, random time working in the darkroom and training under extremely talented and gifted master photographers, I began. My passion for the marriage between simple and fluid graphic design with natural and pure photography has propelled a unique love.
To me, rarely is a moment not worth photographing. Even the most mundane of moments, tells a story... each one being significant ... and fleeting. Moments like these, have inspired me to create photographic images that aren't posed or propped. I aim to capture the true candid character of the subjects I photograph and my style is typically journalistic and documentary, with very simple composition. My goal in every session, is to capture a portion of the soul, the essence of who you really are ... and using that to tell your story. Why do I do this? I guess in my own way, creating a career out of an internal drive and need to find a simple harmony between expressing something that is profoundly meaningful to me, while at the same time, creating a sense of nostalgia that might intimately and quietly touch the lives of others. Art to me is intuitive; a feeling that comes from inside of you. My goal is always, to spark that feeling whenever you glance upon the photographs I have taken of your loved ones.
I reside in Central Oregon with my husband, Jake, a Paramedic/Firefighter, our six year old son, Cooper, our four year old, baby brother, Cohen and our happily swimming goldfish, "Ish" the fish. My life revolves around my family and friends, meet them here, you will see quite a few of them on the pages of this site. The images I have taken of them have inspired this passion I continue to pursue.
Portrait Session Details
Jen's Style
My ultimate goal, is to capture you, when you are most YOU! Natural and genuine, 100%. Our session can be as formal or as casual as you like; after all, a portrait of you or your children at your most comfortable is what we are striving for. Typically, we will have time to go over any suggestions you might have for your portraits before the session. Maybe something you may have seen before or a style you'd like to create that's all your own. My personal style is to create a fun, relaxed, non-pressured environment for you and your family. You'll probably find me kicking off my shoes and getting down on the floor with you, hopefully capturing shots when you are least aware. Parents should be open to spontaneity and unexpected silliness. I believe the best photographs occur when you forget the photographer is even there... real, honest and unposed. I take my time with each session, snapping away freely, stopping for breaks and snacks when we need to, to ensure that everyone stays happy. I'm a mom of two very busy boys and can easily empathize with the typically stressful photo-taking atmosphere, which we do our very best to avoid altogether. Bring their books, music, toys or a favorite stuffed animal and feel right at home.
Booking a Session
We are typically booked out several weeks in advance. If you are pregnant and wish to have maternity portraits done, please schedule them between your 32-36th week. Jen leaves a select number of openings clear for new babies. If you are planning to have newborn portraits done, please book your session as much in advance, as possible. Newborn portraits need to occur within the first two weeks of life. The holidays are a wonderful time for planning family portraits. These sessions book up very quickly. We begin shooting them in August and go through the middle of November. Graduates, this is an exciting time for you! Senior images take place the summer before your graduating year. We start booking these sessions in June and through November. Your yearbook image is due to your school by Christmas break and we strive to get everyone in during this timeframe. This is unquestionably, our busiest time of year and it is not uncommon for our repeat clients to book a year in advance. Please make your appointments as soon as possible to insure an opening for your family.
Time
We try to tailor your session to your personal needs. Whether it be a morning session for a fresh and rested newborn, or an evening shoot when your entire family is available, we work to devote ample time for each session and do our best to work around naps, feedings or work schedules. Your session can last anywhere from 1-2 hours, depending on location and the type of portraiture we are working towards. Quality and creativity take time. From session to delivery, I spend on average, between 15-20 hours working with you and your project to insure each piece is just how you envisioned it. Please keep this in mind when booking your sessions and creating your orders, and leave yourself plenty of breathing room for any type of deadlines you may have involving your images. Please allow roughly 2 weeks for all standard portrait orders and 3-4 weeks for any custom or specialty items. Custom framing usually requires 4 weeks after your portraits have arrived.
Location
Your session can take place where you feel, without a doubt, most comfortable. Depending on the style of portrait you have in mind, I can shoot in your home, at a favorite park or outdoor area, and of course in our custom loft studio. I recommend a location where your children can easily and freely express themselves. If you choose to have an on-location shoot, typically morning and evening light are best as we try to avoid mid-day bright sun as much as possible. Even a cloudy day can produce amazingly beautiful portraits. Please make sure that only the people you wish to have in your portraits attend the session, as this helps prevent unwanted distractions and cramped spaces.
What to Wear
Simple, simple, simple! Clothing is a critical part of making a wonderful photograph. I often suggest that people wear casual, classic clothing, free of pattern prints or logos. Solid, either very dark or light shirts work well with khaki or denim and maximize contrast and drama. Bring your favorite cable knit sweater or linen dress... textures create wonderful detail in photographs. If being photographed in a group, try to keep a similar theme to your outfit choices, using like colors and styles. I'm a big fan of naked babies and bare feet! Nothing is more pure and perfect than the skin of a child. I work to capture your expressions and relationships...don't let clothing get in the way of an already flawless subject! Less, in this case... is definitely more.
After the Session
All images are presented to you approximately 12-14 business days after the session during your private presentation/viewing appointment in our studio. We are also available to arrange a time that works best for you, for Jen to visit you in your home or consult with you over the phone to personally go over your images, discuss custom framing or consult over the ideas you have for displaying your portrait pieces. After your we've completed the decision process at your presentation appointment, we can accommodate out of town family and friends with an online gallery of your images for 5 days which allows distant family and friends to view and order portraits of their own. After that time, the gallery will automatically expire and your images will be archived. To have a gallery re-installed will result in a $25 fee. To prevent clogs and backups in our workflow, all images from sessions without orders 30 days beyond the time of your presentation appointment will be purged. Ordered images will remain on file for a year following your session should you ever need additional portraits.
On Display
We currently have displays of our work at Velvet Pear, Baby Phases, Bambini on Newport, Face to Face Spa, Angel Kisses, St.Charles Family Birthing Center in Redmond, Treefort and Kids World. Be sure to tell them hello the next time you're in!
Policy
All images copyrighted by photographer, Jen Thompson. It is illegal and unlawful to scan, copy, or reproduce Jen's work in any manner or medium. As an artist, Jen wishes to have complete control over the final look of her client's images, and scanned images damage her reputation as a photographer by distorting and devaluing the image quality. Thank you for respecting Jen’s work and livelihood by choosing not to reproduce her images.
Portrait orders must be made and paid in full at the preview session. Online galleries will be available for 5 days. It is highly recommended that anyone wanting to make purchases do so within this time frame. Reinstalling your gallery after it has expired is subject to a $25 fee each time.
Jen offers a variety of custom designed portrait items (i.e. collages, storyboards, tablebooks, announcements, cards, etc.). We are happy to show some sample designs at any time. Before any custom designed work is started your order must be placed and paid in full. After the initial designs are presented to you, you are allowed up to 3 minor changes. Any additional changes require a $75 design fee.
Please only bring the people that will be photographed to the session. This eliminates unnecessary distractions and chaos.
Please have everyone dressed, and ready to go for their session. This allows us the most time for photographing your session.
Your final portrait order will be delivered approximately 2 weeks after your order is placed. Canvases, storyboards and custom designed products and specialty items may take up to 4-6 weeks. We will contact you by phone in order to set up a convenient time for your images to be delivered.
Handle your portraits with extreme care. Damage incurred as a result of improper handling, framing or hanging is the responsibility of the client.
A non-refundable retainer for your session is due within seven days after booking your appointment. This guarantees the time and date allotted for you. Should payment not be received in this time frame, we reserve the right to offer the date and time to another client.
Due to the custom nature of each session, all sales are final and once the order has been placed, there are no refunds.
If your child is feeling under the weather, please call to reschedule. We understand this happens. If you must cancel, please try to do so at least 48 hours before your session.
Jen Thompson Photography & Design accepts cash, checks, VISA and MasterCard. Checks returned by the bank, for any reason, will be charged a $25 service charge and all orders will be cancelled if they are not paid in full within three days of notification.
Jen Thompson Photography & Design reserves the right to use the negatives and/or reproductions for display, publication, marketing, competition or other purposes. Negatives and originals remain the property of Jen Thompson Photography & Design.
All ordered images will be kept on file for one year after your initial order. All images that are not ordered will be kept on file for one month only. You are welcome to place a re-print order from the images you originally purchased.
Blog
Visit Jen Thompson's photography blog to see images from my latest portrait sessions.
The Studio
Our Central Oregon custom studio was completed in 2008 and continues to be the creative haven for all of our various endeavors. This one-of-a-kind, eclectic loft space is located on 5 rustic acres overlooking the Cascade mountains. It is here that we have poured our souls into creating a space that welcomes our wonderful clients and allows us the opportunity to offer an unforgettable experience every time you walk through the door.