Family of Three Starting the Day Off Right!

Good morning, sunshine! If you’re looking to start a daughter day off in the best way possible, take a look at what Reed’s family did. They put her in a few of her favorite dresses, swung by the studio, and had some photos taken of her silliness! The only expectation was to play, love on each other, and enjoy each other’s company. Did we pretend the entire studio was Reed’s house? Yes, we did. Did we jump off the couch? Oh yes, we did. Did we play with all the props? Totally. We even smooshed into a little cardboard box. “If I fits, I sits” is for more than just cats. :)

In any case, we all were smiling at the end, and I hope the good vibe continued for their big day out together. I hope they went to mini golf, or saw a movie at the Alamo Drafthouse. Maybe they went to Babe’s Tea Room for warm beverages, tiny sandwiches and Bella Macarons. These are some of my favorite things, after all. And I’m so happy Reed has these photos with her mom and dad to remember how it started.

Thanks to Reed and her parents for being such a bright light in the studio for me. If you’re looking to capture something similar with your little one, start your day with me and schedule your session.

Reed participated in this box project. She brought ALL of her personalities and nailed the assignment. :)

Thanks Reed for being such a ray of sunshine in the studio!

Now that I've been vaccinated... it's on!

It’s been a wild year+… exactly 393 days since deciding as a family to stay home due to the pandemic. Today, I received my second dose of the Moderna vaccine and couldn’t be more excited to get back to photography. My focus will be family and portrait photography in Denver, and I will ease back into traveling back to California. I mean, it’s been over a year since an airport has been in my life! :)

Here’s a look back at a family session at Red Rocks, showcasing the perfect personality of Colorado — sunny with snow on the ground. Stay tuned for my “welcome back” photography packages.

Traditional Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony + Mommy and Me Photo Session - Denver

Partners, take note. Something a lot of mothers want for a special occasion (either Mother’s Day, a birthday, or just plain Saturday), is a set of nice photos of the children with her IN the photo. This is really hard for a lot of parents who are behind the camera. Most of the photos we have with our rapidly growing children are filtered selfies (don’t get me wrong, those are super fun and have their place!). I had the pleasure of shooting this Mother’s Day set for a beautiful mama and her 1.5 year old baby girl, arranged in (almost) secret by her husband (you go, Christopher!).

Jerusalem & Christopher brought over goods for a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony, and I paired the set with outdoor boho decor, hanging a macrame garland (designed by Woven Will) on sheer panels and layered textured rugs. I’d say it was a success! A studio session followed with an amazing wardrobe change, and I set up some speedlight gels to compliment Jerusalem’s gorgeous head wrap.

This outdoor set is available through the summer. To book, email: stephanie@marilee.co

East Bay San Francisco's Cutest Newborn Award Goes To... Baby Boy K!

Biased or not (because this mama is one of my BFFs and I have witnessed her love story unfold from Day 1), I am so excited to welcome baby boy K to this crazy world of ours. Blessed with beautiful hair and his parents gorgeous big eyes, my only wish is that we lived in closer proximity so I can see him grow in person. <3

Thanks to his mom and dad for trusting me with this huge milestone in their lives.

Denver's Union Station Family Photography With The Mellens!

One of my favorite times of year is the Fall when a ton of families get their annual holiday cards done. It’s a simple tradition that yields so many fun memories. The kids grow so quickly and love looking back at how tiny they once were. :) With our move to Denver from San Francisco this year, I hosted a very limited amount of sessions, but am SO glad I snuck in a few in my new hometown.

Union Station has quickly become one of my favorite places to shoot. There’s such incredible light both indoor and outdoor, amazing decor, and not to mention it’s easy to get to. And afterwards, you can grab all the beer, milkshakes, ice cream, and Irish coffees you want.

Thanks for meeting so early in the morning, Mellen fam! Love your energy. Here are some of my favorites.