This is where your story is told with truth, respect, and intention.

I document birth and motherhood with a calm, intuitive, documentary approach — for families who want honest, emotionally grounded storytelling.

WHO I AM

I’m Emery (she/her)— a birth and motherhood photographer based in Eugene, Oregon, and someone who believes deeply that your story deserves to be remembered as it truly was, not staged into something it never needed to be.

Becoming a mother cracked something open in me — not in the dramatic “my whole life changed overnight” kind of way, but in the slow, quiet, holy way.
The kind where you suddenly see your own mother differently.
The kind where time feels both impossibly fast and painfully tender.
The kind where you realize: these moments will not last, but how they felt will shape you forever.

I found myself obsessively holding onto the small things — the breath before the push, the soft weight of a newborn chest rising and falling, the look between partners when they realize they’re doing it.

I don’t create performances.
I don’t chase perfection.
I don’t interrupt your rhythm.

I document your truth. Quietly, respectfully, and with a presence that helps you feel grounded rather than observed.

I’m a documentary birth and motherhood photographer, specializing in:

• Births: home births, birth center births, hospital births, (and anywhere in between) intimately and respectfully
• Maternity sessions focused on presence, not posing
• Postpartum and in-home newborn sessions that reflect reality (not Pinterest)
• Family sessions centered around connection, movement, and genuine interaction

Here’s what you won’t get from me:

• staged, forced, or overly styled images
• posing that pulls you out of the moment
• an intrusive photographer directing your birth
• trendy edits that won’t age well
• perfection-driven “smile at the camera” galleries

If you’re looking for heavily posed, polished studio images — I’m not your photographer.
But if you want storytelling that feels lived-in, emotional, and honest, you’re in the right place.

WHAT I DO (AND WHAT I DON’T)

MY PRESENCE

Your birth space is sacred. The people allowed into it matter.

I show up quietly and intentionally.
I read the room.
I ask for continuous consent. I honor your autonomy, your process, and your boundaries.
I protect your emotional space as much as I protect the story.

I’m currently completing my doula training, which has strengthened my understanding of:

• physiological birth
• trauma-aware support
• how to stay attuned without interfering
• how to be a steady, grounding presence in vulnerable moments
• how to collaborate with midwives, doulas, OBs, and partners

I’m not there to direct or disrupt.
I’m there to witness.
To document what it felt like.

Birth isn’t content.
It’s a threshold.
And your story deserves someone who treats it that way.

THE CO-CREATION PROCESS

Great imagery doesn’t just “happen”, we co-create it.

Before every session or birth, we’ll talk through what matters most to you: the mood, the boundaries, the moments you want honored, the moments you don’t want photographed, and how you want the room to feel. I’ll guide you gently, not with stiff poses, but with prompts, intention, and emotional clarity.

During sessions, I’ll direct just enough to help you drop into connection, never into performance. During birth, I shift entirely into observer mode unless you’ve asked for anything different.

This clarity upfront is what makes you feel safe, seen, and comfortable, and what allows your story to unfold naturally.

No guessing.
No surprises.
Just intentional, aligned collaboration.

WHAT I VALUE

Authenticity — Your story deserves honesty, not perfection.
Presence — The best moments happen when you’re not performing.
Autonomy — Your choices matter; I honor every one of them.
Emotional Safety — You should feel seen, supported, and comfortable.
Legacy — These images aren’t just for now; they’re for your children someday.
Connection — We’re not strangers; we’re collaborators in telling your story.
Respect — For your body, your boundaries, your culture, your energy.

WHAT WORKING WITH ME ACTUALLY FEELS LIKE

My clients describe my presence as:

• peaceful
• grounding
• warm
• intuitive
• reassuring
• “barely noticeable in the best way”
• and “the calm in the room when everything felt big”

You don’t need to know how to “look good.”
You don’t need to perform.
You don’t need to hide the messy, the tender, the emotional, or the real.

You just get to be — and I’ll take care of the remembering.

A LITTLE HUMAN CONTEXT

My passion for birth stories fully ignited after the birth of my daughters. Looking back over my own birth stories and seeing the furrowed brow of my concerned husband, or the supportive touch that means “I love you, you’ve got this,” enables me to relive those moments all over again. Not only that, but it helped me to process and heal trauma from my first experience as well. I believe everyone deserves to have these healing memories to cherish and look back on.

Outside of birth work, I’m a mom to two young kids, so I understand how chaotic and wonderful family life can be. I’m a filmmaker, a student of all things birth and postpartum, and a person who appreciates dark humor, sunlight, and the kind of conversations that skip small talk and go straight to the real stuff.

Most days, I’m juggling kids, reheating the same cup of coffee, studying something birth-related, or working on personal motherhood photo/film projects.

I’m tender and slightly feral — a perfect combination for someone who documents the most human moments of your life.

This isn’t about perfect photos.

It’s about memory.

It’s about meaning.

It’s about the legacy your family will hold long after this season passes.

If you want your birth, your motherhood, or your family documented with honesty, intention, and emotional depth — I’d be honored to create it with you.

BOOK A FREE CONSULTATION

Let’s talk about what matters most to you.

To learn more about what it’s like inviting me into your birth space, read this blog.

Photo credit : Lux Marina Photography