About the Photographer
I love the exuberance and creativity of children and I knew early on that I would center my life around them. During my summer breaks away from college, I spent many a happy day leading songs and hikes while working as a camp counselor. I then moved on to get my masters degree in science education and taught middle school for 20 years. I loved it. I loved having my students run into the classroom excited to start their experiments and to sing about different parts of the cell.
Eventually, I found and married one of the kindest men on the planet, Michael Peterson. We were lucky enough to have one perfect daughter, who is our pride and absolute joy.
While still teaching, I assisted my husband as a second photographer at weddings, but after six years at a double career, I felt like I was missing my daughter’s childhood. By this time my husband had built up the photography business to the point where we felt I could retire from teaching and I could stay home to be mom. Such a gift! As my daughter was now in kindergarten, I thought I should spend some of my free time becoming a better photographer and began personal projects exploring various genres of photography.
During this time, my friend had a baby and asked if I wouldn’t mind taking a few photos of her new little love in her home. I did some research and discovered a whole world around newborn photography and I was hooked. Five years have passed since that first newborn session and, coinciding with much training, study and practice, I’ve had the opportunity to start my own business and photograph over 100 babies.
I feel so lucky to have this career in photography. It encompasses all of the things that I love: children, science, and all things crafty. I taught myself how to knit and crochet so that I could make soft and luxurious looking outfits, wraps, and blankets for my newly born clients. I also love decorating sets for my “cake smash” sessions, where I’m often found covered in paint and surrounded by cardboard and hot-glue. Just recently, I’ve even ventured into building my own cribs and crates to use as props and I’m falling in love with the process of woodworking.
It is such a gift to have the best career in the world, where I can share the excitement of an expected new child with mammas-to-be and then hold their sweet little babies once they arrive. I also love watching the children of the families that I photograph over the years grow and become their own little people. I am especially grateful to all of my clients that have trusted me to document the special times of their lives. It is such an honor to get to know them and to have each person become part of my community - a community that brings me incredible joy.
Shelly Peterson is an award-winning photographer specializing in Newborn, Baby, Maternity, and Family Photography with a studio located in White Salmon, WA. Her studio services clients from towns located along the Columbia River Gorge including Hood River, White Salmon, The Dalles, and Portland.
Her studio provides full service, custom designed photography with a large variety of blankets, props, and hand-knit clothes.
Her aim is to help her clients preserve the precious and fleeting moments of family life with timeless artistry. She offers a variety of high quality products including image boxes, albums and wall displays to help parents celebrate, share, and pass on these endearing memories.
For a PDF that describes the packages and products she offers send an email to shellypeterson@icloud.com or call (509) 637-4989.