Coastal Golden Hour Engagement
Raina Bowers Raina Bowers

Coastal Golden Hour Engagement

Taiylor had a clear vision of how she wanted these photos to look and feel, and she fully trusted me to document them genuinely. Her Pinterest board was filled with warmth and movement, and I would call us overachievers in that regard

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Tips for Your Backyard Wedding
Raina Bowers Raina Bowers

Tips for Your Backyard Wedding

Couples oftentimes host backyard weddings to cut costs and make their day feel more intimate. The trade-off, however, is less built-in guidance and support from coordinators or vendors. After capturing a handful of sweet small weddings from folk’s yards, I’ve noticed a few patterns or afterthoughts.

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Destination Palm Springs Wedding
Raina Bowers Raina Bowers

Destination Palm Springs Wedding

There was a short drizzle as guests arrived, softening the sunlight, and glittering the pool, but quickly it cleared, and the energy is this yard was so fun. Polaroid selfies, margaritas, iPhone portraits, laughter, and lots of hugs.

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Film Photography on Your Wedding Day
Raina Bowers Raina Bowers

Film Photography on Your Wedding Day

As a documentary wedding photographer, I utilize film to capture the day in smaller, more intentional snippets; as if the digital is my coverage and my prep for the true moment I’m trying to capture. Then by the end of your wedding, each frame of film perfectly encapsulates the story of your day. A cohesive gallery of in-between, sweet, accidental phenomena’s that make up your celebration.

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Hot Takes from a Documentary Wedding Photographer
Raina Bowers Raina Bowers

Hot Takes from a Documentary Wedding Photographer

In recent years I’ve specialized into documentary wedding photography which is a special balance of editorial and natural moments. It can feel intimidating to couples to ensure they get all the moments they’re wanting, unmanufactured.

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San Fran Firehouse Wedding
Raina Bowers Raina Bowers

San Fran Firehouse Wedding

Maggie & Ramona planned a DIY, clutter-core wedding with a valentine’s day spin. While there was a food truck and bartender, everything else was managed themselves (with their village of wonderful people of course). The table décor was cut out hearts, lollipops, and disposable cameras. Glow bracelets were prepped for their guests to groove on the dance floor and a friend of theirs set up their speakers + music.

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Candids at Cannon Beach
Raina Bowers Raina Bowers

Candids at Cannon Beach

At our last family session, Mengyuan added a roll of black and white 35mm that added so much to the gallery; the little moments, the beautiful candids on black and white. This year she added a roll of medium format in color. I was so siked to take some photos from my top-down viewfinder at eye-level with Ari. And, as it turns out I had a spare roll of portra 400 35mm, so I decided to shoot some 35mm as well, and I’m obsessed with the results.

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Courthouse to La Cabaña
Raina Bowers Raina Bowers

Courthouse to La Cabaña

The rest of the evening was a colorful, boisterous, and delicious blur as I snapped away. So much conversation, laughter, hugs, and tequila. The staff at La Cabaña Venice were incredible, always keeping people full and creating a rapport with the guests. The food was exquisite, the drinks were flowing, and the place was packed! They patio had been reserved for the party and it was bursting at the seams. Bri and Aaron are so, so loved.

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In-Home Documentary Photography for New Parents
Raina Bowers Raina Bowers

In-Home Documentary Photography for New Parents

Her name is Marigold and she’s a true bundle of joy. The photo session was so calm, simple, and lovely. They had put a lot of love into their home, so I wanted to capture them in their element and capture just how cozy and beautiful their space is.

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Fashion Photography for Brand Anne Fontaine
Raina Bowers Raina Bowers

Fashion Photography for Brand Anne Fontaine

Anne Fontaine designs are ‘effortlessly chic” and the definition of timeless luxury. They’re often Parisian inspired, as Anne herself is Parisian. While we had no dedicated time for portraits or stylized direction, it was a fun challenge to create some artful images around a shopping mall.

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Documentary Photography for Chic Lousiville Wedding
Raina Bowers Raina Bowers

Documentary Photography for Chic Lousiville Wedding

For me, the role of photographer is to present a well-rounded gallery that fully encapsulates the story of the day. I love the moments of soft focus, glowing light, and motion blur between the crisp and perfectly framed ones. That’s what shooting both film and digital as a documentary photographer provide couples with.

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SF Neighborhood Engagement
Raina Bowers Raina Bowers

SF Neighborhood Engagement

Gwen and Mac are incredibly fashionable, artistic folks who clearly love their life; walking to the local dive, afternoons in the park, becoming regulars at the coffee shop, I loved seeing them so in their element, showing me the town, and even dipping into the corner market to grab a bouquet for their apartment.

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Heirloom Portland Family Photos
Raina Bowers Raina Bowers

Heirloom Portland Family Photos

Opening a gallery of new film scans is always like Christmas morning, and that morning I happened to be with a friend who saw them and said, “those look like heirloom photos Raina.” Boy oh boy if that isn’t the biggest compliment I’ve ever received.

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Desert Modelos
Raina Bowers Raina Bowers

Desert Modelos

After a couple beer cheers around the house, we ventured to the backyard to explore the magnificent terrain. I mean, we’re in Joshua Tree after all! They changed outfits to compliment the backdrop, and I snapped away as they went on walk in the desert.

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It’s Giving Coming-of-Age Romance
Raina Bowers Raina Bowers

It’s Giving Coming-of-Age Romance

As ya’ll know I’m all about movement. I like capturing every part of this hour hang, not just the posey-posey moments. Photographing a picnic at the park date night means I get the unfolding of the blanket, the feeding each other grapes, the tying their shoes back up and everything else in between!

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Why you Should be Adding Film Photography to your Photo Session
Raina Bowers Raina Bowers

Why you Should be Adding Film Photography to your Photo Session

As my favorite hobby turned career, I’m constantly trying to explain the excitement and value of analog photography. 35mm has recently become a large part of my business. It’s popularity has re-circulated, and clients are both more interested and more confused about adding rolls of film to their photo sessions.

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Headshots turned Branding Session with AZ Artist
Raina Bowers Raina Bowers

Headshots turned Branding Session with AZ Artist

We wanted to grab some simple, genuine portraits to bolster her social media and match her current vibe. I showed up to her adorable home, with half-finished paintings propped up against the wall, a coffee mug recently sipped, and the neighborhood cat lounging around making himself at home. The most ideal situation photo session set up.

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Stylish & Thrifted Backyard Wedding
Raina Bowers Raina Bowers

Stylish & Thrifted Backyard Wedding

I could talk forever about how special this day felt. The speeches made me weep (tricky thing to navigate when you need to see clearly through a lens), the cake cutting was glorious, and the dancing was divine.

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Intimate Desert Wedding
Raina Bowers Raina Bowers

Intimate Desert Wedding

The organization of this intimate wedding made the whole day smooth as butter. After vows were exchanged, tears were shed, photos were snapped, and smooches were given, we moved to location #2 for the reception.

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Retro Branding Shoot for Gyst Creative
Raina Bowers Raina Bowers

Retro Branding Shoot for Gyst Creative

I loved spending an afternoon with these ladies. Their smarts, talent, and creativity were immediately obvious. Their client focus is hotel and restaurants industry, so we wanted the photos to have that energy without being right on the nose.

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