Kendra + Her Plum | Billings, Montana Maternity Baby Announcement Photographer

Announcing a baby after miscarriage, especially after multiple miscarriages, is one of the scariest things a mother can do.

My sweet friend Kendra has had more loss than anyone deserves (read her story here), and I could not be happier for her and this little plum. She is one of the kindest, most caring women I have ever known, and I am blessed to have her in my life. She is the mother (and wife) we all strive to be like. 

Kendra, thank you for being in my life. Thank you for sharing your children and your life with us. Thank you for inspiring me to be a better mother and friend. We love you (and all of our adopted cousins).

Kaitlin + Pete | Married at Montana Wildflower Weddings | Sneak Peek| #whosgerard | Billings, Montana Destination Wedding Photographer

Jessica Byrum Photography offers wedding photography in Montana, and is available for travel. Contact me today to discuss your big day! All wedding packages include complimentary engagement photos. 

Medina + David | Engaged In Big Sky | Part I | Billings, Montana Destination Engagement Wedding Photographer

We drove to Big Sky and did 3 sessions in 24 hours for these two, and it wouldn't be like me if I just started at the beginning, so part one is actually the last shoot that we did before we headed back to Billings.

(Also, scroll through to the end to see "wedding planning" summed up in ONE photograph.)

Jessica Byrum Photography books a limited number of weddings each year, and each wedding package includes complimentary engagement photos. Contact me today for more information and availability.

The Schuler Family | Billings, Montana Maternity Photographer

Since Eden made her appearance early this morning, I figured it was time to get my butt in gear and get these images delivered! I cannot wait to meet her tomorrow for her Fresh 48 session and get some sweet baby snuggles in!

Jessica Byrum Photography offers Maternity, Fresh 48, and Lifestyle Newborn photography sessions. For more booking information, please contact me today!

8 (or 9) simple things you can do to be a good friend to a photographer.

How to be a good friend to a photographer:

1. Hire us. That doesn’t mean invite us to your son’s birthday and ask if we’re bringing our camera, or asking for “just a few pictures” while we’re having a playdate at the park. (We’ll probably be taking pictures anyway.)

2. Give us credit. Just one tag on social media can bring in 4 to 5 inquiries. And once you do have your gallery and share images from that, giving proper credit to the photographer is always appreciated.

3. Don’t filter us. Believe it or not, we spend hours editing your images so they look their best, and an IG filter will not do a better job than a PROFESSIONAL, I promise. If you must have a certain "look" for your feed, find a photographer that will give you that look.

4. Share images directly from our page, rather than saving them and posting them yourselves. Not only does that hurt the quality, which social media does well enough all on it’s own, but it takes away the direct link to our page, which can make us lose out on inquiries.

5. Interact on our page. When you Like or Comment on a photo on our page, it shows that you’re interested and in turn, Facebook will show our work to you more often. It will also show it to your friends, which can lead to inquiries. (If you haven’t noticed, inquiries are a big deal to us.)

6. Pay us. Unless we offer to work for free, please don’t expect it. Most of us give pretty good deals to our friends/family as it is, but we have bills to pay too. Legitimate photographers have quite a few monthly bills/fees that we pay, on top of continuing our education to better your images, keeping our equipment current and in running order to better your images, and things like liability insurance to protect you, in case something happens while we are working for you.

7. Don’t judge us, please. Many of us, especially documentary/lifestyle photographers share lots of images of our kids. Being told that you “would never put your kids out there like that” is hurtful and rude. And yes, you have every right to feel that way, but this is our art and our passion, and I promise you, we question ourselves enough everyday already.

8. Love us. We're busy. A lot of us work around everybody else's schedule. We sacrifice sleep (and sometimes family time) to do our work. We don't take days off, or get paid vacation. We don't get maternity leave or lunch breaks. We thrive on coffee and hugs.

BONUS: Use our images as your profile image (it makes us do happy dances)!

The Bennett Family | Billings, Montana Maternity Photographer

If you are my friend, please know that you will always get photography as gifts from me..for anything..baby showers, birthdays, weddings..anything. And it may seem like a cop out, because it is an "easy" gift for me to give, I mean..the actual present is nothing more than a piece of paper in a card.

But know that my photography means everything to me, and I shoot every session with my whole heart and I leave pieces of myself in each of your images..so when I give you the gift of my photography, I'm not doing it because it's easy. I'm doing it because I value you and our friendship, and I believe that you deserve to have a piece of my heart, forever.

Now booking maternity sessions for fall 2017 + beyond! Contact me to today for availability.

The Chapparone Family | Billings, Montana Family Photographer

What happens when your family photo session is BOMBARDED with the most mosquitoes you've ever seen in your whole life?? You shoot quickly and invest in lots of calamine lotion!

Limited availability remaining for 2017! Fall family photography sessions are filling FAST! If you'd like to book, please contact me today for more information and availability! 

Nicole and Savannah | Mommy + Me | A Stock Session | Billings, Montana Family Photographer

If you've kept up with my current events, you've seen that I am now offering stock photoshoots AND stock discounts (ask me about that when booking your FULL session).

What is a stock photoshoot? Well, it can be pretty much anything you want it to be (as long as you stick to the guidelines listed on the session description).

This expectant mama and her daughter spent some time in a green house and let me tag along! It doesn't have to be any more than that, but GET CREATIVE! It can be literally ANYTHING, and the more unique, the better!

I'm also looking for a few individual models to help with a few random ideas I've got floating around too. If you're interested in doing some modeling, please email me a photo of yourself and tell me why you'd be fun to work with!

These sessions will be booked on a first come-first serve basis. Contact me today and let's make some portraits!

Ashley + Ryan | Married On A Mountain | Sneak Peek | Billings, Montana Destination Wedding Photographer

I don't always shoot weddings, but when I do, they take place at 11,253 feet!

A HUGE shout out to my 2nd shooter, Tricia Foottit with Promise Photography and Angela at 320 Guest Ranch for all of your hospitality and support on the couple's big day!

Dress: Step'N Out Formal Wear. Hair & makeup: Beauty & the Belief. Ceremony: Lone Peak, Big Sky, Montana. Reception: 320 Guest Ranch. Flowers: fiftyflowers.com (the bride put the bouquet together herself).

Jessica Byrum Photography only books a handful of weddings each year. If you are interested in more booking information, please see the weddings page or contact me! All wedding packages booked with JBP include complimentary engagement photos.