I’m Bree Hester, a Coast Guard wife of 15 years and mom to three pre-teens. I’ve moved all over with my family (13 homes and counting) photographing all our little moments in between - loose teeth, sports games, and countless family vacations. For over ten years, I’ve been lucky enough to photograph the best days in people’s lives. Everything from weddings, where I’ve been the sole witness, to adoptions where parents met their children for the first time. I also offer my skills as a family photographer (and former school teacher) to help aspiring photographers and creatives learn photography in a fun and not-too-overly-technical way with my online Oh Well, Shoot! Courses.
A boston, massachusetts photographer and educator specializing in family photography and online photography classes for creatives.
In case of a fire, I’m saving my family. My family photos that is. You can thank This Is Us for this scenario constantly playing through my head. But those photos are everything. I’ve got wedding photos and every little milestone of all three of my kids and I’m not letting those go up in flames! I actually have a system in place where I have my entire hard drive of photos copied on not one but three hard drives just in case. You can read more about my crazy organization system here.
The home may change with each duty station we move to, but our table remains the same: a long wooden table that has housed high chairs, family game nights, and Thanksgiving meals (which I go all out for) over the years. Soon, there will be girlfriends and boyfriends joining us as our family extends, but for now it is where we come together as the five Hesters.
I value the collection of stamps in my passport (and can’t stand it when they refuse to stamp mine.) To date, my favorite memory is sitting on the beach in Greece with my family soaking up the sun, munching on olives and baklava, and chatting with all the friendly Greek people. Other notable trips include the time I tried chasing down Jamie Fraser in Scotland and ate my way across Italy.
I love nothing more than a bright and colorful lip. Even though my husband hates it, this whole “look” is for me and that’s what makes it special. When I swipe on a fired-up fuschia lipstick I feel put together and like I can conquer the world! I simply can’t have a bad day when I've got my lips on.
Cooking has always been a part of my life. I grew up in a food family. I come from restaurant owners, caterers, and chefs. So, it should come as no surprise that I love cooking, too. In fact, I run a successful food blog, Baked Bree, where I photograph all my recipes in the same light and airy style you’ll see in my family photography. And, when it comes to friendships, I love whipping up something special to show my appreciation. More often than not, when you see me in real life I will have a baked good just for you.
Nothing is more important to me than legacy. I do everything in the hopes that my kids look back on their childhood as a happy one, not perfect by any means - but happy.