Kelowna Family Photographer

My photography style: Genuine & playful.

Hi, I’m Jessica

I feel so fortunate to be a photographer; to have the privilege of showing others, through my photos, the warmth and love I see in their lives.

I’m passionate about capturing sincerity and inner happiness, and I pride myself on being able to help people relax and loosen up to achieve that. Hunting the candid moments that happen all on their own is also a passion of mine.

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Why Work With Me

Knowledge

I’m a local to Kelowna and have been running with my photography business full-time for 15+ years. I know all the local spots and love to share my exuberance for all things Okanagan!

Creativity

Natural light photography is my jam! I never lack inspiration because it’s always right in front of me in the clients themselves. My drive to pull out and capture peoples’ personalities lights me UP!

Experience

I have photographed well over 200 weddings in the Okanagan plus countless more portrait sessions. Through this experience, I’ve learned what works best in all areas of my business.

Our toddler absolutely loves her

Jessica has taken family photos for us several times now and each time we have been exceptionally happy with the results. She is a lovely person who really puts you at ease and sets the tone for a relaxed, enjoyable photo session. Jessica’s ability to connect with people really shows in the genuine expressions she is able to capture. Our toddler absolutely loves her as well and she really makes an effort to interact with her on her level which has resulted so many great photos and good memories from each session. I’d highly recommend Jessica and look forward to our future sessions with her.

-Jenn & Spencer

My Whole Family Enjoyed Their Experience With Her

Recently visited Kelowna from out of town with my family and extended family. I wanted to take the opportunity to take some family photos out there. I found Jessica and loved her style of photos and immediately booked a shoot with her.

The day of the shoot (at 8am with my family and I jet lagged with many kids) and upon meeting Jessica for the first time, she was absolutely amazing. She had great energy and was very easy to work with. She had a great vibe, especially towards the littles. My whole family enjoyed their experience with her. On top of all that, the photos turned out beautiful!

If we ever go back to Kelowna & have another opportunity to book a Photoshoot, we’d hire Jessica again in a heartbeat.

– NErissa

It Felt More Like Hanging Out With A Friend

We knew we wanted family photos, but were kind of apprehensive as we all feel a little uncomfortable in front of the camera. Jessica made the whole process so fun – it felt more like hanging out with a friend than anything else. Pictures turned out so much better than we had hoped. Jessica’s communication through the whole process was clear and organized, right from inquiry to photo delivery. We’re so glad that we went with her, and we’re already talking about another shoot!

– Marissa

genuine smiles & emotion

Jessica is the most authentic, loving spirit. We always have her take our family photos. She is the only one who can elicit genuine smiles and emotion from us during photo sessions. Jessica always recommends beautiful locations and we have always been extremely happy with the end product.
My eight-year-old daughter says, “Jessica is really nice and always happy and she’s great with kids. She’s not just our picture-taker, but she’s our friend. She also loves puppies.”

-Jeff & Keiko

Jessica’s photos are timeless

We have been using Jessica’s photography services for over ten years. She has a natural ability to make you feel comfortable behind the lens. Jessica’s photos are timeless and her quality is impeccable.

-Roz & Brad

Jess Coaxes The Biggest Smiles Out

Jessica is a wonderfully talented photographer and a wonderfully beautiful person!! She has photographed our family on several occasions and always captures terrific images. She is super flexible and accommodating and our daughter just loves her. She’s normally shy but Jess coaxes the biggest smiles out of her! I can’t recommend her enough.

-Robyn & Brad

She Makes The Whole Process Easy & Fun!

Jessica took absolutely stunning family photos of myself, my husband and our dog Otis. Jessica is exceptional at what she does, she makes the whole process easy and fun! We already plan to have Jessica be our photographer for future events! Highly recommend her services!
I can’t recommend Jessica enough.

-alexandra & Greg

Highly Recommend Her!

Jessica is a fantastic photographer. She helped wrangle our family of 11 during freezing weather (our choice due to logistics) and still managed to get beautiful photographs for us. I would highly recommend her!

-jillian

Her Photos have always exceeded my expectations!

Jess is a wonderful and professional photographer! She has captured some really beautiful moments of my family over the years, and I can’t recommend her enough. She is a delightful person, and a natural at giving direction to awkward people, and to families with young children who are not so easy to photograph!! Her photos have always exceeded my expectations!

-Dylan + Liz

I treasure all of the photos she has taken

I met Jessica Zais when looking to have some engagement photos taken in 2009. I had been following her blog for a few months and loved how she brought out genuine smiles from her clients. Her style is timeless, and I love how she used light and colour in her shots. After speaking with her over the phone, I knew that she was perfect. Since then, not only has Jessica captured our engagement, but also our wedding and 5 years of family shoots as our family has grown. I’m so happy to have met her through her incredible talent. Her smiley bubbly personality makes everyone who gets in front of her camera feel immediately at ease. I treasure all of the photos she has taken, and look forward to booking her for years to come

– Carley & Graham

I Couldn’t Imagine A Better Photographer

Jessica is the best. Great at making everyone comfortable, catching good shots of uncooperative children, and making every location look perfect. I couldn’t imagine a better photographer.

-serina

Next Steps

01

Reach out and let’s talk! I will gather some info and send my full family photo packages to you so you can see if I’m the right fit and ask any questions you have!

02

Once you book, I will help you with the details! Once I know if there are any nap times or early bedtimes to work around for young kids, I can help you choose a location based on the light direction for the time of day we can shoot. Tip: Light is best a few hours after sunrise and before sunset).

03

Let’s create some epic memories! I want to create something that transports you back to this time in your lives at this moment in time and fills you with all the feels.

Get In Touch

Family Shoot Pricing

Included in All Packages:

  • Location Suggestions
  • Edited High-Resolution Images.
  • Proofing gallery online within 1-2 weeks for you to choose your images.
  • Copies of many of your images in Black & White.
  • Personal Online Gallery to download, print (optional) and share with your family and friends.

Family Portrait Sessions begin at $500 for a 20-minute mini.

Please contact me to see all 4 options. Packages for larger, extended family also shoots available. 😊

Get in Touch to Learn More

Get In Touch

If you’re looking for a photographer and you connect with my work, I would love to hear from you!

Frequently Asked Questions

I have a really positive attitude and try and keep things happy and relaxed as your photographer! I strive to capture as many candid moments as possible but I will usually make sure we are positioned for the best light and backdrop first. I then give pose prompts or an active direction that will encourage natural, candid moments to unfold within that. Most of us need some direction in front of the camera and nobody wants to be left awkwardly standing, not knowing what to do or wondering if their hair is all out of whack! I’ve got you! 😉

Absolutely! I grew up in Kelowna and I love to location scout and explore the Okanagan. I never knew this pastime (and current love) of day trips to different corners of the Okanagan would eventually come in handy for my profession!

I’m happy to recommend spots based on the time of year and time of day you’re able to do your shoot. If you have a specific spot in mind for your shoot, that’s great too – I can let you know the perfect time of day to shoot there for best light!

This is such a common worry that is so relatable! One of my abilities I’m most proud of is being able to put people at ease. We all want photos capturing our real smiles and dynamics and the way I achieve that is by giving lots of direction. Because, being told to “just be candid!” with a camera on you will inspire anything but that for most of us.

I encourage play, movement and give prompts to foster intimate, genuine moments for you to relax and sink into the experience. I’m sure I’ll make you laugh with my dorky jokes as well. 😉 Once you get into the flow, just know if I’m quiet at times it’s because you’re rocking it and I don’t want to interrupt the magic!

I sure do! I want you to have the images to share, back-up and make as many prints and enlargements as you want. I also have store options for products in your gallery if you’re looking for something a little more special like a book, etc but there is never any pressure to get any of these products.

Absolutely! For family and couples sessions, there is a small travel fee based on mileage outside of Kelowna. For other areas in BC, accommodation may need to be factored in but I try to keep these costs down as much as possible.

It’s actually pretty rare that I need to reschedule a portrait session to another day. I just ask clients to keep a bit of flexibility on the day of their shoot and often we can avoid rain by starting an hour or two earlier (or later). Luckily rain passes pretty quickly in the Okanagan, more times than not.

I’m also a weather nerd and keep an eye on the weather radar and satellite imagery when the forecast is looking sketchy. I’m not an expert of course but this nerd power has come in handy countless times for avoiding rain for shoots.

I have some awesome, clear dome umbrellas that can squeeze 2 people each under each one. They look great in photos and I have enough for a wedding party of 10!

Once you book and we choose a location, I can give tips based on that spot and am happy to share a Pinterest board with outfit inspiration. If you’re unsure about an outfit, feel free to email me a photo before your shoot and I can give feedback if you’d like a sounding board.

I prefer to shoot on location with all the beautiful backdrops Kelowna and the Okanagan have to offer or in your home where we can get capture cozy moments that will have a sentimentality attached that you just can’t get at a studio.