Hi, friends—new and old! I’m Megan Thompson, the person behind the lens at Photography Avec Meg. If we haven’t met yet, I’m so glad you’re here.
My love for photography began in 2012, fresh out of college, as a way to feed my creative soul. What started as a hobby quickly became a passion, but my journey to building a full-time photography business has been anything but straightforward.
Over the years, I’ve worn many hats: I managed a child abuse prevention project with the Siletz Tribe, spent time working at the DOJ, earned a Master’s in Teaching, and taught elementary school. Each experience shaped me in profound ways, but I was simultaneously also trying to do photography, so it was hard to put in the time to think of photography as a career path for me.
When my son was born in 2019, I stepped away from teaching to focus on being a mom. During that time, I picked up my camera and took clients again, almost as a way to reconnect with myself. What started as a small step turned into a full-on leap—I decided to leave the safety of a steady paycheck behind and go all-in on my dream.
It wasn’t easy, but here I am, running a business that lights me up and allows me to capture the most meaningful moments in people’s lives. I’m honored to tell your story through my lens.
So, that’s a little about me! Thank you for following along and supporting my work—it truly means the world.
With love,
Megan
First photo
Photography: @avecmeg
Gowns: @_stephaniemai & @hiauntyviv
Model: @pageofelli
HMUA: @artistrybymai
Venue: @chateau_de_michellia
The quiet moments no one else sees…
In between the celebration and the music, there are these small pauses…
A hand adjusting a tie. A shared glance. A moment that belongs only to the two of you.
Surrounded by towering greens and soft light, everything else fades away.
This is what makes a garden wedding feel different… not just beautiful, but deeply personal.
Save this for your couple portrait inspiration or send it to someone who gets these quiet moments.
Photographed by: @avecmeg
#botanicalgardenwedding #oregongardenwedding #romanticgardenwedding #outdoorweddingoregon #pnwweddingvenue #coupleportraitinspiration #luxuryweddingvibes
I saw a video the other day about a dad whose daughter asked him for a new stuffy. His first thought was that she already has a million stuffies, she probably doesn’t need another one. Then he realized that it’s only a short time until she’s no longer going to ask him for a new stuffy.
So, of course he got her a giant stuffed bunny. When I tell you it made me cry. I see my own 6-yr-old quickly growing. No longer saying things in a cute way. A truck is no longer a “trup.” And an ambulance is no longer an “anch.” Childhood is so fleeting.
This is why family sessions have always been so dear to my heart. The time we have with them at home is such a short time. I feel so lucky to get to help preserve those memories for my clients. The first session I had with this adorable family was when their daughter was a baby! What a gift to be able to share in the joy that is this time period with them. #oregonfamilyphotographer #hybridphotographer #pnwfamilyphotographer #familyphotoshoot #portlandfamilyphotographer
Me: “my garden blossom photos were a failure.”
Gets the film scans back…maybe I spoke too soon?
For the past few years I’ve been taking self-portraits during the peak of my garden blossoms. This year I decided to challenge myself and I used my Nikon F100 and some Kodak Portra 400. I was feeling discouraged because we cut one of my trees too much and it was hard to get to the blossoms. I really had no idea how I looked or how any of these would turn out.
Taking self-portraits on a digital camera is hard enough, but on film definitely took a lot more patience. To take each photo, I tried my best to set up a scene considering my background, then I put an extra tripod about where I thought I might be and manually set my focus. I had 10 seconds to get in place.
Was it a bit more stressful? Yes, but totally worth it. There’s something so special about film.
Scans by @photovision.co
Headed to Cannon Beach for the weekend? I have availability for family portrait sessions on Friday, March 27th and Saturday, March 28th. Let’s adventure together and take some beautiful portraits on the beach.
I love these ones I took with Madison and her family during their visit.
DM or email to book!
#cannonbeachfamilyphotographer #oregoncoast #oregoncoastfamilyphotos #oregoncoastfamilyphotos
Bonjour! I’m Megan (or Meg), I’m a photographer based in Portland, Oregon. I’ve been photographing weddings and portraits for 14 years.
As a little girl, when asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I almost always said an artist or a teacher. Funny enough, I became both. I am a former elementary school teacher, I was even in a special arts program. While I said goodbye to teaching, so I could focus on raising my own little one, I’ve never stopped taking photos. I wonder what little me would think of my life now.
My work is a blend of documentary storytelling and editorial. I capture both the candid, unfiltered moments and the refined, artful portraits to take you back to those memories whenever you look through your photos. Thank you for bringing me along to share in these moments with you. (S/o to my grandma, sisters, and dad in these photos)
