Adoption Creative - Handcrafting authentic stories one unique journey at a time.

Adoption Creative

Handcrafting authentic stories one unique journey at a time.

Stand out above the crowd


Grab their attention. Make a connection. Your Dear Birthparent letter should provide a vibrant sense of who you are.

Stories we've stitched for our amazing clients

See Krin & Amie's Story
See Mike & Floyd's Story
See Sally & Kelly's Story
See Matt & Catherine's Story
See Dianna's Story
See Nathalie's Story
See Claudia & Phil's Story
See Dilli & Lisa's Story
See R&M's Story
See Clif & Tracy's Story

Ready to tell your story?


They say first impressions are made in seven seconds.
Let’s make them count.

Hi, I'm Kimberly!

Your personal storyteller

Designer + Photographer + Marketer

I'm here to help.

I've known I was adopted for as long as I can remember, but most of the time I forget. It was my brother and sister-in-law’s open adoption journey that pulled me in to this world.

For several years, I’ve been capturing families’ lives with authentic storytelling imagery. My life before kids included marketing communications and web site design.

I know writing about yourself can be incredibly difficult. "What do they want to know?” “I don’t want to brag.” “Why would they care about me?” Where do you even start?

I want to help you create an adoption profile that will get picked out of the pack and show them exactly what makes you special. Because it only works if someone reads it.

Find your voice

See Dianna's Story

A simple, integrated approach

A just-for-you brochure includes


  • Getting to know you session

    Two hours. Just for you. In the comfort of your own home. I’ll ask you all the right questions and we’ll dig deep into who you are and what lights you up.

  • Lifestyle photo session

    A half-day, on-location photo shoot provides plenty of time to create an expressive "Day in the Life" photo essay capturing a variety of interests and activities.

  • Organic design process

    Each double-page spread is built around a single theme to ensure your message is clear, cohesive, and each element is knit together as tightly as a cashmere sweater.

  • First impressions count

    I bring the valuable perspective of someone just meeting you. I’ll sort through the vanilla and pluck out the most intriguing pieces. These are the stories we’ll tell.

  • Printing, binding, & delivery

    Twenty copies of an 8.5×11 saddle stitched booklet will be professionally printed and delivered to your doorstep for a no-hassle experience.

  • Complimentary digital images

    A print-ready PDF and an on-screen flip-through brochure are included. Digital photos make a great addition to your outreach websites.

Make a connection

See Jay & Staci's Story

How much does it cost?

Complete adoption profile packages begin at $3600.


A $400 retainer is due before the strategy session. 50% of the balance is due before the photo shoot and the final 50% is due upon presentation of the first draft. You’ll receive your printed booklets, two electronic copies, and your gallery of digital photos.

Want to work with me?


I’m based in the San Francisco Bay Area and love to travel! I can only handle a few families per month, so get in touch soon to find out how we can work together. I can’t wait to meet you.

2443 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
Phone: 415.763.7502
Twitter: @kidsphotog

I've got a full plate right now, so I am not currently taking new clients. Feel free to drop me a note to connect about future openings.
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“Kimberly’s standout adoption work is the reason I refer adoptive parents to her. Her eye for detail and beautiful photography are two reasons why her adoption brochures are unique and engaging.Kimberly truly listens to the life stories of her clients and knows how to bring out the best in them. I recommend her highly.”

—Leah S., Marketing Director at Adoption Connection

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“You really captured our lives. I feel confident putting this in someone’s hands to introduce them to us. There’s no way we could have done anything half as good on our own. I’ve seen other brochures and I think it carries a lot of weight in people’s decisions. If it looks sloppy or unprofessional, it signals exactly that.”

See Amie's story
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“My adoption brochure had been distributed for over a year and I wasn’t getting any results. I needed something better than the snapshots my friends took. I called Kimberly for help, but I had no idea she’d be able to genuinely capture my life and aspirations. I hate being photographed, but I felt really comfortable. She helped me relax and the results exceeded my expectations. Two months later, I’m a mother!”

See Dianna's story
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“I was going to do this myself but it was such a relief to let you take this off my plate. And, it turned out much more sharp than I could have done. I love that we were able to recreate our activities like camping and hiking that look like we took them on real vacations but with much better quality than you get from handing your camera to a stranger. We got so many compliments on our brochure from all the agencies we worked with. Our birthmother said she picked because we were the only couple that looked like real people. So you played a real part in us getting our son.”

See Lisa's story
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“I just received your Dear Birthmother letter and it is absolutely the most original one I’ve seen in my 31+ years of practice. I had the biggest smile on my face while reading the “On the City” page. It was brilliant.”

—Lawrence S., Adoption Attorney

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“Our birth mom picked us out of a stack of 30 brochures. Our social worker tells us, when she got to ours she stopped and said, “This is the family!” She chose us because she felt like she knew us after seeing the brochure. She knew that Jay was funny because he was always making me laugh in the photos. And when we finally met, she was so happy that we turned out to be exactly who she thought we were based on her initial first impressions.”

See Staci's story
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“When I showed my friend my brochure, she said, “At first glance it is so you! I love how it highlights all the wonderful aspects of you!” You captured the most important parts of my life and who I am so easily, in just few hours. I started writing about myself so many times but it’s hard to know what is interesting. I started over again and again. It was so much time and frustration. From something that seemed so difficult, it became fun. I never thought I’d enjoy being in front of the camera. Miracles can happen!”

See Nathalie's story
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“My husband and I didn’t want to come across phony just to get someone to pick us as adoptive parents. Kimberly suggested not trying to impress everyone, just the one right birthmother. This made sense to me and helped me just be myself. During our interview, she was able to scope out things about our lives that I wouldn’t have thought about myself. When I saw the brochure the first time I thought, wow what an interesting couple we are. This is something I couldn’t have done on my own.”

See Tracy's story
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“Kimberly was fun to work with and went above and beyond our expectations. We love that the story that goes along with the photos and everything flows together perfectly! The quality of the finished product was far better than we could have imagined.”

See Mike's story
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Sally & Kelly
The Challenge

Sally & Kelly wanted a redesign after a year in outreach. They love staying active outdoors, but like most of us, they didn’t have many great photos of themselves doing everyday activities. We set up portraits for their hobbies and now you see them come alive instead of reading about it. In the middle of the cooking shoot, Kelly spontaneously started juggling vegetables. He’s a fun-loving guy and this captured his energy perfectly. With the help of Sally's art students, we see her connection to them and you realize she’s no ordinary teacher. They matched a few weeks after delivering their profile.

Strategy
Design
Photography
Copyediting
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Mike & Floyd
The Challenge

Mike & Floyd are dynamic and love to laugh. Their personality wasn't coming through in their brochure and they came to me with the common concern of “not being photogenic”. I’m not sure anyone looks their best doing something they don’t enjoy--like getting their picture taken! All I had to do was give them permission to be themselves, have a good time, and try to forget about the camera.

Strategy
Design
Photography
Copyediting
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Amie & Krin
The Challenge

Amie & Krin were stuck at the starting line not knowing where to even begin. It’s incredibly hard to step back and look at your life from an outsider’s point of view and decide what they’d want to know about you. I bring a new perspective and since I’m meeting you for the first time, your most intriguing traits are fresh in my mind. The three of us sat down for a strategy session where I learned what they liked, where they went, and just what made them tick. They love their neighborhood but how do you incorporate that into a letter? We went to the farmers market, spent some time near the lake they love, visited their community garden, and then finished up in and around their home. Now, their real, honest life simply comes across in the flavor of their profile and you can see how happy they are spending time together.

Strategy
Design
Photography
Copyediting
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Dianna
The Challenge

Dianna is a successful single woman ready to become a mother. As we chatted, she shared that she didn't want to appear to too independent or intimidating. I suggested that she not worry too much about what some people might not like about her, but instead focus on being authentic. In the end, the birthfather chose her based on some of the very elements she was considering omitting.

Strategy
Design
Photography
Copyediting
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Jay & Staci
The Challenge

Jay & Staci knew they wanted to do something different to stand out from the other brochures. We decided that full page imagery was more impactful than writing out their whole life story. The goal was to pique someone’s interest and then all the details could come out through more natural conversation. The strategy paid off and the birthmother who chose them said she felt like she knew them before she ever met them.

Strategy
Design
Photography
Copyediting
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Matt & Catherine
The Challenge

Matt & Catherine are fast-paced New Yorkers settling into their new West Coast lifestyle. They'd been trying to pull their letter together for some time, but hadn't been able to communicate what they wanted to. They’re a great example of a couple with a lot to offer under the surface. They think deeply and value balance in everything they do. The hardest part was trying to capture their depth in the single print piece they have to offer to a birth parent.

Strategy
Design
Photography
Copyediting
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Nathalie
The Challenge

Nathalie works in marketing, but found writing about herself a daunting task. She had many ideas about what to share, but some difficulty refining them. She is a fascinating blend of exacting scientist and antique collecting artist. Her friends are extremely important to her and she thrives on cultural diversity. We included a lot of detail shots so you feel like you’re visiting her at home and get a solid sense of her taste. The brochure is designed in a vintage French style and the photos are processed to fit this look & feel.

Strategy
Design
Photography
Copyediting
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Clif & Tracy
The Challenge

Tracy & Clif called me at the beginning of their journey so we got to start with a clean slate. She is an artist and Clif is both musical and cerebral. They love the contrast of their quiet neighborhood with the bustle of the nearby big city. Their spirituality plays a huge role in their lives. Capturing these abstract interests and hobbies was a fun challenge.

Strategy
Design
Photography
Copyediting
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R & M
The Challenge

R & M’s heritage and deep spirituality is woven into their lives. It was really important to show the unique way they incorporate their cultural traditions into their modern American lifestyle.

Strategy
Design
Photography
Copyediting
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Claudia & Phil
The Challenge

Claudia & Phil were worried that they didn’t look like the most typical prospective parents. My philosophy is always to be authentic while still putting your best foot forward. It was easy to show how strong their relationship is and how much love they have to give to a baby.

Strategy
Design
Photography
Copyediting
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Dilli & Lisa
The Challenge

Lisa & Dilli came to me for some strong anchor images to round out their story. They had already completed much of their letter and had a clear vision of what they wanted. We collaborated closely on the location choices and props to best support their plan and they opted to include many of their own photos of their world travels and extended family that lives out of state. For these, I sifted through their collection to choose the ones that best fit the story and edited them to match the color and lighting of the page design.

Strategy
Design
Photography
Copyediting