Anniversary

Kristen and I have a nice getaway for our anniversary. Midweek too, and it didn't come too soon. Wednesday night, after her theater rehearsal (Sound of Music), we jetted off to McMenamin's Edgefield for a nice comfortable stay.

After sleeping in, I stuffed a waffle, egg, 3 sausages, and hashbrowns in my mouth before we swam in the hot salt soaking pool. Yes, I could do that every morning, thanks. After getting dried off, we soaked ourselves again in the rainy Columbia Gorge. The fall colors are ridiculous right now. Go there. We ended by immersing ourselves in books that weren't ours at Powells.

Thanks for a lovely getway, honey. I love you.

Emily & Brett, Engaged

Emily & Brett live in Portland. They were traveling through San Francisco. Ashley & I were in San Francisco. We took pictures of Emily & Brett IN San Francisco. My mind hurts!

Photo tip of the week: If needing a bathroom to change, and you are the subject of a photo shoot, grab a beer so that you can have permission to use the restaurant's bathroom. It will loosen you up, taste delicious, and hey, a bathroom!





























Brett shot this last photo with one of my cameras. He did very well.

A Few Thoughts on the Richard Avedon Exhibit

I am really not sophisticated in my photographic theory. I frame what I see in the most beautiful and best way I can in the moment.

I know Richard Avedon has long career of stunning portraiture and through the success and hard work he had to create what was new and interesting in his corporate and personal work. What I love about his photographs is simplicity. There may be greater technical photographers, or photographers who push the envelope even further, but his ability to find and capture a look was beyond exceptional. Check out the exhibit in San Francisco if you are in the Bay Area.

Karoline & Oliver

Ashley and I shot Karoline & Oliver near the De Young Museum in San Francisco. We made them be snuggly and I like their pictures. So there.

Carly & Nathan, Wedding

Oh Carly & Nathan. You two possess something each individually that is made even greater by your inloveness. It's coolness, hipness, kindness, graciousness, and lots of other =nesses that make you so awesome to be around. Your family and friends had an amazing time at your wedding and I hope Ashley & I's photos reflect a small portion of that.

Congrats, it's a big world, go eat it up.

Kacie & Todd, Engaged

These two are ridiculous. In a good way. Ashley and I drove down south to sneak in a library and make them hug and flirt and kiss. Super stealthy and so glad we did.

Congrats Kacie & Todd!

Melanie, Portraits in the Pearl

This portraiture thing is something else. In each session I have met the most amazing people and Melanie is one of the sweetest and loveliest of them all. And she just rocks.

Melanie, of pdxstudioquilts.com, came to me wanting some original portraits of both herself and her work that she could feature in her new website. She is a fiber artist and I'll let her website show the incredible amount of detail and skill needed to create what she does. Each piece takes a LONG time and her patience pays off.

These first sessions gave her quite a selection of photos to choose from and I love them all. Here are just a few. Thanks Melanie for such a fun experience!







































Some extra compositional details, thanks to the Portland Marathon!

Laura & Jared, Engaged

As Ashley and I pulled up to meet Laura & Jared, I instantly recognized Laura from where she works. Also knowing that she is really sweet and personable, I also knew that this Jared guy should be pretty awesome as well. And when you know, you just know, you know? And I KNEW it! Can't wait for their wedding!

Danielle & Isaac, Wedding

A couple of great successes from Danielle & Isaac's wedding:
1. It was beautiful and sunny on the ridge where the Viewpoint Inn looks out over the Columbia Gorge.
2. My light umbrella broke by falling over in the wind. This tells me that I'm doing my job. It did not hit Danielle OR Isaac. This is even better.
3. The wedding was small, just their close friends and family. I love this because it's intimate and personal.
4. I got to hear funny jokes by this man.
5. I SUCCESSFULLY did not ask either Danielle or Isaac if they were Twilight fans. The Viewpoint Inn is where they filmed a portion of the first Twilight movie. On a side note, Edward always looks like he's about to barf.

Congrats to this beautiful couple!

Kayla & Matt, Wedding

For Kayla & Matt's wedding, it was NOT hard to find people smiling and having fun. In fact, I didn't bother trying. Instead, with Ashley Forrette, we followed them around their beautiful day takin' pictures and having an amazing time. Sure, we worked hard getting good shots, drove back & forth from Mt. Tabor, chauffered the bride & groom in a luxurious RAV-4 (see below photo), set up lights, and so on, but otherwise, this adorable couple made it easy with their hilarious family and friends and lovely smiles.

Congrats Kayla & Matt! You two are awesome.

















































The couple rented a limo but Ashley Forrette was such a good driver and the RAV-4 so comfortable (aside from the doggie hairs), Kayla & Matt were happy to have her cart them around. Nice work Ashley.

Under Our Skin

I've been wanting to blog about this for awhile and finally getting to it. I had the honor of documenting the film release of "Under Our Skin," a new documentary about Lyme Disease. The film is a fascinating uncovering of Lyme disease, some of the myths and controversies and personal stories involved. I highly recommend it.

Aside from covering the event, Anna Studenny and I wanted to give some of the "Lymies" who attended and provide them with a free portrait. The Hollywood Theater has tight hallways and the only available place for a white backdrop was tucked in the back hallway, shooting in front of the men's bathroom door.

"Alright, beautiful smile..." SLAM. "Oops, sorry about that...oh, it's just the photographer."

Shaking off the growing lumps in my skull, I tried to take as much time as possible to hear their stories. The confusion, pain, and hope that they all carry with them is remarkable. Some were struggling, some on their way to managing and I think all of them related personally to the film. I hope I was able to capture just a glimpse of these beautiful people.

Thank you all who allowed me to be a part of this and all who let me into your life a little. More of the film release HERE.

Jodi & Brad, Wedding

Still catching up on the blog. Jodi & Brad were married at McMenamin's Edgefield and were really fun. I shot with Ashley Forrette, always an honor.

Jodi & Brad, I loved your wedding and I loved how your friends and family poured out their love and support. Hope you are still in wedding bliss!

Alyson & Andrew, Wedding

Finally getting to blog this wedding! And Alyson & Andrew had an AMAZING wedding. Held at the Westwind, a protected area with 500 acres of wilderness beach only accessible by river boat, their family and friends were treated to a unique natural experience on the Oregon coast. It is not often to have an entire beach to yourself, but Alyson & Andrew had the wedding on this gorgeous stretch of sand and forest. And they were beautiful.

I shot this wedding with Nikon equipment and the talented Ashley Forrette.

Congrats Alyson & Andrew, you guys were SO cool to photograph and hang with!

Also, New Business Cards

I got new business cards. Cool.

New Growth

I've been slacking on the blog the last few weeks! Been super busy, have a whole entire line-up of awesome blogs to do but had to 1. re-work the website, 2. had to take a lot of pictures of people, and 3. fit sleep in.

In the near future I hope to be 1. sprucing up the blog, 2. taking MORE pictures of people, and 3. getting more sleep. And 4. eating. And 5. more eating.

So more blogs coming. In the meantime, enjoy this odd macro shot I took of a tree stump. I love the colors.

Funny Stories

So, you never know who you'll run into at weddings.

While waiting for the groom to arrive at the View Point Inn, a beautiful historic house overlooking the Columbia Gorge, I came upon this man chatting up the musicians who I could tell were politely listening.

"Did you ze the vedding on the youtooob?" he asked us all in a soft German accent. "It is the vedding on youtooob vere the vedding party dances down ze aisle and ze bride follows....you could tell ze bride had choreographed the entire thing, it vas marvelous!"

"So I watch every day my neighbor's husband brings her flowers...so I tell my wife about it. My wife says, 'That's so nice, I wish you vud do ze same.' I say, "but I don't even KNOW ze woman!"

He threw us a few more zingers. But it's people like zis who make veddings so marvelous....

Aaron & Meg, Elk Cove Vineyards

I went to Glide High School and Western Oregon State College University with Aaron. Years later, the hand of fate (ie Facebook) brought us back in touch and he asked me to shoot his wedding. Meg is awesome and lovely and cool (and as you can see below, stunning) and these two are such a match. Meg and Aaron wanted their wedding to be a time when they could celebrate and relax with their friends and family and it was. Even with storm clouds and rain and rainbows and bright sunshine and...well, Oregon.

Thanks so much Aaron & Meg for the opportunity to work with you guys!

Spectacular Location & Wine by: Elk Cove Vineyards
Spectactular Flowers by: Annie Chen of Floral Sunshine

Brittany & Greg, Engagement Session

Going blog crazy today. Two in ONE DAY! Someone stop me because the last remaining internet surfer gets up and goes outside.

Ashley and I went up to Seattle to shoot Brittany & Greg's engagement photos. It was Greg's first day back teaching at school and THEN they closed on a house. And then they had two of us forcing them to cuddle and kiss and look cool in a sunset. Long day for them. But they were so great to work with. Congrats you two!

Halle & Matthew, Trash the Dress

Another reason why Halle & Matthew are awesome. See the previous post for their wedding! Shot with the ridiculously talented Ashley Forrette.