Guitar in the Garden, Pearls at the Beach

Here is one of my marathon photo experiences! This senior had so many creative ideas and various outfits, I just couldn't stop taking photos! We began at Pittock Mansion with her black top, plaid skirt and great black fedora! She had her fingernails painted black which I thought was very cool and funky. Then she changed into a beautiful purple sweater with an amazing brown floppy hat! I love it! She brought out her guitar and I captured some photos of her playing it. Those are some of my favorite ones. That purple made her look stunning! Her long hair was waving and extremely shiny. I loved being able to play with it. She has these most adorable freckles and I wanted to make sure I didn't get rid of them with my Photoshop madness. She may not agree, but I LOVE freckles!

When she put on the teal green sweater, it made her complexion and eyes sparkle! I absolutely love the photo of her in the doorway with her legs going in different directions. She looks like a rag doll!

After we pulled ourselves away from the mansion, we headed to the beach. Her pink "girly" dress with pearls is the perfect contrast to the sand and water. There are some photos of her walking along the water's edge which take my breath away. We finished with her in a royal blue sweater with a red scarf. There is this big log pole sticking straight up on the beach. It was fun posing her with it.

Well, "C", these photos are amazing! I hope you love them!

Red Car, Grey Skies, and Crystal Blue Eyes!

I was able to go to this senior's home to take her photos. Her house is hidden away in plain sight! I drove into a tree lined driveway which led up to the most beautifully manicured gardens! The day was overcast, which always makes the colors pop, and she looked stunning!

When I work in Photoshop, I usually lighten the eyes up just a bit, so they look a little more luminous. Well, I didn't have to do a thing to her eyes. They are a light iridescent blue in the center and have a dark navy outline! She has porcelain skin and beautiful dark hair. The perfect Snow White!

She had a neighbor who owns this wonderful red barn and I love the photos of her in front of it. She also has a rope swing in a crusty old tree her dad built for her when she was a little girl and so, of course, we had to grab some shots of her on the swing. One of my favorite settings was this old bright red gas pump! The green grass, the red pump and her black shirt look fantastic.

Her father has an incredible refurbished car he drove out onto the grass for photos. While my senior was changing clothes, I was able to grab a few shots of the amazing car. I've included a few photos of the car below.

Here you go "A"! I hope the wait was worth it!

MVP

When this senior walked into my home for his consultation, I was a little surprised and blurted out "Whoa!" without meaning to. I'm sure he gets that reaction from a lot of people. He is 6'7" and growing! He is an accomplished Center for one of our high schools and was kind of "dragged" to me by his mother. Actually, this happens with most guys. They think of all those horrible times when they were forced to sit still and say "cheese" while they were growing up, so they look at me like I'm might be planning to torture them.

I'm not sure he had the time of his life, but I tried to keep the torture to a minimum! Actually, he was great to work with, easy-going, friendly and a lot of fun. We discussed his plans for the future and it sounds exciting. I probably should have asked for his autograph while he was still young and not yet famous. His mom came along and she was extremely helpful and supportive. I thoroughly enjoyed working with them both.

Well, "S", I hope I didn't embarrass you too much with this post....you are looking awesome!

Pirouette

In a previous life, I was a painter. I loved working with oils and one of my favorite subjects was ballet theatre. I had the distinct pleasure of working with this accomplished ballerina for her senior photos. She was so graceful, both in the way she carried herself and in her manner. She looks beautiful surrounded by the flowers and green grass of the Pittock Mansion. I don't think she could have come up with a better place to take photos. The day was beautiful, although, windy. For those of you who have had your photos done there, you know how wicked the wind can be!

She wore some beautiful jewel tones which were perfect for the surroundings. She has such a beautiful smile and sparkling eyes! I really like the photos where the sun is behind her and highlighting her hair. I also like the ones on the grass with the signature "Light & Shadow" poses. Every time I do those poses, however, they look different on each person.

When she put on the tutu which her friend's mother had made, it took my breath away. I'm sure she was getting tired by the end, because I couldn't help but come up with more and more ideas of how to pose her. That dress, that mansion, and her gracefulness were superb!

Here you go, "M". You are beautiful!

Down by the River

This senior was a lot of fun! She was easy-going and down to earth. It was a perfect day at the riverside, the sun was high and warm and we had the place to ourselves. She chose some unique and different looks and I loved them all. We started with her flirty dress and fabulous white boots. I especially like the ones with her in the field of grass. The sun is a great big back-light and her hair looks beautiful.

I love the photos of her in black with the sun at her back and also laying on the huge cement pilings. There are a few of those close-ups which take my breath away! We tried to head to the beach, but it was still a little too sunny, so her mother stayed there soaking in the sun and we went back into the trees. Her red sweater and gold scarf look stunning against the dark green foliage, and as I've said to so many of you, I love the long sleeves!

She had a great black hat to wear on the beach and we grabbed some wonderful images of her by the water. She also had a t-shirt which belonged to her mother when she was in high school. It was a U.S. tour from 1982! I loved it! Those are my days! Yes, I know I am old!

Well, "J", I hope you love these! You look amazing!

Suave, Debonaire, and Completely Hilarious!

Here is the last set of twins I had the pleasure of working with this year. They were definitely an adventure! I don't think I have laughed this much in any other photo experience I have ever had. Their family came along and we spent a hot sweltering day at McMenamins. They came first in their tuxedos which looked very handsome on them. They both play instruments in the Metropolitan Youth Symphony and we had a great time trying to come up with some artistic shots of that. Their father plays the sax and in another post I will show some of the photos of him with his sons.

They are both Eagle Scouts and are very proud of the fact, as they should be! They wanted some shots with the flag and I love the ideas we came up with. Their silhouettes behind the flag is such an awesome shot!

One would be changing his outfit while I worked with the other. Believe it or not, they are identical. I didn't believe it until I worked on their photos. When you see their faces up close and personal, you can see the similarities. They have completely different personalities, but they complement each other wonderfully. They definitely find humor in almost everything.

We were all hot and tired after we finished at McMenamins, so they decided to go out to eat with their family and then call me when they were ready to come to the studio. I drove home and promptly fell asleep! They tried calling and didn't hear anything from me. I was so embarrassed! We were able to get together a few days later in the studio. I absolutely LOVE the studio shots! I played around with some very dramatic lighting and the mood it creates was amazing. While I was working with "T", "M" decided to try on one of the tutus I use for my little clients. He put on a pearl necklace and grabbed a teddy bear. I told him to get in front of the camera and look as "GQ" as possible. Those shots still make me laugh out loud!

I'm not supposed to enjoy my job this much! Well, here you go, "M", and "T". I hope you enjoy these as much as I enjoyed working with you!

Swim Team Captain by Day, Princess by Night!

This was one of my marathon days! This senior and I played at the Pittock Mansion, the Rose Garden and then back here to my studio. She was definitely exhausted being beautiful for so long! Her images are amazing! She wore royal blue, plum, teal, pink, jade, and black. All of these colors are definitely my favorite. (Hooray for jewel tones!)

I think she is used to see herself smiling in all of her photos up until now, and I can't wait for her to see the dramatic side to her personality. She brought along a stunning jade prom dress and I had fun with her on the balcony at Pittock. It is usually freezing there with gusty winds, so it's always a challenge to keep your hair in place. It was a good thing she had her hair up!

I just love the way she looks in all of this photos...so bright and alive! It was a pleasure working with her!

So, "N", come see yourself!

Dark and Brooding!

I had a lot of fun with this senior. I could tell that he was much more comfortable smiling, but I tortured him and made him create some dark and brooding photos! Actually, he was a very good sport. It was really quite hilarious to watch him try and mimic what I was doing. He definitely does not take himself to seriously, and he looked at me like I was crazy when I had him twist his body this way and that. I couldn't help myself, but when I would ask him to be serious, I would peek around the edge of the camera and lift my eyebrows up. He would start to laugh, and I would ruin the shot. It's just that he was so much fun to tease!

There are some amazing images here. His yellow shirt just pops as does his blue one. It was a pretty hot day, but we just kept it up. By the end while he was at my studio, he asked me how much longer it was going to take! I guess I tired him out. Well, "K", it was definitely worth the marathon! You look great!

Sister and Brother!

I have had the distinct pleasure of working with 3 sets of twins this season. If you've read my previous post, you'll know that I have a tender place in my heart for twins.

This was originally going to be a photo shoot of just the girl, but she and her mom persuaded her brother to meet us for a few shots. I was able to talk him into a few more shots than that, and I don't think he totally hated it! He was a great sport!

I spent the majority of the Photo Experience with her, though, and we had so much fun together. As you will see from her photos, she has the most beautiful smile! I had her take a few serious shots, but she is much more herself when she is smiling. We played all around McMenamins, and then headed to the beach! I loved her purple striped sweater. I know I tell you guys to avoid stripes, but the colors on hers were very similar and the purple looked beautiful on her. I like the ones by the water tower, even when everyone was staring at her! There is a little red brick building around the back and I love the shots of her in purple next to the building. At the beach, we were able to create some great images. I especially like the ones where she is in the water. It was the busiest I have ever seen the beach, but it is still a quiet and secluded spot.

Introducing "A" and "A" to you!