A Note to the Class of Twenty Seventeen – Trust Your Story
The Class of Twenty Seventeen is about to GRADUATE. I am so excited for the seniors, my son included, to close this chapter and begin to define their futures. Our futures. The future of the world. It is a big job ahead and everyone is wanting to give you advice and know your plans. I know, right?
My advice – yes, even I have some – comes in three little words that I stole from the brilliant Neil Gaiman…
Trust Your Story
You have the tools, the intelligence and the character to make what you want out of your life. Don’t wait for that ship to come in. Go build it.
Thank you to the seniors who trusted me to capture this amazing year for them. That is a gift I treasure.
Love in the Riotous Beauty of Cherry Blossoms – Engagement
Portland’s Japanese American Historical Plaza is a scene of riotous beauty every spring. Fluffy, light-filled cherry blossom stretch along the city’s waterfront begging lovers to smooch and dance and celebrate the season hand in hand. The plaza is a spectacular stage for engagement portraits. Can you think of a more romantic scene in the Pacific Northwest for couple’s photography? Please leave a comment and share your ideas as I would love to check them out.
Congrats Class of 2016 – Senior Portraits
PB + Kay Forever – Oregon Wedding Portraits
In all the world, there is no heart for me like yours. In all the world, there is no love for you like mine.
…Maya Angelou
Saturday, May 28, 2016. It was a glorious day. A beautiful day. A fantastic day to get married.
What an amazing honor to photograph Mikayla and Parker on their wedding day. The smiles, the smooches and the love – literally – were all around.
And, then, of course, the Portland Oregon Temple and its grounds make for a pretty spectacular scene. I could have taken pictures all afternoon. But I haaaad to give them back to their families to celebrate and dance the night away!
I so wish these two the very best of everything. I will leave them with a stanza from my favorite Sara Bareilles song, “I Choose You.”
My whole heart
Will be yours forever
This is a beautiful start
To a lifelong love letter
Prancing in the Park – Sherwood’s 2016 Maid Marian Court
With the spunk and sassy sweetness you expect of Maid Marian, this year’s Sherwood Robin Hood Festival ambassadors were fabulous to work with. It was clear the girls truly enjoyed each other, and friendships were in the making. And it is certainly a thrill to be the chosen photographer to capture the 2016 Maid Marian Court and their families. Be sure to join in on the festivities this year if you are in town July 15-17. The annual event has been a tradition in Sherwood, Oregon for over 60 years! These lovely ladies will surely make it a year to remember. 
The Macks 2016 – Fan Friday
I am officially declaring today to be “Fan Friday.” I basically need an excuse to share some photos and shamelessly shout out my love to my most favorite band on the planet, The Macks.
So what if I have two kids in the band. These guys are awesome.
Over Spring Break my house was filled with thumping drums, crazy guitar riffs and the occasional scream. The Macks are prepping for new recordings and are totally energized after their second place finish at the Oregon State Battle of the Bands 2016.
That show. Wow. That show was so good. It was their best performance and their best crowd by far. Unbelievable. I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. The fun they were having on stage rubbed off on everyone there.
Take a second, put in some headphones and check out the video from that epic night. I can’t thank Oregon State University’s KVBR-TV enough for this recording and for sharing it. After you watch, then you should go right to The Macks page on Bandcamp to download your favorite tracks. And you should definitely follow The Macks on Facebook and Twitter so you are the first to know when new tracks are released and the next show is booked. New material is coming soon!
Just a little note to bands starting out…GET PHOTOS. You never know when you’ll need one for an article like this one on The Macks in the Daily Barometer. And you need good photos for promos and posters for your next gig.
Melissa and the Flowers – Senior Sunday Portraits
Meeting Melissa was surely one of the highlights of my Class of 2016 photo season. Her energy, her smile and that twinkle in her eye made for an instant connection with me and the camera.
Melissa is a fan of flowers so when we talked locations, I was super excited she liked my suggestion for a little rose garden out in St. Paul. I was even more thrilled that she had spent some time at the Dahlia Festival and brought breathtakingly gorgeous bouquets to use throughout her session. The flowers were such a beautiful touch of color to those sunset images in the field.
In the fall, Melissa will be moving on from Sherwood High School to Oregon State University. I know for certain that her future is bright in Corvallis. But for now, Melissa is embracing her last few months of high school with new and old friends. She has also begun the hunt for the perfect prom dress. This girl has style, so you know it’s going to be a stunner. I couldn’t believe just the amazing shoes this girl had for her senior photos (see below). Melissa has dreams of one day owning a dress boutique and helping to make every girl’s prom one to remember. Perfect!
Hitting the Town with Hayden – Senior Sunday Portraits
I’m always so excited when clients pick urban for the their Senior photos. The textures and colors are amazing. And, I feel like a bit of a bubbly tour guide for my clients showing off the hidden gems around each corner. You really see that “same old town” with new eyes when you are taking portraits.
There is one itty bitty negative. I’m usually starving after a session in the city after smelling all of the great restaurant food steaming through the back alleys.
Hayden was a super fun Senior to work with. So relaxed and totally engaged in his photo session. It was pretty neat to meet and get to know him at the start of such a big year…I don’t think I’d seen him since he went to preschool with my oldest son. Yikes! Hayden’s a smart and thoughtful one, and it will be fun to track the fabulous things he’s sure to accomplish in the years to come.
Got any super cool, beat up blocks for me to check out? Leave a comment…I’m always looking for fun buildings for photos.
Park Tripping with Tiffani – Senior Sunday Portraits
Some photo sessions just fly. This was one of them. We had a gorgeous evening at one of my favorite parks, and Tiffani is a delight to work. We laughed a lot. Especially at her kah-RAZY black lab who literally ran circles around us.
And, it’s always fun as a photographer when you get a gorgeous pair of bright blue eyes and a natural beauty to work with!
Tiffani is excitedly jumping into the Spring of her Senior year. Her final tennis season is sure to be memorable as her love for the game HUGE. I just might have to catch a match to see this girl in action.
Tiffani will heading to the University of Oregon this fall. Go Ducks!
The Mendricks Trio – Family Fun Friday
I love having a pre-session “date” with clients at my favorite coffee shop, Sherwood’s Symposium Coffee. We get to chat, get to know each other, make eye contact (without a camera in my face), pick a location, have excellent coffee, and get creative. Meeting Kelly, I knew I had a kindred spirt. She loves capturing her little girl and it was clear that the annual photo session was going to be fun. I mean, seriously, we decided to bring bubbles!
I have some special locations that I love to take families. Places where kids can be kids. Parks with walking trails and fun things like ponds and rivers and tall grasses to play in. If kids are busy and having a good time, they really don’t worry all that much about me and the camera. The park we used for this photo session is wonderful. I find something new every time I visit. And, it really says something that we could get such interesting backgrounds and scenery in early December. There is eye candy all year round.
Do you know of any great parks or recreation areas near Sherwood, Newberg or Tualatin that offer up interesting textures and nature in the winter? Leave a comment because I LOVE scouting out new locations.
