Posted on May 22, 2011
Think about it….as long as we can remember, we were told to “Say Cheese!” whenever a camera was pointed in our direction. Eager parents always coached us to smile, hoping that years from that day we would all realize just how happy our childhoods were. Unfortunately, this early conditioning tends to strip out the emotion of today’s photojournalism.
On a recent shoot, the couple kept saying “Oh wait, I don’t think we were smiling…” to which I would tell them that was perfectly fine, I wanted to capture the real them – smiles, gentle caresses, or serious looks – regardless.
As a photographer, it is our job to be a part of your moment. Resist those childhood memories of forced smiles (we had plenty of non-forced ones, too) and allow the camera to truly capture the moment. Simply act as if the photographer is not even in the room.
Some of the best moments are captured when no smiles can be found.
Posted on May 21, 2011
The emails were being exchanged like with so many other engagement sessions…what date? What time? but most importantly, what location? Erica mentioned they wanted more “wilderness” than city. One place resounded in my mind – Macleay Park. This amazing place is a single trail that links Cornell Rd with NW Portland. It follows Balch Creek which is an amazing little stream that reflects the beauty of the valley. Erica + Joel loved the place and I really feel like it fit them perfectly!
Be sure to check out some more over on Facebook!
Posted on May 15, 2011
It’s Springtime in Portland…the sun creeps through dark, ominous clouds, the birds are chirping, and my clients once again frolic and splash around in swamps and fountains. Today was one of those days! Janessa and I met at a bridal show, where she won my free engagement session. We scheduled the shoot for today and had such a blast with her and Nate. We roamed around the Pearl District of Portland and found some great hidden spots to shoot. Check out some shots below and a few more over on Facebook.
