e[a] photography studios

Stella & Cuong - Skamania Lodge

2011-11-29T18:09:00.000-08:00

Emily & Adam's wedding

2011-11-23T16:19:00.000-08:00

Jodi & Kent's Wedding

2011-11-23T15:36:00.001-08:00

Jodi and Kent were married at the beautiful University of Portland. I'm pretty sure this is my new favorite wedding venue! The lovely Emily of Emily G Photography invited me to second shoot with her and I was thrilled to be join her on this stunning wedding.

Congrats Jodi and Kent!

Last, but not least, a photo of the funny and lovely Emily G!

Clients - please feel free to use these as your profile images or post online, however do not crop out the watermark in any way.

All images copyright e[a] photography studios 2011; do not print without permission.

Natalie & Kris

2009-03-30T12:33:00.000-07:00

I'm finishing editing Natalie and Kris' wedding images and I just thought I'd throw a quick sneak peak out there before I put their main blog post up!

Megan & Eric

2009-02-19T15:20:00.000-08:00

Megan & Eric are such an amazing couple! We had a blast shooting their New Years Eve wedding and are so glad that we got to be part of such a special event. Their wedding was both fun and elegant. We had a blast staying up with them and welcoming the New Year in and couldn't have imagined a better way to spend New Years Eve.

Here's a set of images from their wedding at the Aerie in Happy Valley, Oregon.

The Knot Real Weddings

2008-12-01T17:11:00.000-08:00

Laura & Patrick's wedding was just featured on The Knot's Real Weddings section. Go check it out!

My Real Wedding from The Knot and The Nest.

Don & Debbie

2008-12-01T16:11:00.001-08:00

Sophisticated + Rockin' = Don & Debbie's wedding. True to Don & Debbie's personalities, their wedding was a combination of elegance and sophistication with fun and silliness. We don't have enough words to describe how awesome it was to photograph their wedding at The Old Church in Portland and their reception at The Overlook House, so we'll leave you with the photos.

Brynne & Sam

2008-12-01T15:59:00.000-08:00

Brynne & Sam are simply amazing. Their wedding was so special and unique. They held it at Brynne's parent's house in Washington. Their theme was "Vintage" and every detail was meant to transport you back to a simpler time where friends shared tea together and life was a little less crazy. And they succeeded in creating that feel for their ceremony and reception. We loved photographing their wedding and we feel so privileged to have been able to share in their the beauty of their wedding day.

Laura & Sam's E-Session

2008-11-22T06:53:00.000-08:00

Let's get one thing straight: When you've got a couple this rocktastic, you don't need to waste words getting in the way of their photos. Laura and Sam: amazing.

Sam also plays in the NFL as a kicker for the Cowboys - we couldn't resist:

Emily & Adam

2008-11-16T08:27:00.000-08:00

Okay, so it's been a long time. The end of wedding season is crazy - because it's also the beginning of a new one. That means a new crop of awesome people to shoot and plaster all over our blog! The first to join the ranks of 2009 are the most definitely awesome Emily & Adam. Words can't describe how much fun these two are - and how excited we are for their wedding!

Donovan & Mandy

2008-10-30T12:07:00.000-07:00

Donovan & Mandy are AMAZING! We heart them! We headed out to Cannon Beach for their wedding and it was a perfect day - the sun was definitely playing nice for their wedding! Their wedding was a stunningly elegant beach wedding that was both relaxed and beautiful. Not only was their wedding awesome, but Donovan & Mandy are a blast! They were willing to brave the sand, the water, and every other element all for the sake of photos. I have to admit, I'm thrilled when we have couples who will do anything for my crazy photo ideas!

Without further ado, I present a short snapshot of their fabulous wedding day!

Alexis

2008-10-13T13:57:00.000-07:00

We met up with Alexis for her awesome senior sesion in Corvallis and headed out to Bald Hill Park. Andy and I used to spend a lot of time hiking and biking on the trails around the park and I LOVE this place! We were fortunate that OSU was having their football game at the same time we did her senior photos because the trails were completely devoid of people which allowed us to use a lot of cool places.

Alexis was so much fun to photograph. She can pull off that "model" look perfectly and was a complete natural in front of the camera. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with her and we definitely bonded while we ran around being silly and taking photos. AND she was barefoot for the whole shoot which definitely makes her a girl after my own heart. Needless to say, it was pretty much the perfect senior photo shoot!

Elizabeth & Logan

2008-10-04T12:42:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth & Logan's wedding was quaint and charming. They were married in a beautiful little chapel in Portland. I was so touched by their ceremony and the love they have for each other. Not to mention that the "getting ready" rooms were awesome for photos. I love the text on the walls in the guys' room. So cool.

David & Ashley

2008-10-02T11:51:00.000-07:00

A little less than two years ago we had the privilege of photography Tim & Kim's wedding who have since become dear friends of ours. We are absolutely thrilled when our clients cross the border into friend-dom and we stay close throughout the years. So when Tim's brother, David proposed to his lovely fiance, Ashley, who we had met several times throughout our friendship with Tim & Kim, we were so excited for them both. We were even more thrilled when they asked us to be their photographers. I can't imagine a greater joy than to photograph the people you care about!

David & Ashley held their ceremony and reception at Rood Bridge Park which was a beautiful choice. The park has recently added endless streams and creeks which were perfect for photography. The location was so natural, peaceful, and beautiful; I couldn't imagine a setting that would have fit their personalities as well.

Stephanie & Mark

2008-09-29T21:24:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite things about photography is capturing the changes of life. I shot Stephanie's senior photos a while back and I was thrilled when she asked me to shoot her upcoming wedding! Unfortunately, we were unavailable for their wedding next year and so they decided to schedule an engagement session. I couldn't be more excited for Stephanie & Mark and I'm delighted to be a part of the different stages of their lives!

For their engagement session, Stephanie & Mark somehow convinced Bullwinkles Family Fun Center to allow us to come in before they opened and shoot their engagement session. How awesome is that?! It was such a blast goofing off with these two and doing their session. Thanks guys (and thanks to Stephanie's sister Robin for being my trusty light holder - you rock!).

Don & Debbie

2008-09-18T17:10:00.000-07:00

What can I say about Don & Debbie? They are two totally down to earth people. And they are crazy in love with each other. I am so grateful to them for letting me go crazy with some of my absolutely random ideas. We did half of their shoot in the evening around the Portland Art Musuem and played with some awesome urban style lighting. It was pretty sweet and I'm pretty excited about the results.

I'm curious to hear people's thoughts on the image below. I'm not sure if I'm crazy about the effect of the lights reflecting on my lens. However, they also remind me of little faeries swirling around which is kind of romantic. What do you think? To reflect or not to reflect??

Keenan

2008-09-18T17:04:00.000-07:00

Keenan has known Andy since they were in Junior High. They were total nerds together (and still are) and have been close friends ever since. So when Keenan asked us to take some college graduation photos for him, we were happy to oblige. We ran around downtown Portland and just spent the afternoon hanging out and taking pictures. Here are some of the photos!

Awesome

2008-09-12T14:28:00.001-07:00

Apparently, I overuse the word awesome in my blog posts. However, I really have to say that it is the perfect word to describe how I feel about our couples, photography, and weddings in general. They are perfectly awesome.

How do I know I overuse the word awesome?? Well, I just do.... and I found this cool site that indexes words on your blog/website and creates a cool graphic thing.

These are the words of our blog:

If you want to make your own Wordle, go here: http://wordle.net

Laura & Patrick

2008-09-11T19:23:00.000-07:00

Laura & Patrick were married at the beautiful McMenamin's Grand Lodge. I have to admit, the McMenamins are some of my favorite venues to shoot at because of the variety of background options available - stunning architecture, eclectic interior design, and beautiful grounds. However, the most beautiful part of Laura & Patrick's day was not the location, it was their gentle earnest love for one another.

Their wedding was intricately beautiful and captivating. We thoroughly enjoyed every moment of their day!

Location: McMenamin's Grand Lodge
Florist: Posy Petals
Cup Cakes: Cupcake Jones
Band: Swing Set
Dress: Maggie Sottero

Wedding Wire Rated!

2008-09-03T22:22:00.000-07:00

We just want to say thank you to all our awesome clients this year! We have loved working with each and every one of you! We LOVE hearing what you all think about our work and approach to your wedding. However, we're not the only ones who want to know what you think! Wedding Wire is an awesome website for brides to check out different local vendors and see what other brides & grooms have said about them [this is where you come in!]. It is essentially a place for couples to rate past vendors in order to help future brides find good photographers/vendors.

We would love it if you took the time to show us some loves! All you have to do is click on the link below to go to our Wedding Wire page and then leave us and future brides a review of our services!

Thanks to all our awesome couples who make our jobs so fantastically amazing! You rock!

Chelsea & Jeremy

2008-09-03T22:01:00.000-07:00

Chelsea & Jeremy were married at the lovely Yellow Gold Farms in Albany, Oregon. The location is perfect for weddings and such fun to shoot at. We particularly loved this little white swing that they had tucked away by the reception area. Not only was the location fabulous, but Chelsea & Jeremy are two of the nicest people that you will meet and we thoroughly enjoyed shooting their wedding. We knew that their wedding would be amazing to shoot after their awesome engagement session at OSU earlier this year. And, as expected, it was amazing!

Aren't her shoes fantastically awesome?!

As noted earlier, we REALLY liked the swing and, therefore, I'm going to post lots of photos of them on it!

Karen & Justin

2008-08-27T11:58:00.000-07:00

Er hat sich in sie verliebt.
Sie hat sich in ihn verliebt.

Which means in English:

He fell in love with her.
She fell in love with him.

Which is very appropriate for Karen & Justin who are now living in Germany and who are, indeed, very much in love with each other.

Tad & Nikki - the real deal

2008-08-26T12:34:00.000-07:00

We are so excited to show the photos of Tad & Nikki's wedding! I have had such a hard time narrowing down their photos for the blog. I keep wanting to put the whole wedding on the blog, which means that I've spent hours editing ALL the photos and then trying to narrow them down to the handful you see below. Needless to say, their wedding rocked and we are totally stoked about the awesome photos that we get to show them!

We also think Tad & Nikki should get jerseys 'cause they make a good team.

Isn't the flower girl adorable?! She and I became little buddies

Don't they make such an awesome couple?

Their wedding was held at the beautiful Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm. It was an absolutely stunning location!

I love this tradition. I love how it signifies two distinct lives blending together in a way that is inseparable.

Mr. & Mrs. Hutchens! (Isn't it awesome how he's helping her with her dress? So cute.)

I love the joy and happiness that was plastered on their faces all day!

Isn't she gorgeous???

Coeur d'Alene

2008-08-21T11:10:00.000-07:00

We're heading off to Coeur d'Alene this weekend! We make a point of choosing one weekend a month to take a break from shooting weddings and go on a mini vacation. So, we're headed off to The Resort at Coeur d'Alene. We're thrilled to take some time and just enjoy a little R&R.

We will be away from internet access while we are gone. Please feel free to email us anyway, and we'll respond when we return! If you have an emergency and you need to contact ASAP, please feel free to give us a call (our number is on our website and the email auto-response).

Here's what our trip will look like:

View Larger Map

We've never been to Coeur d'Alene and we would LOVE suggestions about things to do/see, places to eat, etc. Please just pop us a comment below and let us know what things you have enjoyed doing!

Karen & Justin - sneak preview

2008-08-19T14:35:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to blog photos from all the fabulous shoots we've had recently. The only problem is that we have had so many awesome shoots lately that I am swamped with photo editing. So for now, please enjoy the sneak previews!

Tad & Nikki - sneak preview

2008-08-19T14:20:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to throw out a quick sneak peek of Tad & Nikki's wedding! More photos to be blogged soon!

Chris & Courtney

2008-08-15T14:57:00.000-07:00

We headed out to the Oregon Rose Gardens for Chris & Courtney's engagement session and had a blast! I have to admit, while editing their engagement photos, I couldn't stop smiling all the way through. They are such great people who are so in love. We definitely bonded over sharing stories of how we all ended up falling in love. Let's just say, we're both believers in "love at first sight." Which is something I didn't use to believe was possible and now, after marrying Andy and talking with all of our fabulous couples, is something that I think is amazing and very possible. Perhaps I'm being a romantic at heart, but sometimes, when you know a person is right for you, you just know.

So, without further ado, I give you a couple who is definitely right for each other. :D

Jake & Holly's Wedding

2008-08-11T21:28:00.000-07:00

Jake & Holly? One word: Awesome. Their wedding at the Heceta Head Lighthouse on July 26th of 2008 was nothing short of fabulous. Upon arriving, we met a perfect Oregon Coast day with misty fog in the morning and sunny skies in the afternoon. What a way to start the day - we had a great time, got some great shots and worked with a very lovely couple - who managed to dazzle their guests with a wine selection from around the world (not to mention a beautiful ceremony and reception!) We're excited to share a few teaser images from their day - look for the full wedding to be live August 26th!

Gladiator

2008-08-11T15:14:00.000-07:00

It probably isn't difficult to discover where I got the inspiration for this photo from Cady & Paul's wedding. I'm normally not a fan of this desaturated look, but I was emulating the "Gladiator" look and feel. I'm still not sure that I like it, but I thought I would put it out to all our lovely blog readers and see what you all think. To saturate or not to saturate, that is the question.

Awww

2008-08-11T12:15:00.000-07:00

As I was finishing editing Lauren & Daniel's wedding photos this morning, I saw this image and was so touched. It is always so beautiful to see people in love - at whatever stage in life they are. However, there is something so incredible about people who have kept being in love throughout their life. I plan to be one of those couples - a couple who is just happy being together.

Jonathon & Carrie

2008-08-10T20:56:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have watched or read the "Anne of Avonlea" series, you can understand what I mean when I say that Jonathon & Carrie are kindred spirits. We are certainly different in many ways, but we share a certain undefinable connection that can only be appropriately described as being kindred spirits.

We met Jonathon & Carrie while we were living in Corvallis. Like us, they are wedding photographers and they are awesome at what they do (you can check out their work at: http://www.bluecastlephoto.com/). We quickly connected when we learned that not only do we have wedding photography in common, but we also have a shared love of classic literature (and reading in general), music (at least Jonathon and I appreciate classical music; Andy is somewhat undeclared on the subject and Carrie has clearly indicated that classical music does not rock her boat), and many other matters both deep and light.

However, while Jonathon & Carrie rock at being photographers and people (yes, you can rock at being a person), they have a common illness that is widespread among photographers which I have labeled as the "i-need-to-be-behind-the-camera-not-in-front-of-it flu." However, as much as being in front of the camera may have made them feel ill, they certainly were fun to photograph. We, as usual, had a blast hanging out with this duo.

Donovan & Mandy

2008-08-04T15:29:00.000-07:00

We met up with Donovan and Mandy at McMenamin's Edgefield for their recent engagement shoot. Andy and I love this location. Every time we have a shoot here, we always tell each other that we really need an awesome excuse to stay a few nights and just relax at this fabulous "manor". Not only do we love this location for relaxing, but it is a great place to take photos! We had a blast running around with Donovan & Mandy and taking photos in many different areas of the Edgefield Manor.

It was so much fun meeting Donovan & Mandy. They definitely jived with Andy in the computer realm. There was a few minutes when my brain was asking, "what language are they speaking?" However, while they may be uber intelligent and know a million things about computers that I leave to Andy's brain, they are also extremely personable and fun to be around. We all had a few laughs about wedding planning and the joys thereof. They are such a fun couple and we are so excited to be shooting their wedding in Cannon Beach this October.

On to the fun part - photos!

Matt & Christine

2008-07-28T14:20:00.000-07:00

Christine and I went to middle school together and I was so thrilled when she asked us to shoot her wedding. Christine & Matt are such an amazing couple that anyone around them is compelled to admit how perfect they are for each other. They absolutely shine with love for one another. They had their wedding in a perfect location - their parent's house. It was absolutely charming to see Christine married to Matt in the place that she grew up in.

We were so thankful to be able to share in their day. Matt & Christine are just incredible and I can't even begin to describe the constant look of adoration that Matt had on his face all day. I have no doubts that they will continue to be in love 60 years down the road.

Did I mention that they were a blast to goof off with?

Coming soon!

2008-07-27T22:14:00.001-07:00

We've been keeping busy shooting weddings, editing photos, and enjoying this year's fabulous couples! We've just returned from Holly & Jake's fabulous wedding at Heceta Head Lighthouse in Yachats and are excited about all the fabulous couples we've photographed recently that we'll be blogging about soon!

Coming up this week:

1. Christine & Matt's wedding of awesome
2. Mandy & Donovan's stunning engagement photos
3. Jonathon & Carrie's random shoot for their website
4. Jake & Holly's delightful wedding at the beach
5. Chris & Courtney's fantastic engagement session in Portland

We are so privileged to do what we do! Check back soon!

Jake & Holly

2008-07-19T20:47:00.000-07:00

We heart them. They are wine lovers which is almost always a synonym for lovers of life. We love life and we love people that love life - which these two most definitely do. Therefore, we loved photographing these two. Not only do we have a shared enjoyment of fine wines, but we also all hate having our picture taken (how crazy is that?!). So we completely sympathized when they explained it wasn't their favorite activity in the world either. ::grins::

While they may not have enjoyed being posed and directed in front of a camera, the camera certainly enjoyed shooting them! Check back later this month for their stellar wedding at Heceta Head Lighthouse!

Cady & Paul

2008-07-19T19:35:00.000-07:00

Cady & Paul are teh awesome! They are so incredibly smitten with each other that you could say, "They are in deep smit." :D

Honestly though, they are such great people who love each other intensely and we were so blessed to be a part of their day. We are truly grateful for every couple who chooses us to share in and capture their day. It is the greatest honor we can imagine.

Location: Jaggi Farms
Florist: Blooming Bouquets

This is probably one of my favorite photos I've taken of all time!

Their "cool" pose. It almost helped cool down the 90 degree weather.

Her eyes are absolutely stunning!

This picture shows their unique way of holding hands! Isn't that sweet?!

Lauren & Daniel

2008-07-15T11:07:00.000-07:00

Lauren & Daniel's wedding was so incredible that I had a hard time narrowing my favorites down to the number in this blog. I think I set a personal record for most images captured at a wedding!

Lauren & Daniel are incredibly smart, witty, fun, and lovable. One thing you could not help but notice is how loved they are by everyone around them. As testament to this, their wedding was packed with friends and family who flew up from California just to be able to celebrate this day with them. Everyone was visibly thrilled for them.

Their wedding was incredibly elegant and charming. Susan Adkins at Class Act Events coordinated the wedding and it was simply stunning. I cannot recommend her more highly. Every detail was thoughtfully arranged, organized, and planned. A wedding coordinator is something I think every couple could benefit from and Susan is an exemplary coordinator who perfectly arranged every aspect of this wedding.

I could keep rambling about how amazing their wedding is, but I will simply leave you with the photos themselves:

Location: Cherry Creek Farm
Event Design: Susan Adkins at Class Act Events
Catering: Wild Pear
Musicians: Pressure Point (these guys were the best musicians I've seen at a wedding ever!)

Pauline & Kay

2008-07-14T22:21:00.000-07:00

Pauline & Kay are a pretty sweet couple. We knew that we would enjoy photographing their wedding the moment we met them and had a long cup of coffee chatting about all the fantastic details of their wedding and relationship. And true to our expectations, their wedding was rockin'. They had two ceremonies; one was a traditional Laotian wedding and the other was a Filipino/American ceremony. Both were incredibly beautiful. I love photographing different cultural traditions as many of the traditions are imbued with so much meaning.

Not only was their wedding(s) meaningful and beautiful, but their reception was a par-tay! I didn't know people could dance as long as their guests did, but I've been proven wrong. When we left around midnight, there was still a packed dance floor who had been tearing up the rug since 7pm. Now that is dancing commitment! Some of their guests really need to try out for "So You Think You Can Dance".

Without further ado, I present a snapshot of their fabulous wedding!

For the love of weddings...

2008-07-14T10:02:00.000-07:00

We just returned from a crazy weekend of wedding shooting in and out of town. I can't wait to post photos from all the weddings. Coming up:

1. Pauline and Kay's fabulous wedding at the Portland Art Museum
2. Lauren and Daniel's deliciously elegant country wedding in Monroe
3. Cady and Paul's dreamy wedding at the lovely Jaggi Farms in Hillsboro

Sit tight - photos will be coming soon!

Ben & Tracy

2008-07-02T13:15:00.000-07:00

What can I say about Ben & Tracy but "wow". They are two people who are full of life and radiate with the love they have for each other. Words don't do justice to their beautiful wedding. It was alive with so much passion and joy, friendship and love, depth and light-heartedness, that it was difficult to not be swept up in their day.

As you can tell, I had a difficult time narrowing down the images, so I splurged a little and added more than usual. Enjoy!

Venue: Stonehedge Gardens in Hood River, Oregon
Flowers: Sammy's Flowers, Portland, Oregon
Catering: Stonehedge Gardens, Hood River, Oregon
Cake: Saint Cupcake, Portland, Oregon

Gotta love "el shop de foto" (that's spanglish for photoshop!)

2008-06-20T18:20:00.000-07:00

Here's another photo from Ty's senior session that I just finished putting together! For all of you who may be wondering how this was shot, I put the camera on a tripod and took several images of Ty in different locations around the car and then compiled them in photoshop by making them different layers and erasing where each Ty was standing on the opposing layers.

You gotta love photoshop!

Ty's Senior Portraits

2008-06-19T11:03:00.000-07:00

Ty's senior session was awesome! As you can see, Ty exudes that "GQ" look thrown in with a bit of rock star. But looks aren't all Ty has going for him; he is also an extremely talented pianist, guitarist, and he's an awesome guy to boot.

We did the session at his parent's place in Washington and we got to meet the whole family! It was great because we'll be photographing his sister's wedding in October and we were so pleased to get to know everyone before the big day. Needless to say, we're excited about the upcoming wedding!

Michelle & Kevin

2008-06-16T16:11:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of second shooting Kevin and Michelle's wedding with Blue Castle Photography on June 1st at the Oregon Gardens. I have to admit - I love shooting with other photographers! I absolutely love watching how each photographer does things differently. For example, Jonathon of Blue Castle did this crazy cross lighting set up for the first dance where he placed a flash on a reception table and angled it towards the dance floor. Thus far, we've only used our lighting stands to hold our flash which prohibits where you can put your flash. This technique allowed him to create interesting set-ups which I'm excited to experiment with!

At any rate, Michelle and Kevin were an amazing couple. The way they looked at each other all throughout the day was beautiful. You could see love-beams coming out of their eyes. In-Loveness is such a beautiful thing to watch and Kevin and Michelle were radiant with In-Loveness.

WPJA Contest!

2008-06-05T22:50:00.000-07:00

Andy placed in the recent Wedding Photojournalist Association's (WPJA) contest in the creative portrait section! I'm so proud of him! Here is the award winning photo from Danae and Andrew's wedding:

JUDGES COMMENTS: This portrait uses camera angle to help make it simple, and all about the subjects. The photographer gets credit for understanding how to control his background using the high angle, and then how to even use the reflection as a framing element for the couple. This is a beautiful portrait with a great feel.

Yay! I'm so proud of my awesome photographer husband!

Lani

2008-05-29T20:37:00.000-07:00

Our lovely friends, Jonathon and Carrie of Blue Castle Photography, invited us to join them for a photo shoot with their long time friend, Lani. We happily agreed in the interest of spending more time with some of our favorite Corvallis friends and doing our favorite thing in the world - photography.

Needless to say, it was a blast. Lani, after five years of marriage and two children, looked as lovely as ever in her wedding dress. I can only hope and pray that I have a figure like hers after two children! The flowers were provided by Thistle Dew Farms and they were the most amazing thing I've ever seen in the wedding industry. These flowers were around 3 years old and still looked as fresh as they would have looked on the wedding day. I couldn't believe it!

Thanks to all involved! It was such fun shooting and enjoying the day with everyone!

Jim & Michelle

2008-05-29T19:52:00.000-07:00

Jim and Michelle are great! Jim is leaving (actually, at this moment, has left) for Kuwait for a one year military stint. Before he left though, they wanted photos of themselves together. It is adorable how much they love each other. I'm confident that even though many miles of sea and land keep them apart, their hearts are very much together.

Chelsea & Jeremy

2008-05-24T11:34:00.000-07:00

We met up with Chelsea and Jeremy recently and scampered off to Oregon State University, of which we are all alumni! It was great roaming around our old haunts and getting to take fabulous photos of Chelsea & Jeremy in a location that means a lot to them. Jeremy is such a beaver fan that he actually tried (and is trying) to convince Chelsea that their wedding colors should be orange and black. ::grins::

Needless to say, it was incredibly enjoyable spending time with this couple and capturing their love for each other. They were both full of laughter and we had so much fun with them that it felt like we were just spending time with old friends just goofing off!

Fashionistic Awesomeness

2008-05-14T12:14:00.001-07:00

Honestly, I'm not really sure what the school schedules are for getting senior photos done, but I'm super excited to start doing them now that the weather is a little bit nicer! I think they are awesome because they are like mini fashion shoots and I love experimenting with that "fashion photography" feel.

So - if you are interested in having awesome, fun, and fashionistic (yes - I made that word up) senior photos done, let us know! We are currently offering to do two free senior portrait sessions (one for a guy & one for a gal), so email us and let us know if you are interested!

I think we'll start calling our Senior Portrait Packages - Fashionistic Awesomeness - because they are so awesome!

Finding the Light

2008-05-13T12:30:00.001-07:00

When I was starting out in photography, I hated taking photos around the house. It was the same boring walls, decor, and scenery; I always wanted to go somewhere new.

Over time I've come to realize that you can take beautiful portraits inside your own home. Want to know how? Here's where to start -

First off, don't put your subject (sister, child, husband, friend, dog, or alien) in a dark corner of the room. Look for natural lighting by a window or a door. The best way to get a nice image is to look for your light first and your background second.

Once you've found nice light, position your subject so that the light falls across their face.

In this photo, I positioned my sister about 4 feet from my parent's large floor to ceiling windows. As you can see, the light is soft and falls on multiple parts of her face. Since the windows are floor to ceiling windows, the light is hitting underneath her eyes, directly on her face, and lightly gracing the top of her head.

Then I put her in an exciting place - their couch! Really folks - get nice light, a simple background, and then pose your subject in a flattering way. And that's pretty much it. In terms of backgrounds in this image, you can see my parent's wall decor there behind the couch. I think the image may be better without the wall decor in the back of the picture, but I don't think it ruins the image entirely.

Okay - here's a list of Elisha's "what-not-to-dos" and some "to-dos" (note: some photographers may disagree with the following statements; these statements should be guidelines and not hard-and-fast rules):

1. Avoid fireplaces like the plague. Unless you are using the fire to light your subject, don't put them in front of it. It looks old fashioned and amateurish. The technical reasons why I don't think you should use the fireplace is that it cuts your subjects' heads off. Have you ever noticed that the lines of the fireplace are usually about neck level with your subject? I prefer to let my subjects keep their heads - thank you very much.

2. Stairs - they're your friend. Use them. The lines the stairs create often make for a cool simple background. Only be careful - make sure that your stairs are tall enough to encompass the whole photo.

For example - what to do:

Note how you can't see the top of the stairs? That's what you should go for. You don't want the top of the stairs to do that head-chopping thing like the fireplaces.

Here's what not to do:

Do you see where the edge of the stairs goes right through his head? This image could have been improved ten-fold if I had made the couple move down about 2 steps and had cropped in a little tighter.

There are always exceptions to Elisha's rules however. For example, the shot below is of the same couple, same pose, and same location, but I moved so that they were framed within the green heart shaped foliage. Would it have been better if I moved them down two steps? I don't know. It may have been better to move them down, but it may have ruined the feel of them being surrounded by the foliage and the way all the lines point directly at them. So what do you think?

Okay, I'm going to leave you with one last rule today:

3. If your background is distracting and your light is nice - get closer!

In the below image, the light was awesome! We were at a restaurant with my sister (about a year or two ago) and the background was just ruining the photo for me. So I got as close as my dear camera could focus and took this shot of just her eyes.

This is without all the crazy photoshop colors:

I don't like how the second image has a bit of her ear in it and how it crops right underneath her nose, but I think I like the coloring better than my first edit.

Okay - so go try these things at home! I'd love to see what people come up with!

Too Funny!

2008-04-23T08:44:00.000-07:00

I'm sure this is how many of our lovely couples feel:

Wanna know a secret?

2008-04-22T17:01:00.000-07:00

It's a big secret. A very cool secret. Want to know what it is?

Lauren & Daniel

2008-04-19T15:55:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun shooting Lauren & Daniel's engagement photos this last weekend - we can't wait for their wedding in July. Their location, Cherry Creek Farm, was awesome in normal clothing - tuxes and a wedding dress should make it unbelievable!

Het atelier (Dutch: The Workshop)

2008-04-18T08:17:00.000-07:00

So we really did have a blast shooting with Beckstead and learning from his years of wisdom and creativity. He is an extremely talented photographer who has a third eye that senses beautiful light. Okay - maybe not a third eye, seeing as he does just fine with the two he has.

At any rate, we were very fortunate to be a part of such a great workshop. It gave us an chance to get to know a ton of local photographers who we had never met. We're excited to continue expanding our group of photographer friends because you can NEVER talk enough about photography! Okay - here's my stuff from the day (I may post some of my night shots later, but I haven't had a chance to look through them all yet!):

Ze Verkshoppen

2008-04-16T16:25:00.000-07:00

Wow! It has been busy times here - but exciting ones as well. Corvallis was just host to Shoot With Beckstead, an awesome workshop full of learning and photo-madness. I've just finished editing my favorites - Elisha's will follow shortly.

Jonathan shooting with Beckstead!:

We had sweet lighting in a barn:

More sweet light:

Kevin found a screwdriver...we try to keep him away from power tools and pointy objects.

Cool veil action:

We then headed to the streets of Corvallis at night...

This was a unique editing job. What do you think?

Film Noir:

My favorite shot of the night:

Shakin' off the dust

2008-04-10T13:42:00.000-07:00

Well, it's that time of the year again - weddings are starting up! This last weekend I (Andy) had the opportunity to shoot with Chris Becerra of Becerra Photography! Chris and I headed up to Camp Colton to shoot Andrew and Danae's wedding. We had such a blast - you couldn't have asked for a greater bride, groom and bridal party. We dealt with mud and rain of all sorts, and ended up with some awesome photos! Here's a few of mine from the day - you can check out Chris's over on his blog.

Blog Stalking

2008-04-08T11:00:00.000-07:00

I'm an avid blog stalker and today as I was reading the new blogs that had been posted, I saw a picture that moved me. It was pretty amazing. I look at blogs ALL the time. I look at some of the best photographer's in the industry's stuff, and this is one of the few pictures that have made me stop in my tracks and say - woah. It actually gave me chills, which has never happened before.

I love the simplicity of the image. The subtle emotion of the couple. The groom reaching his hand out towards his bride. The pensive expression of the bride. The soft bright colors... I can't put my finger on why this one image stands out to me from among so many hundreds of other great photos, but it just does. What is more is that it looks like it was a bridal shoot - making the final result impressive if the couple were merely "models". Even if they are a married couple volunteering to model, the picture is still impressive because there is that much emotion infused in it and it isn't even their wedding day!

Anyway, here's the blog post by Sarah K. Chen - http://sarahkchen.com/blog/?p=208.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Karla & Levi Macy

2008-04-04T19:11:00.000-07:00

On March 29, 2008, Karla and Levi were married at the Spring Hill Country Club in Albany, Oregon. Actually, they were married 8 months earlier because Levi is in the military, but they wanted to have a real ceremony and reception, so they celebrated their vows this last weekend with much joy and excitement! They were such a beautiful couple to work with. Their love for each other was evident by the huge smiles on their faces all day.

This wedding was shot with IntheLens Photography

Bohemian Bouquets

2008-04-04T18:02:00.000-07:00

We LOVE Bohemian Bouquets. We recently worked with them for our OWPP photo shoot and the bouquets were absolutely breath-takingly stunning. We loved them. So if you are looking for a florist who is an absolute joy to work with and who creates the most beautiful bouquets, I would definitely check these ladies out: Bohemian Bouquets

Here's some photos of the bouquets she did for the shoot!

The Classic Red Roses with little pearl accents:

My personal favorite of the day:

Isn't this green little ball so adorable?? I think it would be perfect for a spring wedding or a little flower girl. Maybe even as decorations for around the ceremony or reception.

Fun in the Sun

2008-03-31T12:44:00.000-07:00

The weekend before last, we went out with Kimberly (whose wedding we shot about a year ago) and her sister-in-law, Sam, for a photo shoot training session! We delved into camera technique and how to use your camera to create the results you want. It was super awesome and we all had a blast!

Not to mention, we loved getting to know David and Ashley who volunteered to be our models for the day. They were so awesome and tried everything that we threw their direction.

Our photog compadres, Samantha -

and Kimberly -

OWPP, Part II

2008-03-20T12:24:00.000-07:00

Yay! I finished my OWPP photos this last Sunday while my house was filled with noisy boys playing Rockband. :D Here's a few of the final cuts. I had a hard time deciding which photos to post, because we shot in so many different locations and got so many cool shots!

Usually, I post photos I think everyone will like, but this time I decided to post the photos I liked.

Our first model - Liz Kelley

Our other model, Jalecia -

Our super cute lil helper -

Much thanks goes out to Bohemian Bouquets They did a fantastic job with all of our bouquets, which we will be posting more photos of shortly!

Photographers, start your engines!

2008-03-16T21:37:00.000-07:00

Fresh (and I mean New York Pizza fresh) off the presses are some photos - get em while they're HOT. Shot this afternoon, delivered this evening, it doesn't get any better. The March OWPP (Oregon Wedding & Portrait Photographers) photo shoot was awesome! We had two gorgeous models and a ton of fun! Here's a few of my shots from the day - Elisha's shots will follow (as well as some of the OWPP crew.) Enjoy!

Little Sisters

2008-03-10T20:14:00.000-07:00

Man - I don't know how they do it, but little sisters grow up fast! My sister, Chantel, is 13 going on 30!

She's going into modeling, so we did some fun shots around my parent's house last weekend. As I have been editing these photos, I just can't get over how fast she's grown up. I know we all say it - but it feels like just yesterday when my parents were taking her home from the hospital and we were playing silly children's games around the house!

Anyway - with no further ado - here's the pics!

March Madness

2008-03-04T10:57:00.000-08:00

It is not really madness, but it is exciting! Want to know how to get a 10% discount on your wedding photography package?

1. Get married in May, 2008
2. Book us to shoot your wedding!

How simple is that?! So, if you are getting married in May, don't hesitate to contact us about shooting your wedding. This offer only lasts until the 1st of April.

Portrait of a Kitty

2008-02-29T08:43:00.000-08:00

This is what happens when I get bored in the morning with the 15mm fisheye. But I like the look.

Look - it's me!

2008-02-24T13:31:00.000-08:00

Andy took this photo of me shooting the Harvey rehearsal. I love the lights behind me! He's such a good photographer. ::grins:: It's fun being married to your photography partner!

Ben & Tracy - The Real Deal

2008-02-22T11:15:00.000-08:00

So, Ben and Tracy are pretty much the coolest couple! They're the kind of couple who are so obviously in love with each other in that certain confidant way. They were so much fun to run around Mt. Hood with! Not to mention they brought their heart stealing lab puppy, Barley, with them. By the end of the day, I was ready to take him home. :D

Thanks for an awesome day you two! We had a blast!

Their cute puppy!

Ben & Tracy E-session

2008-02-20T12:16:00.000-08:00

I've been having so much fun editing Ben & Tracy's photos from their engagement session on Sunday that I couldn't resist posting this set of images on our blog before we put up "the official" photos from the session.

As Promised...

2008-02-17T12:08:00.000-08:00

More pictures from the Harvey play! Here's some shots from their recent dress rehearsal.

Whirlwinds!

2008-02-13T12:07:00.001-08:00

These last two weeks have been a whirlwind! I'm still trying to get my feet back to solid ground and a steady pace. Yesterday was Andy's birthday and we organized a surprise party for him. He tells me that he was surprised, but I still think he saw it coming. :D

So, we have lots of new photos to be blogging and I'm excited to get them on the blog. Including the new photos of Harvey's rehearsal tonight. The show opens on Valentine's Day at the Majestic Theater; so if you're not planning on going, you should!

Here's a photo to tide you over until I get a chance to blog this weekend!

From Sunriver over Christmas:

Harvey!

2008-02-01T13:37:00.000-08:00

We're doing photography for the upcoming Harvey Production at the Majestic Theater here in Corvallis. We had a blast doing head shots recently for the cast and photographing one of their rehearsals. They are all fantastic actors and actresses and I'm looking forward to seeing the final production!

Here's some of the cast:

First Logo Designs!

2008-01-30T08:43:00.001-08:00

So, we love Gabriela at Creative View already! Here's two of the first logo designs. We'd love to hear your thoughts on the logos. We'd like our logo to reflect these key concepts that we want our business to emanate: bold. vibrant. real.

Tell us what you think!

Creative Business Card Photos

2008-01-29T11:53:00.000-08:00

We're now offering creative business photos for professionals who would like something other than the standard "grip and grin". Each session would last around 30 minutes in the location of your choice. Our goal is to take images that are infused with a creative and modern style. Sessions are $100 and include three high quality .jpg images that can be used for your business card, brochures, and any other promotional documents. You will be able to choose the three photos of your choice from approximately 15-20 images.

Here is a recent shoot we did for local Oregon real estate agent, Deirdre Totten.

Rear View...

2008-01-28T20:05:00.001-08:00

....Mirror. :D

I wonder how many other ideas come to mind when someone says "rear view"??

Our New Logo!

2008-01-24T12:00:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in the Ole Blog, we're soo excited about our new logo. We found Gabriela on the Digital Wedding Forum (DWF), a online forum for professional wedding photographers. She's amazing. She did a quick design for a girl who posted that she had been having trouble with the company that she hired to design her logo. The designs were AWESOME and also the reason that we hired her. :)

I've posted the quick designs she did for "Pure Emotions" photography, so you can see how amazing she is. The designs below are not the style we are going for, but we really like them anyway! If you are interested in having her design a logo for your company, you can email her at gabriela@creativeview.org. We'll post our favorites as she designs them!

Yay! A New Blog!

2008-01-24T11:29:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our new blog! We're excited to start filling it's internet pages with amazing photos of our fantastic couples and families. Yay!

If you would like to reminisce by meandering through our old blog, you can find it here.