Lavenda Memory Photography

Sarah Seven: RTW Sneak Peak

2012-02-07T16:36:00.001-08:00

Model: Anna Adams, Makeup: Terri Reece, Hair: Kira Pinksi, Dresses: Sarah Seven

Portland Fashion Photographer: Lady In Waiting

2012-02-03T00:24:00.000-08:00

Portland Fashion Photographer: Desert Escape

2012-01-17T16:37:00.000-08:00

Preview of my first 2012 Editorial.

Location: Palm Springs
Model: Camille Collard
Stylist: Lavenda Memory

Portland Fashion Photographer: Dark Whisperer

2012-01-16T12:18:00.000-08:00

Editorial shot for new line by Ellen Marie. Styled by Melissa Lachance, Muah: Terri Reece, and photography by fashion photographer, Lavenda Memory.

Portland Fashion Photographer: Powerhouse Series

2011-12-12T09:22:00.001-08:00

Muah: Terri Reece, Stylist: Savannah Smith, Ryan Artists Model: Mar Shank

Portland Fashion Photographer: Traveling

2011-12-07T04:13:00.001-08:00

I had fun in Texas. Unexpected fun, yes, but still. It was awesome.

My plan was to travel down to Zapata over the weekend so that I could visit my childhood best friend and cousin, Roxy. I was going to stay with her and visit the town to take pictures where I grew up just an hour from her place. My camera was packed and I was ready to go!

Anyhow, none of that happened. All my plans? Out the window of my brothers broken window. First of all, my brothers car broke down the day after I arrived, so I couldn't meet up with Roxy in San Antonio as planned. Secondly, it rained and poured all weekend so that I could barely pull my camera out to take a couple snapshots of the area. Lastly, I thought I was leaving Monday morning and didn't realize my mistake till checking in for my flight at 5am.

"Ma'am," the woman said in her thick Texan accent. "Please step out of the first class line. Your flight doesn't leave until tomorrow."

Apparently I was more tired than I thought.

Crazily though, I had the most awesome, fun, relaxing time visiting my family and hanging and driving with broken windows rolled down. It was kind of like going back in time to old family road trips where we would would have to pull the car over every 30 minutes to prevent from puking. But as an adult I get to call SHOT GUN!

And speaking of shot guns, I actually shot my first one at my Aunt Rosie's house which ended up being such an incredible shot of adrenaline I screamed and whooped and then calmly stated I would not be doing that again. (Surprised I didn't blow my hand off to be honest).

My little brother and sister who are both 9 years younger than me felt like peers this visit which made for some fun conversations. I love getting to know my loved ones in new ways. Cherish and I stayed up all night one night watching youtube videos and laughing hysterically. Who else am I going to do that with?

Anyhow, in a window of dry weather my brother and I hiked through some trails toward the lake by their country house and took some snapshots. It was really pretty peaceful and reminded me of the dessert hills I played in as a kid. And in the end, it felt like I got more than the experience I went looking for.

Portland Fashion Photographer: Texas Rain

2011-12-05T00:07:00.001-08:00

After flying through record-breaking winds and nearly throwing up on my fellow passengers, I finally arrived in San Antonio, Texas. The city felt grey and beyond the city lights loomed an empty dessert I could only imagine. It felt more or less like Portland until we reached the first country road and then began passing so many deer I lost count. An adventure? Hell yes! The one I expected? Um... definitely not.

Anyhow, I squeezed in a FULL day of shopping at some of my new favorite stores including Barney's New York and Neimen Marcus. I had to remind myself that Christmas is around the corner and I've already got presents under the tree. Still, I was able to get away with a few new outfits that will carry me through the winter and into fall.

Here at the house we have been having fun. I woke up one morning to my brother Sam yelling at me to come see the deer. Oh, it's going to be a couple of cute little domestic deer, I thought, but no. Of course, I stepped outside to an entire COLONY (do they run in colonies?) eating gingerly from Sam's hand. Thank God the tiniest ones were smart enough to dart away. I mean, really? Domestic deer colonies?

Here are some fun shots I took of my beautiful sister, Lorinda (yes, very similar names) one rained-in-day.

Portland Fashion Photographer: Beached

2011-11-23T01:44:00.001-08:00

Model: Cassie Meder
Stylist: Melissa LaChance
Wardrobe: Isaac Hers
Muah: Christine Marie
Portland Commercial Photographer Lavenda Memory

Portland Fashion Photographer: Solestruck BTS

2011-11-22T14:57:00.001-08:00

Set up my "photo booth" during the shoot for Solestruck last night and here is the recap:

What? You didn't know that photo shoots were a party on set? Well, now you do ( :

Portland Fashion Photographer: American Boy

2011-11-20T11:08:00.001-08:00

This editorial has been featured on Image Amplified!

We shot this editorial in model, Ivan Heimbuch's downtown studio. We used the natural light (which was limited) available and really tried to tell a personal story in this series. Wardrobe and hair were both me, but I feel like it came out quite nice.
_______________________
By Portland editorial photographer, Lavenda Memory.

Portland Fashion Photographer: Fun on the Job

2011-11-19T19:58:00.001-08:00

God, I love my job! Going into work today (aka a beautiful studio space where our shoot was taking place) I had to shake off some bad energy and get into work mode. It was a teeny bit harder than usual, but seriously- there is almost nothing that can cure a bad day better than an awesome fashion shoot!

First thing first, I checked in with my beautiful model, Meredith Aledaide, and our talented makeup artist, Terri Reece, on the final direction for makeup and hair. I LOVE getting to collaborate on the overall transformation! Afterward, I looked out the designers pieces and we chatted about our inspirations for the shoot. When it was finally time to get behind the camera I was in full fledged work mode and not thinking about anything except directing something super cool and capturing the peak moments.

The cool thing about today was that our wardrobe stylist, Melissa Lechance, (along with our second model of the day, Megan Hodge) didn't arrived until her scheduled 3 hours into the shoot session... which meant that I got to take a break mid-way through the day to play with clothes and the most beautiful Solestruck shoes!

Thanks so much to the designers of all the gorgeous headpieces, Lorri and Denise!

I had an idea after lunch to set up a "photo booth" (aka my macbook) so that we could snap away throughout the day. Here are some out takes documenting our fun day:

Portland Commercial Photographer Lavenda Memory

Portland Fashion Photographer: Fair Weather

2011-11-18T18:14:00.001-08:00

I snapped a photo of this gorgeous cloud cover back in August. These days I am super lucky to get a day where it's not pouring on me. (Sad face). Truly a sunny-weather girl, this time of year- without fail- I find myself itching to get out of town, or at least find a cozy fire somewhere and throw off my shoes.
Needless to say, Portland's winters pose a challenge for photographers like myself who enjoy shooting mostly on-location. Instead of complaining about it every year, however, I've come to terms with Portlands wet winters and have figured out some good compromises.
The first thing I do is let the client know that overcast skies are actually a GOOD thing! Most of my clients don't know that clouds act like a giant diffuser of the sun and actually soften the light so that it's even and more flattering. Obviously, everyone is pretty excited about flattering light so we get off to a good start!
Secondly, I try and find a location with cover. Just yesterday I had a session that required some good, natural light despite the on again off again downpour. I chose a location beneath a bridge so that when the rain lifted a couple minutes we could step out and shoot, or take advantage of the cover while it poured.
Lastly, I've become a pro at spying those gorgeous suns on the weather forecast and of course try and schedule accordingly!

Portland Fashion Photographer: Power House

2011-11-13T18:57:00.001-08:00

A quick peak at this gorgeous editorial I shot with the following team:

Muse Model: Maria Shank

Makeup and Hair: Terri Reece

Stylist: Savannah Smith

Portland Commercial Photographer: Lavenda Memory

Portland Fashion Photographer: Inside Stuff

2011-11-11T21:36:00.001-08:00

The cool thing about photography as an art form is that the final image captured is 100% your point of view. I love hearing clients say, "I've never seen myself that way" (yes, even models) after viewing their proofs or a final series. I always think to myself- Cool, well that's definitely how I see you...

Anyhow, a huge influence on my work and vision comes from my upbringing in the deep, deep south. My childhood holds this ethereal reality that though I've probably romanticized, I draw on for visual and emotional inspirations.
When I'm feeling inspired to capture, other little side effects occur too- like writing, or painting or strumming pitifully at my acoustic guitar. Luckily I don't know how to post my strummings, so instead here's a poem and a photo.

These photos below are from a test I did with model, Kara Jean and the following poem is an inside scoop on my inspirations. It's a bit nostalgic, a bit dark, and whatever else you can say about a poem.

MUAH: Terri Reece
Styling: Me

the shadows sat with me
cooling my dark shoulders
as the screen pressed against my arm.

she was speaking low and the hum of her voice
reminded me of fireflies
caught in my jar
their lights dimming
me not knowing why.

and then the buzz became louder
and the screen hit my elbow
as my eyes flickered and hungered for fireflies
but then I remembered-
there was no jar
only her
buzzing

only not buzzing
screaming, really

and the screen pushed a delicate grid of diamonds
onto my brow as my pupils swelled and
swallowed the moonlight.

and then there was cold steel.

inside, only me
outside, cruel steel-
a blade,
then blood
and then more buzzing
only not buzzing

screaming-

a man this time
a retreat this time

then blue and
red
and blue
and red
fireflies

flitting across the mesquite tree
lapping across the dark porch
searching out
with red hands
then blue.

I remembered the ocean as I cupped my ears
against the siren screams

against the cold snap of steel across
her wrists

I listened to the sea until the
red
and the blue
disappeared
with her somewhere inside

then touched my ocean fingers
to the diamond grid imprinted on my face.

Portland Fashion Photographer: Katie O'Grady

2011-11-09T09:23:00.000-08:00

I first met Katie O'Grady in an acting class where she was teaching. I remember being very surprised by how tiny she is in real life. On film and in print this woman has a lot of presence so I was shocked to see her teeny frame striding through the room.
Star of the movie Rid of Me (now out in theaters), Katie is a strong, determined woman who actually produced and put tons of footwork into her current film. You know all the unglamorous work that runs on and on past the filming? Yep- Katie was there for that!
The first time I shot Katie was for the Cover of About Face Magazine and while I enjoyed shooting her in her home for that feature, I was dying to do an extended session with her. When she contacted me a couple months back about this shoot I was ecstatic! She wanted to capture a timeless quality in the images for a "character" series and I was all IN!

Location courtesy of Holly Stalder
Makeup and Hair: Terri Reece
Portland Celebrity Photographer: Lavenda Memory

Portland Fashion Photographer: Color Story

2011-11-08T21:34:00.000-08:00

I am about a week behind with editing, because so much work seems to come in all at once. Winter is motivating for editing, however, because there is no sunshine to tempt me away from my desk.
Every job is a different work load- from head shots to look books- I try and give an accurate estimate for turn arounds.

This series is a fun little set I did with Eclexion Boutique for my book. I would like to get it on some blogs and what not, so I can't post too many of the key shots till I hear back. Besides, I've still got a week to catch up on!

Portland Fashion Photographer: This Girl

2011-11-08T00:06:00.000-08:00

I love, love, love to play through photography. It's a relief to step behind my camera and to drop all expectations- to simply observe, interact and then capture. And not to be all cheesy or anything... but it's very nice be inspired by new moments. That's why I like shooting new locations.

The test today was super fun because I had never seen the model, Kara Jean's house. We shot for the first time early summer when there was no need to be indoors. But this time we planned to use her house because of a snapshot I had seen of her bedroom. And her house was perfection!

The house was new to me- the colors, the smells, the sounds- And every interaction I had inside the house was a first, so I felt inspired to simply move things around and play. Thanks goodness she has a terrific sense of style- that certainly doesn't hurt! The walls were bright, the furniture was vintage and spoke of character... It was cool and fun and playful.

Here is a favorite shot inside Kara's bedroom, against a wall decorated with tree bark:

Hair and Makeup: Terri Reece
Styling: Myself
Portland Editorial Photographer Lavenda Memory

Portland Fashion Photographer: Real Life Acting

2011-11-06T23:27:00.000-08:00

Just finished up an acting workshop that ran through the entire weekend, Friday-Sunday, totaling up to over 20 hours! I love being an Actress- getting to mix acting with photography and visa versa. Workshops are this incredibly intense environment of... release. Is that a weird word? (Well, whatever then.)
It's totally a communal experience, first of all. Throughout the weekend the spot light was only on me once a day and the rest of my time was spent watching my fellow actors.
Secondly, there is no external pressure to "perform" despite what many think of the vocation. It's simply a safe environment where we get to learn and listen, listen and grow.
As we work through a scene, or go through an exercise it's our jobs as actors to let go of all our preconceived ideas- about ourselves, the situation, the other people in the room- and to simply act and respond truthfully. Basically, we are releasing our stress, our self consciousness and our egos in order to be real for a few moments. And let me tell you- it's freakin awesome!
At the end of a long weekend like this I find myself feeling more sincere about my world view and wanting to be close to those I care about. It affects everything, including my art and/or photography by clarifying my vision. By pushing me to find truth in others as well.
I have a photo- test scheduled for tomorrow and can't wait to see what kind of photos come out of our play. It's going to be an all-girls-day too! What could be better?!

Me and my girlfriend, Camille, playing at the Solestruck opening:

Portland Fashion Photographer: Winter is Coming

2011-11-02T23:00:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful day this morning and then bam- just like that- it became the Portland wetlands we see every winter. I kind of go stir crazy this time of year, because the southern girl in me begins to crave hot porches and freedom- you know- hot, 90° kind of freedom.
Anyhow, winter is becoming my "Testing Season". And for those of you who don't know what "testing" is, let me give you the low-down. A test is a shoot planned by a photographer or team in order to play out and test ideas and concepts. It's a great portfolio builder or updater and honestly, it's like scratching an itch for creatives. It means that we don't have to answer to a client for a moment, means that we get to take a photo of what we see instead of what we're supposed to see. *Sigh. Can you tell I love this part?

Now that I've initiated my own testing season I find myself waking earlier, walking outside more and scratching shoot ideas onto whatever grocery receipts I can find. It's really kind of exhilarating.
Now if only my brain could keep up with my inspirations, ha!

Portland Fashion Photographer: Haunt Clothing

2011-10-31T03:08:00.001-07:00

This little series is from a test I did for Haunt with unrepresented model, Quinn. We were asked to stop trespassing at one point, by a woman who seemed furious that her property lines the public park and trails. Quinn was such a trooper and quipped "so can we just finish this shoot, then?".

Model: Quinn
Portland Headshot Photographer Lavenda Memory

Portland Fashion Photographer: Behind the Scenes

2011-10-25T12:32:00.000-07:00

We were in the industrial for an editorial shoot with Lauren Luiz, styled by Melissa Joliene for Eclexion. You can see Terri Reece assisting me on light, because I did not have an assistent booked this day.

Melissa sent me some of the behind the scenes images and I loved how this one paired up with the final. I can only show a sneak peek because the finals will be submitted to magazines and blogs. Fingers crossed!!

Mother Jeans

2011-10-24T18:50:00.000-07:00

So excited for my first pair of Mother jeans. And no, I don’t mean mom-jeans. (If you just pictured camel-toe too- Gross!)They were the first pair of jeans the sales person at Nordstrom had me try on this summer, but with a price tag of $205 dollars I had to decline. They made my butt look amazing though so I kept them on my wish list…And low and behold! A few months later (-cough- this week actually) I found them on a killer sale and snatched them up! I’ll be incorporating the dark wash flares into my Spring wardrobe with some 70’s inspired tops and platform booties. Can’t wait!

Portland Fashion Photography: Night Street

2011-10-22T20:33:00.000-07:00

Some spontaneous shots from a recent shoot for Isaac Hers, an awesome hi-end boutique in the Pearl. I shoot guest clients wearing Isaac Hers in their own style once a month for their blog. This week I had the opportunity to shoot the new manager for Solestruck, Melissa Lachance.

Portland Fashion Photography: Saint Elyns Editorial

2011-10-10T12:51:00.000-07:00

The full editorial from this series will be published in PaperCut Mag as a webitorial!

Kicken it at the Coast: Portland Fashion Photographer

2011-10-05T13:07:00.000-07:00

Had fun walking around. Ella saw sand for the first time and screamed "Sand!" and then ran away from all the kites. They are like scary dragon monsters in her little eyes. Let's see, there was a carousal that she loved, a little $0.25 horse machine that seemed to be 10x cooler to her and the best yet- NO RAIN! Wait, maybe there were a few sprinkles here and there. We found this awesome cotton candy machine maker and let all our house rules of minimal sugar fly out the window. It was fun! Ella tried Rock candy before throwing it on the beach. Yes, she tried to salvage it. That night, it was no wonder poor Ella stayed up till midnight. Even with the lights turned out she was fumbling in the dark hotel room looking for God knows what. Despite that- I feel so rested and happy after our little get away! Hooray for Oregon coast ( :

Mother Jeans: Portland Fashion Photographer

2011-09-30T21:36:00.000-07:00

What Happened: Portland Fashion Photography

2011-08-15T22:15:00.000-07:00

I don't know what happened. I realized that I am 26 today first of all. I have been 26 for about 5 months now. A few years ago when I was much much younger, my blog was filled with personal, shameless stories about real life. And then I created a business. And I think the business ate up the former. Sad face. Well enough of all that. My business is me and I am my business. So if it's muddled together, what of it, right? Some cool things I've been working on recently are this short film I wrote, How to Kill a Dead Man. I have a kickstarter campaign up and running for then next 10 days or so. Cool image of our budget here: The film is about two strong female assassins who come across an unexpected opponent. It's pretty rad and for those of you with a short attention span, the film will only be about 15 minutes long! Other things I been working on include super fun, fall look books for the likes of Isaac Hers: and the new (and up and coming) brand Saint Elyns: I have some additional images tucked away for down the road. I'm submitting to some magazines and what not. Blogs are great for features as well though, so please let me know if you think my images would be a good fit ( :

Portland Fashion Photographer Lavenda Memory

Awesome Film

2011-07-29T16:51:00.000-07:00

Please check out this awesome campaign for my husbands new short film.

SHOOT BANG KILL - THE FILM

Portland Fashion Photographer: Jessie DeSue Capsule Collection

2011-06-22T22:20:00.000-07:00

This is just a sneak peek. She finishes up the collection this August at which point we will be doing a grand adventure to Eastern Oregon for an editorial debut!

Portland Commercial Photographer Lavenda Memory

About Me

2011-06-12T22:40:00.000-07:00

My beautiful little girl loves to run around after her bath screaming "dad dee, dad dee" throughout the house. When she finally finds her dad she drops her towel in excitement and runs around naked.
Yesterday, we let this beautiful moment carry on a touch too long and found ourselves cleaning wee, little baby turds off our hardwood floors.
It occurred to me that this year has been so busy chasing pooping babies (amongst lots of work related things, I assure you) that my photo blog has kind of morphed into this photo-only site.
Just to update you on what we've been doing here at the Memory household, let me start by saying I LOVE my baby girl and her wily ways.

If we want to cut my life up like a pizza graph, I'd say she's half my pie. Yeah, that sounds about right. If you consider that I spend a quarter of my life actually snoozing, she definitely takes up that big wakeful chunk!

Her latest phase (as seen above) is ALL about heels. Mama's heels. She doesn't seem attracted to Jelani's dirty old vans or his plaid house shoes. I wonder why?

Second passion of my life right now is my career. I am a photographer slash actress. I know it sounds like I am probably trying to do TOO many things and you're probably thinking:

"Wow. Are you a director slash writer too?" To which I would answer (while blushing)

"Um, yes." But only kind of. And not really at all on the former.

My photo business seems to be exploding as far as clients and word of mouth go. I am LOVING all the headshot clients (Hooray Portland Actors!) who I've been meeting up with this year. I've even been hearing from tons of super young, tween and teener actors. With my own experience of squirming like a painted bullseye squirel in front of the camera, I am having a fabulous time relaying bits of advice to these actors on how to play it cool. In front of the camera that is.

On more exciting ventures, I am have met up with a couple of retailers and designers who want me to shoot their look books this summer. THIS is what I'm TALKING about! Look books and edgier, fly by the seat of your pants shoots are soooo my favorite. We've already begun location scouting and casting for the perfect models! Can't wait for this late-blooming summer to finally kickstart!

For those of you haven't stopped by site, recently here is the photo NOW on my landing page:

About Face Magazine COVER: Portland Fashion Photographer

2011-06-08T16:54:00.001-07:00

So excited to post these images of About Face summer issue! I shot the cover and the article inserts.

Portland Headshot Photographer Lavenda Memory

Portland Fashion Photographer: SUN

2011-06-08T15:04:00.000-07:00

LA Model: Kacy Owens
Hair: Kira Pinski
Makeup: Destiny Taylor
Assist: Nick Wilson
Portland Editorial Photographer Lavenda Memory

Portland Headshot Photographer: Benjamin Farmer

2011-06-02T16:58:00.000-07:00

An actor with RANGE: Ben Farmer

Portland Headshot Photographer Lavenda Memory

Portland Fashion Photographer: Light

2011-05-28T15:39:00.000-07:00

Model: Camille C. Q6
Mua: Destiny Taylor
Portland Portrait Photographer Lavenda Memory

Fashion Editorial: Liesure Hour

2011-05-26T19:28:00.000-07:00

Q6 Model: Camille. C.
Mua: Destiny Taylor
Portland Editorial Photographer Lavenda Memory

amor joven

2011-05-23T16:13:00.000-07:00

Simple story about chemistry.

Portland Editorial Photographer Lavenda Memory

2011-05-17T13:03:00.000-07:00

Portland Portrait Photographer Lavenda Memory

Portland Fashion Photographer: Window Dressing

2011-05-13T17:43:00.000-07:00

Book updates for Camille C
Mua: Destiny Taylor
Portland Commercial Photographer Lavenda Memory

Beautiful Camouflage

2011-04-20T13:08:00.001-07:00

Model: Cassie Meder
Hair and Makeup: Destiny Taylor
Dress: Vintage
Portland Portrait Photographer Lavenda Memory

Trust Fund Rebel

2011-04-10T12:01:00.000-07:00

Couldn't keep these under-wraps too long! I'll be sending this out to different publishers to keep everyone updated on my Spring Inspirations.

Thanks so much Terri Lodge for makeup and hair, Kara for your kick-@ss modeling, Nick Wilson for assisting and Kate Towers -your designs are inspiring!

Portland Fashion Photographer: Woman in Red

2011-04-01T12:05:00.000-07:00

Portland Commercial Photographer Lavenda Memory

Portland Fashion Photographer: On the Fence

2011-03-29T15:05:00.000-07:00

This set is from a shoot that had to be cut short. We were originally shooting 2 models and when one of the models had to cut out early, we decided to make use of the gorgeous wardrobe at this Gresham local.

Winter Portland Headshots:

2011-03-22T13:31:00.000-07:00

When you hear the raindrops falling down in Portland, it can be a beautiful sound. Unfortunately, when I'm trying to run a shoot session outdoors with an Actor, an assistant and my few equipment pieces, I'd like to hear the sound of birds chirping instead. Of course, I can't really complain. It seems like every time I decide to chance it in the rain, it lets up and I end up with the perfect burst of sun or an hour of diffused, overcast sky!

Here are just a few head shots from this Winter:

Portland Headshot Photographer Lavenda Memory
Portland Portrait Photography

Engagement Session: Ken and Jenni

2011-03-17T18:02:00.000-07:00

So excited to post these shots from Ken and Jenni's engagement shoot! This was actually our SECOND attempt, since last time we found ourselves nearly blown away- literally- by a mountain-top wind storm! This time, we chose a safer location that would offer us coverage in case of rain and wind! Luckily, we face neither and the colorful, busy backdrop of Multnomah made a gorgeous backdrop for their photos.

Makeup and Hair: Bethany Winstead
Styling: Lavenda Memory

Portland Headshot: Before and After

2011-03-16T20:55:00.000-07:00

Clients often ask if retouching is included in their purchased images. Here is an example of natural, skin retouching. In this shot, the client also requested that her cleavage be covered (less distracting) so I did that as well.

Portland Head Shot Photographer Lavenda Memory

Something Beautiful - Portland Portrait Photography

2011-03-14T15:19:00.000-07:00

This is from "A Lace Story" shot this January.

I am just finishing up the photos... Well, I have a couple more. I'll be using some of these shots for my Spring email to various magazines.

Portland Portrait Photographer Lavenda Memory

Sarah Seven: Sneak Peak

2011-03-03T23:12:00.000-08:00

It's been a couple years since I have shot for the wondrously romantic designer, Sarah Seven and I am so, so excited to post a sneak peak of her 2011 "Ready to Wear" line!

Portland Fashion Photographer Lavenda Memory

Red, red Wine

2011-02-23T00:08:00.001-08:00

Hearts and Cookies

2011-02-17T21:35:00.000-08:00

February is such a complicated month. It's a new year, full of change and resolutions. Winter is nearly over, but slightly depressing because of the ongoing rain. And then there is Valentines day, which falls just a couple weeks before my wedding anniversary. Every year I find myself wondering, where in the world did January go? This year was no different.
The Holidays flew by and even though business is often a bit slower in the winter, life did not slow down in the Memory household. Ella is 16 months now and running around like a little mad woman down each path, corner and sidewalk she can find!
It's exciting for this mama to know that Nana's house is just a few blocks away, where Ella loves to expend some of her go-go-go energy! Nana Lori (Ella's Godmother put's on this elaborate Valentines party for all family children and acquaintances alike! Last year was Ella's first year, but it was pretty anti-climactic once we had her dressed up in a foufy valentines dress (also purchased by her Nana!) because last year, at an entire 4 months old, Ella was more like a pretty sack of potatoes than anything else. Her talents at that point were, tracking lights with a very slow gaze and smiling if she had gas.
THIS year was light years different- or to be more exact- one year different. But for a baby, let's just say light years!!!

Ella experienced so many fun firsts such as sipping from a ceramic mug, eating her first cookie and scone, and putting a couple words together for her first "sentence".

Here is a video capturing a few of the events:

Video created by my hubby, Jelani Memory

Forever Young: Tribute to the 80's

2011-02-02T14:12:00.000-08:00

Playful and fun, despite the rain! That is what I look for in most Winter shoots ( :

Our idea was to play around with color and textures, with bright bold lips hi-lighting each look.

Erin Madison, a new favorite muse, arrived in Portland from Eugene for our shoot, so of course we were going to shoot rain or shine. The first half of the shoot was perfectly sunny and deceptively cold, but by the end of the shoot we were having to duck for cover in the forest!

This set is from the first look... 2 more looks to come!

Portland Editorial Photographer Lavenda Memory

Eat Your Vegies

2011-01-30T19:43:00.000-08:00

There were greens and we had to jump in!
Model, Erin Madison and mua, Christine Marie.

Best Fashion Photographer

Like it's 1995

2011-01-28T18:10:00.001-08:00

Portland Portrait Photographer Lavenda Memory

Top, top secret surprise.

2011-01-27T16:45:00.000-08:00

So, I have a top, top secret surprised planned for Jelani this Valentines day. I am not usually one for big surprises. Not that I don't LOVE receiving them, but honestly- all the planning and keeping my mouth shut required to give SOMEONE ELSE a surprise is beyond me. Until this year!

This year, I have managed to put together a fun surprise (no clues to be posted unfortunately!) for this big, girly, lovers weekend.

To kind of get myself in the mood for this glitter, paper-heart month, I thought I'd start playing around with some red lipsticks, maybe even add a little "somethin somethin" to my wardrobe in RED.
I'm on the lookout, but if you have any suggestions, please let me know! A great lip color, or maybe a red necklace would be awesome!

Glass Eyes - Portland Look Book Photography

2011-01-26T22:13:00.000-08:00

What a fantastic opportunity we had to shoot in my good friend's new house. It was renovated recently and is about to hit the market, so I snatched up my small window to shoot there.

Here are some sneak peaks from that shoot with Muse model: Cassi, makeup artist: Destiny Taylor and assistant: Nick Wilson.

Look Book Photographer Portland

Rain on Me - Portland Look Book

2011-01-24T16:31:00.000-08:00

New set of some shots with Megan Hodge of Edge Models.

Portland Commercial Photographer Lavenda Memory

Portland Monthly: Photo of the Day

2011-01-24T13:31:00.000-08:00

I wanted to repost this since my original link seems to be broken.
Some updates on this: had a meeting with the art directors from Portland Monthly Magazine about shooting for their magazine this year. To see the photos selected please just click on the link!

Portland Commercial Photographer Lavenda Memory

Astronaut Globe

2011-01-20T16:45:00.000-08:00

I was on facebook yesterday, when an actor friend of mine IMed me and asked if I was okay. I was quick to reply haha, I'm fine and all that. But after I logged off I stopped to think about it. The truth is, I am kind of in a tailspin of growth right now. I feel like I have been moving into, with, inside of a new stage of my life where everything I ever wanted is now attainable.
I don't mean like, financially, all of a sudden I am well-off or anything like that. I mean, where I used to see roadblocks, I now see potential exercise routes. Where there was once a book of rules, I see some mildly annoying suggestions.

It's like I am seeing and hearing other's points of views through an astronaut globe. You know what I'm talking about. It's like I am inside of this awesome astronaut suit, jumping around with no gravity to hold me down. And when someone says something that used to drag me down to earth, I am just kind of like, hey- I get to float. Don't mess with me.

This weightlessness that I've been wearing lately is affecting my brain, in the way that I mother my baby girl, in the way that I take photos. Especially in the way I perceive the world and my life, moment to moment.

This weightlessness is making me sad for other people, who are still dragging around in their muscle-building barbells, or whatever weird metaphor you'd like to use. It's making me sad, just to be sad. Because sad is being present. And being present is like waking up to my birthday every single day.

This weightlessness is making me sad. And it's also making me very aware of how much love I have for myself and for my family and for my friends. And even for my work.

All of this to say, I think you may be seeing some changes in me, if you happen to hang out with me often. And if you don't, if you just follow my blog, you are probably seeing some changes in my work. My work is always a reflection of my growth and my personality. So, if you see a little weightlessness, some melancholy and some love, you are probably seeing me in there somewhere.

Some shots of LoveJoy Bakers in the Pearl:

An outtake of fellow Photographer, Deneb, from our headshot shoot.

Win a $50 Gift Card on My Blog!!

2011-01-19T19:27:00.000-08:00

Thanks to CSN.com I am co-hosting my very first give away! Since my blog is all about photos and fashion, I thought why not give my readers a chance to win $50 towards a must-have accessory for Spring? Check out these great finds from Delsey Luggage, and other CSN.com stores, where you can find everything from trendy luggage for your Spring Break trip, to beautiful, and very affordable handbags.

The WINNER of our $50 gift code can apply their credit towards ANY of CSN's 200+ stores.

Pastels are such a great break from our winter darks and have been seen on the runway by designers like, Michael Kors who incorporated blue, purple and green pastels for his feminine outfits. Burberry, Matthew Williamson, Tommy Hilfiger, Mila Schon and Blumarine played with romantic accents of pastels as well.

Here are some affordable ways to update your Spring/ Summer look with pastels:

Barcelona Boho Bow Bag seen in almond green The Sak Clutch seen in lavendar Elliot Lucca Hobo with Bow seen in Peony Luichiny Pump seen in Lilac Luichiny Silver Pump seen in tan Barcelona Zipper Clutch seen in white

TO WIN:
Please go ahead and leave a comment with a link to one of your favorite items found on CSN.com in order to enter. You can enter the drawing twice if you also leave a message on our Photography Facebook page! If this goes well, I will begin offering these drawings every 2 months.

Drawing will take place on March 7th and the winner will be announced by that evening!

Softer Things - Portland Beauty Photographer

2011-01-18T13:52:00.000-08:00

So, I am putting together 6-7 pieces for my show this March. The pieces will be up for all of March, but the reception is March 4th so mark your calendars!

As I work out my inspirations this winter, I find myself gravitating towards nature. Even rain seems to be less of an evil and more of a collaborator these days. Anyhow, here are some shots from a recent shoot with Edge Agency's Megan Hodge.

It literally poured the entire day, which meant we had to shoot under cover for the first 3 looks. The second half of our shoot was quite the test of my team's spirits. I think we managed really well, however! I'm posting the shot of my assistant Nick Wilson keeping cover for poor Megan!

Portland Beauty Photographer Lavenda Memory

Portland Headshot Sessions

2011-01-12T22:44:00.001-08:00

It's a new year and time for a fresh start! As an actor myself, I know how important it is to have my current look represented in my headshot. If you've been meaning to update yours, shoot me an email! My calendar is often fuller at the beginning of every year, but I am so, so excited to help jumpstart your year. I am always happy to fit you in asap!

Portland Headshot Photographer Lavenda Memory - Portland Head Shots

Baby Steps

2010-12-19T00:40:00.000-08:00

This Year has been amazing as I've had the beautiful opportunity to watch my daughter grow into a toddler. I love how curious and happy she is most of the time. Here are some shots from a walk a couple weeks back:

This is her gettin on her shades for the walk:

But then she took off without them:

She thought we were taking a cab:

I think she was heading to her Nana's house:

We finally arrived back at our place where she took a tast of a leaf stem:

I think she is really enjoying this Fall Day walks ( :

Night Sky

2010-12-19T00:27:00.000-08:00

I have fallen incredibly behind on my editing and feel thankful to have so many wonderful shoots to go over in the next few weeks! It CAN be daunting to have your catalogue full of unedited photos, but I kind of like having something to look forward to after the holidays.

Here is ONE photo from the Skye (that is the model's name) Series. Happy Holidays ALL!!!

Portland Beauty Photography - Lavenda Memory

Go GREEN with Portland-made Holiday Cards!

2010-12-06T07:34:00.000-08:00

Since I am an absolute sucker for snail mail, I was already impressed with receiving my Jarfly cards via mail man. After I tore through the wrap like a gift-starved kid I was equally impressed to find an assortment of bright, fun holiday cards inside a beautiful boutique packaging.

Anyhow, I simply HAD to share my find and am linking everyone to Jarfly's rad blog where you can see their latest designs and shops. Go GREEN and support a local business/ artist!

Here are a couple of my favorite designs:

Christmas Web Series

2010-12-01T19:23:00.001-08:00

I was a guest start in the web series, Merry Holidays- Please Hold created for San Francisco based, Zendesk.
Check it out!

Misty Mountains - Portland Lifestyle Photographer

2010-11-29T09:51:00.000-08:00

Styling: Aria Chittendon
Makeup and Hair: Jen Springer
Assistant: Nick Wilson
Portland Lifestyle Photographer Lavenda Memory

Portland Fashion Photographer: Ballet

2010-11-24T16:18:00.001-08:00

Portland Fashion Photographer Lavenda Memory

Portland Fashion Photographer: Meredith

2010-11-24T14:20:00.000-08:00

I feel like this is the perfect set to post for Thanksgiving. Doesn't the color pallet just scream Happy Holidays?

Portland Fashion Photographer: Meredith Face Study

2010-11-23T16:00:00.000-08:00

Portland Fashion and Headshot Photographer Lavenda Memory

Portland Fashion Photographer: Option Model Lauren Steenson

2010-11-19T17:47:00.000-08:00

Portland Commercial Photographer Lavenda Memory

Portland Headshot Photographer: Terri Lodge

2010-11-18T13:59:00.000-08:00

In my attempt to raise the bar in headshot photography here in Portland, I am trying to capture my clients in at least 3 different ways. I think it's important to show versatility as an actor and what better way than in your headshots?

Here are three different looks from a recent shoot with Terri Lodge (student of Jana Lee Hamblin)

Smoky Leading Lady:

Friendly Professional:

Street Smarts:

Once I get enough shots together, I will have a "3 looks" section on my website of Talent examples.

Christine Marie - Portland Head Shots

2010-11-16T09:29:00.001-08:00

I'm very excited to post this shot of my fabulous makeup artist, Christine Marie. Christine is the artistic trifecta of photography, makeup and modeling. She dabbles and wows in all three areas and after our tag-team shoot yesterday, I can now say I've experienced all three of her talents first hand.

Christine and I did a photo trade since I am in need of a good smiling headshot and her modeling agency, Heffner, is requesting some photo updates for her portfolio. Headshots are kind of a challenge for me, because I don't normally like photos of myself smiling. I guess I feel old.

Anyhow, Christine managed to supersede my expectations 10 fold (wow I've always wanted to say 10 fold) and gave me more than plenty of great options to choose from. Here are a couple shots from our shoot yesterday:

Christine:

My New Headshot:

Portland Portrait and Headshot Photographer Lavenda Memory

Stinken up the Room

2010-11-10T08:56:00.000-08:00

I was reading over some old blog posts from 2008 and found myself amused at the parallels between my life then and my life now. I mean, sure I've heard the saying "people don't change" but who knew "people" actually means ME?

Back then I was writing as a newly wed from Spain. I was grieving for home and frustrated as ever about my so called "fear of success" as a writer. Seriously, that's what I called it.

My writing was so pretentious that I find myself embarrassed for the readers (who mostly existed in my imagination) who may have been kind enough to read those posts. My strange fascination with verbiage and the word "poised" read like a bad high school term paper. And yet, despite all of that, I think I was writing a teeny, tiny bit of truth. Truth about my flaky nature. Truth about my debilitating fears. It's these truths that still strike a cord with me 2.0

Funny thing is, after Spain, I threw in the towel with writing. I think a few too many bad blog posts got me down, so I decided to redefine myself as a photographer. I stopped writing, almost completely and began taking pictures, scheduling shoots. It was way easier to do that than to define myself as a suck ass writer.

Obviously, it wasn't the worst thing I could do. By running away from fears I found myself an inspiring career in fashion photography. But despite my somewhat-successful business, I can't help but wonder what would have happened if I had stayed put, if I had pushed through the bad writing, the exaggerated pros. I mean, even if I had continued to suck and even if I had discovered that writing was not "my thing" wouldn't it have been cool to say "I gave it everything I've got" ?

Similarly, I've run up against some walls in my acting journey. At first, I brushed it off as a fluke, that I must be getting too busy. That of course I was overwhelmed- I'm a mom and a freelance photographer- I've got laundry and errands and not to mention seasonal depression... things NOONE else would even understand. Uh huh. I think like this. But then I realized. Whoa! You know what this sounds like? Bullshit! Yes ma'am. I'm definitely stinken up the room.

I mean, when the day is done, or the season- or hell, the year! I can rack up all the excuses (because that's all they are) to stay exactly where I am. Not moving forward means staying safe, running backwards means farther from failure. But HELLO! Wake up, I have to tell myself. It also means farther from the possibility of SUCCESS. Of growth. Of personal fulfillment and satisfaction. Without taking risks, biting the bullet, whatever you want to call it, life is not really LIVING.

So, all of that to say. I had a little lightbulb moment recently. My lightbulb was about acting this time around. I realized that I have to stick around and push even when it's hard and even what I know I'm sucking it up. But maybe if this works out, I'll find myself giving writing another try. Maybe if sucking doesn't actually suck I'll consider other things to suck at as well ( :

Los Ojos Azules

2010-11-08T18:06:00.000-08:00

Blue dress, Blue eyes, Blue Skies

Thanks Christine Marie for fantastic job on hair and makeup.
And Lauren Steenson for your modeling chops.

Published Fashion Photographer Lavenda Memory

Portland Fashion Photographer

2010-11-05T11:44:00.000-07:00

Here is a sneak peek from our Twiggy inspired shoot yesterday. While this shot does not emanate twiggy as much as some of the other sets, her beautiful energy and quirky beauty were an inspiration during the entire shoot. This was a "must edit" shot, but there are about 10-15 additional photos to come.

xxx

Bombshell Jenni Walker

2010-10-28T15:54:00.000-07:00

This shoot has been in the works for nearly 2 years. Jenni and I first talked about shooting in 2009, when I was pregnant with Ella. I remember being inspired by Jenni's 18th century inspired features. I knew she'd be lovely behind the lens, but who knew we'd end up shooting a year after Ella's birth, in the beautiful Portland Fall.

Once I began shooting I realized that Jenni has way more than a gorgeous face; check out her bombshell figure as well!

Portland Portrait Photographer Lavenda Memory - Portland Headshots

Pumpkin Patch 2010

2010-10-14T19:39:00.001-07:00

This is a beautiful video by Jelani.

2010 Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-13T22:25:00.000-07:00

Wow. We totally lucked out today with the weather totally playing in our favor and the pumpkin patch still full of good picken's! The only draw back to going on a weekday, is the lack of Elephant ears for sale. I mean, of the few places you go during the year for elephant ears, this is one of the best! Plus, Ella's godmother "Nana Lori" is somewhat crazy about the sugary treat. Now she did manage to score the very last bag of kettle corn so I consider it an even exchange ( :

This was our second year at this particular farm out on Sauvie's Island. Last year Jelani and I went on our own, with Ella still being in my belly. It was the first time, however, we went on the tractor ride!

It was really fun to watch Ella take it all in. She had the most fun once she could walk around on her own two feet. She kept tripping on the pumpkin roots, but didn't seem to mind since she had access to 100's of giant orange toys and dirt! My girl LOVES dirt.

I got some funny shots of Owen, who looks like he's the worlds youngest photographer on a baby shoot or something. Everyone seemed to have fun picking out their pumpkins and I'm really thankful that Ella was able to enjoy her first year at the patch with her god family.

Marathon

2010-10-12T10:59:00.001-07:00

So I have been trying to blog weekly, if not bi-weekly this summer. I believe I succeeded most months, but for some reason the past couple of weeks I've been hard pressed to find the time. Of course, I run both this blog AND my Lavenda Seniors blog. So that's double blogging duty. Yep.

Things have been really good as far as business goes. I've been booking lots of weddings and engagement shoots, as well as headshots and model book updates. I'm always so excited to get to know the folks who gravitate towards my work. Here's a couple shots of new model, Brian Seward, who after booking his shoot- realized we are old school mates:

On a personal note, my brother came into town for the weekend to run the Portland marathon. He and his friends crashed here and then we all went to see him finish the race on Sunday. Here are some shots of him getting ready, killing a stink bug for me the night before and then all of us at the race the next day:

Wedding: Leah and Brandon

2010-09-27T12:13:00.000-07:00

Congrast Leah and Brandon on your new marriage!
With only 5 hours booked for this West Linn Wedding, my assistant and I were hustling across the grounds to get the good shots. Their gorgeous venue included a ceremonial gazebo and mini waterfalls, plus a beautiful historic house for prep.
My favorite part was during the reception when they turned on some colorful disco lights. It created a really sweet, nostalgic mood.

Portland Wedding Photographer Lavenda Memory

Spring Streets - Portland Look Book Photography

2010-09-26T12:53:00.000-07:00

Spent a couple hours in the Pearl with Kristi this weekend. Her agency is looking for some commercial shots to update her portfolio. I wanted to give it a twist, so we made sure to modernize her wardrobe and take advantage of Pearl's urban-scapes.

Thanks Christine Marie for fabulous work on makeup.

Portland Look Book Photographer Lavenda Memory

Domestic Awakening - Portland Editorial Photographer

2010-09-25T02:24:00.000-07:00

The idea behind this editorial is to reveal the hum drum events of married life and how stale it can be until romance is reintroduced.

I will tell more when the photos are all wrapped up. I will submitting this series for an Editorial contest (Deadline November). So excited!

Makeup and Hair: Christine Marie
Assist: Nick Wilson
And special thanks to Jana who let me use her lovely home ( :

Portland Editorial Photographer Lavenda Memory

Inspire Your Imagination

2010-09-21T12:06:00.000-07:00

When Claire La Faye first approached me about shooting her bridal line I remember feeling excited and almost nostalgic at the prospect. When she suggested shooting something childlike, fantastical and very whimsical I had to hold myself back from clapping like an idiot.
Here's the thing. I am a complete, utterly shameless girly girl. I love frills, sparkles and things that twirl in the night. Cheesy? Yes, I know. But when you look at Claire's gorgeous bridal designs you'll know what I mean by whimsical.
The challenge was to pull this off without making feta, or cheddar, or whatever other unwanted cheeses can be made in such situations. So, we began collaborating, shooting pictures back and forth, creating storyboards, et cetera. And came out with some touches and details we hadn't seen done before. And wha la! We came out with a gorgeous editorial that will appeal to every woman's inner child!

Kate Paul: Behind the Pageantry

2010-09-18T14:55:00.000-07:00

So, I was completely honored to shoot with Kate Paul, our very own Miss Oregon, USA. She was every bit the beautiful, sweet girl you'd expect, but definitely with a spark of spontaneity and fun!
When I asked her to throw on some undies and a tie up her shirt to wade into the somewhat freezing river, she just smiled and walked right in. Fearless.
Through out the day of prep, then driving, then walking all over the sandy beach to find a good shoot spot, I learned a bit about this funny, Bend native. She is actually kind of a small town girl like myself, who felt a bit repressed by her surroundings and lack of options. She fell into the USA pageant due to a curious disposition and made it all the way to the title through sheer will (and her fabulous Charisma doesn't hurt).

Anyhow, I wanted to interpret Kate with a focus on her softer, more feminine side. All glitter and crowns cast aside. And this is what we came out with:

Hair and Makeup by Alisia Ray

Black Essentials Editorial - Portland Fashion Photography - Look Book

2010-09-14T12:48:00.000-07:00

Think black is boring? If you think of black as a basic, or a fat day slimmer only, check out all the ways we've decided to celebrate black!

Published Portland Fashion Photographer & Look Book Photographer Lavenda Memory

Ella Marseille

2010-09-09T20:44:00.000-07:00

Over these past 10 or so months I have been running the idea through my head of "not putting work before your children". As I watch Ella (now toddling about) grow into her own little person, I realize how much she is picking up and absorbing from me and Jelani.

There are days when I find myself intentionally stepping away from work so that I can give her my full attention; and this just tickles her. I see it in the way she relaxes and smiles, even laughs more. She just wants her mommy there beside her, to do life with. And I can understand that.

So, I've decided that Ella is an integral part of my business. She and the rest of my loved ones are the foundation of my creativity. They are my fountain... the ones who keep the inspiration flowing. And while I'm young, I'd like to stop to appreciate all of this.

Anyhow, here are some shots of my beautifully delightful Ella. She is 10.5 months here, with her first birthday just around the corner:

Portland Lifestyle Photographer Lavenda Memory

Jessica and Evan - Portland Engagement Photography

2010-09-09T13:33:00.000-07:00

This engagement shoot with Jessica and Evan almost didn't happen! Between both of them living on the east coast, and Evan's demanding job, they weren't sure they'd be able to make it happen this summer. And then I would have missed out on meeting them in person till their wedding!

I'm so glad we made it happen though! Jessica impressed me at our first meeting with her polished style and then really wowed me when she busted out some killer heels at the shoot. I mean, yes, I am one to wear heels to the grocery store, but most hipsters glare at me as I pick out my organic vegies a proud 4 inches taller.

Jessica and Evan were so funny and adorable. I felt like I was shooting stills for a love montage in a Romantic Comedy. They just kind of quietly cuddled and murmered to one another as I snapped away. Of course, I couldn't help but to butt in and exclaim how adorable they were, at which point they would both sort of blush and giggle. Well, Evan is a guy, so he doesn't giggle. I guess he would have laughed. But anyhow, it was easy peasy to capture these two in candid moments. I have to say, I am definitely looking forward to shooting their wedding next year!

Oh and I couldn't help but post a shot of those amazing heels!

Portland Engagement Photographer Lavenda Memory

Engagement shoot with Christine and Jesse

2010-08-31T23:32:00.001-07:00

I was really excited to get a location suggestion from Christine for her and Jesse's engagement shoot. It's always fun for me to play around with new locations, textures and backgrounds.

What makes this location particularly special for Christine and Jesse are the memories; U of P is where Christine and Jesse met and fell in love. This is where they spent many hours living life, getting to know one another and moving forward as a couple.

It's fitting that we should take their pictures at the same place they will also be getting married! Just imagine, the next time I snap their photos will be the day they pledge their lives to one another... wooo whooo! Very exciting ( :

Kacy and Paul

2010-08-29T15:00:00.000-07:00

Talk about a whirlwind romance! Kacy and Paul met less than a year ago through a roommate and after trying the friend thing via email, they soon realized their compatibility and chemistry. Paul knew that Kacy was the one for him right away and popped the questions just a few months into their relationship. With the wedding just a couple months away, they're entire romance, when married will have been just under a year old!

Kacy and Paul were like two little lovebirds, so appropriately taking pictures in the forest. With everything still so fresh and new between the two, I could practically see the sparks flying between them as they snuggled, whispered and laughed throughout our shoot.

Photo Books

2010-08-26T16:38:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I haven't posted photos of our photo books yet! These rad books make great wedding albums at 12x12 inches of beautiful design space per page. I print them as small as 7x7 for seniors, engagement, and baby books as well. For those staying under 150 pages, we print them on premium photo paper, which means thicker, more resilient stock for your photos.

Here is a sample from a recent wedding:

All albums are custom designed to best tell the story of your wedding day, et cetera.

Waiting for Halley

2010-08-25T18:19:00.000-07:00

I have been working so much that I haven't had time to post all my recent shoots! Last week I had 5 shoots alone! Things will begin to slow down as the summer rush dies down. Which is good AND bad I suppose.

Anyhow, I am really excited to begin posting these last shoots. This first set are from a maternity session with Amber and Mike. We chose the waterfront because it has such a nice mix of urban and nature. It whispers Portland summer with the river running across the cityscape.
Amber and Mike didn't realize that this would be their last evening without their new little girl, Halley (pronounced Hal- ee). Halley actually arrived the VERY next day if you can believe it!

Amber and Mike were the perfect picture of happy, expectant parents.

Portland Headshots - Head Shot Photography

2010-08-20T15:16:00.000-07:00

I met Sara Robbin through a Meisner acting class we're both taking and had a lot of fun updating her headshots. Here are just a couple peaks at some of our favorites.

Portland Headshot Photographer Lavenda Memory

Shannon and Manuel Wedding: Mt Hood

2010-08-18T21:06:00.000-07:00

This was one of those perfect weddings, where everything came together perfectly throughout the day, including the weather! I was totally honored to enjoy this day with Shannon and Manuel on Mt. hood. The guest's shared my thoughts seeing as it was a full on PARTY till they had to close up shop at 10 pm. Here's a look at their special day:

Couple: Liz and Dan

2010-08-07T09:15:00.000-07:00

Liz and Dan were an exciting couple to shoot, because they are recent residents of Portland and were SO excited to be in the city. The mix of rural and urban in the backdrop gives a good sense of their history and their life journey together. Sound too mystical to you? Well, let's just say that as creatives themselves (she owns her own baking business and he's a designer) they chose some awesome cityscapes for their shoot!

Welcome to Portland Liz and Dan!

Broken Bones and Material Things

2010-08-02T17:28:00.000-07:00

I hesitate to say this, but yes, I do think Jelani and I are finally getting used to the whole parenting slash working thing. It's harder than I thought. I mean, even with the flexibility of working from home it's a major strain on work flow. I've found that this new "nearly-toddler" stage can drive a person crazy, what with Ella crawling halfway up our stairs of death before you can say "slow down" or tha fact that she can now reach table tops and bookshelves full of unrealized death objects.
Gosh, even as I write this, Ella is pulling down beautiful vintage books and trying to shred them with her front teeth. For the umpteenth time mind you.

So, as I said, I think we may be getting used to things. I can't say it doesn't bother me to replace a $90 slobbery, power cord, or nearly give me grays each time Ella nearly knocks over a lamp. But I may have relaxed a bit. I mean, they are just material things and broken bones ARE bound to happen, right?

Baby Annalise

2010-07-26T13:26:00.000-07:00

I have been completely honored to work and collaborate with Portland's newest Makeup and Hair Stylist, Alisia Ray this year. When we met 6 months ago she was barely showing and just a couple weeks ago, her baby girl Annalise finally arrived!
Anyhow, while I don't normally do too many newborn portraits, I just had to do hers! Welcome little Annalise ( :

Beach in Peach

2010-07-21T14:12:00.000-07:00

The best thing about Oregon beaches is the sand. While we may not have the best track record of Sunny Summers, we've definitely got some of the best SAND around. I first noticed this while in Hawaii. My daughter could not stand the feel of the sand on her feet there. But when we came home and took her to the much cooler beaches here, she LOVED it!
Anyhow, this mini shoot here on Portland's river beach gave us the best of both worlds: sun and sand! Check it out:

Trip Back Home

2010-07-19T18:58:00.000-07:00

I had a great trip back home, where I got to visit some friends and family in the Willamette Valley. It's funny that once photography became my profession, that I seemed to slow down on captured my own life on film. So, I decided to drag my 5D on this trip for some family portraits ( :

Ella was excited to see everyone and since there seem to be babies everywhere we go, had made lots of new friends.

This was us at Aunt Ruth's:

And this was over at the wagars. Caylan and I were trying to get some shots together, but ended up laughing through most of them.

Weddings in Portland

2010-07-16T16:17:00.000-07:00

Portland has got to be one of the best places to get married in the summer. With even our summer's being overcast, this means FABULOUS light for all!!
On this particular day, our greatest concern was bumping into the Nude Bicyclist's who were scheduled to ride through the park that afternoon! Luckily, there were not incidents

Here is a look at a beautiful Lauralhurst wedding with bride and groom, Aaron and Sitawan.

Our 4th of July

2010-07-08T16:34:00.001-07:00

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July! This was our first 4th with our daughter, litte Ella, so we just HAD to follow the sparkle and smoke. We found ourselves on the south side of the river watching the big show pretty late on Sunday night, but the most fun was earlier in the day when we got to bbq and eat homemade flag cake. Anyhow, I'm posting some shots of our day... and I'd love to hear how everyone else's holiday was!

Ella was a bit scared of the louder fireworks.

But as usual, she was very entertained by Owen!

The cake was made by Savannah, but sadly, we ran out of propane before our pretty corn cooked all the way through!

This was Ella's first time seeing the sparklers lit:

And at first she was very concerned:

But then she thought they were fun!

And for those of you who didn't know my daughter is a master at the martial arts...

Here are some other shots from the day:

This last one is my favorite:

Eye Candy (think cupcakes)

2010-07-06T00:18:00.000-07:00

Not much can beat Claire La Faye's beautiful bridesmaids dresses that double as sweet, cupcake inspired summer wear. Check out Sahlia Michelle's one of a kind bridal jewelry too. This definitely beats the cake!

Models:
Kayleen Hazel
Heather Lusia
Natalie

Makeup: Alisia Ray
Hair: Kira Pinski