Harvest Celebration

Autumn is in the air! The leaves on the maple in my side yard are turning a glorious crimson and as the evenings cool down, I'm rummaging for a sweater to wear on my nightly walks. Autumn has always been my favorite season - I find it invigorating and refreshing after the heat of summer. Then there's the whole Autumn Harvest thing, what with pears and apples coming into market...

Speaking of fall fruit, I've partnered with a Very Talented graphic designer who has created these fabulous old-fashioned fruit labels for me - they are available in apple, pear, cherries, apricots...so far! If they prove as popular as I think, we're got more fruit labels in the wings! If there's something you think I simple MUST have, let me know and we'll get working on it! Where was I? Oh yeah, these fab Harvest Portraits would be amazing gifts for Grandma, look terrific in a country kitchen or even a family room - can't you just see YOUR child's face smiling out from one of these?! They look truly special when framed out in either rustic barnwood or distressed antique wood - did I mention I can frame them for you as well, in an assortment of designer colors and finishes?!

I'm so excited about these beautful graphics that I am offering them at a Very Special Price for a limited time - you've got from now until the end of October to book a session for your child (or children) and order these Harvest Portraits, then they're gone again until next Spring! Call me at 541-436-2755 for more details about this Special Offer. (Did I mention that I'm in the middle of a wonderful high school senior portrait season and that my available time is also very limited?! If you want these beautiful Harvest Portraits for YOUR kids, call today!)

A Great Night of Theatre!

I'm very excited to tell you about the upcoming production, Three One Act Plays, at CAST scheduled to open October 10th and run through October 25 - talk about an entertainment bargain! You can enjoy three wonderful one-act plays in a single evening - each play tugs at a different emotional cord...one to make you laugh, one to make you cry, and one to make you think. Find out more about the individual plays by checking out the theatre page on the Columbia Gorge Center for the Arts website.

I was privileged to be commissioned to create portraits for the actors, directors and production manager - I enjoy contributing to the local theatre this way and it keeps me from doing something drastic, like auditioning!

The directors are Judie Hanel, Richard Parker and Tom Penchoen. The actors working with them are Steve Daniels, David Fox, Marti Kontola, Jessica Metta, John Metta, Jack Trumbull and Gary Young. Keeping it all organized and running smoothly is Judith Poage, production manager.

Don't you deserve a night out? Call the babysitter and reserve your tickets for Three One Act Plays - and prepare for a great night of theatre!

It's Raining Seniors in Hood River!

Oh. My. Gawd! My two Senior Super Models (that's them up there in the blog header, Cecy to your left and Elizabeth to your right) have been getting the word out that Photosensitive Portraits is THE place to go for the BEST senior portraits and it seems that the class of 2009 is listening! The response in the first week of school alone has been tremendous - my September is nearly booked up and the phone just keeps ringing! Thank you SO MUCH, Cecy and Elizabeth - and thank you to all the other seniors who I've been working with who are also spreading the word...here's a a few of my favorite images of my hard-working Senior Super Models!

(What are you waiting for? Call NOW to make sure you don't have to settle for less than EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT! 436-2755...)

Just Enjoying a Wonderful Thursday...

One of the Moms who had a Best Friends portrait created at the recent Spring Fling event came by yesterday to pick up her portraits - she's a stunning, redheaded, blue-eyed beauty with a lovely daughter brimming with life and a playful personality!

We started talking and I discovered she's soon to be married to an extraordinary photographer, Jock Bradley, who specializes in outdoor/sports/action imagery. We chatted "shop" for almost an hour and spent much of that time reviewing her husband's website, which is filled with the most amazing kayak and water sports images I've seen! His clients send Jock all over the world to create these masterful photos - many of the athletes Jock portrays are Gorge locals! Take a break from the ordinary and check out Jock's website at www.JockBradley.com - he'll be back in Hood River for the Gorge Games this summer and I'm really looking forward to seeing THOSE images on his website...

SECOND ANNUAL WOMEN’S THEATRE EVENT
Get Your Tickets Early - Sold Out Last Year!

Columbia Arts and Soroptimist International of Hood River presents If We Are Women written by Joanna McClelland Glass and directed by Judie Hanel. Starring Irene Fields, Alison McDonald Bryan, Jules Burton and Blaire Carr. Performances are on June 12,13,14,19,20,21 at 7:30 pm. Opening Nights is Ladies Night! Purchase tickets at Waucoma Bookstore in Hood River and Collage of the Gorge in White Salmon. Ticket prices are only $15 general and $13 students/seniors.

A Joyful Spring Success Story!

The first annual Spring Fling: A Celebration of Women (put on by Soroptimists International of Hood River on May 10th) was a wonderful success! A room full of women enjoyed the luncheon and the fashion show featuring clothing from Flow Yoga, Ananas Boutique, Doug's Sports, Ruddy Duck and Shortt Supply. But the hands-down favorite models were the adorable youngsters showing off the fashions from Outside Baby - the "oooohs" and "awwwwwwws" filled the room!

I was privileged to be asked to have a photo kiosk at the event - I set up a simple backdrop and created "My Best Friend" portraits with the proceeds going to the community programs of Soroptimists International. We enjoyed a terrific response resulting in $200.00 being donated to benefit women and children of Hood River. In addition to the many "Best Friends," mothers and daughters, grandmothers and grandchildren, all lined up to have their portraits created - everyone was in high spirits and it shows in their faces!

Many thanks to everyone who worked this first-time SIHR event and especially to all those who attended to help us celebrate 60 years of service to Hood River's women and children!

Good times in the Garden!

Sometimes a girl's just got to PLAY...sometimes a girl's just got to put down the big ol' camera and have some fun with a little point and shoot...all you have to do to get inspired these days is to step outside - and one of the BEST places to be outside is at Good News Gardening on Tucker Road in Hood River! In between talking with guests at Saturday's "Meet the Artists" reception for the Girl Scouts, I wandered amongst the immense variety of plants on display and snapped away to my heart's content...we enjoyed fabulous weather, wonderful food (courtesy of the Hood River Hotel) and camraderie - all in all, a "picture perfect" afternoon! For more photos of the afternoon reception, please visit the Girl Scout's blog at gsphoto08.blogspot.com - and don't forget, their photo exhibit is on display at the Garden Cafe until the end of May!

Spring Fling - A Celebration of Women!

C'mon down, all you Moms, Daughters, Sisters and Girlfriends, to the Gorge Room at the Best Western Hood River Inn this Saturday, May 10th! The celebration starts at 11:30am and goes until 1:30pm - you'll enjoy a buffet lunch, a fashion show featuring clothing from selected merchants in the Gorge, entertainment provided by the cast of the upcoming production, "If We Are Women", a raffle and great door prizes!

Oh, and did I forget to mention that moi will be there as well? Photosensitive Portraits will have a mini-studio on site and will be creating Best Friends Portraits - this is your chance to have a Photosensitive Portrait of your own at a great price all the while helping a great cause! All proceeds collected from the Best Friends Portraits created at the event will be donated to Soroptimist International programs to benefit women and girls around the world.

Local Photography Contest!

oooooh, my bad - I forgot to post about this contest at the beginning of the month! The contest is sponsored by Soroptimist International of Hood River and Columbia Center for the Arts in conjunction with the upcoming production of the play, "If We Are Women," to be performed by CAST and presented June 12, 13, 14, & 19, 20, 21. (More about the production in a future post, promise!)

Submitted photographs (limit 3 photos per photographer) should depict women in families: good times and bad, alienation and coming together, joy and grief. The makeup of 'family' can be varied: two women together, daughters caring for family members, extended family, or a woman and her dog...think creatively!

Prizes will be awarded for professional and amateur/student categories. Display of finalists will be concurrent with the production of the play "If We Are Women" during the month of June 2008 at the Columbia Center for the Arts. The Grand Prize winning photo will be featured on the program cover for "If We Are Women".

Submitted photo must have at least one dimension of ten inches and be in a 16” x 20” white window mat and ready for hanging. To be considered for the program cover you must also submit a CD with a high resolution image (300 dpi) jpeg file of your photo. Submission deadline is April 30, 2008. The Entry Fee per photo is $10 each for Professional images and $5 each for Amatuer/Student images. Entry fees must accompany all submitted photos. Contest questions should be directed to Kate at 541-386-3850.

You may hand-deliver matted photos Tuesday through Sunday at the Columbia Center for the Arts at 215 Cascade Avenue in Hood River now though April 30, 2008. Each submitted photo must include the following information attached to the back of the print mat: Your name, address, telephone, email information, and a brief description of the photo. In addition, please print out the following statement, signed with your signature and include it with each submitted photo: "I hereby certify that the photo I am submitting is my original work, that I am the sole copyright owner. I am entering this photo as an honest effort of my personal work and I understand that it may be published as the program cover."

Winners will be announced at First Friday, June 6th at the Columbia Center for the Arts. Submitted photos will be available for pickup up until June 30th at the Columbia Center for the Arts.