My big Announcement

This is way harder than I thought it would be...but I have an announcement: As of the end of 2012, I am closing down Photosensitive Portraits. I will continue to accept portrait commissions on a limited basis, but find it necessary to discontinue day to day business due to health constraints. My heart thanks each and every one of you who has ever willingly placed yourself in front of my lens - I am grateful for your trust and your patronage! I look back with joy and forward with anticipation...

Wine, Women & Wow! 2012

I'm very excited to be participating again in Wine, Women & Wow!, the premiere networking event for women in the Gorge! This exciting event is hosted by Soroptimist International of Hood River and sponsored by Catalyst Performance Consulting, Centerpointe Community Bank and Photosensitive Portraits. Yep, I'm a sponsor this year!

I'll be offering two Very Special deals for tonight's attendees - one is in the form of a coupon that will be in the Goodie Bags handed out to the first 100 women through the door (so get there EARLY!), the other deal may be picked up at my booth.

It's all happening tonight at The Pines, 202 W. State Street in downtown Hood River, starting at 5pm! Hope to see you there!

I've repeated this post on Father's Day for the last 5 years now as a way to honor and remember my own Dad...best wishes to all the Fathers (and all the Mothers who are both Mom AND Dad to their kids)!

Why I do what I do...

I love working with families - capturing their time together, a particular moment in their personal histories preserved so that they might look upon it and remember how it was, how they were. It's hard for me to describe just how much that means to me, to participate in this process, to play a part - I feel that it is such a privilege to be asked to create these "documents" of memory, to be allowed a glimpse into what makes each family unique and special.

I don't have alot of photos of my own family growing up (meaning my immediate family, my Mom and Dad, brothers and sisters). My Mom died when I was in my 20s and Dad passed several years ago - so the snapshots I've inherited mean the world to me. The photo at the very beginning of this entry is one of my most precious images. It was taken with my Dad's first digital camera (remember cameras with mini-floppy discs? Dad had one of the earliest Sonys and was very proud of it!) and was the last time I was with him; we were sitting in the Alpena, MI airport waiting for my flight to Detroit and then back to California. Dad passed away a few months after this image was taken. Even though it's just a snapshot - horrible overhead lighting, funky background, odd perspective - I love it and cherish it regardless of its faults. Because it reminds me just how much my Dad and I loved each other - the image is so much more than the sum of its parts.

Every time I photograph a father and child, I think of my Dad. I am so proud to be able to create an image that someone else will cherish, that someone else will hold dear - I am happy to hold my Dad's memory in this way. I was definitely thinking of my Dad when I created the second set of images of a father and son. There is so much great chemistry between those two! It was such a pleasure to work with them; it reminded me fully of why I do what I do.

Father's Day is coming up - be sure to give your Dad a big hug and make sure he knows how much you love him!

2012 Senior Model - Brandyn

Today's post features Brandyn, a Class of 2012 Senior Model. (Want to know how to become a 2013 Senior Model for Photosensitive Portraits? Call me at 541-645-0578 to find out!)


I love incorporating what a senior is passionate about into their portraits - Brandyn and I had fun creating these Rock Star images!

Celebrating the Class of 2012!

I've had such a wonderful time working with the Class of 2012 - all of you have charmed your way into my heart with your enthusiasm, intelligence and appetite for living!

I'm going to share some of my favorite photos over the next couple days - and today the lovely Taylor is my star!

2013 SENIOR MODELS WANTED!

CONGRATULATIONS, GRADUATES!

In just a few days, the class of 2012 will celebrate the culmination of their high school years with friends and family. I wish you all the very best as you go forward into the rest of your life - be bold, be kind, keep learning and give all you got!

(showing just a few of the graduation announcements created for my fabulous clients...)

2013 Senior Models Wanted!

It's that time of year again - graduation for the class of 2012 is right around the corner (any day now, woot!) and that means Photosensitive Portraits (meaning ME) is looking for a few FABulous members of the class of 2013 to become our very own Senior Models! What's invovled, you ask? In addition to your paid Senior Session, Photosensitive Portaits' Senior Models will participate in at least 2 EXTRA photo sessions at no additional cost and have the opportunity to earn free prints/products and prizes! Contact me via email at drehsewatson at yahoo dot com for more information...

BFFs

Most of my own best memories of high school are of the close friendships I enjoyed, so I'm always happy to include a BFF in a senior portrait session!

getting ready to shoot again...

I've been pretty focused on my HEALTH the first three months of this year - working with a physical therapist and a nutritionist, working to re-establish healthy eating habits and exercise patterns with the goal of feeling better both physically and mentally. I'm happy to say that it's all working, woot! (want the outside to better reflect my inside, you know?!!)


This self-imposed sabbatical from shooting doesn't mean I haven't been messing about with imagery, however. I've enjoyed meeting with 2012 seniors and designing graduation announcements, albums and collages from their senior portrait sessions. I'm even making duplicates of some of them to keep as studio samples to share with everyone who visits my place!


Soon I'll be announcing my call for Senior Models for the Class of 2013 and I'm really looking forward to getting back into shooting again. I do love all the creativity of designing, but absolutely nothing does it for me like working that camera and collaborating with another! With my knee on the mend and (hopefully!) warmer weather on the horizon, it's almost time to get back into the game and make the magic happen...oooo, I can hardly wait!

CLASS OF 2012 GRADUATION ANNOUNCEMENTS

It will be June before we know it, never mind the snow and cold temperatures of the last week! Which means it's time to order your custom Graduation Announcements. You don't have to settle for old-fashioned, "insert wallet photo here" cards - come on into the studio and let me put together something created JUST FOR YOU!

A Star is Born 

In the midst of a senior studio session last year, I noticed Christina's little sister was mimicking her big sister's moves and poses - so I asked her to get in front of the camera for a shot and it was just too cute! (first photo) At the end of the session, I asked Christina's mom if she would consider bringing little sister back to the studio for a short modeling session and was thrilled when she readily agreed...

The modeling session was a huge success and so much fun! Little "Yoshi" was on fire, donning wigs (brought by big sister) and rocking out to the music blasting on the stereo! (We also managed a few calmer moments producing equally wonderful images.) After posting a couple of the images on Facebook, little "Yoshi" has been compared to Lady Gaga and dubbed a "mini Nicki Minaj", lol!

Class of 2012

I had a WONDERFUL "senior season" last year - got to work with some truly terrific young men and women, so thrilled that they choose me to create memories of their senior year! 

I think this work is my favorite thing to do, photographically speaking - it's so much fun to collaborate with a client, sharing ideas, learning about them, working together to create a true reflection of who they are at this pivotal time in their lives.  I guess for me the process is so much more than just "senior pictures."  Clients give me a window into their world and it's a privilege to share it, even for a little while.

Whoa, didn't mean to get all philosophical on you!  Here's just a few of my favorite Senior images from the Class of 2012 (starting with my uber fabulous Senior Models: Maggie, Elizabeth, Addie, Brandyn, and Wendy!)

Happy New Year! (and some catching up...)

As promised, I'm starting 2012 off by getting back to this blog - and oh boy, have I got some catching up to do, lol!

I'll start off by saying how much I LOVE working with Linda Dallman - she directed "To Kill A Mockingbird" last year and contacted me to create Character Studies of each actor in the show. (Go here to see those portraits.)

We had such a great time working together, I was thrilled to take on a similar project for her a few months later - CAST's first production of a Shakespeare play, "Twelfth Night"! The production was FABulous and kicked off my Christmas season most splendidly! 

(pssst, Linda - ANY TIME you need a photographer, please think of me - just putting it out there...)