Tutu Too Much!

Had a lovely visit the other day with Julie, a new friend who's just getting into portrait photography - she was accompanied by her beautiful 11 month old daughter who we just HAD to have as a model, don't ya know?! I've had this tutu for a little while now and have been dying to photograph some little girl in it and darling Jenna here was a perfect fit! We created some very nice portraits (many thanks to the baby photographer's "secret weapon," the Grandmother! thanks for coming along with Julie, Joan! you were an invaluable assistant!), got to know each other a little better and had alot of fun in the process...

If YOU'VE got a daughter who you think would look cute in a tutu, give me a call and let's create an adorable portrait for YOU!

August is all about the Class of 2009!

EVERYONE wants outdoor portraits for their senior picture - August is picture-perfect with its warm weather and dozens of beautiful outdoor locations to choose from!

Photosensitive Portraits is NOT your parents' senior photographer - YOUR senior portraits commemorate a unique time in your life and are meant to celebrate who you are right now as you move towards your future! 2009 is YOUR TIME TO SHINE!

Book your senior portrait session for the month of August and receive up to 5 web-ready images for your MySpace or Facebook pages FREE! That's a $50 value yours absolutely FREE just for booking your session in August - what are you waiting for?

Don't wait until the crush of school starting back up and run the risk of having to settle for less than what you really want - call today and book your Senior Portrait Session for August and get the images you want for your MySpace or Facebook pages!

Fundraiser for Helping Hands Against Violence

Stacey Shaw and Swirl Wine Club present the compelling documentary “I Know I’m Not Alone” on Saturday, August 9th at 7:30 p.m. at the Columbia Center for the Arts. Proceeds from the viewing benefit Helping Hands Against Violence, Inc.

Two years ago world-renowned musician Michael Franti decided to ‘walk his talk’ and traveled to the war zones of Iraq, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This wasn’t a USO green zone sponsored visit – Franti and his team organized a trip that would take him to the core of the red-zoned, war torn neighborhoods of Baghdad, the West Bank and Gaza Strip with his guitar, video cameras and the intent to experience first hand the human cost of war. Out of this journey, Franti has created a compelling documentary film titled "I Know I’m Not Alone."

In addition to his groundbreaking music, Franti is a renowned speaker for social justice and human rights. He has lectured at many of the country’s top universities, including Yale, Georgetown and Stanford, and shared the stage with the likes of Mohammad Ali, Bill Clinton, Michael Moore, Ralph Nader, and Gloria Steinem.

A true armchair travel film, "I Know I'm Not Alone" pulls the audience into these war zones in the company of Michael's guitar, eloquence and wit – you feel the humanity, artistic resilience and sometimes horrific experience of what it's like to live under the bombs and military occupation.

Admission : $5 • Wine : $6 / glass
7 pm – 7:25pm Social/wine • 7:30 pm Film begins

Summer means Seniors!

When's the best time to have your Senior Portrait created? In the summer, in the glorious, warm and wonderful outdoor arena that is the Columbia River Gorge! Class of 2009, you've been put on notice - NOW is the time to book your on location senior portrait session at Photosensitive Portraits! Looking for something rural and pastoral? Prefer something a little edgier, a little more urban? There are barns and orchards, brick and concrete galore in and around Hood River to choose from! Do you want to wander farther afield? Photo safari sessions to downtown Portland or McMenamin's in Gresham are available! Location sessions book up fast, so call Denise at 541-436-2755 for more details and to reserve YOUR appointment this summer! Don't let the summer slip away...call today!

I call this one "Anticipation"...

I just had to share this most wonderful image with you all! I had the pleasure of working with a beautiful and talented artist to create maternity images for her - I had carte blanche to play and be inspired by her relaxed attitude, gorgeous curves and red hair! This is my favorite image of the entire session - it speaks of peace and serentity to me, a pensive anticipation...thank you, Molly, for being the co-creator of this amazing image!

Introducing...
Limited Edition Theme Sets!

ONLY available locally from Photosensitive Portraits, the Limited Edition Children's Theme Portrait series offer something for every taste and style. Each scene is custom built to look as realistic as possible. Imaginative and interactive, these sets are desinged to creates a sense of depth and realism. Children appear happy, relaxed and natural because they are genuinely engaged. I create each enchanting and delightful set and then apply my photographic expertise and artistry to capture what happens naturally - and what happens is magic!

The Teddy Bear Bathtime set will only be available for six days this summer - then it's gone until next year! Available dates are July 5, 6, 7 and July 11, 12, 13.

The Cowboy Bath House set will also only be available for six days this summer before being packed up for a year! Available dates are July 18, 19, 20 and July 25, 26, 27.

The session fee is only $50 and is payable in advance to reserve the time especially for your child or children. Session times are limited and these popular sets book up early, so call and reserve your child's session soon! For more detailed information, please call me during business hours, Wednesday through Sunday, from 10am until 6pm.

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!

Behind every successful Girl Scout is a caring and supportive Mother!

I've really enjoyed myself these past couple of months working with some remarkable young women - I even got to meet some of their equally remarkable Moms! Of course, I can NEVER pass up the opportunity for a parent/child portrait, so here are a couple of my favorites created over the course of the class. First on display is Desiree Mackintosh and her daughter, Sullivan - next is Sophie Whitehead and her daughter, Gabriella...thanks, ladies, for humoring me and letting me add to my "Mothers and Daughters" collection!

Seaside Getaway

Spent a day and a night on the coast last week, just as the weather turned gloriously warm! (My darling husband's idea - a little "downtime" away from my computer.) Strolled the sandy beach in Seaside searching for sand dollars and just enjoying the cool ocean breeze and hot summer-like sun...wandered through antique shops and art galleries in both Seaside and Cannon Beach...ate yummy clam fritters at Mo's restaurant...sat on a bench and ooohhhed and aaahhhhhed over a gorgeous sunset...altogether a most relaxing and romantic getaway!

I hope you enjoy these snapshots I created as my mementos of a lovely time with my bestest man...

Spring: A New Beginning

My group of Gorge Girl Scouts have completed their Photography Class and passed with flying colors! The class final is the public presentation of their images created around their chosen theme, "Spring: A New Beginning." The girls did a beautiful job on their images, each one telling a different story with her camera. So head on down to The Garden Cafe at Good News Gardening and check out the beautiful images by these talented young artists!

Don't forget about the MEET THE ARTISTS reception that will be held at The Garden Cafe on Saturday, May 24th from 2pm until 4pm - this is your chance to meet the girls who participated in the photography class and talk to them about how they came to create their own particular vision of Spring: A New Beginning!

Our grateful thanks to our sponsors of this exhibit:

• Bruce Burton, DMD - Family Dentistry
• Alford Landscape Services, Inc.
• Hood River Hotel
• Pageworks Design, Inc.
• Louise McCulloch of Don Nunamaker Realtors
• The UPS Store

And a Very Special Thanks to The Garden Cafe for giving us the opportunity to display our work at their lovely venue! Please come down to the Cafe and check out their yummy breakfast and lunch menu - don't forget the great coffee and relaxed and beautiful surroundings to enjoy it in!

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.

Who doesn't love jewelry?

Especially when it features a petite portrait of a beloved child or family member?

I have recently made the acquaintance of a fabulous artist who creates the most marvelous jewelry! She hand-sculpts polymer tiles and incorporates a small photo onto the tile, finishing the tile off with a rock-hard protective coating. She then decorates them with a variety of silver beads and Swarovski crystals and strings them on polished leather cords to create unique and very personal necklaces.

I fell in love with these, just adore the whole idea of wearing such a precious memento close to my heart...so I've signed up to become the exclusive NW retailer for her jewlery! For a limited time only, I'm offering them at the Very Special Introductory price of just $99.00 - a 20% savings over what will be the regular retail price.

This Special Introductory price is only available for sessions booked between April 15th and May 31st - so call TODAY (541-436-2755) to schedule your portrait design appointment and learn more about this one time offer!

In gratitude...

Just a public "thank you" to the wonderful Louise McCulloch for helping me hang the My Best Friend exhibit today - she's my #1 cheerleader and promoter and I owe her so much for letting me bend her ear on countless occasions as I talked endlessly about photography...

Louise, you're the best!

My Best Friend

I'm very excited! This afternoon I'll be hanging a personal photo project of mine - My Best Friend - at The Garden Cafe located at 1086 Tucker Road in Hood River. The exhibit will be up for the month of April and will be followed in May by the photographic works of the Girl Scouts of the Gorge who are participating in my current Photography Class.

The My Best Friend project was started several years ago, when I was living in the small town of Brisbane, California. When I moved to Hood River 2 years ago, I was interviewed by Louise McCulloch for the local publication, Gorge Living; I really like how Louise summed the project up, so with her permission, I'm quoting it here:

"Friendship resonates deeply for Denise. A dear friendship had lapsed, and as this friend was going through a life-changing experience, she called Denise for support. Denise was at her side in a heartbeat. The reunion of the two best friends gave Denise the idea for a series of images entitled My Best Friend - A Celebration of Friendship. She invited local people to bring their best friend into the studio for a photo session. “Each friendship has its’ own story,” says Denise. “I discovered I wanted to share these wonderful stories as well as the images.” So she asked a new friend, writer Diane Glazman, of Ink Communications, to sit in on a session and a collaboration was born. Denise says of Diane, “She writes what I feel.” These are poignant words from a woman who feels and sees with a camera. The first installment of the My Best Friend series premiered at Brisbane’s City Hall with much local fanfare and has been exhibited widely throughout the San Francisco peninsula."

To celebrate this exhibition of My Best Friend, I have decided to have a Best Friends Portrait Special for the months of April and May: purchase a Best Friends session and receive TWO 5x7 CUSTOM PRINTS OF YOUR FAVORITE IMAGE as my gift to you - a $60 value! There are a limited number of these sessions available and I expect them to book quickly, so call me today at 541-436-2755 to reserve your Best Friends session!

When photographers gather...

Got together with a few photographer friends in Portland over the weekend for a little sharing, a little shooting and a whole lotta fun! I won't bore you with the details, 'cuz really, it was all about the images, so here's a few of my favorites - all of a lovely young model, Teresa, who is as intelligent, talented and funny as she is beautiful...

Celebrating 60 Years of Service!

I am so pleased and honored to be a member of Soroptimist International Hood River. Members are compassionate and professional women who are committed to the betterment of their community through service that uplifts, supports and encourages women and girls. The name, Soroptimist, means "best for women," and that's what the organization strives to achieve. Soroptimists are women at their best, working to help other women to be their best.

In May of this year, our club will celebrate 60 years of service to Hood River and it's being done with the usual sense of style and community spirit! The first ever Spring Fling is going to be a fun day to share, so plan on bringing your Mom, your daughters and your girlfriends! The event will feature a fashion show sponsored by 7 local retailers (Wearhouse, Ananas, Doug's Sports, Flow Yoga, Outside Baby, Ruddy Duck and Shortt Supply), a buffet lunch, first class entertainment, raffles and great door prizes! All this happens Saturday, May 10th at The Gorge Room in the Best Western in Hood River. Tickets will be available soon from the participating retailers and Soroptimists members.

Pictured above are some of the Soroptimist International Hood River board members who generously donate their time to coordinate club activities; they are, from L to R, starting with the top row: June Knudson, President - Carolyn Van Orden, Treasurer - Sheryl Carey - Lisa Hargrave - Harriet Kelly - Kate Brownback (who was named Club Member of the Year 2007 in recognition of her energy, enthusiasm and commitment to Soroptimist ideals and goals).

SPRING is in the air!

...along with a couple of Girl Scouts! I don't know what's gotten into me lately, but I've been asking almost everyone who gets in front of my lens these days to JUMP FOR JOY!

Today was the third get-together with the Gorge Girl Scouts who I am currently helping earn their Photography badge and we had glorious weather for a change, bright and sunny - a perfect day to go outdoors and explore the difference between (say it with me, girls!) Direct, Indirect and Diffused lighting. The girls paired up and created portraits of each other using all 3 different kinds of light - they learned the very best light for an outdoor portrait, but also how to create a great portrait in whatever light you find yourself in. Afterwards, since I still had my high key background set up in the studio from a previous client session, I took what little time we had left and snapped a headshot of each girl - and couldn't resist adding to my Jump For Joy series! (I even got the troop leader into the act!)

This is such a wonderful group of young women - intelligent, animated and sparkling with personality - it IS a real joy for me to be around them and a real privilege to work with them. I'm sooo looking forward to the next couple of weeks as we work closer to our final goal - a group exhibition of their photo project (subject to be announced - watch this space!) during the month of May at the Garden Cafe (at Good News Gardening) in Hood River.

Jumping for Joy!

What a great way to kick off a new season - a photographer friend brought a friend willing to play "Model For A Day" yesterday and we had a blast! She was just a little timid at first (as any sane person would be with two photographers pointing cameras at her), but soon relaxed and was up for almost anything - including jumping in 3 inch heels! I've got more great images from this session, but the "jump series" is my favorite - her face is so suffused with joy and fun, it makes me smile from ear to ear just looking at the photos!

I alluded to a collaboration with local Girl Scout troops in my last post, so let me explain: I will be teaching a Photography Class designed to earn each participating Girl Scout her Photography Badge (I think they call them "Interest Projects" now) over the course of the next two months (March and April) that culminates in a month-long public exhibition in May of the girls' photos; the venue will be the charming Garden Cafe (at Good News Gardening) in Hood River. Later this afternoon is my very first meeting with "my" Girl Scouts - this will be an Orientation meeting where we'll go over what they can expect from the classes over the next two months, iron out a schedule that accomodates as many girls as possible and get to know each other. I LOVE what I do and always enjoy sharing my passion for photography with whoever will sit still long enough to listen to me! Just a few more hours until they get to my studio, so I better go straighten things up after yesterday's session...

Time to take a break!

Just want to let you all know that Photosensitive Portraits will be on hiatus from January 20th through February 15th. It's Winter Break time and I am really looking forward to this one - time to recharge my creative batteries, take in a workshop or two, revamp my product offerings and spruce up the studio.

I've got BIG plans for 2008 and will be kicking things off when the studio re-opens again for business in mid-February! There's an Open Studio planned, a new exhibition of a personal photo project in the works, a fun and exciting collaboration with Gorge Girl Scouts, a gorgeous and contemporary new frame collection, and a new product to introduce: Artist's Choice black & white portrait prints. These prints are created by an archival giclee process on watercolor paper that results in a museum-quality work of art.

Black & white imagery has been my passion from the very beginning of my career in photography. For over 20 years I have studied with some of the finest teachers in the industry, honing my skills for the sole purpose of creating beautiful, evocative portraits without compromise. I want Photosensitive Portraits to be YOUR family's black & white portrait specialist!

All this and more when Photosensitive Portraits opens its studio door again on Feburary 15th!