Huzzah for the Class of 2011!!!

(Yah, I am soooo far behind on blog posts it's not funny anymore...I confess to spending far too much of my time on that giant attention-sucking monster than is FaceBook, lol! Beautiful summer weather is FINALLY here, so I am more likely to spend less time sitting in front of the computer, thus cutting down the time available for playing around on FB...so, in an effort to better manage my online time, I vow to create and post more timely blog entries - wish me luck!)

 Where was I? Oh right, giving 3 cheers to and offering thanks for the graduating Class of 2011! Wishing you the very best of summers and all good fortune as you make your way out into the world! Many thanks to those of you who chose Photosensitive Portraits to create your Senior Portraits - it was a privilege and a delight to work with you and create memories for your senior year!

It's Tea Time!

Ladies and Gentlemen, Children of All Ages, come one, come all! Enjoy afternoon tea and cakes in the Columbia Gorge Hotel's Wonderland Garden! Wear your Maddest hats and come frolic in this fairytale event! Live music will enhance your experience of the flower and plant demonstrations, silent auction and Maddest Hat Contest! Get your picture taken having tea with the Mad Hatter himself - or Alice or the March Hare if you prefer!

The Tea Party runs from 2pm to 4pm, this Sunday, May 15th - tickets are $20 and are available at Waucoma Bookstore in Hood River or Klindt's bookstore in The Dalles.


It's all going to be jolly good fun and all for a Very Good Cause. The Tea Party is a fundraiser for Opportunity Connections, a local organization with more than 40 years of experience in maximizing potential for people with developmental disabilities. Learn more about their history and beneficial progams at their website, www.OpportunityConnections.org - you'll be glad you did!


Photosensitive Portraits is proud to partner with Opportunity Connections in this fabulous and fun event! You can choose to have your portrait created with Alice herself, the Mad Hatter (NOT Johnny Depp, I checked!), or the March Hare; you will receive a 5x7 custom print in exchange for $20. (Just think of how much fun future generations will have pondering such a family heirloom?!!) Proceeds from print sales will be donated to the programs of Opportunity Connections.


So c'mon down and get yer Tea Party on! See you there!

Hood River Valley High School PROM  = OPEN STUDIO at Photosensitive Portraits!

Just because I received so many requests from seniors asking me to take Prom photos, I've decided to hold an Open Studio event from 4pm to 8pm this Saturday. (yah, I'm a little bit of a pushover...) No appointment necessary, walk on in and let's create something fabulous for you as a memento of this special night!

A Sparkling Jewel of a Young Woman

While recuperating from my knee surgery (what, I didn't tell you? nothing major, a little arthroscopic clean up of some loose cartilage in my left knee - I'm getting better every day, thanks for asking!), I've had the chance to catch up on some work. My current endeavors are all about the gorgeous, sparkling Ruby! Soooooo many wonderful images from her senior sessions (yep, did studio AND location sessions and she rocked them both!), I gave her Mom quite a challenge when it came time to narrow down her favorites, lol! (sorry, Mom.) Thought I'd share a couple with you here, just as the Class of 2011 is about to say farewell and the Class of 2012 assumes the mantle of SENIOR class...

Squirrel!

I HAD to snap a few pictures when I spotted this squirrel hanging by a few toes on our bird feeder this morning, lol! I was laughing too hard to take a photo as I watched him try to climb back UP the bird feeder, which obviously wasn't going to happen. The strong wind swirling the feeder around wasn't helping his cause any! Finally I saw him tense, look down and then go for it! He made a mad dash for the other side of the yard, but was back again on the bird feeder within minutes - determined little bugger! Guess it's time for a new, more squirrel-proof feeder!

Musing on models...

I just happened to see one of my past Senior Models a little while ago, the lovely Karina...as we chatted, I realized that she would be PERFECT for a little personal project I was putting together. Her response to "What would you think about doing some more modeling for me?" was a resounding YES, lol! Sooooo you may be seeing more of the gorgeous, enigmatic Karina sometime in the future on this here blog - in the meantime, here's a couple of Karina's favorites from her senior portrait session...

Attention Class of 2012 and 2013 -
TOP MODELS WANTED!

Do you have a PASSION for great photography? Do you have a PERSONALITY that sets you apart from the rest? Are you PLAYFUL and fun to be with? Then perhaps YOU could be a Top Model for Photosensitive Portraits! Want to know if you have what it takes? Call or email me for more information: 

541-490-7132 or drehsewatson@gmail.com

My, how time flies!

Thoroughly enjoyed seeing my friend and favorite model, Cecy, the other other day - ESPECIALLY since she had her baby girl, Lali, with her! We caught up over coffee and made plans for Lali's upcoming 9 month old portrait session (this coming weekend, wheeeee!). 

After they had left, I got to thinking about how quickly life changes - maybe it's because I just had a birthday, or maybe because I was recalling Cecy's maternity session and Lali's first session.  Babies grow and change so quickly, especially that very first year, and every year of our life holds any number of milestones worth commemorating.  Portraits are a wonderful way to relive those moments and savor their joy all over again!  

The images accompanying this post are from Cecy's maternity sessions and Lali's 1 month old session...enjoy!

Wear Red, Get a Fabulous Portrait AND Help in the Fight Against Heart Disease!

February is Go Red For Women Month!

Heart disease is still the No. 1 killer of women, taking the life of 1 in 3 women each year. This means women just like you - mothers, sisters, friends - are dying at the rate of one per minute because they don’t know what you know: heart disease kills. Heart disease has already touched you or someone you love, so help us save a woman’s life today. Make It Your Mission to stop the No. 1 killer.

WHY TAKE ACTION?

• Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women age 20 and over, killing approximately one woman every minute.
• More women die of heart disease than the next four causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer.
• 1 in 3 American women die of heart disease, compared to 1 in 30 women that die of breast cancer.
• Ninety percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease.
• Eighty percent of cardiac events in women may be prevented if they make the right choices for their hearts, involving diet, exercise and abstinence from smoking.

WHY GO RED?

Research shows that women who Go Red are more likely to make healthy choices.
• More than one-third have lost weight.
• Nearly fifty percent have increased their exercise.
• Six out of ten have changed their diets.
• More than forty percent have checked their cholesterol levels.
• One-third have talked with their doctors about developing heart health plans.

HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
This year, Go Red For Women invites women across the country to Make It Their Mission to fight heart disease.
• TELL 5: Go Red For Women asks you to bring your network into our network. Tell 5 women you want them to live, and we can help stop heart disease in our lifetime. Give 5 women you care about the power to save their lives at GoRedForWomen.org.
• VOLUNTEER: Contact your local American Heart Association office to see how you can get involved with Go Red For Women.
• GIVE: Donate to help fund life-saving research and educational programs that are needed so that our daughters, sisters and mothers have a chance to fight the No.1 killer of women.
• SHOP GO RED: Go to ShopGoRed.org to support education and awareness programs by purchasing Go Red For Women apparel, accessories and other heart-healthy products.
• VISIT US AT GoRedForWomen.org: A premier source of information and education, GoRedForWomen.org is the No. 1 online destination where women can Make It Their Mission to fight heart disease.
– Go Red BetterU: Explore Go Red BetterU, the FREE 12-week online makeover that can change your life.
– Go Red Heart CheckUp: Check out Go Red’s online tool that provides a 10-year, personal heart disease risk assessment.
– Go to GoRedPorTuCorazon.org: Access information in Spanish and to learn about Go Red efforts in the Hispanic community.

For more information about Go Red For Women, visit GoRedForWomen.org or call 1-888-MY-HEART.

WOW, what happened?!!

I'll tell ya what happened - the hard drive on my laptop went pau (Hawaiian for done/finished/kaput!) 4 days into my vacation, that's what! Leaving me pretty much unplugged (the horror!)...after the initial withdrawal, I adapted pretty darn well, lol! I did continue to take photos and will share a few of them here once I've waded through all of them - but I've been back a week now and am finally no longer surprised not to see palm trees out my windows...time to get back into the rhythm of life in da Hood!

ALOOOOOOOOHA!

I am "chillaxing" (a word borrowed from my good friend, Keeley, age 8) in Hilo, Hawaii for the next couple of weeks and enjoying myself thoroughly so far! Have already visited Pu'uhonua o Honaunau (City of Refuge) and snorkeled the adjacent shoreline, oogling hundreds of different, fantastically-colored fish. I could stay in the water for hours (and often do!) - one of these days I should just take a diving class/certification so I can truly indulge my fascination for all things underwater.

This morning we went to the Hilo Farmer's Market to pick up some veggies and soak up more local flavor - of course I brought my trusty little point 'n shoot camera, which I used to create the images attached to this post. Next visit I will definitely purchase plenty of flowers - the antheriums, orchids, ginger blossoms, protea, et al are so very inexpensive (by mainland standards) and will be alot of fun to photograph more closely!

Happy New Year!

Let me kick off the New Year with one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite authors:
 
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bow lines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."  — Mark Twain

Going out with a BANG!

I'll end this year's blog posting with images from my favorite location session of the year: working with HRVHS senior Liseth in downtown The Dalles! Liseth was up for anything, really wanted to go for "something different" and enjoyed the funky, historic feel of the locations we found wandering the back alleys of The Dalles.


A BIG thank you to all my wonderful clients this year - it is my greatest pleasure to share my gift with you and help you create and preserve special moments and memories...best wishes for a fabulous, happy and healthy New Year!

 












































My Favorite Color is Leopard Print!

And if someone shows up for their portrait session with any article of clothing that features leopard print, I will most definitely include it in the session! So imagine my delight when both these lovely young women showed up wearing it! All I can think of to say is, "Rowwwwrrrrrrr!"

HRVHS Homecoming 2010

Had an Open Studio the night of HRVHS's Homecoming this past October and enjoyed the students who dropped in to say hi and have their portraits created... a great night full of glitz and glam!

Man of 1,001 Faces 

(Ok, you only see 7 of them here, but there's only so much you can showcase in a blog posting, lol...) Brian was a BLAST to work with - it didn't hurt that we both have the same twisted sense of humor, lol! I imagined that it was alot like working with actor Jim Carrey - lightening fast facial and posture changes, mood shifting through the gamut of emotions, all coupled with an outrageous sense of FUN...

Class of 2011

Over the next couple of days, I'll post some of my favorite images from the Class of 2011 sessions this past year - many thanks to all the guys and gals who chose Photosensitive Portraits as their senior photographer!

A Rainbow in the studio

I had the distinct pleasure of working with a young woman recently who radiates confidence and sparkles with intelligence - you would barely suspect she is just entering her teens. Not to worry, we also captured the energy and silliness that are the hallmarks of her youth - and had so much fun doing it!

Happy Holidaze!!!

Has it REALLY been since September since I posted on this here blog?!! My, my...I hadn't realized my FaceBook addiction had gotten so far out of hand, lol! Well, the holidays are upon us (hello, Denise, it's freakin' Christmas EVE?!!)  so I figured I should at least post a Happy Holidays message to all my clients and fans out there (all 6 of you)...I may even get a few posts in before the New Year - a couple of catch-up posts are certainly in order, doncha think?!

In the meantime, please accept my very best wishes for a Holiday filled with family and friends, love and laughter!