While Josh and Melissa have been jetting around the country for a slew of destination weddings, I’ve been holding down the fort here in Portland, shooting weddings that are closer to home. It’s been a crazy August for all of us, but I couldn’t help stealing a few minutes to throw in a quick blog post… so visit my post the Continuum Photography blog for more details and more photos!
Continuum Photography – inspired wedding photojournalism and senior portraits
Through crazy random happenstance, I was studio-neighbors with Alyson Clair for a short few months in 2009, but even with our busy schedules, we were lucky enough to run into each other at the studios and discover our mutual awesomeness. We’ve since become friends and had more than a few wacky adventures, and I’ve also shot the past three collections for Alyson’s clothing line, Clair Vintage Inspired. But, I have to say, our shoot for Fall/Winter 2010 was our most exciting one yet…. check out my full post on the Continuum Life blog to get the full story, and more photos!
Linger Studios – fashion and promotional photography in Portland, Oregon
The more things change, the more they stay the same…? Er, something like that. 
Anyhoo, I’m excited to announce that the shape of Linger Studios is changing: I’m hopping on board at Continuum Photography as their new partner-in-crime! Josh and Melissa are already tried-and-true experts at capturing the story of a wedding day, so I’m jazzed to be joining such a skilled team, and we’ll be working together to find new ways to bring our fantastic photography to Portland and beyond, in the coming months.
It was definitely not the easiest decision to come to, and we had several meetings and chats to throw around thoughts, ideas, and options before I finally made the choice. But, we recently had our first honest-to-god work session together, and it was a great reminder for me about how fantastic a good partnership is. When you throw the right personalities into the same space, amazing things can happen, and I think we’re all feeling energized about what’s ahead. 
What does this mean for Linger? Simply put, if you like my work for Weddings and Senior Portraits, you should get in touch with us at Continuum, and we’ll get you all hooked up with an amazing session.
I AM still available for fashion, editorial, and promotional shooting, however, and until we have a more official fashion/promotional division established at Continuum, you can always contact me here for more information. You know me: I love a wacky concept, and I doubt I’ll ever let myself get *too* far away from the Portland fashion universe.
Learn more about all three of us, and keep tabs with us on Facebook, to see what we’re cooking up next. Onward and upward? I say Yes. See you all soon!
Continuum Photography – inspired wedding photojournalism and senior portraits
Linger Studios – fashion and promotional photography in Portland, Oregon
This past Monday afternoon had me biking over to Venue Pearl, to capture event photos for Does This Brand Make Me Look Fat?, an event that was the brain child of CRAVE Portland and Portland-based branding agency Riley Weiss.
We got to enjoy fantastic (and sustainable!) noms from Crave Catering and sip on Pravia Wines, and hear some interesting conversation from the Riley Weiss team about building an effective brand, including some live case studies with local companies Little Urbanites, and Mabel & Zora. My focus was on shooting the event, but even with that, I still came away with a lot of fresh thoughts for my own brand, by the end of the session. And, I got to meet and chat with some fantastic people whom I hope to be working with soon, so that’s never a bad thing!
All of the event shots from Does This Brand Make Me Look Fat? are now online, but here’s a taste of what all went on:
Kim Sibley of Little Urbanites shared her story with the audience, as part of a live case study.
Mabel & Zora owner Tiffanee Bean listens to some wise words from the Riley Weiss team.
Can you believe these custom handcrafted chocolates from Truffle?
Linger Studios – creative portrait and fashion photography in Portland, Oregon
This was a quick-and-fun shoot with an amusing bit of story to go with it: I was contacted back in May by the folks at mf magazine, about doing a quick editorial shoot for an upcoming issue, covering band fashion. Just before taking off for a Memorial Day Weekend camping trip, I buzzed over to the Doug Fir Lounge, to meet and shoot with the lovely ladies of Smoke Fairies, in outfits of their own choosing, to represent their own style.
The weather was gloomy and drizzly, which ruled out any outdoor shooting, but with the help of my assistant Dusty, we hauled my gear inside, where the staff told us that we could set up in the restaurant area. I knew my options might be limited, but after playing with my lighting setup for a few minutes, I was ready-to-go when Katherine and Jessica made their way inside. The shoot itself couldn’t have gone on more than 15 minutes, but when you’re working with a busy performer, even 15 minutes can be a blessing. I made use of my new ring flash, which played nicely with the mirrors and windows in the setting, and fired off dozens of shots in a short time span, with two different setups.
Here’s the shot used by the magazine in the final layout. It was a simpler lighting setup, but I liked that we were able to get a more conversational pose from the two girls, at this angle.
The other shot chosen by the magazine, but not used in the layout, was a bit more fun in terms of lighting, and I also liked the added interest provided by the mirrors behind them.
Also, funny story: when we wrapped up the shoot, the girls were kind enough to offer us admission to the show; I was already committed to camping, but assistant Dusty graciously accepted. Imagine my surprise when I chatted with him a few days later, and learned that he’d talked to them at the show later that evening, and found out that they didn’t know what we were shooting for! Apparently, the mission got lost somewhere along the chain of communication, and I assumed they’d already been filled in. We had a good laugh, though, once we realized what had happened, and the girls were totally gracious about it.
You can check out Issue 14 of mf magazine online, and see the Band Fashion spread on page 28-29. Or, find out where to buy it on their website!
Linger Studios – music, editorial, and fashion photography in Portland, Oregon
It’s been a busy, crazy, hectic week on a lot of levels, but it’s feeling great to be back in the saddle. Among other things, I paid a visit to The Fairgate Inn to get a look at the space for a wedding I’m shooting later this month, and I had a great chat this morning with Abibat of Tabiba Styles about a couple of different shoot ideas we’ll be pursuing in the coming weeks.
And, of course, there’s been the usual rounds of shooting, proofing, and processing. Here’s a small peek at a recent senior portrait session with Jessica. She’ll be repping for Linger at Summit View High School in Vancouver, and we had a relaxed-and-groovy session. I loved the way her eye color popped in a lot of our shots, so I’m looking forward to putting together her senior rep proof book!
I do still have a few openings for Class of 2011 senior reps, especially the boys, so get in touch if you’re up for the opportunity!
Linger Studios – creative portrait, wedding, and fashion photography in Portland, Oregon
I’m in the planning stages for a session later this month for Portland fashion designer Carolyn Hart, so it felt like a great time to look back at her work for Spring/Summer, as I’m looking forward towards what I’ll be shooting for her Fall 2010 collection. We’ve been in touch with each other quite a bit over the past few weeks, casting stylists and models, and I’m excited about what we’re going to create together!
A big part of what I enjoy about my work is not just the shooting, but also the chance to build relationships with great people, and their amazing work. Carolyn is no exception to that, because after I saw this dress from her Spring/Summer collection at this year’s Sweet F.A. Fashion Show, I knew I had to have one for my very own.
And, when I heard from model portfolio client Aryel in February, Carolyn was kind enough to contribute some of her Spring/Summer 2010 samples to our session, so Aryel could get a taste of what could be in store for her as she pursues fashion modeling. Aryel instantly fell in love with this ensemble, and was thrilled to be modeling it for the camera!
I’ll be sharing some selects from Carolyn’s latest collection after our session, so watch this space for more of her work!
Linger Studios – creative portrait and fashion photography in Portland, Oregon
Everyone loves a holiday weekend, and this one was no exception. I was fortunate enough to receive my new business cards on Friday evening, so that was exciting, to say the least! I’ve already started spreading them around town a bit, so hopefully you’ll run into them before too much longer.
The 4th of July holiday was a blast. It wasn’t quite the sunny day that I’m sure we were all hoping for, but the weather stayed dry, and the sun did come out to play towards the end of the day.
Portland had some very cool fireworks in store for us, and rather than driving into downtown, we took advantage of our town’s bike-friendly streets, and rode down to the Esplanade. We didn’t quite find the greatest vantage point for seeing the fireworks themselves, but the ride felt great, and the waterfront *was* pretty gorgeous as the sun went down.
After the ride back, we threw some late-night hot dogs and veggie dogs on the grill, and played with some of our own fireworks… obviously, nothing quite as impressive as what was happening by the waterfront, but eh, we made our own fun.
I didn’t end up taking as many photos as I’d expected on this day, but that’s okay. There’s something of a divide between photographing an event and participating in it, and when you’re surrounded by good friends, good food, and a dash of trampolining, it’s not surprising that I felt more like participating than shooting.
I hope your 4th was as relaxing, rewarding, and fun as mine!
Linger Studios – creative portrait, wedding, and fashion photography in Portland, Oregon
Starting your own business is no easy task, even if you have done it before.
Three years ago, I came to Portland, Oregon, with a camera in my hand and a head full of ideas, and together, a friend and I embarked on the ambitious journey of starting our own photography studio, here in town. We had a great ride, and we’ve met some amazing people, quite a few of whom I’m still thrilled to be in-touch with and shooting with, even now. In those three years, my now-former partner and I grew as creatives, and although we still get along great, we did eventually find that our individual styles were heading in different directions than either of us expected.
So, after several years flexing my muscles as a portrait, wedding, and fashion photographer, I’m excited to be going out on my own, and starting a new studio! It’s time to take what I’ve learned, and turn it into something even more amazing than I’ve ever created before: Linger Studios. I’ll be sharing my thoughts and my work with you in the coming months, as I go through the process of building my business from the ground-up.
It’s going to be a wild and interesting ride, and I’m looking forward to sharing it with you. And, I *am* taking bookings for portraits, fashion, and weddings right away, so feel free to contact me anytime, and let me know what my photographic eye can do for you.
Linger Studios – creative portrait, wedding, and fashion photography in Portland, Oregon
