Portland Fashion Photographer: Powerhouse Series

Muah: Terri Reece, Stylist: Savannah Smith, Ryan Artists Model: Mar Shank

Portland Fashion Photographer: Inside Stuff

The cool thing about photography as an art form is that the final image captured is 100% your point of view. I love hearing clients say, "I've never seen myself that way" (yes, even models) after viewing their proofs or a final series. I always think to myself- Cool, well that's definitely how I see you...

Anyhow, a huge influence on my work and vision comes from my upbringing in the deep, deep south. My childhood holds this ethereal reality that though I've probably romanticized, I draw on for visual and emotional inspirations. 
When I'm feeling inspired to capture, other little side effects occur too- like writing, or painting or strumming pitifully at my acoustic guitar. Luckily I don't know how to post my strummings, so instead here's a poem and a photo.

These photos below are from a test I did with model, Kara Jean and the following poem is an inside scoop on my inspirations. It's a bit nostalgic, a bit dark, and whatever else you can say about a poem.


MUAH: Terri Reece
Styling: Me

the shadows sat with me
cooling my dark shoulders
as the screen pressed against my arm.

she was speaking low and the hum of her voice
reminded me of fireflies
caught in my jar
their lights dimming
me not knowing why.

and then the buzz became louder
and the screen hit my elbow
as my eyes flickered and hungered for fireflies
but then I remembered-
there was no jar
only her
buzzing

only not buzzing
screaming, really

and the screen pushed a delicate grid of diamonds
onto my brow as my pupils swelled and
swallowed the moonlight.

and then there was cold steel.


inside, only me
outside, cruel steel-
a blade,
then blood
and then more buzzing
only not buzzing

screaming-

a man this time
a retreat this time

then blue and
red
and blue
and red
fireflies

flitting across the mesquite tree
lapping across the dark porch
searching out
with red hands
then blue.

I remembered the ocean as I cupped my ears
against the siren screams

against the cold snap of steel across
her wrists

I listened to the sea until the
red
and the blue
disappeared
with her somewhere inside

then touched my ocean fingers
to the diamond grid imprinted on my face.

Portland Fashion Photographer: This Girl

I love, love, love to play through photography. It's a relief to step behind my camera and to drop all expectations- to simply observe, interact and then capture. And not to be all cheesy or anything... but it's very nice be inspired by new moments. That's why I like shooting new locations.

The test today was super fun because I had never seen the model, Kara Jean's house. We shot for the first time early summer when there was no need to be indoors. But this time we planned to use her house because of a snapshot I had seen of her bedroom. And her house was perfection!

The house was new to me- the colors, the smells, the sounds- And every interaction I had inside the house was a first, so I felt inspired to simply move things around and play. Thanks goodness she has a terrific sense of style- that certainly doesn't hurt! The walls were bright, the furniture was vintage and spoke of character... It was cool and fun and playful.

Here is a favorite shot inside Kara's bedroom, against a wall decorated with tree bark:



Hair and Makeup: Terri Reece
Styling: Myself
Portland Editorial Photographer Lavenda Memory

Portland Fashion Photographer: Behind the Scenes

We were in the industrial for an editorial shoot with Lauren Luiz, styled by Melissa Joliene for Eclexion. You can see Terri Reece assisting me on light, because I did not have an assistent booked this day.

Melissa sent me some of the behind the scenes images and I loved how this one paired up with the final. I can only show a sneak peek because the finals will be submitted to magazines and blogs. Fingers crossed!!