Tween Beauty

In the midst of a portrait session filled with giggles and wiggles, this serene little smile made my day...(have I mentioned lately how much I LOVE what I do?!)

"All I Want for Christmas..."

"...is my two front teeth!" I couldn't resist creating this image at the end of a family portrait session this week - isn't she adorable?!

Wishing everyone a warm, safe, joyous holiday surrounded by family and friends, filled with love and laughter!

Holiday Gift Giving

Just created these storyboards as 12x18 canvas thin wraps for a friend's Christmas gift - no worries, he never reads my blog, lol! I'm so pleased with them, I just HAD to share...

If YOU need a Christmas gift for family and you had a session within the last year, give me a call and let's put our heads together to create something wonderful from YOUR family or child's portrait session for the holidays!

(Sorry, but NO new Portrait Commissions are being accepted for December 2009. Please consider a Family Portrait to celebrate the New Year, however! Call me at 541-490-7132 for more information.)

Sneak Peek at January's Promo!

The day before I ended up in the hospital, I enjoyed a wonderful day in the studio with 2 photographer friends from Portland, Daron Gildow of Laughing Coyote Photography and Steve Hunt of NorthWest Rebel Photography, and a couple of my favorite models, Cecy and Keeley. I remember thinking the whole week I lay around that hospital, "Dang, I haven't even gotten to review those images! I just KNOW there is some good stuff in there!" Well, it took a little while before I felt comfortable sitting up at my computer, but I've finally gotten the chance to look over those images and by george, I was right, there IS some gold to be mined there! I'm reserving the images of Cecy for another website (to be announced soon!), but happily share my top three favorites of Keeley here with you...look for these images (and others) promoting my upcoming January Special, Pretty in Pink!!!

Didja Miss Me?!

Just in case, dear reader (all 5 of you), you wondered where I disappeared to for awhile, I have a Very Good Excuse: I was in the hospital from November 8th through the 13th. Woke in the wee hours of Sunday, Nov. 8 with ALOT of abdominal pain - ER at Providence Hospital (what good and kindly folks work there! can't say enough good things about 'em...) admitted me with a diagnosis of acute pancreatitis and acute infected gall bladder, ugh! After several days waiting for the pancreas to settle down, surgery was performed that Tuesday evening to removed the nasty, offending gall bladder; I remained under observation until Friday afternoon whereupon I breathed the sweetest fresh air I've inhaled in a Very Long Time! ahhhhh.......

Recuperation has been Slow and Steady - I am constantly amazed at the amount of sleep my body has been demanding. The upside is I'm starting to feel more rested than ever before in my life - so THIS is what 10-12 hours of sleep feels like, wow!

To all of you who have been waiting to pick up prints or had to reschedule portrait appointments due to my illness, I offer my apologies and promise to pick business up again just as soon as I am able. And to all of you who have conveyed your well wishes and support during this stressful time, you have my gratitude BIG TIME!

On display is my first get-well card, drawn by one of my Very Favorite Models, Keeley; also shown is the drawing my admitting surgeon made for me the morning I came into the ER - I even had him and the operating surgeon sign it for me!

Giving thanks...

I am thankful today (and every day) for the love and support of my wonderful husband, the caring and competent folks at Providence Memorial Hospital, and for my continued recovery and good health! May you all enjoy a blessed and grateful Thanksgiving holiday...

THANK YOU HRVHS CLASS OF 2010!

We enjoy a remarkable depth of creativity here in the Columbia River Gorge - it seems like almost every week I meet a new and remarkably talented photographer! So I am very aware that a high school senior has many wonderful choices when it comes to choosing the photographer who will create their senior portraits. This makes me extra grateful and doubly honored when a senior chooses ME to commemorate this special turning point in their lives...

Many thanks to all the AMAZING, GORGEOUS/HANDSOME, INTRIGUING, INTELLIGENT seniors I have had the pleasure of working with these past few months!!!

Head Shot!

WTD (What the Duck) is my FAVORITE online comic strip! Maybe only other photographers (or anyone who's been in front of MY lens!) will find this funny, but it made ME laugh out loud! Enjoy...

(This cartoon is reproduced here with permission of the creator.)