Fall Engagement Session

July 06, 2022

I don’t do many engagement sessions, but when I do they’re really special!

Kyrie was one of my coworkers and I was so honored to take engagement photos for them with their fiancé! We met for pictures at Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden (Portland OR) in October for peak leaf colors. We just played games together and did some posing, but most of the photos are really candid which is my favorite way to capture people!

Matt and Kyrie told me they are not photogenic, but I mean…

Congratulations! I’m so excited for you both!

Staying Positive When Nothing Is

March 24, 2021

Let’s start off this post with a disclaimer, and a confession. The disclaimer is that I am not a mental health professional, I am simply attempting to spread some positivity by sharing advice. And now the confession: I have been writing this same post since the summer of 2020. It’s been mostly finished for about 6 months and I haven’t been able to press “publish”. I think it’s been difficult to post because I’m worried about saying the wrong thing or forgetting to say the right thing. I especially don’t want anyone to read this and then feel like their negative feelings are invalidated. But considering that mass shootings, instances of racism, and other terrible things just keep happening, I’m compelled to share some thoughts about positivity and joy even when really real and unbelievably wrong things are happening.

Don’t listen to fear

This point is first because it’s one that is really close to me. I always try to make my decisions after I filter out fear. My whole life people have been teaching me how to be afraid. As both a teacher and a photographer people unfailingly warn me how easy it is to fail in both of my chosen professions, especially how hard it will be to make good money. But I don’t listen to them because they are not living my life. I know that I have to try these things. I understand that there are risks in life. But even when people around you are reminding you about scarcity, try to remember- you just need one for you. Maybe you’re worried about getting a job, or starting a business, or applying to your dream school. Wanting to improve your life can feel hopeless when it seems like there’s scarcity for everyone. But it’s still possible to have a good life and improve your situation even during hard things that affect your whole country and world. Maybe you can’t do everything you want but there is always something that you can do. You only need to get that one right interview, or meet that one right person, or the one right (fill in the blank.) I promise there is enough success in the world to go around and you deserve a piece of it. So when you’re maki g plans my advice is to listen to the voices that are constructive, even if the only positive voice you hear is the one in your heart.

2. Focus on what you can control

Does anyone else hear their mom’s voice reading that heading? My mom gives good advice. Often things happen that we can’t control that feel impossible to deal with. Things like not being able to pay the bills, or having anxiety because of brain chemistry feel really helpless, and I’ve definitely been there for many hard situations in my own life. But while we’re dealing with those things it doesn’t help to also focus on small complaints. Nitpicking people and things around you is only going to worsen and prolong negativity. It’s so tempting to feel angry at other people who are making wrong choices. I know anger is my go-to in wrong situations. Why would a person shoot someone sleeping? Or arrest a child playing with a toy? Or shoot people shopping for groceries? It makes me so incredibly angry and sad. When I’m in a healthy place I acknowledge my angry feelings and then try to identify actions that I can take. There are people all around me shouting ways to help others in need. It helps to focus on those actions and make a plan instead of wallowing in helplessness. There’s rarely a time when nothing we can do will help.

3. Feel it out

Sometimes in order to let go of negative feelings like anger or grief, it can help to acknowledge those feelings, facing them head-on. If you ignore every negative feeling those toxic thoughts will build up so you have to let those things out. And it’s life, we’re all human with the whole range of human emotions. It’s ok to be really angry for a time, or sad or depressed, or literally anything. Feel it fully so you can ultimately move on.

I hope these ideas are encouraging. I can’t understand everything you’re feeling and going through but I can say I feel for you and I’m going through it too! You’re really strong and you can make it through anything. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. It can’t hurt to ask.

Some additional resources and topics that may be helpful:

Happiness: The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

Mental Health- You can text HOME to 741741 to talk with a crisis counselor at any time. It’s free and includes the whole United States. https://www.crisistextline.org/

Mental Health America has information specifically about COvid, as well as many other resources: https://mhanational.org/covid19

Antiracism: There are so many resources it’s difficult to choose which ones to list. A quick google search finds pages of information on this topic. Some people that I follow personally are @taimaniemeraldcreative, @moemotivate, and @glographics

Good News: Goodgoodgoodco is a newspaper, newsletter, and podcast that only reports good news. It’s based in Portland OR but reports on things all around the world. https://www.goodgoodgood.co/

I would love for this list to be a dynamic resource so comment below if you have an idea of one that would be helpful and I’ll add it in!

Anatomy of a Branding Photo Session

January 13, 2021

What does it look like to get branding photos done? This is an important distinction because it’s actually pretty different from a personal photo session. I’ll talk about the reasons why that is in this post as well as walk you through the whole process from start to finish.

General Things to Consider

In no particular order:

The main difference between branding/commercial photography and other types of photography is something called usage. A wedding photographer takes photos of a person’s amazing life event but their clients are only using the final photos for personal use. Branding photography is used by a business to help them advertise and reach more customers so those photos have a different value than photos that will be taken and displayed in someone’s home. The whole process is different for branding photography and many of the ways in which I choose to do things for my clients are based on the fact that the photos are used to help you grow a business.

Something I do, that not all brand photographers do, is I offer subscription photography services. My clients can contract a certain number of photo sessions in advance (usually a year). Doing this locks in the price in case my rates increase and I also provide a discount for subscribers. The reason I love doing this is that it really allows me to have a relationship with you. A single photo session is great but we can go so much farther once I know your business and you. It makes planning more productive because we will know exactly what you need the next time. And it makes my clients more comfortable to have a go-to photographer.

For a photography timeline, I recommend having about a month between booking photos and actually taking them. The reason is there are some preparation items that can take a while to fall into place. This time cushion will give you time to set the necessary preparations like buying clothes for outfits or booking a studio. The things you will need to prepare will vary but we’ll both breathe a little easier with some time to plan.

The Planning Stage

Once you have decided you need branding photos, it’s time to talk. I love talking with you in person about your vision for photos as it’s really the best way for us to get on the same page. Reach out to me on my CONTACT PAGE on my website and we will schedule a consultation. Most times I will plan a video call for us, but I have met for coffee at times. (I love physically meeting in person but that time commitment is not always realistic.) We will talk about your brand, what you will use the photos for, make a list of different photos to take, what to bring and what to wear. Knowing what will happen at the photos session will hopefully ease any worries about you photoshoot. I will help talk you through what props to bring and help you decide what to wear. After the meeting, I’ll send you a summary of our meeting through email. The summary will include the shot list of all the photos we’ll be getting and a packing list so you remember the props to bring the day of your session.

The Photo Session

On the day of your session, I will arrive early at our location so I can do any setup needed. There is no need for you to be early but please do be on time. I may have multiple sessions to shoot that day so it’s important for us to have all the time we planned for in order to complete your shot list. This day is all about celebrating you! By this point we will have planned out how the day goes so your focus can just be on being yourself and having fun. To see more about the day of experience, you can check out my post about a mini branding session. Pre-pandemic I did a short session with a local event planner at a very cute boutique hotel here in downtown Portland. That blog is actually my most popular so far, it’s definitely worth checking out! You can read that post HERE.

Turnaround

It will take 1-2 weeks for me to edit and send you your photos. I’ll choose the best photos of you based on our pre-planned shot list and then make some edits. My editing process includes things like color correction, taking out distracting objects, and giving them a professional finish. I don’t do any unnatural retouching because you are enough the way you are! With that being said I will do things like remove pimples that aren’t really a part of you. Generally when editing I like to keep the colors rich and natural, and make editing decisions that will empashize your beautiful self even with other elements being included in the different shots we’ve taken. You can see my work on my GALLERIES page and on my INSTA.

I believe that the key to customer service is good communication. Because of this, if anything changes during our process or in the case of human error that affects your project, I am dedicated to being open with you about that. The process outlined in this post is the standard I work with and if anything is special or different for your process I am committed to having transparency with you about that but for the most part, I’m saying that you can be confident that this is what your branding session will look like. I would love to hear any thoughts you have about my process. Have you had a branding session before? Did it go something like this? Feel free to comment on my blog or reach out to me on social media.

7 Quick Tips on Being More Inspired

August 19, 2020

A lot of people have been telling me lately that they feel uninspired. I think that typically happens this time of year, at the end of summer when life is about to get really busy with school or work and it’s so hot you just want to lay in a bathtub of ice. The truth is, it’s natural to go through dry spells even for the most creative people. No one can be “on” all the time. But I have some tips for you if you’re feeling this way that will hopefully bring some pep back into your step.

Do something small

I believe that most of the time, motivation is linked to momentum. When I’m feeling unmotivated I start out giving myself a small task to do, like organizing my desk or putting makeup on to get ready for the day. Then after I feel good about completing that one, I move on to something a little bigger.

Have a Lazy Moment

Sometimes the best cure for not being inspired is to give yourself a break. Doing whatever you want for a few moments is really freeing. Usually doing something mindless, like scrolling through Facebook, reminds me that I really prefer working on my business.

Take a Walk

A change of scenery does a lot of good for creative minds! Seeing something new, being in a different environment can really jump-start the imagination.

Take a Snack Break

If you’re not feeling inspired, you might just be hungry. I recommend a banana with almond butter, that’s one of my tried and true quick snacks.

Participate in a Hobby

When creative endeavors also pay the bills it can take the fun out of doing them. As creatives we need to find something that we can do just for fun without having to monetize every hobby. Some ideas are; making a collage out of old magazines, start a sticker collection, take a pottery class, arrange some flowers for your desk, or paint stars on your ceiling.

Make a Pinterest Board

This tip is pretty obvious. Finding things you like on Pinterest and putting them all in one place to look at can give you a huge burst of inspiration! Sometimes even looking at boards I’ve made previously makes me inspired. I have one called “artistic inspiration” so I always start there.

Make a Playlist

Music is all about feelings. Curating a playlist can help you feel the way you want to feel. Make a playlist for some of your most common moods and see how they change your point of view in the present moment.

I hope these ideas help! Admittedly, none of these are insanely groundbreaking, but simple reminders can also be good. Happy creating!

Why Branding?

August 05, 2020

What do you think of when you hear “photographer?” My guess is you thought of a wedding photographer.
Yes, wedding photography is a HUGE part of the industry but there are so many different types of photography. It took me a long time to learn this and explore other genres of photography before settling on branding. I would love to share more about what branding photography means to my story and what it could mean for you.

If being a photographer meant only having wedding clients, I would not be one! And for a while, I thought I wouldn’t be a photographer more than as a hobby. When I started out I assisted a friend in photographing a couple of weddings and it was amazing to get to do that but at the same time, I struggled to feel passionate about weddings. I really believe someone getting married deserves a photographer that is just as excited as they are and if I’m at a wedding, I’m super happy for the couple but also probably judging all the cheesiness at the same time, haha. It just wouldn’t be a good fit for me or for the client.
So I decided not to be a photographer. Taking photos would just a hobby for me so I could create what I wanted. But even after that decision, I could not stop thinking about it.

Finally one day I saw a quote that I couldn’t ignore. It said

“People who are less skilled than you are succeeding at your dream simply because they started first.”

That quote made me realize that I needed to make photography official and just start even though it seemed impossible. I officially started my business on December 1st, 2018. I spent about the next year trying all different types of photography and working on my creative project which you can read all about HERE.
After that year of trying senior portraits, fashion shoots, family photos, engagement portraits, and headshots and branding photos, I realized branding was my favorite. So in September of 2019 I announced that I was choosing to be a branding photographer.

Why did I like it the best?
I like that the projects are one-on-one with the client. I like that the project is focused on making them shine and succeed. I like that I can bring my creative ideas and style to someone else as a valuable contribution to their very important work. I like making the projects my own way, not boring and commercial and stuffy. But I get to show the world some beautiful people who are doing amazing work who are also real and have real obstacles to overcome.
I like making and breaking my own rules. Some branding photography, especially commercial photography, can seem stuffy and formal. I considered this when I was choosing brand photography. Would I have to wear a pantsuit? Would I be allowed to crack jokes and be my laid back self? Ultimately I realized that it’s my business and I can make it the way I want it.

My mission is to lift up small creative businesses by providing the photos they need to show the world their important work. Because of the process of planning that goes into a branding shoot, a branding photographer doesn’t just push the shutter button and call it a day. A branding photographer is an artist, a mentor, a synthesizer, a cheerleader, a broadcaster. It’s such a beautiful job and I don’t take it lightly.

Finding the Best Photo Locations in Your Town

July 22, 2020

Model Naly Prachansithi in Forest Park Portland, OR

As a photographer, I believe it’s part of my job to know some cool places where I can take clients for their photo session. It’s also one of the things that is an important aspect of the experience my clients receive. If you’re a photographer, or you’re taking your own photos, it can be hard to know where to go to get great photos. But finding fun locations to take photos is really easy, even if you’re traveling and don’t know the city you’re in! I would love to share super easy methods I use to research photography locations.

Google maps search and scan process
The first thing I do when I’m looking for a location is to open up the Google maps app. The area I pick to look just depends on what type of photoshoot I’m planning. For example, if I want to go somewhere that has a waterfall, I can just type in “waterfall” and all of the ones nearby will show up.
Sometimes I’m not looking for anywhere super specific so I just pick an area, maybe based on an area I want to know more about or that is close to my client. Then I zoom into all the areas that are green. This shows me parks, natural area, botanical gardens, anywhere that’s green, obviously. The most important part of using Google maps is that there are pictures of every location so I can see what places look great to me and also plan exactly where I would like to take my shots before I even arrive at the location. Now, I’m not saying this is a replacement for actually going to the place in person. I always arrive early to see it because I have been surprised before by a park being super small or something in the location changed but the photos weren’t updated. But using Google maps in this way helps me narrow down the places that are worth going to in person and I find probably 80% of my photo locations this way.

2. Image search on Pinterest or Google

Indoor location searching can be a bit trickier. Some places don’t allow photography or charge a photographer fee. However, my process for this is similar. I do a search on Pinterest or an image search on Google. For any large cities, there are so many articles that have already been written about things like “Cutest cafes in San Diego” or “Secret Hikes in Portland.” Again, the key is to sort through the images and find something that matches the style you’re looking for.

My search formula is: “Best insert adjective (cute, quirky, hidden, underrated) insert place (hotel, cafe, hiking trail) in insert city.

3. Facebook groups

Getting to know locals that know their neighborhood best can be a great way to find photo locations. There are city-specific Facebook groups where people share interesting things and places that they see. In my city, Portland Oregon, there are lots of groups for photographers where people collaborate on planning a great experience for their clients. I also really enjoy being a member of a group called “Hidden Portland for the Curious.”

4. Instagram location tags

This method can be hit or miss as far as practicality goes because of course people have to tag a specific place for you to find it. It might not help just to see that there’s a beautiful creek somewhere in Colorado. But when I see an amazing place that’s not tagged specifically enough to find it, I scan the comments to see if someone asked where it is. There’s also no shame in asking the person yourself!

I found this sunflower mural in my city through a location tag on Instagram!

There you go, these are the main ways I find interesting places to take photos. I hope these ideas inspire you to explore your city and if you ever come to Portland, let’s create together!

Using Your Branding Photos

July 15, 2020

So you had a branding photo session, it went great, and now you have all these beautiful photos to use for your business… now what?

If you’re not a photographer, knowing what to do with your photos after the session may not come naturally. Especially since these days, most photos are delivered in digital form. Here are my tips for keeping your photos safe and easy for you to use.

Save Your Photos

The first thing to do is to download your photos to multiple safe places. When you get photos from me you’ll receive all your final images in a gallery that’s emailed to you along with a PIN number that allows you to download them. I recommend downloading them once you get that email because it will make your life easier. Later on, when you’re trying to post to Instagram you won’t want to sort through your emails to find that PIN.

Best places to download your photos to include a flash drive, external hard drive, or cloud storage. Devices often fail so choose at least two ways of saving your photos. This is important because if your photos got lost I might not be able to resend them to you. Photos take a lot of space and my digital storage space is limited just like anyone else. Of course I will do my best to help in a situation like this, and I’ve never run into this before without being able to help, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

2. There are multiple ways you can use your branding photos once they’ve been secured. Here are some things to consider when putting your photos on:

A Website

High-quality photos are wonderful of course, but high-resolution images can actually significantly slow down the loading speed of website pages. Ideally, a webpage should load in three seconds or less to increase the time people are spending on your site. It sounds ridiculous, but people tend to give up looking at a page if it takes any longer than three seconds.

It’s really easy to test how fast your website loads. THIS SITE is a free option to do this. You simply enter any URL and it will tell you how slow or fast it loads and I like this particular one because it’s simple to use and gives detailed results, but searching for “Website speed test” will give many more options as well.

Usually, when photographers give photos to their clients they provide high-resolution photos in JPEG format. The best size for a photo to run smoothly on a website is 2500 pixels wide at the most. You can resize photos in photoshop, but for those of us who are not photographers or graphic designers, there’s also a more simple way.

JPEGmini is a program that automatically makes your photos smaller for the web. It does cost money but you can get a free trial to check it out first. This site is great because it doesn’t crop any part of the photo. It resizes everything to fit in the dimensions that you set.

A less user-friendly but free option is resizeyourimage.com. Unlike JPEGmini, which reworks the pixels so it doesn’t cut off parts of the photo, this method will crop the actual photo. It might not work for every photo that you want to use but at the very least you’ll be able to see what pixels the length and width of your photos are to check if the photo should be resized.

Social Media

Helping provide photos that creatives can post to their social media is one of my main purposes as a branding photographer. I know that keeping up with multiple forms of social media can get overwhelming, so here are some ideas and resources to make posting easier.

Plan it out in advance.

There are multiple apps that will plan your Instagram and Facebook posts for you. You’ll be able to see what all your photos look like together, move posts around to play with the arrangement, and even set them to post automatically for you. Some popular apps that do this are Planoly, Later and Plann. All of these apps have most of the same features so it comes down to which ones are the easiest to use for you. All of these three options also start with a free account option that you can use as long as you want to, although you’re usually limited to one user and 30 uploads a month. For one person, that’s really all you need and if you have bigger needs the paid plans start at $7 a month.

Have a theme

Having a theme on your Instagram feed can help you decide what to post next and keep your feed looking really great. Some examples of themes are three photos at a time of one outfit look, a quote and a photo alternating every post, or alternating black and white and colored photos. I use a theme, I have chosen to do a green and white checkerboard pattern. My work is usually taken either outside in the Oregon forest, or in a studio with white walls. Once I noticed this it was easy to decide on my theme. I like the way it looks, but it also helps me pick what photo to share next because if my latest post was taken in a bright studio, I know that the next one to post should be of someone outdoors. Think about what makes sense to your feed and the look you want to have that matches your style.

Create a banner

Another fun way to use your branding photos is to use them for something creative. One of my favorite tools is called Canva. You can pay for it, but many of the features are free to use and it makes designing anything super easy. I’ve created multiple banner photo collages for Facebook and LinkedIn profiles. I like to surprise my clients with a banner collage, and I also have used it for my own social media accounts. Try Canva HERE.

3. Editing and Filters

I’m ending this post with a topic that can get very controversial. Most photographers are really offended by clients changing the way their photo looks because we work hard to make the photos the best they can be. If we didn’t edit, it would be like ordering a birthday cake and receiving only the baked layers and a tub of frosting. The customer isn’t expected to finish the photos, just like we don’t assemble a cake from a baker ourselves.

This being said, I understand that in the context of business, sometimes photos need to change a bit. I don’t have a problem with smaller practical changes like adding text to a photo I’ve taken, but I would not want a client to face tune their photo or add a filter. The exact details of what is and isn’t ok are in my contracts with clients.

It’s also important to understand a photographer’s work before hiring them. Each one has a different style and every photographer is not for every client. There are things you can do to make sure that you’re on the same page with your photographer before they even take one photo of you. Do your research by viewing their website and social profiles, and make an inspo board on Pinterest to share with them before the shoot. Doing those things will help to ensure that you will love your photos.
You can learn more about photo session prep by reading my blog post “Planning for your Photo Session.”

After you have done all the prep, taken photos, picked the photos you want to keep, and received the final edits, if you don’t like your photos, talk to your photographer. We want you to love them and be able to use them!

I hope these ideas and resources will help you to stay organized and confident about using your photos!

Planning For Your Photo Session

July 06, 2020

So you know you want photos taken and you start googling photographers in your city. Whew! The search can get overwhelming really fast. There are so many options for photographers who look decent, but how do you pick the one that’s right for you?

I’m going to share some ideas all about finding the right photographer and knowing what to prepare for so you’re sure to love your photos!

1. Finding the right photographer

The first place to start is finding a photographer that creates photos you like! All photographers have differences in their style of taking and editing photos. Since photos are visual of course, a quick way to check for photographers you like is to do a search on Instagram. A simple search of your city name and photographer will bring you lots of results, although many photographers are willing to travel so don’t worry if the one you really like doesn’t live near you. When viewing their posts check to see if their colors and quality are consistent. Think about how their photos make you feel. Can you see yourself being one of the people in their photos?
Once you find several photographers whose style matches the look you like, narrow your search down to the specialists. If you’re eloping, choose an elopement photographer, if you want candid shots, find a lifestyle photographer, if you need branding photos for your business find a photographer that only shoots branding photos for businesses. Its not a bad thing for photographers to shoot multiple genres, but my personal advice is choose a specialist. That way you’ll know they have the experience and the right mindset to deliver exactly what you need.

Once you have narrowed down your search to a few options then go ahead and inquire with those photographers! If you lien options a long list can be nice but I suggest having at least one first choice and also a backup if you change your mind or your first choice is unavailable to you.

2. Inspiration board

After your photographer has been chosen, it’s time to start planning your shoot. Your photographer will want you to love your photos and a good way to ensure that you do is to have the same expectations for the final photos. Search on Pinterest for the kind of photos you want and create a board that the photographer can also see so they know what you like. Keep in mind that you chose to hire them for their style so the photos you receive won’t be exactly like what you find on Pinterest but this is a great way for your photographer to get to know you. I suggest choosing 20-30 different pins, more than that may get confusing. Trust that your photographer can deliver what you’re needing but also don’t be afraid to tell them about any specific must-have shots that are on your list.

3. Outfit plan

Next, it’s time to plan your outfits. The number of outfits you next will depend on the length of your photo session and the package you have purchased. For my branding sessions, clients get at least two outfits so I always make sure to remind them to get both a casual and a fancy outfit. This way you get more use out of your photos. When choosing items for your outfits my advice is to choose plain colored clothes with a pop of something interesting. You want to stand out in the photos but you can still show your fun personality with a velvet texture, a rainbow-striped shirt under a serious black blazer, or wild animal print shoes. Don’t forget to accessorize! Choose things that represent you or things you like. Too many accessories can be distracting so two to three items should be plenty.

4. Schedule hair/makeup

Another way you can help yourself feel excited and super prepared for photos is to get fancy before the event. Getting your hair and makeup professionally done will help you to feel like you look your best. Your photographer is a great resource to recommend a hair and makeup artist for you.

5. Treat yourself

Ultimately you should think about your photos session as a way to treat yourself. If you look forward to it that will go a long way toward your photos being natural and look like your true personality. You’ve done all the prep work, now don’t be afraid to celebrate your amazing self! And maybe take yourself out on a date after it’s all over.

I hope these tips help you feel super prepared and confident for your photo session. Any photographer can pose you like a mannequin but the photos you will treasure will be the ones that show you as your true self. With this inside knowledge from a real photographer you will be able to choose the best photographer for you, communicate your personality, and have an amazing photo session!

Mini Branding Session in Downtown Portland

March 10, 2020

What does a branding photo session look like? In November 2019 I was able to do a mini branding session with a friend who I’ve worked with several times before. This session is the perfect example to discuss the branding session experience because we did a little of everything; product shots, action shots, and some cute social media portraits.

Before we get into the gorgeous photos, let me talk about all the people involved in this session!

My client was Jaime Smith of Jaime Ta Creative. She is a model and event planner in Portland Oregon. She is an advocate for women and people of color who are also business owners, and she practices what she preaches. She makes hosting an event so easy for her clients and her sweet calm presence is a breath of fresh air! Her website is HERE.

She brought along some beautiful hand made crowns by a local Portland Artisan, Stem and Stone crowns, website HERE

as well as an invitation suite designed by another Portland local; Wander Love Design Co, website HERE

Finally, our photo session location was in the lobby of one of Portland's most beautiful hotels, the Woodlark, website HERE.

We started off Jaime’s branding session with some detail shots of the props from some vendors…

…and then moved into some action shots of her arranging them for a flat lay. What beautiful items for a unique wedding or event!

Then we changed up her outfit a little and ventured further into the lobby for some more classic portraits.

Lastly, we ended her session with some portraits outside in the autumn sunshine and color.

There you have it! A mini branding session. A full branding session is essentially the same, but we simply plan more locations and outfits to get more variety.

I’m so thankful to Jaime and her connections for how beautiful this session turned out and how smoothly everything went. As a reminder, the links to everyone are at the top of this post!

If you like what you saw and are curious about booking a branding session for yourself, you can contact Joanna at Joanna Ray Images HERE

Abandoned Project

December 14, 2019

For several years I have had the idea of taking photos of a couple in really nice clothes in an old abandoned building. I think I mainly like the contrast of old and new. When I moved to Oregon, I lived near a beautiful green bridge. I didn’t really think much about it until one day I discovered I could walk under the bridge. I was so inspired by that space, it looked like a big empty wedding hall. That thought sparked the idea for my Abandoned Project.

This project has changed from my original vision and become it’s own thing. It has forced me, in a positive way, to challenge my photography style and create a cohesive body of work. Please enjoy each of my photo project looks and the accompanying literary sketches that tell an imaginative story about each image (although you might have to determine the end of the story for you self.) I have also included additional thoughts and behind the scenes information specific to each look.

Each image is styled and photographed by Joanna Tillson

Website

LOOK ONE: THE EMPTY HALL

Model Lacey Torayo

Makeup by Kelsey Mishler

Her “Hello?” was still echoing around the building when she looked up and noted that the chandelier was still alight from the night before. That was kind of amazing considering the decrepit state of everything else around her. Last night she had gone to a party and now she had awoken…100 years later? Or maybe she was still asleep and dreaming? She didn’t know. She would try to find her way home somehow. Maybe she would come across someone to help her, although that didn’t seem likely. Everything was just so completely…abandoned.

This shot is under the bridge that solidified my project idea. After the shoot I added in the chandelier and moved her up so that the arch wasn’t too much taller than her. I’m so grateful to Lacey for being my model when the original model I had planned for needed to cancel. I love the way it turned out even though pretty much everything that day did not go according to plan!

LOOK TWO: THE PRIVATE ROOM

Model Nicol Romanivna

She hadn’t wanted to stay so long at the party but once she was there, she found herself enjoying the festivities She remembered dancing, bright lights, and bubbly drinks. She met interesting people and told stories of her childhood. When she was finally exhausted, she happened upon a quiet room with a small cozy couch. This seemed better than finding her way home. She would just rest for an hour or so. The party would probably still be going on even after that. However, when she woke she was hit with silence. Silence, spiderwebs, and dust. What had happened while she slept? The shining mansion from the night before now seemed abandoned. She wanted to walk out of the room and find some answers. But that first step just seemed impossible.

Everything in this shot happened because of my family. When I told my Grandmama about the project, she offered the old schoolhouse in her backyard for a location. My mom made the dress years ago, which I wore as a bridesmaid in my sisters’ wedding. I was leaving the day after I realized I wanted to do this photo shoot, but my friend was available to model for me so we did a quick shoot and then I drove home for seven hours! It was crazy and awesome. I absolutely love the way the light was coming into the door way of the schoolhouse. Dreamy!

LOOK THREE: IMPATIENCE IN THE ALLEY

Model Gigi Boni

She waited in the alley, just listening. There was no echo of footsteps. No chirp of birds. No rumble of engines or clatter of train tracks. Was it only one night before when the city was alive? When had she seen the glittering lights and be pushed by so many strangers in the street? Surely the walls of the grand hotel she was staying at had not crumbled and decayed in only a night’s time. She was regretting even coming to this city and now how was she supposed to get home?

This location is at the back of a building I passed by every day in the summer. It looks very modern from the front because three sides of the building are painted gray, but one day I happened to see the back of the building and oh my goodness! It is such a collection of different textures. I am in love with the warm browns and cool gray neutrals against the soft blue of her dress.

LOOK FOUR: THE LOST ROYAL

Model Naly Prachansithi

When she first arrived to her venue the day before, this mountain was young. The trees were undeveloped, the grass only small sprouts underfoot. It was the perfect setting for a May Day picnic, which she had planned. The princess always planned the May Day festival. And it had gone beautifully. A day of sunshine, laughter, and dancing. Peasants mingling with the nobles. As the forest grew dark people trickled home. The princess searched around for her attendants, but none could be found. The forest was eerily quiet. Annoyed, she wandered back towards her castle and on the way stopped to rest in a soft patch of grass. It had been quite a tiring day. When she finally stirred awake, it was light but she couldn’t say with certainty that it was the next morning. For the trees around her had doubled and tripled in size. The very grass that was her makeshift mattress had grown as tall as she. But there, in the distance she could see her home. Finally! But her relief was short lived when she reached it. Her pristine castle was now an abandoned pile of crumbling stone. But being inside it was somehow still more comforting than wandering openly in the woods. She peeked out to listen for sounds of life. Maybe some birds or a babe crying. Yet she heard only her own heartbeat pounding in her ears... you’re alone... you’re alone... you’re alone...

When I was planning this project, Naly was one of the first models I talked to. She claimed the crown right away so I knew her look was going to have all the lovely fantasy vibes. Our location was in Forest Park in Portland. This structure was perfect for an old castle look. I love that the graffiti some dissonance and Naly is the perfect lost princess!

LOOK FIVE: DANCING UNTIL DARKNESS

Model Rachel Perry

It had been a full day yet it was still all a big nothing. She had woken up in the garden feeling very confused. It looked different during the party. Her friend had invited her. It was all twinkle lights. A table piled with food. The blink of glasses with fancy drinks. People dancing and laughing. She hadn’t known many other guests but everyone was friendly. In the cozy garden even strangers had seemed familiar. But then she inexplicably woke up covered in dew. The food was gone, the lights burned out, the garden silent. There were no other guests, or even insects. No birds chirped in the trees. No rabbits munched on clovers. She had been searching all day. Looking for answers, for clues. And so far she found nothing. As far as she could tell, she was the last alive thing on earth. Now night was coming and she was trying to decide which was more terrifying: being found by a creature in the darkness or truly being alone and abandoned...

Rachel is an old family friend, she’s the only person in my project so far who isn’t a model. She is SUPER photogenic and I had so much fun with her look! We went to a beautiful garden in Portland and found several different interesting staircases to pose by. Thanks Rachel!

LOOK SIX: THE ECHOING STAIRCASE

Model Clara Charmak

She paused and looked up at the sky. Was that a sound? Perhaps it was a bird. If so it would be the first sign of other life in eight hours. The stairway to her house at the top of the hill had never seemed so long. And what would she find when she reached the top? Would her loving family be waiting? Or was she honestly the only person left? Yesterday the world had been fully alive. When she came down the hill to go into town there were insects buzzing, deer grazing and other travelers to greet her. Now for the journey back it seemed the whole world had abandoned her.

This look is at my favorite spot on the Willamette River! It’s so lush; there’s a waterfall, there’s an island, it’s amazing. This picture was taken at a really long wooden staircase. Clara is an amazing model and really everything just came together perfectly for this look which never happens!

LOOK SEVEN: CHEERFUL BY THE CHURCH

Model Jaime Smith

She wasn’t sure what was happening exactly. One minute she was reading in her comfortable apartment, window open to the warm summer breeze and sounds of the street. The next minute, she was waking up to a silent city. The quiet wasn’t the strangest part. The strangest part was that she couldn’t find a single living thing. No one talking outside. No neighbor stamping around above her head. No stray cats begging for breakfast. She wandered the streets of her fair city, not so much searching as investigating. She sat down in a cafe, wondering what do with herself. Could she make an omelet? Was there anyone to stop her? She continued on and eventually reached the old church. No bells tolled so she had no idea what time it was. What a strange predicament! She was seemingly abandoned by her entire city. She felt like she should be more afraid than she was. Maybe this was all a dream. But if it wasn’t? That might not be so terrible.

Jaime is a model and wedding planner. We had fun walking around downtown Portland, finding interesting things to take pictures near. I liked the blue stained glass of these windows. I chose this photo because it amused me to think of an abandoned introvert that didn’t so much mind the apocalypse. Jaime’s style is so pleasant and pure, she was a wonderful model to work with and her demeanor put a twist on this look that I really love!

LOOK EIGHT: THE LONELY BRIDE

Model Jaimie Crush

She looked down and sighed. Her first day of marriage had been spent alone and she was at the end of her optimism. The best day of her life had been followed by the scariest and most confusing events she ever experienced. After a magical day of celebration she woke up to her new life, alone. Not jilted, but abandoned. Not by her new spouse but by the whole town. The whole world possibly. All day she had wandered looking for signs of life. There were no faces, familiar or otherwise to greet her. No clues. No explanations. Now she was beginning to lose hope. She arrived at the top of the butte and could now see the lights from the next town twinkling in the fading light. Maybe there lay answers. But her fear would not allow her to seek them just yet. It was a moment of mourning for her new life that should have been starting today. In a bit she would be brave and optimistic. But for now, she would just feel.

The photoshoot for this look was the first time I took photos after the sun went down. I think the lanterns at the location saved the photos and it made for a really interesting lighting situation. It turned out a bit dark and spooky which is not my regular style, but it fits into the project well.

I decided to end the project two looks short of my original goal. I am going in a more specific direction with photography in general and the photos from this project don’t really represent my style. However, it has been a wonderful experience meeting new people and trying new things. I have really enjoyed making my visions a reality and I super appreciate everyone who was willing to give their time to be a part of it. Will I do more creative just-for-fun projects in the future? Definitely! Although no specific plans at this point.

I would love for you to let me know which look and/or literary sketch is your favorite!

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