This beautiful young woman is quite an athlete. She's long and lean and very much the All-American Girl Next Door. We a great senior portrait session in the Pearl District. Her mother and older sister came along and even got in a few of the images. Here are a few of my favorites.
I have some awesome Senior Models this year--a great group of kids! They're all excellent students, outgoing, friendly, and good looking, to boot! I had lots of fun meeting each of them and doing their minisessions. They're featured in a special Senior Models gallery on my senior website--take a peek! Meet Lisa Dillon Photography's Class of 2009!
This little guy adorns the walls of my studio so if you've been to my studio, you might recognize his darling face and his intensely blue eyes. He's such a delight! We started early for this session--7:30am to be exact. I don't usually do sessions so early in the day but sometimes it's just the best time to do it. Plus, it gave me more time for shopping at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale that started yesterday. (It's a Family Holiday around these parts!)
I have known this young man for more than 10 years and it has been a delight to watch him grown into the confident man you see pictured below. He belongs to one of the dearest families on the earth and is the eldest of 4 children. He is smart and clever and funny and uber talented. His mother is a very talented pianist and music teacher (and businesswoman and amazing human being) and it is quite apparent the apple does not fall far from the tree. I remember hearing him play in recitals when he was 10 years old and realizing then that he had talent and skill beyond his years. But he's not all music and math--he's also very sociable and fun to be around (a gift he inherited from his delightful father). He is a brilliant pianist and emerging composer and his future lies brightly before him. This is not the last you'll see of Christopher.
I feel like I've known this family forever--I know they've been in front of my camera more than most of my other clients. And I just love it when I have a session with them. This is the little brother's second session. He's sitting up now--sort of. It's so cute to see the brothers interacting together.
For the month of July, any time a session is booked, Lisa Dillon Photography will donate $50 of your sitting fee to the organization of your choice. It's a great opportunity to help raise money for your child's sports team or dance team or scout troop or youth group. The session does not have to take place during the month of July--you just need to book the session then. Sessions need to be completed by October 15.
We tried to do this session last weekend but the weather conspired against us both morning and early evening so we postponed until today. The sun was shining and the sky was blue with puffy clouds--it was a beautiful morning! And this family is so much fun--their daughter is one of my daughter's best friends so I see at least one member of this family on a weekly basis. Enjoy!
After two beautiful and precocious girls, this family was blessed with a sweet and serene boy. This was seriously one of the easiest newborn sessions I've ever done--he fell right asleep and stayed that way the whole time. The light was great. He was easy to bend and fold--it was great!
This expectant mom has a long, graceful dancer's body. From the back, you'd never even know she was pregnant and due in 3 weeks. Wow! I love working with dancers--they just move differently. And it's so much fun to pose them. Enjoy!
I've had these cuties in front of my camera before--for preschool pictures--but this was so much more fun! Mom had the great white-on-white idea which just looks so fresh and clean and then we mixed it up at the end with some color shirts. And the kids were great to work with--funny and responsive and just a delight to work with.
Do you want to be a part of one of the most exciting Senior Portrait Studios in the Portland metro area? Are you adventurous? Enthusiastic? Outgoing? Friendly? Fun? Then we want YOU! We are currently seeking Senior Models for the class of 2009. Senior Models are featured prominently on our senior website and receive two portrait sessions so you can really show your stuff! If you are interested in becoming a spokesmodel for Lisa Dillon Photography, call or email now! Positions are limited and participants must be a member of the class of 2009. I look forward to hearing from you soon!!
This little sweetpea was born 3 months early and spent her first 3 months in the NICU surrounded by her adoring parents. Now she is a strong and healthy 6 month old and she's still surrounded by her adoring parents. It was such a treat to have them in my studio--the love and strength in this family is actually palpable. Here's to continued health and strength!
Some have called this millennial generation the ME generation. But I hear stories every day about teens who are putting others first. And I’d like to hear MORE of those stories. I think these teens deserve recognition for the amazing things they are doing to help others. For some teens, just daily life is a huge accomplishment because of the obstacles they have overcome. I want to celebrate these accomplishments and recognize 2008’s Super Seniors. If you know of a 2008 senior who has overcome adversity or who has selflessly put someone else’s needs above their own, tell me about it. Between now and May 15, Lisa Dillon Photography will be accepting nominations for Awesome Senior of the Year. High school seniors from any Portland/Vancouver metro area high school are eligible. The winner will receive a $500 scholarship from Lisa Dillon Photography.
In addition to the senior’s story, nominations must include the senior’s name, high school, phone number and the submitter’s name, phone number and relationship to the nominee. Awesome Senior of the Year will be announced on June 1st. The decision of the judges is final. Send your nomination to lisakd@verizon.net
* No purchase necessary for submitter or recipient.
I love the simple beauty and sweetness of this storyboard.
Yesterday, my dear nephew turned 5 and I got to go to his Transformers party. What says Five Year Old Boy more than Transformers? And to make the day even better, his best friend is also turning 5 so they had a party together. It was truly a Boy Fest--tattoos, cake, ice cream, gifts, gift bags, pinata, Safari Sam's play structure. Major good times. Here are a few highlights...
This is such an awesome family--very dear to my heart. Big brother was one of my early baby planners and I have a large silhouette with big brother and daddy on the beach at sunset in my studio as a sample. And now they have a new baby who could be a doppleganger for his big brother. It's almost eerie how much they look alike! These are images from the baby's first portrait session with me. He wasn't at his smiliest but I suspect that we'll get many more smiles in the months to come.
This little darling is about to become a big sister. She was quite delightful in the studio--very chatty and very personable. I had to keep reminding myself that she was only 2 years old because she acted and talked like a much older child. Mom is due in just a week--I was worried that she might not make it to our appointment--but it was worry for naught. We had a great session and I look forward to doing the newborn session in a week or so.
This darling 6 month old was last in front of my camera a few days before his actual due date. He was born early and was so tiny--I think when I photographed him after he had spent a few weeks in the NICU, he was just a smidge over 4 lbs. Look at him now--robust and healthy and very very happy. This may well be one of my easiest babies ever, which was a relief since his newborn session was a bit more challenging. :)
Those of you who know me know I have red hair. I wasn't born that way but I *should* have been. It suits me and my personality so much better than mousy brown (or whatever my natural hair color is). And even though I believe God made just a teensy little mistake in my case, I strongly identify with fellow redheads, whether self-inflicted or naturally blessed. Today I had the great pleasure of having one of my fellow redheads in front of my camera. It seems like it's been ages since I've had a senior--it's been all bellies and babies so far in 2008. Soon I'll be choosing and photographing my senior models for 2009 and I just can't wait. Today reminded me why I consider myself a Senior Portrait Artist. They're just so much fun! And with a beautiful girl like this to work with, who wouldn't have fun?
I had the pleasure of meeting Miss Shelby today. She was good and sleepy, making my job much easier. Her brother wasn't too interested in having pictures taken with his new baby sister, but considering that we interrupted his play time with Grandma, I can totally understand his reluctance. Here are a couple of my favorites from the day.
This beautiful little boy graced my studio today. He is one of the most wanted and most anticipated and most loved babies ever, of that I'm sure. It was just a delight to spend time with him and his mom today--the love was evident. And dang--wouldn't you love a complexion like this?
When I was reading the news today, I ran across this story from Vancouver, just north of Portland:
VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) - A man led police on a very slow-speed chase, refusing to stop while riding a lawn mower at about 3 mph across a busy street and steering it toward an officer before he was grabbed and arrested, a police report says.
Now, authorities say, the question is whether Stephen Ray Castor, 53, already under investigation in the breaking of a window of a man's house and the episode with the officer, can also be charged with drunken driving. State law is silent on whether riding mowers are covered by the law against driving under the influence.
Castor remained in the Clark County Jail with bail set at $40,000 pending a court appearance Friday.
Police said the chase began late Monday afternoon after Jason Taylor reported that Castor - a stranger to him - cursed at him, rode the mower through his fence gate and smashed a window with a lawn chair.
Castor drove the mower across a boulevard and down a city street, the police report said. Officer Gregory J. Hibbard got out of his patrol car and told Castor to stop, then had to sidestep to avoid being hit, the report said.
Shortly afterward, several officers pulled Castor off the mower and arrested him.
It appears that alcohol can lead you to do some crazy stuff--driving lawnmowers across roads and smashing windows and now this--robbery with a spork. A SPORK, people! You know, the little hybrid spoon/fork thingy that they give you at Taco Bell to eat your refried beans? Don't tell the TSA--they've already killed all the usable utensils in the secure part of the airport.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Anchorage police have arrested a suspect in an armed robbery. Now they're trying to determine if the weapon involved was a spork - a hybrid of a spoon and fork found at fast-food restaurants.
Police said a suspect tried to grab a man's watch on Monday night.
The victim said the assailant swung a pocketknife at him but four parallel scratches on the victim's side make police suspect the wound was administered with a spork.
Peter Albert, 52, was arrested a few blocks from the scene and charged with robbery. Police said Albert was intoxicated and carrying a small pocketknife as well as a backpack containing a fast food bag and sporks.
Albert is being held at the Anchorage jail with bail set at $5,000.
Well, I'm still flying pretty high from last night's awards banquet but I have touched earth a time or two today. For today's post, I thought I'd share a rather abstract image that I took during a senior's session last November. I love it when my seniors bring in musical instruments for their sessions--they add such a wonderful dimension to the story of the image as well as being very beautiful. But some instruments are easier to photograph than others. In this case, the instrument was a trombone which is very long and not the most graceful of instruments. There aren't any curved finials or ivory keys--just long expanses of brass and a big bell. So I was looking for something different--we did some wide-angle perspective images where I shot from close the bell creating some fun and interesting distortion and then I came up with the idea of shooting through the instrument and having it be very soft, in the foreground, so that it was almost unrecognizable and allowing it to block some of the senior's face. I liked the effect--it was fun and abstract and something different.
This is just a quick post to announce that this evening I won the trophy for Best Black and White Portrait at the Professional Photographers of Oregon convention. I was absolutely stunned and excited--what a fabulous, awesome night!!
Here's my award-winning image.
I named this print "Intensity" because when I look at it, that's the feeling that comes over me. This girl had an amazing ability to just stare the camera down--no flinching. Her gazes were honest, raw and direct. The net effect of this is a gallery of powerful, intense expressions that portray a confidence that you don't often find in one so young.
One of my photographic specialties is capturing maternity images. I love the roundness of the pregnant belly and working with very dramatic lighting. I love celebrating the impending birth and the excitement the new parents feel. I love documenting their love for one another and their love for the new little life that will be joining them soon. At one point in my life, I had plans to become a midwife and I have been a labor coach a few times so pregnancy and childbirth are near and dear to my heart. I've had the incredible honor of photographing some births as well and it always amazes and humbles me to be there as a new life emerges. It's just so cool!
This maternity image is titled "Bountiful" and it is one of my competition prints for this competition season. It was taken in my studio last summer and I loved the contrast and drama of it. Enjoy!
The title of this print is "Alone" and I have submitted it for competition this weekend at the Professional Photographers of Oregon convention. It's always difficult to choose competition images--there are so many images that I love for different reasons--but some images stand out for me and this was one of them. We did the session in downtown Portland near where the Saturday Market is held. It was a very cold Fall morning and we were shivering. When I found this wall, I knew exactly how I wanted to compose the image and asked the senior to sit down and hug her knees. I loved the texture of the wall, the dried leaves around the ground and the strong vertical elements on the wall. She looks small and vulnerable and alone and that was exactly what I wanted to capture--that moment before a teen becomes an adult.
