Modeling

Featured Photos - February 2022


We squeezed a lot of work into the shortest month of the year. Here are some of our favorites of February.


Taiyah, Colorfully

OK, who are we kidding? We’re crushing on color images, too, and we love these pictures of our new client, Taiyah (who is also with Ryan Artists). We started outside but, when the red noses of winter got the best of us, we jumped inside and had ourselves a dance party.


Nicolas, Um, Quietly?

Make no mistake: this kiddo, who models for The Option Agency, is not the quiet type. From the moment he jumps from the car, he’s all energy and curiosity. When he got done his shoot, he went mutton busting. True story.


A.T., Handsomely

Referrals make the world go ‘round. Well, they make our world go ‘round, anyway. So we’re very grateful our client Kody Harvard (great actor name, right?) referred A.T. our way. We fell right into a groove that produced these nice relaxed images for his headshot portfolio.


Akina and Zendaya, Beautifully

Sisters Akina and Zendaya came back to our studio in February for a fun session that included the requisite number of beautiful glances (and a little bit of horsing around, too.) These pictures, taken for Ryan Artists, are just a few of our fave frames of these beauties.


Alexa, Sublimely

We’re crushing on the black and white photos these days and we’re totally crushing on Alexa, who joined the MVP family this past month with her first portfolio shoot. Next up, an editorial session that will rock the house.


Mya, Colorfully

Mya was probably Taiyah’s age when we started shooting together and she just gets more beautiful with every passing day. This session, inspired by the fashion of Billie Eilish, is our most favorite yet. This marks the first time we worked with Portland, OR hair and makeup artist, Kerrin Birchenough, who simply killed it.


Melvin, Our Stand In

OK so we don’t take pictures of pets but we couldn’t help sharing this cute picture of our man Melvin, underbite and all. He stepped onto the paper as we were setting up for some toddler sessions — they’re about the same height — so we captured Melvin’s mug for posterity.


Featured Photos - January 2022


From professionals starting anew to fun photos of some longtime favorites, we’ve enjoyed a wide variety of sessions in the month of January ‘22. Here are some of our favorite photos.


Susan, Starting Anew

After a career as a successful attorney, Susan wanted new pictures for her social and professional profiles, images that reflect a new chapter in her life. “I really like how natural these pictures are, wrinkles and all,” she told us ivia email. “These images do just what I hoped for -- they portray me as a more polished, but definitely older (yet still vibrant) version of myself.” Case closed!


Harley and Casey, Polished

Did someone say January was Handsome Guy Headshot Month? It was at our studio. Harley, on the left, is a longtime friend who came to the studio to refresh his portfolio. Casey, who’s a professional nurse, is reviving his love of musical theater, starting with a wonderful set of new headshots.


Piper, In Living Color

Taking pictures of Piper is less like doing work than going to a show. Something WILL happen and it’ll be fun. These images, taken for ZTA are some of our favorite kids portfolio pix of all time.


Jamie, Naturally

It’s no secret Jamie Mack is one of our favorite people to photograph. Her creativity, professionalism and free spirit show in each and every frame. And, in case you didn’t know it, she’s a singer along with being a model, actor and dancer. Dig it.


Lila and Ella, Rockstars

Our kids sing and dance and act and swim and make music. Even when they’re not making music, they look like rockstars, which is what our yearly Rockstar Sessions are all about.


3 Great Portfolio Places in Portland

A great photographer, who understands light and color, can make great portfolio pictures just about anywhere. Alleyways, open windows, arcades, even the parking lot of the local Starbucks. (I know this because I once shot a portfolio in the parking lot of the local Starbucks. The pictures were great. So was the coffee.)

Some places are better than others, of course, and in Portland there are a few neighborhoods that have become my favorites. Here are 3 Great Portfolio Places in Portland:

The Pearl

The Pearl

The Pearl is one of my favorites because of its diversity. The north end has a slicker more contemporary vibe while the south side is a bit edgier. There’s a good variety of color and you can generally find great light even at high noon. There are some nice parks for shooting kids (like Tanner Springs) and plenty of low traffic areas where you can take your time and get great images. Extra credit: if you’re a dog lover, The Fields is unequaled for spotting beautiful breeds of all kinds.

SE Division

Another of my favorite places to shoot portfolios is on SE Division, in the neighborhood of Pine State Biscuits. There are easily accessible, beautifully lit alleyways with a diversity of color. If you walk a few blocks east, you find a nice neighborhood vibe that works well for photographing kids. It’s also a good place to headshots. Extra credit: did I mention Pine State Biscuits?

Downtown Vancouver

It’s not technically Portland but it’s not Siberia, either. It’s just over the river and you don’t need a passport to get there.

The newly rebuilt waterfront has a ton on nicely lit spots that work super well for portfolios. There are several green spaces, good for athletic shots, and a beautiful promenade along the river that shoots well on the occasional day when it’s not sunny in the Northwest.

And there are a dozen great restaurants in the neighborhood for your post-portfolio provisions. Hint: some of the best Mexican street tacos in the area can be found at Little Conejo at the corner of 6th and Washington.

What’s your favorite spot in Portland to shoot a portfolio? We’ll join you there and make some amazing pictures. And then we’ll have lunch.

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Top Photo: Carson Verity (Brilliant Talent, LA; Option Talent, Portland; Big Fish, Seattle). Bottom Photo: Piper Evenhus (Zuri Agency)