Staci Vriese Photography

My beautiful niece turns 19!

2012-03-09T19:07:00.001-08:00

Headshots!

2012-02-16T08:21:00.000-08:00

Christmas Card Portrait Party

2011-12-14T11:35:00.000-08:00

Wish I could post ALL of the beautiful images taken for Christmas this year!! I am blessed to have so many wonderful clients. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and yours.

"Our perfect companions never have fewer than four feet." ~Colette

2011-12-08T08:39:00.000-08:00

It's Christmas time!

2011-12-04T08:32:00.000-08:00

My adorable niece!

2011-11-28T11:00:00.000-08:00

Mother and Child

2011-11-22T09:18:00.000-08:00

The beautiful connection between this mother and her baby unfolded naturally before my lens, and it is always such an honor to capture such intimate, tender, and joyous moments.

Fall portraits

2011-11-16T20:35:00.000-08:00

With Thanksgiving around the corner and the leaves blowing from the trees, it seems that Fall is almost to a close. I will miss the beautiful colors that have enveloped our little world. Here are some more images from this season.

What a little gentleman!

2011-11-07T09:23:00.000-08:00

This little fellow is so cute it's tempting to fill up my entire blog with just his adorable smile! I have photographed this boy every year since he was a year old- he is now five. It is such a privilege to watch him grow, and I could not have a cuter, sweeter subject to work with. Some kids just make your job real easy.

Fall Senior Portraits! Gorgeous Color!

2011-10-31T09:02:00.000-07:00

The Jeep was a nice touch......

2011-10-06T10:07:00.000-07:00

Have been having so much fun with Senior Portraits this fall. And how cool was it to park a Jeep by the train tracks to take some shots??!! This lovely lady was so sweet to work with. I love my job.

Homecoming!

2011-09-30T14:19:00.000-07:00

Was so happy to be in town for my niece's homecoming dance. It was fun to take portraits of them and their friends....teenagers are such a blast! And my nieces are so beautiful! This was one lucky guy and he was such a deserving gentleman.

Family + a birthday girl!

2011-09-22T09:50:00.000-07:00

"In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future." ~Alex Haley

What a precious blessing!

2011-09-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

Here are some images of one of my favorite families and their precious newborn daughter. It is such an honor to photograph newborns and capturing those delicate, sweet moments of life. Seeing how this family bonds right before my camera just melts my heart!

Senior portrait time!

2011-08-30T09:31:00.000-07:00

I love teenagers. Seriously, I do. But that's probably because my boys have yet to become teenagers! Photographing teens is one of my favorite things in the world to do. I almost have to be careful of the time when shooting because I could click away all day with a beautiful face like this in front of my lens!! One of my favorite sessions ever with this sweet young lady. (Click on each image for a larger, sharper view, then hit your back button to return to the blog.)

My little runaway.....

2011-08-24T13:59:00.000-07:00

Well, it certainly took some bribery for these shots! My youngest especially hates for me to take his photograph.... Guess that's what I get for following my kids around since infancy so much with a camera. I had just found this vintage piece of luggage, and couldn't wait to get out to some railroad tracks with somebody's little boy. So, I bribed my own kids with extra screen time and popcorn. An easy sell. Hey, whatever works!

Family Portraits

2011-08-19T20:32:00.000-07:00

I realized I posted many pictures of the adorable little girl, but wanted to share the beautiful images of the rest of her family too!!

Could've followed her all day.....

2011-08-04T07:56:00.000-07:00

This sweet little girl was sooooo adorable, I could have spent all day following her around with my camera. I love antiques, and this baby doll carriage was perfect for her and the setting. When she lifted her poised little hand in the air, I knew that was the perfect "pose". We can try to "pose" children as much as we want...but in the end, it is their own individuality and spontaneity that truly creates the perfect portrait!

Most Adorable Couple Award?

2011-08-02T08:20:00.000-07:00

Seriously??? If I had looked all over could I have found a cuter couple to photograph? How lucky am I?

More favorite images

2011-07-23T07:37:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it is really hard to decide which images to use on my blog and website when there are so many great ones to choose from. Here are some more favorites from the past that I didn't share!

Washington Park Portraits

2011-06-23T17:24:00.000-07:00

I have had to reschedule a couple outdoor photo shoots during this cold, wet spring. But fortunately we hit a dry window in Portland this day. My favorite shots from the entire day were the candid series of this adorable little girl and her "big" brother playing peek-a-boo behind a tree.

Studio Family Portraits

2011-05-31T13:14:00.000-07:00

This has been one of the wettest, coldest springs that I can remember in the Portland area...which means I have been putting the photo studio to good use! That is what I love most about my studio.....being able to control the light and shoot day or night in any kind of weather and season. And the results are pure....the subject, a simple backdrop, and nice lighting. The resulting images really emphasize relationships.

Brothers!

2011-04-04T14:18:00.000-07:00

Book Jacket Cover Portrait

2011-03-16T10:02:00.000-07:00

When author Jennifer Lauck called me up to do a last minute portrait for her latest book, Found, I was thrilled! Check out her memoirs, that begin with her moving bestseller, Blackbird. She is a gem of a woman! www.jenniferlauck.com

Chilly, but a blast!

2011-03-02T09:39:00.000-08:00

When my client decided to go ahead with her outdoor portrait session in the freezing cold weather last week, I honestly wasn't quite sure if it would work out. Hard for a person to look natural and relaxed when they're miserably cold! But in the end she was a trooper, and we worked quickly, hopping from location to location and warming up in the van in between. Cold, but fun! And you can't tell by looking at the photos that it was cold and dreary! Going back inside for some studio shots made me appreciate my studio even more. :)

Spontaneity of Children

2011-02-03T11:08:00.000-08:00

I think the reason that I love to photograph children so much- is that they are so spontaneous. You can pose them all you want, get that perfect smile for grandma, and that will probably be the one ending up in a frame somewhere. But my favorite images in the end are the ones where uncontrollable laughter take over the session, or the ones where kids just pose themselves. Like some of these.

Ballerina

2011-01-09T13:13:00.000-08:00

When I was about 6 years old, my mother enrolled me in a ballet class to improve my coordination. I was so clumsy! The night before our first Swan Lake performance stage fright took hold of me and I refused to perform the next day. (My clumsiness has not improved much of course!) Photographing this adorable little girl reminded me of my experience- and of the fact that I am much better off behind the camera than on stage.

Family Portraits....for you and posterity...

2010-12-07T16:59:00.000-08:00

I have been feeling so privileged to be able to photograph so many beautiful families and children! It is an honor to be chosen to create a portrait that could potentially be kept and enjoyed for (hopefully) several generations. I love the old family images that have been handed down to me. So keep in mind that a family portrait is not only for your appreciation, but for posterity as well…

Christmas Card Portait Party

2010-11-23T12:38:00.000-08:00

Had a wonderful opportunity to photograph several families this week. It was fun to create some classic portraits, and also include a variety of fun winter-themed props. I've included in this batch an image of my own boys that will for sure be on our Christmas cards as well this year!

Senior Portraits! Location! Location! Location!

2010-11-05T15:32:00.000-07:00

I had a fantastic weekend photographing senior portraits for my beautiful niece and her best friend. It was a great opportunity to explore many locations in the Portland area. We shot downtown, at a mall, at a vineyard, in a meadow, next to a barn, and a few other places. They ended up with hundreds of pictures to choose from—anything for my niece! The hard part now is decided which one will end up in the yearbook!

Beautiful sisters

2010-10-18T20:17:00.000-07:00

I love photographing people who love to be photographed. I had an absolute blast photographing these two beautiful sisters! Notice that there are three versions of the same image of the close up shot of the the little girl. One color, and two very different black and white images. Sometimes I cannot decide which version I like best, as in this case!

Lovely Lady!

2010-10-10T11:18:00.000-07:00

A while back I had a blast with this lovely lady taking her portraits. She would have looked great in a gunny sack but it was fun to take portraits in a variety of clothes and styles. I could not emphasize enough on every single blog how important clothes can be to making or breaking a photo and conveying a sense of style!

Candid Portraiture

2010-09-21T19:40:00.000-07:00

At the end of a photo session, almost always my favorite images are the candids. The moments that are unplanned, unexpected and completely natural- revealing true personality. Sometimes the viewer is left unsure of the emotion of the person in the image, as in the case of one of the portraits below, and it leaves one to ponder what is happening. (In the case of the woman below, she was actually trying to compose herself after laughing, but it looks like she could be crying.) Another unexpected moment was when my cat, who is very shy, went up to this man in the middle of the session and she let him pick her up. Keep your camera ready, cuz’ you never know what to expect!

Senior Portrait Time!

2010-09-16T07:51:00.000-07:00

Portrait Party

2010-09-08T22:30:00.000-07:00

I hosted a Portrait Party at my home for a local Meet Up group, and it was a fun opportunity to have a small group of people have their portraits taken, all at the same time and all for various reasons. I love how everyone walked away with images that reflected their unique style, look and personality. Exactly what an image should portray.

Photo Shoot with author Jennifer Lauck

2010-08-21T22:59:00.000-07:00

I was very honored and excited to take portraits of Portland author, Jennifer Lauck this week! She needed a book jacket pic for her upcoming and 4th book, Found. Jennifer is the author of the New York Times Bestseller, Blackbird. She also went on to publish Still Waters and Show Me the Way. I absolutely loved all three of her memoirs and cannot wait to read Found. Her remarkable stories will sweep you away, and they have personally inspired me. Congratulations, Jennifer on your upcoming book!!!

Check out her website at: http://www.jenniferlauck.com/
and....her blog Prolifically Raw: http://jenniferlauck.blogspot.com/

Portraits of a beautiful young woman!

2010-08-08T13:55:00.000-07:00

I'll let the photos speak for themselves this time!

Online Profile Portraits

2010-07-26T13:29:00.000-07:00

With the advent of online dating services and networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook and LinkedIn, there is an increasing demand for professional portraits geared specifically towards online profiles. We all want to make a great first impression, yet have a portrait that reflects our own style and personality. Some people like artistic images that reflect a particular mood or creative side, like some of the images on my earlier posts..... Whether you are looking to land a date or find a job, a fabulous portrait can make the world of difference. And by the way, ladies, this gentleman is single and looking! :-)

Pets

2010-06-27T20:55:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last post! I decided to add a couple pictures of pets today, since I recently photographed a beautiful family with their dog. Some pets can of course be a challenge to photograph, and getting three big dogs to sit still on a bridge long enough to snap a picture when they are eager to chase frisbees instead- that can be tough. But certainly worth the effort! A pet is like a family member, and I love the quote by Anatole France: ""Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."

B&W Family Portraits done in Low Key Lighting

2010-06-07T12:03:00.000-07:00

I do love the look of family portraits done in black and white. It desemphasizes the clothing and makes the viewer focus more on the subjects faces and how the family relates to one another. One of my favorite ways of photographing families together! Also, candid shots that probably won't be hung on a wall, are still fun to keep!

Looking fantastic in great clothes!

2010-05-17T14:54:00.000-07:00

So, today a photographer from the Newberg Graphic came in and took some photos of me doing a portrait session. It was different to be both in front of and behind the camera at the same time! The photo session turned out great, as she is a gorgeous model with amazing clothes on! Clothes can totally MAKE the photo and reflect the personality of the subject. I cannot emphasize enough how important clothes can be to making or breaking an image. (This is probably even more important in group shots!)

Cutest Little Girl!

2010-05-01T15:21:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it takes a while for little kids to warm up to the camera, especially in a studio setting where the lights can be a bit intimidating. For some kids, it may even be necessary to meet in advance of the photo shoot just to get use to being in the room and around strange equipment. After some time, she warmed up to the camera. She was so adorable, I could have put all of her pictures on my website, but I had to be choosy. The advantage of having a blog, is that now I can post some more here!

Babies, babies, babies

2010-04-22T16:40:00.000-07:00

I think that out of all subjects, babies are my absolute favorite! They are so precious. It is always such an honor to photograph a little person during a stage of their life that passes so quickly by. I especially love to photograph them simply as they are- perfect. I love the detail shots: their little toes, their little fingers, and as you can see from my website, yes, even their baby bottoms. I am hoping to photograph more little ones in the future and make it one of my specialties! Here are a couple more that didn't make the website cut. Gotta love that baby grin!

Reminiscing....

2010-04-07T14:36:00.000-07:00

Reminiscing back when my boys were a little younger and outrageously adorable....(Okay, they are still pretty darn cute!) Alex loved to follow his big brother everywhere. Still does. Took these photos at Sherwood Orchards on a day when we went pear and apple picking. Perfect place to photograph kids doing what they love best. Exploring their world.

As close as I'm gonna get....

2010-04-01T22:27:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite candid shots ever, of my son, Sean. We were visiting a beautiful stable in the area, and this was as close as he was going to get to that horse.

Black & White- grainy portraiture

2010-03-21T13:50:00.000-07:00

Normally in the world of photography we are mostly interested in creating images that are as sharp as possible. We purchase cameras with the most megapixels we can get for our buck. Back in film days, we would use film with the lowest ISO number possible given the lighting conditions in order to avoid grainy images. Now with digital photography of course we can change the ISO whenever we darn well please. But sometimes, grain can be good. Desired. Wanted. That's why increasing grain in Photoshop is an option. Here are a couple grainy b&w images of my little Alex when he was just pulling himself up. Shot using natural window light.

Wedding Photos

2010-03-15T20:15:00.000-07:00

I thought I would post some of my favorite pictures from the two weddings I photographed. I am sure the beautiful brides- who are sisters- would be a little surprised to know how nervous I was to photograph their weddings! I have heard that a photographer needs to photograph at least twenty weddings before they even begin to feel remotely comfortable with the idea. The mere thought of goofing up such an important event is enough to send the strongest stomachs reeling! So, here I am still debating to myself about the potential of photographing more weddings. I sooooo enjoyed photographing these couples as they were adorable, sweet and gracious and everything you would want to work with. Finding more couples like them would perhaps make it worth the stress. It's such a honor to photograph one of the most important days of a person's life.

Engagement Photos

2010-03-10T19:32:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos I took recently of a beautiful couple in Portland. The fun one of them in sunglasses turned out pretty well. My scrim was lying up against the railing of the fence, and I noticed that the way the light was shining through it would make a creative backdrop for the matching sunglasses shot they wanted. Sometimes you come upon interesting shots by accident!

Photoshop and artsy images

2010-03-05T11:23:00.000-08:00

I have been fascinated with the series of photos I took of my beautiful friend, Kelle. Wishing I had more time to spend all day just playing with photoshop!

My first blog! Yeah!

2010-03-05T10:42:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to start my first photography blog! The first thing I would like to share are images taken during a glamour photo party I organized with some friends at the studio in my home. We had a ball dressing up, playing with makeup and taking portraits. Then I thought that it would be awesome to market the idea of "Portrait Parties" for teens, women, or anyone who would love to have portraits taken in a lively small group setting. Think birthdays, baby showers, bachelorette parties or any other good reason to have fun. More "Portrait Party" details to come! For now, enjoy the pics!