Shades of Elegance
When the fighting stopped.
It was 1945, after years of sacrifice and uncertainty, the world experienced a collective exhale.
Attention turned inward. To more of an elegant identity and the quiet power of how fashion-minded men and women ... chose to present themselves to the world.
That's the era I draw from for Shades of Elegance. These are the portraits I make — a return to a time of introspect and peace. Images that ponder what matters and consider our legacy for the generations to come.
A classic era portrait session, finished as a signature canvas wall portrait.
For Her
There is a particular kind of woman this session is made for. She doesn't follow trends. She precedes them.
She understands that true elegance is less about what she wears and more about how she inhabits it. Refined, striking and timeless.
These portraits are made for the woman who has always known exactly who she is, and is ready to see it reflected back for generations to come.
For Him
The debonair man is a rare thing. Unhurried, present and at ease in a well-fitted jacket, the way others are at ease in their most casual clothes.
This session is for the man who appreciates craft, in clothing, in character, and in the photographs that will one day tell his story. Distinguished, commanding and made to last.
Your only task is to arrive.
After a brief phone consultation to discuss your wardrobe and investment, you can just let go to your own introspect and enjoy the process.
Before your session, I'll connect you with Sarah Adams, internationally renowned stylist and the person who will set the tone for everything that follows. Hair, makeup, and a shared vision, handled in advance so the day itself feels effortless.
I'll also send you a small collection of reference images from the era ... not a dress code, but an invitation. Wear what speaks to your architecture. A bespoke suit. A sculpted dress. Something that already feels like you, seen through a more elegant lens.
The rest is ours to handle.
These are not modern portraits. They are black and white by design, timeless and finished to last. A small selection of color interpretations may also be available, should I break character during your session.
Your favorite image will be finished as an archival linen canvas wall portrait, real, hand-selected fabric, not the inkjet giclee canvas you'll find at competitive retail labs.
Inkjet canvas has a visible dot matrix pattern with a synthetic feel. Linen has an organic, random weave that adds tactile depth without competing with the image. Photographic paper is then vacuum-pressed onto the fabric before stretching and stapling to a sturdy wood frame. It feels like what it is, a piece of art rather than a commodity product.
From there, your canvas can be upgraded up to 60 inches. These are images made to live on walls, not screens. Digital files are not an option with Shades of Elegance.
The session allows time for two complete looks, but bring a third. I'll help you decide on your best options before the first frame is made.
Shades of Elegance - The Experiences
Three ways to experience Shades of Elegance, each finished as a timeless work of art for your wall.
Each experience includes professional styling, your session, and a finished, ready-to-hang work of art. Nothing about your day is left to chance.
The Signature Experience
The complete Shades of Elegance session, made for those who want the fullest expression of the era.
Hair and makeup styling with our stylist (1.5-2hrs). A two-hour photography session allowing for multiple looks. Your finest image finished as a 16x20 linen canvas wall portrait, framed and ready to hang. Four desk-sized cotton fiber portraits to share or display.
The Heirloom
The heart of the collection. Full styling and a complete session, finished in a refined wall portrait scaled for intimacy.
Hair and makeup styling with our stylist (1.5-2hrs). A two-hour photography session allowing for multiple looks. Your finest image finished as an 11x14 canvas wall portrait, framed and ready to hang. Two desk-sized cotton fiber portraits to share or display.
The Study
A focused session for those who arrive camera-ready, with the same artistry behind the lens.
A two-hour photography session allowing for multiple looks. Your finest image finished as an 11x14 framed wall portrait on archival cotton fiber. One desk-sized cotton fiber portrait to share or display.
Every Shades of Elegance experience results in a finished, heirloom-quality portrait made to live on your wall for generations.
Each experience begins with a brief phone consultation to discuss your vision, wardrobe, and the investment that fits.
In honor of my mentor…
I spent my formative years studying classic portraiture under Louis M. Ver Baere in the early 80's. Lou was a Chicago artist whose love of Louis L'Amour novels led him to "move out west," planting his roots in Pendleton, Oregon.
In 1988, Lou offered me his entire legacy as a gift, a thriving portrait studio that drew clients from a 50-mile radius. That offer came with one condition I couldn't promise: to keep the studio in Pendleton.
"I did a great deal of soul-searching. Read the book 'What Color is Your Parachute' and moved back to Portland in 1989, to start from scratch."
Lou passed away in November 1993, shortly after gifting me a box of professional gear, the tools I opened my first studio with in SW Portland, August 1st, 1996.
That lineage and passion for classical portraiture lives on in Shades of Elegance.
If you have a hat from the era, or one that simply belongs there, bring it. I'll build a look around it. A change of hat means a change of everything, so our stylist will be on hand for adjustments and touch-ups between looks.