Pink Glam-onade Glitter Shoot | Emily Mazour & Tree Sphinx & Blair Doucette

I'm obsessed with this shoot. I've been on a hiatus of sorts when it comes to fashion shoots. When I first moved to Portland I did so many shoots that I burnt myself out. But lately, with the emergence of spring and the sunshine finally on its way, I'm feeling super inspired for the first time in years. 

Emily Mazour was the creative genius behind Blair's pink and yellow hairstyle. Chelsea Sinks, also known as "Tree Sphinx", is responsible for the glitter and makeup magic. I recently acquired some new filters and experimented with Emily's ring light, and it was enough to convince me that I needed a ring light of my own (which I'm purchasing today)! 

Here are some of my favorites from the shoot. Make sure to scroll to the end of the post to check out my fav film photos (polaroids, holga, 120mm, etc.). Can't wait to work with this incredible team again!

<3 Myles Katherine

Model: Blair Doucette
Hair: Emily Mazour
Glitter: Chelsea Sinks Using Glitter Moose

Cameras & Cats Debut on Youtube! | Photography Tips from a PDX based Fashion & Wedding Photographer

Hi everyone!

I FINALLY released my Youtube Channel, Cameras & Cats!

It's been in the works for over a year and I'm so excited to bring it all to life. The channel will feature interviews with local Portland creatives and their cats, as well as camera reviews and an arts & crafts corner! Our first video was an interview with Lauren Baker, the creative director for She Shreds Magazine. She Shreds is an internationally distributed magazine dedicated to supporting female guitarists and bassists. They've worked with a number of established artists, from Brittany Howard of the Alabama Shakes to Esperanza Spalding to Beyonce's guitarist Bibi McGill. I've even been lucky enough photograph a few of their covers (see below)!

Not only is Lauren a talented graphic designer & creative director for She Shreds, but she's also an amazing photographer. We sat down with Lauren & her cat, Downtown Brown, to learn more about their special bond. 

Next week, be sure to check out Part 2 with Lauren, when we go to the She Shreds headquarters to discuss more about her creative talents and everything she does for the magazine!

Be sure to like & subscribe & be nice! <3

Sleeklens Lightroom Presets Review | Strike a Pose Portrait Workflow

Hey everyone!

I was contacted recently by Sleeklens to try out their Strike A Pose Portrait Workflow. They offer a selection of Lightroom and Photoshop workflows for various types of photography from landscape to newborns. I've been using VSCO presets for years so it was exciting to try out something new. I actually don't spend a great deal of time editing, I prefer to spend the time in the studio or on location making sure the lighting and camera settings are as close to perfect as I can get. Most of the time I just end up creating my own preset for each photo shoot that I do, since every lighting situation varies and I find that each set of photos needs something different in terms of exposure and color. Then I'll just copy and paste and make minor adjustments for each photo. However, it's definitely always helpful to skip a few steps if you find a preset you like. :)

I've included a few samples below so you can get a feel for the kinds of presets the Portrait workflow includes. I found a few presets that I liked, but for the most part the All-in-One presets were a little too contrasty and extreme for me. I used Love Bug and Crisp Dawn the most. I did like the base and exposure presets, however, as they were more minimal changes such as color correct, greyscale and highlight/shadow adjustments. 

Original Image

Edited Image

(Edited image uses the Love Bug All-in-One filter, two skin softening brushes and a contrast and highlight adjustment)

Original

Edited

(Edited image uses the Base Studio Headshot preset and the darken shadows preset, plus an increase in contrast and exposure and skin softening brushes)

My favorite part about the Sleeklens workflow were the brushes. I can tell I'm going to use these fairly often in the future. There are brushes for eye brightening, skin smoothing, adding shine to lips, whitening teeth and defining hair. I'm not one to spend hours adjusting one photo, but I think for a lot of photographers, these brushes would prove to be very useful (and help you avoid using Photoshop if you're a Lightroom fan like me). Honestly, for $39 you really can't go wrong. Personally, I'd avoid the All-in-One presets, but if you want a quick fix for highlights, shadows and skin adjustments then this workflow could be useful for you. 

The presets and brushes were super easy to install too if you just watch the videos on the Sleeklens site. 

I hope this review was helpful for you! Feel free to ask questions, leave comments about the before/after photos or tell me what you think about the Sleeklens Workflows if you use them. :)

Model: Ashley McPhail
Designer: Holly Stalder of Haunt and Diamond Sea Bridal
Hair and makeup: Sheri Mendes
Location: Hollywood Theatre in NE Portland

-Myles Katherine

Original

Edited

(Another example of the All-in-One Love Bug preset)

Original

Edited

(Edited image uses the All-in-One Sparkle Sparkle filter and increase in exposure and contrast)

Original

Edited

(Edited image uses the Base Greyscale Matte preset and the Polish - High Contrast preset, along with the skin softening brush)

Original

Edited

(Edited image uses the All-in-One Crisp Dawn preset with the Hair Shine brush)