The Power of Motherhood

I had the absolute joy of shooting Kristin a few weeks ago to highlight the power of motherhood for the May online issue of True North Magazine. Her story is incredible.

Kristin is still a newlywed, and you can see it in her tenderness as she interacts with her husband. I'm not sure if the glow around her is from the little life growing inside her, being newly married, or both. She became a wife in September, found out she was going to become a mother in October, and found a lump in her throat just weeks after.

She was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

Recently, she had surgery to remove her thyroid, and she still has a week's worth of radio-iodine treatment ahead of her after their little boy is born.

The amazing part is that if you weren't told these details, you would never know upon meeting her, save a small line on her neck. I was so encouraged at the peace, and the joy, that pours out of her. And so humbled at her unspoken, confident, faith. Add all that to the fact that she's gorgeous and so easy to photograph! I truly enjoyed the hour and a half we spent together. And I am thrilled to share these photos with you.

Special thanks to Edman Fine Furniture for being so incredibly generous! It's a family-owned business with a lot of history--right down to the cash register that was used in the owner's great-grandfather's mercantile shop in the 1800s! They're located 1020 NW Wall. Be prepared to drool!

New Look to the Blog

I've modified my blog layout a little bit: made the template wider overall, so it's a little more readable, and added a little extra flourish that will carry through every post from here on out. (You'll see it on the posts with photos. Since this post doesn't have one... well... you'll just have to trust me...)

Anyway, I'm posting this as a disclaimer to new readers because all the posts below this section are not formatted to the new layout. Call me crazy, but I don't particularly feel like re-posting 100+ posts to make it all match, even if I did have the time (which I don't). The perfectionist and designer in me is screaming about the unnecessary space around the photos, but it's not a big deal... right? :)

Gritty Antiques

I dug up a few gems of photos tonight that I had taken in the past and never did anything with. I really enjoyed playing around with them and making them really funky and gritty. That's where I came up with the name of the post... after I sat here for little bit to think of something fabulous. Makes sense, I suppose: dirty, cool, old stuff.

Only Second Best

Mary Jane is my favorite little 2 year old. Unfortunately, I only come in second in her book. I walked into her house today and she looked up from her high chair, hands full of a freshly cooked grilled cheese sandwich, and greeted me with a huge grin: "Hi Josh!" "Nope. I'm not Josh, but he's right behind me..."

I think she has her first crush.

She is also going to be a big sister in a few months. We did a few quick shots today with her and her mom to put on the front of a baby shower invitation. Amber and I were commenting this afternoon on how different she is than the first time I photographed her last fall. She wasn't even two then, and ran away from the camera with full force. Now she's used to me shoving a camera in her face and was fully prepared to model.

Finally, while we were doing the shots, Josh kept himself busy with Mary Jane's Pretty Pretty Princess game. I'm in love with his quirky sense of humor! Here's to a great week!

Two Sessions Left for May!

May is nearly booked solid for portraits--there are only two sessions available! If you want some portraits for Mother's Day, book now, or you'll have to wait until at least June for your session!

Mother's Day Gift Certificates

You still have two weeks to find the perfect Mother's Day gift for Mom! Purchase a gift certificate for a well-deserving mother in your life and receive a free 8x10 and a $50 coupon towards a portrait session of your own!

Interview with a Professional

A high school senior from Lebanon, Oregon contacted me last weekend. She was doing her senior project on photography, and her interest in becoming a photographer, and asked if she could do an interview with me. I loved doing the interview, even though some of the questions really made me think, But it forced me to take some time and actually define what it is I do, why I do it, and why I love it. Here is an excerpt from the interview:

Why is photography important to you?
Every person in this world has his or her own story. Whether it’s a story of adoption, or battling cancer through a pregnancy, or simply being a pastor’s wife (as if that's simple)… there is a story to be told. Life goes by so quickly, and having the ability to culminate a person’s life and personality in a brief moment is amazing. I love to tell the stories that might not otherwise be heard, to catch the look a wife gives her husband that only he can recognize, and to share life stories through my camera. Showing a mother a portrait of her child and watching her cry with joy is an amazing thing.

In your opinion, what makes photography an art?
Anyone today can pick up a camera, click a button, upload it to the computer, and publish it on a site. Photography becomes an art when a person has the eye to convey a personality in a split second, without using words; and also has the ability to transform an ordinary snapshot into the perfect combination of light, color, and exposure. Anyone can take a picture. But mastering all those other things is a creative gift.

What does photography mean to you?
Artistry. Creativity. Passion. A medium of self-expression.

You can read the rest of the interview by clicking here. Happy Thursday!

Calling Class of 2009!

I'm looking for a few 2009 senior reps! Each rep will receive a complimentary session early this summer, custom designed promotional cards with your portraits to hand out to your friends, and varying incentives based on the number of referrals you send who book their senior portrait session with me. Incentives include print credits, and even a complimentary album if you're a fantastic salesperson!

If you are interested, email me at jane@ethniphotography.com with a current photo of yourself, and the following information:

• Name
• Email
• Phone Number
• High School
• Extracurricular Activities
• Why you want to be an Ethni rep

Please contact me no later than May 1 for consideration! Also, 2009 seniors who book their portrait session with me before June 1 will receive 2 free 8x10s! Looking forward to celebrating your senior year with you!

Learnfest '08

There's something in my personality that drives my husband nuts.

I'm a terrible decision maker.

I'll go to the MAC counter, determined to buy a new eyeshadow, stand there staring at them all for about 20 minutes, and walk away empty-handed because I can't decide on the right one. And I'm too afraid of picking the wrong one.

When I worked at a makeup counter, I was notorious for this. The MAC girls would see me coming, and laugh. Inevitably, if I was able to make a decision, it would turn out that I already had the exact color same color at home. It's hopeless.

All that to say I almost had a heart attack today. If deciding on a $13 returnable eyeshadow is tough enough for me, imagine registering for a rather expensive seminar and leaving a $1,000 non-refundable deposit. Josh was telling me about a show he watched this weekend where people were trying to test how high your heart rate can go. For this test, they had a guy in front of a machine that lobs tennis balls at you. You can imagine where they were aiming the balls to hit (no pun intended..) What does that have to do with this? I really couldn't tell ya. However, my heart rate was up, and my palms were all sweaty... But I did it. I registered for Learnfest and I'm so excited!

What is Learnfest? Possibly the most amazing seminar available this year, with four of the best photographers on my list. It's located on Bald Head Island off the coast of North Carolina, in an amazing beach house right on the coast. In-depth sessions on everything you can possibly think of, with classes of no more than 15 people. Pair that with a few extra days of either side, antique shopping, clam chowder, and shooting galore, and I think it will be the highlight of my year. Thanks, Jen, for talking me into going with you! Now I just need to bring my blood pressure back down!

The Week Ahead...

I'm not typically the type of person to sit around and talk about the weather... but come on! Seriously? I usually love snow, turtlenecks, fireplaces, and hot lattes. But enough is enough! I'm about ready to jump on a plane and crash at my sister's house in Phoenix where it's a balmy 85 degrees, and is going to near 100 by this weekend! Her biggest frustration is that her pool is too cold to swim in. I'd trade that for this in a heart beat. Anyone want to join me?

A Weekend to Remember

For Christmas, Josh's parents paid for us to go to a marriage conference put on by Family Life Ministries. This weekend, we packed up the car, and made the six hour trek to Seattle. It was well worth the drive. It's so good to go to these conferences, just because of the state of marriage in America today and the current divorce rate. It forced us to talk about the little things we know, but haven't really taken time to think about. We wrote each other love letters. And we reaffirmed our vows. Simply spending time together away from the stress of daily life, and watching a few hundred couples around you do the same thing was so incredible. And such a blessing from the Lord!

The weekend started off interestingly enough. We walked into the closest Starbucks eagerly ready to order a delicious breakfast sandwich when a woman informed us of the flat tire on our car. Awesome. Luckily we hadn't gotten on the freeway yet, and were a mile away from a Les Schwab. We stopped at a gas station on the way to put some air in the tire, when I got the money shot. Josh... bent over the tire... wearing his softball shirt from last year. One of the guys on the team decided to put "single" in place of his name on the back. Josh followed suit and put "not single." Ladies... the masculinity and sexuality in the following photo may overwhelm you. But be warned. He is taken. He is MINE. And he will not be shared.

Makes me laugh every time I look at it! Now for a serious warning to everyone out there with adorable kids. If you see me on the street, I just might stop you and ask if I can take a few shots of your children. I can't help it. I get this overwhelming itch inside of me that will quite possibly make me explode if I see a particularly adorable child walking right in front me and I do nothing about it. This happened on Saturday afternoon. Josh and I were shopping when I caught site of Allie. The first time I saw her I was in love. And I resisted the urge. The second time I saw her coming out of a store, I knew I couldn't pass the opportunity up twice. So I told her parents I was a photographer, asked if I could take a few shots, and they graciously said yes. Look at her precious face and tell me you wouldn't have done the same! She just turned one, and had obviously just started walking. You can recognize the sweet, wobbly, half-drunk walk a mile away. And it was just as telling as the smile on her face.


Below is a shot of the hotel we stayed at, plus a few photos Josh took. The same Josh who swears he's not a photographer... The same Josh that took the color photo of Allie above. Yep... I'm in love.

Ethni Contact Form Problems

Sometimes I hate technology. I realized this morning that there was a disconnect between my contact page and my email. So anytime anyone tried to contact me through the contact page, it was being stored in a database, but blocked by my email. After finally taking a minute to think "hmm.. now that I think about it, I haven't seen one contact form come through..." I realized with my web guys what was going on. All that to say if you contacted me, but haven't heard from me, that's the problem. I received them all at once this morning and will be getting to everyone by this evening. Thanks so much for your patience and understanding!

Crazy Grand Canyon Photographer!

I got this in an email the other day. One word: insane.

This is a case of a photographer photographing another photographer. The following pictures were taken by Hans van de Vorst from the Netherlands at the Grand Canyon, Arizona. The descriptions are his own. The identity of the photographer in the photos is unknown.

I was simply stunned seeing this guy standing on this solitary rock in the Grand Canyon. The canyon's depth is 900 meters here. The rock on the right is next to the canyon and safe. Watching this guy on his thong sandals, with a camera and a tripod I asked myself 3 questions:

1. How did he climb that rock?
2. Why not take that sunset picture from that rock perfectly safe rock to the right?
3. How will he get back?

After the sun set behind the canyon's horizon he packed his things (having only one hand available) and prepared himself for the jump. This took about 2 minutes. At that point he had the full attention of the crowd.


This is the point of no return. After that, he jumped on his thong sandals... The canyon's depth is 900 meters (3,000 feet) here.


Now you can see that the adjacent rock is higher so he tried to land lower, which is quite steep and tried to use his one hand to grab the rock.


We've come to the end of this story. Look carefully at the photographer.

He has a camera, a tripod and also a plastic bag, all on his shoulder or in his left hand. Only his right hand is available to grab the rock and the weight of his stuff is a problem. He lands low on his flip flops, both his right hand and right foot slip away...

At that moment I take this shot. He pushes his body against the rock. He waits for a few seconds, throws his stuff on the rock, climbs and walks away. Presumably to a bathroom to change his shorts.

2 Newlyweds + 1 Ducati Monster

Just when I think it's time to change the beginning song on my blog... it snows again in Central Oregon. So the snow songs will remain for a little while longer, until spring decides to finally make its grand entrance.

Last week, the male counterparts of two couples we've been hanging out with decided to go out and buy some motorcycles. I had a shoot planned for Saturday with one of the couples already, and we changed it last minute to include Ryan's new baby. Of course, now Josh has the motorcycle fever... Thanks a lot guys!! Anyway, here are a few shots from the afternoon. How cute are they? They've been married for about 8 months, and are such a fun couple!

Ethni Photography & DESIGN

I've added another component to my website: graphic design rates for logos, business cards, and other identity branding & collateral materials. If you are in need of any of these, take a peek at my rates, send me an email, and we can discuss further details! My next addition on the list is the Ethni Shoppe. It will hopefully be up in the next few weeks.

It's also time to announce the winner of the "You know you're a photographer when..." contest! The $10 gift certificate to Eastside Java goes to.... Heather Leggett! To see her comment, as well as the two other entries, click on "comments" under the post below. I wish I could give everyone a gift certificate--they were all so funny! Anyway, here's to a great week!

You Know You're a Photographer When...

We fired up the barbeque for the first time this year. Ok I say "we" loosely. Josh was the one out there fighting smoke in his eyes, while I sat inside. On the couch. A cold Mike's in hand, and the laptop on my lap (go figure--they don't call it a laptop for nothin'!) Anyway, he got the burgers going, then threw open the door. As he ran (literally) upstairs, I could trace his steps through the ceiling, down the hall, into the office, and back downstairs again.

Me: "What are you doing?"

Josh: "Getting the Canon!"

Duh. Should have known.

So there you go. You know you're a photographer when you grab the camera in a frenzy to get a shot of a burger on the grill. Mmmm.. I think I know what I'm having for lunch.

Now you fill in the blank. Leave a comment with "You know you're a photographer when ____________." The best one gets a $10 gift certificate to Eastside Java! (Deadline is this Sunday night, April 6.)

Call to Central Oregon Photographers!

True North Parenting Magazine is looking to build a database of Central Oregon photographers from which we can pull for photography contributions on an as needed basis! Categories include cover photography, photojournalism and editorial photography for feature articles, stock photography for specific filler throughout the magazine, and photography for the online home page (rotating monthly), landing pages, and articles. In an effort to display the wide amount of talent in the area, the cover shoot will feature a different photographers with every print issue. Photographs used in online or print publications will receive full credit with the photographer's name and website listed.

If you are interested in being considered for future contributions to the magazine, please email your name, contact information, and an online gallery of your work to: jane@truenorthparenting.com

True North Magazine hits Central Oregon!

I swear, if you took an x-ray of my body, you'd see fragments of this magazine floating around in there. It is my blood, sweat, and tears, in the flesh. And 8,000 copies are being distributed throughout Central Oregon this week. Have you ever wondered what 8,000 magazines looks like? Here's half:

The magazines are sent to a press in Portland, and get delivered to us packed in boxes and shrink-wrapped on palettes. When they were first delivered, there were two of these palettes. The magazines began being distributed today, and already there was a buzz about them! Everyone who has seen them has inevitably asked two questions:

1. How much is it? (The answer: FREE!)
2. Where can I get one? (The answer: local family-friendly businesses, restaurants, schools... keep an eye out. It's like a big scavenger hunt!)

James, the True North Business Manager, and author of "Dad's Corner," is hand-building these awesome stands for a few businesses, so keep an eye out for them:

Finally, here's a glimpse of one of my favorite spreads in the magazine. Go out, pick yourself up a copy, and look for the Ethni portrait session giveaway somewhere in the 64 pages!