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Trends Magazine | Published Work | Architectural Photographer Oregon

ByPaula Watts January 20, 2011June 30, 2012

As an architectural photographer, it’ll never get old to see my images published in an international architectural magazine like Trends Magazine. It just won’t. Not only are my wonderful clients ecstatic that this kitchen won the People’s Choice Award in the Trends Kitchen Design Award, but it’s a great compliment to their work and mine. Hats off to Kirsti Wolfe of Kirsti Wolfe Designs for designing such a beautiful kitchen and getting such wonderful recognition! More published work to come as we were recently published THREE TIMES in Trends!

(please note: the color is not accurately portrayed by the scanning of the magazine for this BLOG post, so I have attached some of the originals for your viewing pleasure)

People

Professional Headshots, Your First Impression | Professional Photographer Bend Oregon

ByPaula Watts January 11, 2011June 30, 2012

I was recently hired by the lovely and talented Dana Ward of Lime Design to photograph her new professional headshots. In business, professional headshots are very important. They are sometimes the “first impression” when someone is looking for your service or a professional in your field. They can speak volumes about your personality, and even, the quality of your business. Of course, I am a photographer, so I may be biased as to the importance of one’s photography, but personally, I steer clear of any businessman or woman with a pixelated photo, cropped out of last year’s Hawaiian vacation. (facebook excluded)

For Dana’s headshots, we wanted to photograph her in an environmental portrait style, instead of in the studio, to add some depth and connection to her business. We chose The Loft in downtown Bend as a great location for her. She is one of Central Oregon’s premier home stagers, so having an intimate and warm atmosphere went well in defining her as a professional in her field.

What’s your field or area of expertise? Do your headshots help portray your branding and convey the image you want for your business?

Backporch Coffee’s New Digs | Commercial Photographer Bend OR

ByPaula Watts January 3, 2011March 14, 2019

If you still haven’t been to Backporch Coffee Roasters‘ new location, I’m not sure where you’ve been… it’s beautiful. I’m calling it my second home these days, as I love to sip my latte’ while emailing, writing proposal or even blogging. I was hired to photograph images for their advertising collateral, showcasing their snazzy new spot and details such as Ruby, their new baby, the La Marzocco espresso machine. Yes, you heard me, La Marzocco to all you coffee “snobs”… oops…connoisseurs out there.

I wanted to compliment the modern interior of Backporch Coffee with a clean and simple approach to the imagery, which isn’t hard since, let’s face it, that’s pretty much what my photography leans toward anyway. I used mostly all natural lighting for their imagery and focused on clean lines and off-set composition. Here are a few of the images.

People

Seth Aaron Fashion Designer | Paula Watts Photography

ByPaula Watts November 23, 2010July 1, 2012

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” Coco Chanel

I was recently given the great opportunity to photograph fashion designer, Seth Aaron (winner of Project Runway) and the beautiful, Katya Timokhina for a fashion spread regarding the Portland fashion scene. Seth’s designs are a living example of Coco Chanel’s quote. His fashions are IDEAS, a way of LIVING, and most definitely, what is HAPPENING now!

Check out the latest issue of Oregon Business Magazine for the story! I can’t thank Anne Bocci for her beautiful boutique and for hosting our entire crew. www.annebocciboutique.com

Models: Seth Aaron Henderson, Katya Timokhina

Clothing: Seth Aaron Designs

Necklace: Anne Bocci Design

Styling: Jon Taylor Carter

Makeup: Sunny Fire

PR: Chris Cone

Architecture | People

Knight Residence | Architectural Photographer, Bend Oregon

ByPaula Watts September 28, 2010July 2, 2012

Talk about a “picture perfect” family…. I had the lovely privilege of photographing the Knight Residence and the beautiful family that inhabits it for the Fall issue of 1859 Magazine (on shelves now). Doug and Wendy Knight gracefully remodeled their 1918 American Craftsman home in the heart of Bend’s Drake Park Historical District. “The idea was to be respectful of the architectural style of the era and to do something fresh…” Doug said in the 1859 Magazine interview. And they definitely succeeded.

In photographing this home, I needed to keep in mind what their vision was for their space. Light was a huge driving force for them in remodeling, so keeping the home bright and airy was important. They had so many personal touches as well. Wendy Knight, a brilliant interior designer, added warmth and elegance while mixing some of their family’s personal touches with things like their daughters’ artwork. Capturing those elements were equally important. Below are some of the final images. Enjoy!

Architecture

“Understanding a Photographic Assignment Estimate” | Bend OR Architectural Photographer

ByPaula Watts September 15, 2010March 1, 2019

This helpful and insightful article below has been researched and developed by the AIA (Association of Architects) and the ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers) to help guide you through a Photographic Estimate. The examples shown in the article below are specifically regarding an architectural photo assignment, but can easily relate to other photographic areas as well. The article helps explain and break down helpful terms and phrases such as Licensing + Rights Granted as well as help describe the Pricing structures of typical estimates. It also gives other practical time and money saving tips for your photography needs.

If you have any questions or are interested in discussing these concepts with a professional architectural photographer, please don’t hesitate to email or call. Paula Watts Photography at info@paulawattsphoto.com or #541-255-5834.

Architecture

Architectural Lighting | Architectural Photographer, Bend OR

ByPaula Watts August 30, 2010July 2, 2012

Have you ever wondered what makes an image really stand out from the rest? Or, perhaps, how to get your home or space to photograph well for an advertising campaign? Well, I won’t give away all my trade secrets as an architectural photographer here, but I will show you a quick comparison that will help train your eye to see light differently, as well as how to become a discerning client when needing to hire a professional photographer that will make your building/residence/commercial space really shine.

The two images below are the exact same residence, the exact same angle, the exact same day. Sure, you can probably see that. Will it surprise you then to learn that the two images were photographed only 22 minutes apart? A bit more intrigued now?

I photographed these two images to showcase the dramatic difference that lighting can make in a photograph. The first image was taken at the end of the day with no additional lighting equipment used. The sun was still the main lighting source. Because of the nature of the home’s architecture, beautifully designed by Scott Gilbride Architecture, the sun didn’t do a very good job reaching to the inside corners of the patio. In order to compensate for that, the exposure either gets longer, or the depth of field gets shorter (not ideal for architecture) and the sky, then, gets whiter. Indeed, you can see for yourself the overall dull appearance the home had.

In comparison, for the second image, I waited only 20 more minutes for the sun to go below the horizon, (becoming the ambient (or fill) light for the photo shoot). The main light source became my photography lights that I added with strategic placement to add light where needed as well as add a more dramatic feel overall to the photo. The home then became lit from the inside and outside, giving it a warm glow in appearance and a well deserved contrast from the rich blue sky from the dusk evening.

When searching to hire a professional architectural photographer, or even a professional photographer for other subject matters, please remember that lighting ALWAYS matters. It is important to find a photographer that is going to make your product, home, or business really shine, and that lighting is one of the very best ways we are going to do that for you!

Architecture

Shevlin Commons Exterior | Architectural Photographer Bend Oregon

ByPaula Watts August 25, 2010July 2, 2012

Modern comfort, understated elegance, mountain views with high dessert terrain that help showcase its rugged beauty… these are all key phrases that help describe this home, designed by architect, Scott Gilbride. I photographed the interiors of this Shevlin Commons residence last fall (see previous post http://tinyurl.com/26jd6z6) and waited through the winter to get the crisp skis and lively landscaping for the exteriors. Below are a couple examples of the exteriors photographed for my client, Scott Gilbride Architecture taken at dawn and dusk to showcase the juxtaposition of the vibrant blue sky with the warmth of the home’s interiors to the natural colors of the wild flora. Lastly, you’ll notice the last image is of the master bath, with it’s mountainous views. This shot also needed to take place while the landscaping and skis were perfect, to really show the view out the bathroom window and give it the proper attention. Hope you enjoy!

Food | People | Product

Distilleries in Portland | Oregon Editorial Photographer

ByPaula Watts August 10, 2010July 2, 2012

I recently had the pleasure of working with the Oregon Business Magazine with my good friend and amazing art director, Jon Taylor Carter on a story about distilleries around Portland Oregon. Together, we toured three different distilleries, each with their own unique style and expertise. The three amazing distilleries were New Deal, Stone Barn Brandy Works, and House Spirits. Below are just a sampling of the imagery from the distilleries and the cover magazine shot! I hope you enjoy!

Architecture

Preparing for a Professional Photographer

ByPaula Watts July 13, 2010July 2, 2012

Following my last post about Finding the Right Architectural Photographer, this is another great article by the good ole people at AIA (American Institute of Architects) and ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers) discussing expectations with the professional architectural photographer you choose, covering topics like avoiding un-necessary costs and surprises, as well as giving a helpful checklist in making sure all areas of the photo shoot are covered before the photographer even steps foot on the property.

If you are looking to hire a professional architectural photographer, and just don’t know where to start or what to expect, this article is perfect for you!

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As always, if you have any questions you would like to further discuss with a professional architectural photographer, please don’t hesitate to email at info@paulawattsphoto.com or call at #541-255-5834.