From the Haugen Heart

 I love February in Oregon. It is so full of the promise of spring and yet reminders that it is still winter. These  are scenes all within 12 miles of home taken on a recent sunny afternoon.  Beauty can be found at Beckenridge Winery, even in the winter.  I loved the play of sun and shadow on the hills around Basket Slough.  Filbert orchards are most beautiful without leaves, I have decided. Here is another one of Basket Slough.  The Falls at Falls City are powerful and thundering with the winter rains pouring over them.

It is not entirely true that I have spent every waking moment since the new year began strapped to a desk chair staring at a computer screen....it just feels that way. January and February is a time for expanding knowledge which may mean going through an online tutorial or participating in a webinar or exploring that new software that is supposed to make my life easier but right now is making me crazy. It is also a time for housecleaning and since so much of my life lives on the computer, a lot of that housecleaning involves cleaning up, backing up, and reorganizing computer files. Ugh. I have also been putting the finishing touches on a new website that may actually go live by the 1st of March. That is very cool but it is all computer time. Even the portrait sessions that I have done over the last two months have been brief respites from "virtual reality." For every hour that I spend behind a camera, I can count on three hours sitting at the computer. Whine, whine, whi...

It's back! The Children's Contest has been an annual event at Haugen's since 1979. (Can you believe that! That would make this contest number 33!) Many of the early contestants have children of their own, now. The entry fee for the contest is $35 and goes in it's entirety to benefit children in the Mid-Willamette Valley. We support Operation Backpack sponsored by the Willamette Valley Auxilliary of the Assistance League which purchases school supplies for needy school children. You will receive a complimentary 5x7 portrait with your entry. How does the contest work? 1. Schedule your portrait session before March 31 by calling the studio - (503)838-5416 or email us today . 2. Schedule a consultation. If you have not been in to the studio before, we find it really helpful to meet with you to plan the session to make sure that your images are truely memorable. We will talk about clothing, backgrounds and possible props. 3. Arrive at the studio a few minutes ear...

Warm and soft as velvet with that smell of baby powder and mother's milk, everyone who has ever held a baby in their arms has experienced the amazing feel and smell of babies' skin. I love it and I know that the images I create are powerful reminders of these memories. Sarah is a new mother, but not just any new mother, she grew up in a home with a canvas portrait on the wall that we did of her as a babe in her mother's arms. She knew what it had meant to her to see the connection and loving relationship with her mother in a beautiful piece of art on the wall. She wanted a portrait just like it on her wall for her son to see and experience every day as he grows. This is why I believe so strongly that wall portraits are the most important way to treasure the important images in your life. There is nothing that warms a home and expresses what is truly important to the people that inhabit it than large portraits of their family on the walls. Of course, the portraits have ...

The south Salem Walmart is closing out its fabric department. Sad, but true. The great thing is that all the fabrics have been on sale for insanely low prices and Autumn was johnny on the spot (gotta love that girl!) She called to tell me that they had this really cute fabric and even took a picture of it and emailed it to me. Ten minutes later, she was buying it and it became the inspiration for our valentine background. Isn't it great? Peyton is the little girl holding the heart. She definitely has a mind of her own (can't you tell?) Thankfully, she likes being in front of the camera almost as much as I like having her in front of mine! I have been photographing these guys since they were babies. Patrick is getting ready for first communion and is so proud of his new suit and the gold tie that he picked out himself. Anna used to cling to her mama and scream. Now look at her turning into a young lady! I love the days when my studio is filled with children. It fills my h...

Waiting.......... I feel like this bowl is waiting for something....... small. A baby, perhaps? I saw this bowl and pitcher sitting on a table at a charity auction Saturday night and at that moment, I knew it was waiting for me to take it home. Now it is waiting for the perfect little person to inhabit it. "A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for." unknown  

What better way to celebrate baby's first birthday than with cake and frosting smeared everywhere? Addie came in to the studio the day after her birthday for cake number two (The first one was at the family party the night before.) and we had a rip roaring time! I have a terrible sweet tooth so it was all I could do not to dive face first into the cake right along side Addie. But, alas,  the mature and sensible voice inside my head won out. After all, how could I pick up my camera if I had frosting all over my hands? We plan to have a birthday cake session be a regular feature of the Year in the Life plan so I see lots of butter cream frosting in my future!

"Do you have a minute?" I was sitting at my computer multitasking with too many screens open at once when Autumn came out of her office and wanted to chat. "Sure, what's up?" Autumn is my right hand woman at the studio. We used to have a job title for her but her job keeps morphing and for the time being, I have given up on trying to describe what she does in a nice, succinct little title. I keep throwing jobs at her and she never says, "no." I try to tell her that never saying "no" is dangerous and she needs to let me know when enough is too much. We are still working on that one! "I am pregnant." Autumn said hesitantly. Holy Moly! Fast forward a few months and I was doing newborn photos of little Addie. Now, I am getting ready for her one year session, complete with birthday cake! How did this all happen so fast? That is one of life's eternal questions. It has been incredible to bounce Addie on my knee, watch her ...

Today is a day for creating something new and fresh. The sun is shining (woohoo!) and I am feeling like running away from the computer that has been occupying way too much of my time. This Saturday we are having a Valentine special and this piece of fabric is the inspiration for the set. Normally, I go for simple backgrounds but it is a new year and this is really fun. We are thinking about using this as wallpaper with a light wood floor and white molding. A red velvet heart should complete the Valentine theme. What do you think? If you are trying to decide what clothing goes with this background, I am thinking white would be a great choice. There will be an album on Facebook next week so you can see how it turned out!