I woke up a little earlier than usual the other day to the first snow here this season. I get so excited when it snows that I got up and walked around the village taking pictures.

I thought this would be an appropriate day to post some wintery pictures.

Happy Christmas,

Rachel Deehan 

Lauren

Rachel and I had a wonderful opportunity to photograph our stunning friend Lauren a couple of days ago. The first two images were taken by Rachel. 

The last two were taken by myself. 

Thanks Lauren for being a fantastic model!

-Kailey

Christmas Cards for friends

Two of our friends had a great idea for a christmas card this year. Gerry made a Captain America costume for Halloween that was so awesome we needed a photograph. So Gerry and Patrick are Captain America and Red Skull in this photo shoot. Needless to say, they look bad ass.

Maybe one of you lucky folk will receive a hard copy of this in your stockings.

Happy Holidays,

Rachel Deehan

Tualatin River Nation Wildlife Refuge

 This weekend Rachel and I decided to take a look at Oregon's beautiful Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge. For the first time in awhile, we found ourselves standing in front of wide open spaces. The Tualatin Refuge is best known as a home to some 200 species of birds, 50 species of mammals, 25 species of reptiles and amphibians, and a wide variety of insects fish and plants. As we wandered the trails we found a quiet solitude, our own secret garden in which the weight of the world seemed all at once lighter. 

-Kailey

I've been wanting to do some self portraits for a while. Kailey always says it's the best thing to do when you feel directionless or out of touch with yourself. I hadn't expected this hike to be an opportunity for me to try one. The trail was not as private as I would like for a nude, but we found a secluded spot and I found myself in a lovely setting so I decided to give it a shot. I love the result, especially after I paired it with some flowers I had been attracted to at the beginning of the trail. 

-Rachel

Eagle Creek Waterfalls

Hiking in Oregon is incredible after the desert like climate of California. Eagle Creek in the Columbia River Gorge has one the highest densities of waterfalls in the world. I decided to shoot some long exposures of the waterfalls as we hiked. These are the three that really stood out for me.

 Punch Bowl Falls is one of the most photographed falls on the trail and only two miles in. It is a smaller  fall but no less beautiful.

Loowit Falls is almost twice as big as Punch Bowl and has two tiers. The first tier collects in to an almost perfectly round pool before becoming a part of the creek. The foreground of this shot is on the edge of the trail, we named these patches of grass and wild flowers on the edge of a cliff face "Vertical Meadows."

Tunnel Falls is arguably the most stunning of the falls on Eagle Creek trail. The trail cuts right through the center of the rock face and passes behind the falls through a slick tunnel, hence the name. The falls is about 7 miles in to the trail and completely worth the hike.
I wanted to add a photo of the side of the trail that Kailey took. You can just make out Tyler, Ian, Jonas and I on the far side.

I'm working on editing some of the "family vacation" shots we got for facebook. I hope you will be inspired to come up to Oregon and see the incredible forests for yourselves. It doesn't rain that much, I promise!

Love,

Rachel Deehan

InLight Images

Naturally Connected

 The beauty of nature and the human body reflect similar shape, form, energy and light. I see that we connect to this natural force; an eruption of light. I begin to question how it feels to be water falling off rock, a mushroom extending from wood. Only to realize that we are all the same. We are all a continuation, an expansion, a burst of energy that flows so majestically over the Earth.  

Weird Portraits

Recently I've found I like it best when my images look strange or uncomfortable. Exploring the fine line between confusing and beautiful. I've named these photographs Weird Portraits.

During my internship at Open Borders last year we were given pins that said "fear no art." That has resonated with me, It reminds me that I should not be afraid of my own art. Afraid that people won't like what I make. I would like to keep making these Weird Portraits. My images that don't quite make sense.

More to come soon,
Rachel Deehan

Lunatics

There has been a project on my mind for a while. 

Kailey and I always talk about how the moon affects us. We lived a block from the Ocean for a year and watching the tides come and go made an impression on me. How strongly the moon affects the world it orbits.

I was told once the the moon was blamed for women acting "hysterical". To think that even our emotions are subject to the movements of the moon is fascinating to me. Thats where this project comes from. I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by many beautiful and fascinating women who are open to being photographed. My plan is to photograph the neck (an integral part of the feminine form) and back of 5 to 7 women and light them as the moon is lit throughout the month waxing and waning.

The project is still in the works though I have one sample shot with the help of my lovely friend Kailey.

Any suggestions or thoughts on this project would be very much appreciated.

Thank you,

Rachel Deehan

Watery Winter

My dad came to visit last week, and got the full experience of Portland rain. We went to the coast and up the Columbia River Gorge to capture some of the northwest and the rain poured down. I honestly have never seen anything quite like it. No matter what we did the rain found a way to seep through all our layers and drench us to the bone. Regardless we had a fantastic time. Here is a preview of my favorite images so far.  

Much love as always,

Kailey