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Maren McGowan bio picture
  • Welcome to my blog!

    Say what!?! That picture is not me... well, that is my daughter and she looks like she has that spunky 'tude just like mom so she's filling in! Yep, that's right. You've reached my site while still "under construction." I spend so much time behind the camera that I am often not in the pictures. I thank you for stopping in and please come back and see what's new.
    I’ve been taking photos since I was very young...I have always loved the beauty of a timeless moment captured on film.  I love working with people and I want you to have fun with the photography at your wedding or photo session and later enjoy the photos like you are reliving captured memories. I like being a witness to all those special moments as they unfold naturally...seizing the opportunity to document cherished memories. That is what my photography means to me: capturing life without interference or manipulation, a frame of that moment in time.

  • Equipment & philosophy

    I use Nikon 35mm and Hasselblad medium format cameras and photograph everything on 100% FILM!  My negatives are scanned, so I can post them on the internet for viewing and also provide digital files to clients.

    Why Film?
    It is beautiful and timeless
    It is immediately archival:  We can still make prints from negatives that are 200 years old and counting.  Your photographs are heirlooms.
    It will always be “readable” or scannable:  There is no dependance on digital media that will “crash” or be obsolete in the near future.
    It provides innumerable options...now and in the future:  Technology continues to improve our ability to scan and reproduce your negatives and other artwork.  Digital images will only be as good as the digital equipment they were captured with today.
    There are so many wonderful reasons to capture your wedding or life images on film.  I shoot with film because I believe your images are worth it and I hope you agree!

Mindy & Sean

Merry Christmas to Mindy & Sean, plus all their friends and family!  We had a beautiful December wedding day… clear and sunny in Portland, Oregon!  When we headed into the gorge, it was completely socked in… no worries!  The Discovery Center was so cozy and inviting inside and the festivities were fabulous!   All the wedding images are available here: Mindy and Sean’s Wedding Gallery

Harvest at Maryhill Winery

Welcome to harvest at Maryhill Winery.  When the grapes arrive…it’s go time!!  I really had a great time shooting this and thanks to Vicki Leuthold for walking me through the whole thing, beginning to end!   The entire process is well orchestrated, from unloading the grapes, weighing them and checking them as they travel the conveyor belt to get crushed, all while monitoring the equipment and keeping everything flowing smoothly.  It’s fun to watch, and here in the gorge we have lots of wineries doing the harvest dance.  Check out young Erin stomping grapes… she got in with her Mom to stomp, cleaned up and then got back in again!  There’s a variety of activities at the many wineries in the gorge…live music and food, wine specials, barrel tastings, etc.  When harvest is in full swing, we wait for Mother Nature to get the grapes ready, and then it’s all hands on deck to get them to the CRUSH!!

 

Jennie and Kellen

Well…it was a breezy, chilly day for Jennie and Kellen’s wedding, but beautiful nonetheless.  Jennie and Kellen are such a great couple, so relaxed and calm and surrounded by lots of fun and happy family.  Here’s a mini preview of their wedding day.  Thanks to Jennie and Kellen and all their friends and family for making this such a beautiful day!  Click here to view all the wedding images, plus order prints and products.