Photography in Eugene

Whenever she begins a boudoir-photography session, Sherrlyn Borkgren teaches her subjects how to pose and flirt with the camera. If they lack confidence, she’ll help them open up and express their sensual side—a process that includes aiding the hairstyle- and lingerie-selection process. Sherrlyn doesn’t limit her talents to intimate photography—she’s also put others at ease snapping photos for People magazine and European photo studios as well as during photography workshops. In these hands-on lessons, she throws students directly into a project that requires them to apply the basics—such as manipulating manual settings and using natural light—as they learn.

As a husband-and-wife team, Brad Johnson and Jo Cain cover both halves of Digitizing-Memories' skill set. Brad Johnson brings more than 18 years of computer-networking experience, during which he ensured the safety and security of precious data. Jo Cain has been a hobbyist photographer since the age of 15, which, combined with more than 30 years of customer-service experience, perfectly suits the needs of media preservation. Together, Johnson and Cain archive precious memories and important documents, clearing video tapes and pictures from choked storage spaces and opening them up for the storage of DVD jewel cases and broken PC towers. Whether scanning vacation slides or converting film reels into usable digital files, the pair extends the life of memories far past the physical limits of celluloid and paper.

Beard's staff encases cherished photos, artwork, and three-dimensional objects in materials ranging from polished wood to leather. Ready-made photo frames ($10+) clasp snapshots in a wood-and-glass embrace, protecting them from wrinkles, stains, and the scratchy nuzzles of sentimental lumberjacks. Lackluster walls can find colorful companionship in preframed artwork and a vehicle for deep self-reflection in mirrors ($100+). Ensconce valuables in custom framing packages ($69.99+), which can accommodate sports memorabilia, or preserve fine art with archival mats and backing boards. Handcrafted frames add a Renaissance flair to photos, utilizing materials such as 22-karat gold leaf to create one-of-a-kind frames.

Modern Studio's team of experienced photographers has wrangled fleeting memories into permanent portrait form since 1952. Portrait subjects choose between a timeless studio sitting or an on-location shoot at a home, park, or hard-won parking space before photographers let fly with well-trained shutters. Photographers produce each 10"x13" family portrait within an on-site photo lab, leaving each photo dry mounted and ready for vertical application on walls or the backs of unsuspecting prank targets.

Family owned and operated from the same location since 1931, Dot Dotson's combines a traditional full-service film lab with the convenience and versatility of modern digital processing. Their doting depictionary doctors will work with you on every photo, adjusting color and brightness and cropping out extraneous scenery, red eyes, and imaginary friends. Each prepaid digital-print card entitles memory collectors to 100 color prints and has no expiration date, allowing guests to make a one-time trade for excessive vacation photos, or stop by once a year to remember a century's worth of Nessie sightings. (8"x10" photo must be redeemed before February 15, 2010).

A professional photographer since 2001, Aemi Beamer uses a photojournalistic approach to capturing images, believing that her subjects are at their most photogenic when comfortable and relaxed. With this in mind, she takes family portraits outside the studio to client’s homes or community parks and adjusts her intensity to match children’s comfort levels. In addition to standard portraiture and wedding sessions, her experience in traveling around the world has fueled a love for snapping shots of abstract images, nature, and popular monuments.