Transcendent Portraiture Workshop

March 16, 2022

I’m so excited to be teaching a photography workshop about something I’m super passionate about: Transcendent Portraiture. This workshop, through Santa Fe Workshops, is going to be a kick in the creative pants! I’ve been pushing the envelope with portrait work for years, and love helping others push through their roadblocks and create incredible work. Would you join me?

Here’s the class description:

Portland photographer and artist Fritz Liedtke will be leading Transcendent Portraits, a photography workshop hosted by Santa Fe Workshops in April.

Great portraiture is about more than the right lens and the right lighting. It’s about having a vision and connecting with your subject to make images that transcend the simple headshot. In this workshop you will fine-tune your vision and technique to approach portraiture like an artist, and create gorgeous, surprising, beautiful, atmospheric images.

Fine-art and commercial photographer Fritz Liedtke leads you first through the “why” of portraiture and then through the “how to” as we explore—and learn from—the work of master artists. In addition to learning how to develop an authentic rapport with your subjects, you discover ways of posing and lighting them to look their best.

Through live instructor demonstrations and discussions, we will cover finding people to photograph, directing and posing our subjects, working with natural light (and modifying it to your advantage), working with artificial lighting, and combining the two. Demonstrations also include post-processing of images to create the final look you originally envisioned. In this way, you understand the complete process of creating gorgeous portraits, from start to finish.

Weekly assignments help you gain fluidity and confidence in your work, and by experimenting with portraiture post-processing, you accentuate the mood, feel, and style that best expresses your vision. You finish the workshop with new experience and insights—not to mention stunning images you can be proud of.

This live online class runs April 5-22, 2022, on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Learn more and sign up here:

Transcendent Portraiture

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Depth of Field at the Hallie Ford Museum

January 20, 2022

Depth of Field: Selections from the Bill Rhoades Collection of Northwest Photography at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art⁠

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January 4 – April 23, 2022⁠
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A few years ago, I was approached by Bill Rhoades, an art collector here in Oregon. He was putting together a collection of photography that he would then donate to an art museum. I was honored that he appreciated my work. He ended up collecting a set of work from my Astra Velum photogravures, and another set of the Skeleton in the Closet series (and a copy of the book). Eventually, his collection was accessioned into the Hallie Ford Museum of Art, in our state capitol of Salem. ⁠
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I’m happy to announce that there is now a show of selections from this collection, including one of my Astra Velum photogravures. ⁠
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There’s so much great work in this show, from Dorothea Lange and Minor White, Edward Curtis and Robert Adams, to Joni Kabana, Terry Toedtemeier, Stu Levy, and so many more. It’s hard to believe I’m in such good company.

I’d encourage you to go!⁠

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“Coherence” in Diffusion X

December 3, 2021

I was so happy to see that one of my quilted encaustic pieces, Coherence, was selected for publication in this year’s Diffusion X. This gorgeous book highlights some of the best alternative process photography, and it’s a real privilege to be included again. View more or order your copy here: https://onetwelvepublishing.com/diffusion.

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Our Diversity is Our Strength

January 11, 2021

Starting out the year with some work featured in a moving show at Blue Sky Gallery: Our Diversity is Our Strength. Put together by the wonderful folks at The Immigrant Story, this show features images and stories of immigrants in America, and how the experience of immigrating affects them, and affects America. Go see it in person at Blue Sky (in Portland), if you can. Or view it online at https://www.blueskygallery.org/news/2021/1/11/diversity-is-our-strength

Many thanks to Tsering Doma, and the many wonderful people at the NW Tibetan Cultural Center in Portland, for letting me into their lives while I photographed for this project.

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Ghost Town Portraits Workshop!

February 15, 2020

I am so excited to announce a new photography workshop. What could be better than the tumbledown texture of a ghost town and the beauty of dancers and models, combined to create beautiful, moody portraits? In this special workshop, I’m combining two of my favorite things–historic places and beautiful faces–to teach you how to create stunning portraiture, on-location.

We’ll be gathering June 19-21 in the John Day River Territory of north-central Oregon for a weekend of conversation and photography. You don’t want to miss this. Read all about it here!

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Astra Velum in China Life Magazine

January 10, 2020

Holy Moly, this magazine is huge! After my last show of Astra Velum in China, the editor of China’s Life Magazine (yep, that’s what they call it) contacted me to ask if they could feature my work. After some negotiations, I agreed, but I had no idea how large or beautiful the reproductions would be. (All of the magazines I’ve been in in China have had exceptional reproductions, now that I think about it.) Pretty happy to open this package today.

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Art and Vision: 20/20 in 2020

January 8, 2020

Art and Vision: 20/20 in 2020

In the 4th grade, Mrs Roberts noticed me squinting at the blackboard. She suggested that I have my eyes checked, and lo and behold, she was right: I needed glasses. By the time I was in my 20s, I wore glasses as thick as Coke bottles; without them, I could only focus within 8 inches of my face.

And then I had surgery. Within a couple of weeks, I had 20/20 vision for the first time in memory. No more glasses. Nothing to break or smudge. Nothing to get in the way of my camera. I was so happy.

Over the years, the 20/20 vision faded as my eyes changed. I had to start wearing glasses again. I became both nearsighted and farsighted at the same time. I got new glasses annually, and each time everything came into focus once again.

Like my eyesight, my artistic vision also continues to shift with time. Maybe it does for you as well. We keep working, adapting, trying something new, sometimes in fits and starts. We have a vision; we get distracted and derailed. We’re artists, but somehow life (kids, bills, health, aging…) get in the way. We try again, and again.

Perhaps TS Eliot said it best:

And so each venture
Is a new beginning, a raid on the inarticulate,
With shabby equipment always deteriorating…

There is only the fight to recover what has been lost
And found and lost again and again: and now, under conditions
That seem unpropitious. But perhaps neither gain nor loss.
For us, there is only the trying. The rest is not our business.

“For us, there is only the trying.” And you know what? I’m ready to celebrate the trying. It’s a new year, a new decade, and I have some new work on my plate. Even if my vision isn’t 20/20, the year is, and I’m going to work with that.

In the year ahead, I’m going to be focusing more on sharing my personal fine art photography projects. I’m shifting my Instagram feed to focus more on sharing my personal work and processes with you. I’m going to teach some exciting photography workshops. And I want more of my friends to have my artwork in their homes, rather than storing it in my closet.

I’d love it if you’d join me on this adventure! Sign up here to receive my occasional emails, with freebies, sales, workshops, and more!

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Sacred is a Critical Mass Finalist

August 29, 2019

I was happy to learn today that this series, Sacred, is a Finalist in the Critical Mass competition. The series is available for showing and collecting; let’s get it out in front of a viewing audience!

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Diffusion at SE Center for Photography

July 5, 2019

Those in the Southeast US will have the opportunity to see one of my handmade encaustic-based photographs this summer. I’ve been invited to show Contemplating Flight in the Diffusion show at SE Center for Photography. Curated by Lori Vrba, Diffusion will showcase a host of ‘artfully crafted’ (often handmade) photography. It’s going to be a beautiful show.

If you’re in the Greenville, South Carolina area, drop by SE Center for Photography between July 5 and August 31. A reception will be held August 2 from 6-8pm.

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Immigrant Stories

June 13, 2019

We have such a vibrant photo community here in Portland. Friends Jim Lommasson and Paige Stoyer worked this year to put together a wonderful show of photographs featuring the stories of US immigrants. A moving counterpoint to the national angst over the immigration issue, these photos and stories breathe life into this often two-dimensional debate.

I had the privilege of talking with Sosan (pictured here) about her life as an immigrant from Kabul, Afghanistan. Moving to Russia and then the US with her small family, she’s had to learn English, learn American culture, and work hard to pursue her education. It was a fascinating conversation, and I was honored to be able to create this portrait of her.

We say in Afghanistan everyone has a moon, illuminating our lives. The moon has a bright side and a dark side. I was born in Kabul, Afghanistan.  The dark side of my moon occurred when I was five years old, and the Taliban occupied my country.  That time was dreadful for all Afghanis, but mostly for women.  All schools were closed for women, so I went to a secret school for five years.  I had a very hard time, but my parents pushed me to keep trying.

I graduated from high school in 2008, when I was 18 years old.  In 2009 I was married, then I moved to Moscow for a better life and education.  However, life in Russia was even harder than in my own country.  Finally, I came to the United States in September 2011.

Now I am living a better life, but it is not easy.  I have not allowed the language barrier or any of life’s hardships to stop me from continuing my education.  I am balancing motherhood with learning English and going to school.  This is not only for myself, but for my family’s security.  My greatest life purpose is to serve those who have limited opportunities in their lives.  I want to be able to encourage others to work hard to achieve their goals.  My goals are to complete my prerequisite classes, earn my associate’s degree, and then my bachelor’s degree of science, hoping to work in a medical career.

Immigrant Stories will be on display at both Blue Sky Gallery and ProPhoto Supply, in Portland, through the summer. I hope you’ll stop by to view and read the stories of these courageous people.

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Featured on the News

June 6, 2019

Most people assume that eating disorders only affect young women. KATU News recently ran a segment on how men are affected by eating disorders, and they asked if they could interview me on the subject. I was happy to help, and spent an afternoon talking with Deb Knapp about it. I shared some of my own experience with an eating disorder when I was younger, and talked about how men are also significantly affected by eating disorders, yet are usually unwilling to talk about it.

The resulting segment showcases our conversation, and images from my book Skeleton in the Closet (which you can order on Amazon here).

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Pine Meadow Ranch Artist Residency

June 1, 2019

This month I received the amazing gift of time at a new artist residency program at Pine Meadow Ranch, in Central Oregon. Having time to focus solely on artmaking, in a setting surrounded by 7 mountains, a river, and abundant wildlife, was both productive and restful. It was also challenging, as I battled warped panels, failed experiments, discouragement, and bloodied fingers…but that’s all in a day’s work as an artist. #artistslife

I was also able to spend time with friends old and new, and take some beautiful pictures, in addition to working in the encaustic photography medium.

In addition to some experimentation, I was able to work on a new project with the working title of “Holy”. It consists of 5 large-scale encaustic/photo portraits, honoring people who are often victimized in our current socio-political climate. I don’t usually work on projects that have reference to current events or politics, but it was time. It’s my form of Resistance.

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Depth of Field: Selections from the Bill Rhoades Collection of Northwest Photography at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art⁠

Art and Vision: 20/20 in 2020