Escape to the Coast PNW: In Front of the Lens

Comfort Zones

Earlier this year a photographer I know put out a model call for a workshop she was coordinating called Escape to the Coast which was scheduled for mid-May in the Astoria, Oregon area. She wanted to have regular folks be the models. Why, you may wonder? It is helpful to the photographer to have a model who may be inexperienced or even uncomfortable in front of the camera. A future client will need direction on how to pose and move so the photographer can learn how to communicate and direct the shoot. (It is not as easy as you may think.)

Normally, I would love to attend the workshop and BEHIND the camera lens. One of my personal goals this year is to really push myself out of my comfort zone. In that spirit, I volunteered to be a model for this workshop. I even told a couple of people that I was doing this to help hold me accountable.

The Workshop

Astoria, Oregon was the backdrop for the workshop. The coast, even in May, can be hit or miss in the PNW for weather. The workshop is two days with several classes and three different modeling locations. Several photographers did sessions about how to use the environment, natural light, posing, and more.

The gowns we wore were provided by Golden Hour Gowns and all of them were simply gorgeous.

Me…

Like most of my own clients and potential clients, I worried about how I would look and where to put my hands so I’m not completely awkward looking in the pictures. Also, I have recently put on a few extra pounds and wasn’t feeling too “pretty” and then I also noticed MORE gray hair. Starting to feel frazzled, I told myself that “it will be fun and a wonderful experience” so just do it already.

So I did it! Friday afternoon, my first session, I did my hair and makeup and then met up at the location with the group coordinator for my assigned dress for the day. That day I wore a red flowy dress and I felt like a princess. My insecurities began to lessen. The next issue was - if you know me, then you know - I’m not the most graceful person, and the dress had a lot of material and I worried about tripping on it. (Happy to report I didn’t fall flat on my face or backside!)

It was mellow while the coordinators talked and then we broke out into groups. Each model had a handful of photographers who took turns having me pose in different ways and doing photos. Again, I started to feel the panic. But then every single one of those photographers put me at ease. Same with the other models. We had a blast.

On Saturday it was easier for me to get out the door. First, since I had done it once already and had a better idea of what to do. Second, because I knew I had another beautiful dress waiting for me. Third, and lastly, because I knew that it would be fun. It was a BLAST!

Thank you to the organizers and workshop attendees!

Photographers who attended have been sharing the photos that they took. Each one is talented and pushed themselves out of their own comfort zones by experimenting with lighting, new editing techniques, etc.

I’m so happy to share a few of those images with you below. It is so cool to see their different styles of shooting and editing.

Interested in learning more about modeling or attending the 2025 Escape to the Coast workshop? Check them out on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escapetothecoastpnw/

#EscapeToTheCoastPNW2024 ##EscapeToTheCoastPNW #PhotographyWorkshop #PhotographyModelSession #NaturalLight #OregonCoast #UhaczPhotography

Julie the Photographer

Ingrid Arnett

Carl Bennett

Irina Negrean Photography