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More than a lens for hire.
It took more than a mechanical device to find the people beneath their skin.
These were not rocks and trees. The human soul is restless and self conscious.
This required patience, timing, understanding, tenacity and connection.
Nilas Photography is far more than a portrait photography service:
Nilas Photography is a full-fledged portrait photography service, but it is also the umbrella to a much wider array of photographic fulfillment.
Located in Portland, Oregon, and consisting of one photographer, Michael, and an equal partner, manager, and model, Rose. This is a family-run operation.
Together we manage Nilas Photography, Wedding Photographer Guy, Cobalt Studios PDX, and Darchive.
Between these four branches, we accomplish editorial, lifestyle, commercial, and fine-art portraiture, weddings, elopements, and engagements. We own and manage Portland's premier photo studio, Cobalt Studios, where we not only offer up rentable space and equipment for photographers, but also host workshops, lessons, and networking events for creatives of all kinds. Our networking and creative community building, Darchive, also extends well beyond the photo studio.
As for the photography itself...
All upcoming studio workshops, Darchive networking events, and mini-sessions are found in the events tab.
Creative gatherings for fellow camera-centric creatives, hosted by Portlands alt photography duo.
This is our family.
[Community over competition]
Nilas Photography is also
Weddings, elopement, couples and engagement content is hosted on a second site.
We own and operate Portland, Oregon's premiere photo studio space,
Cobalt Studios PDX.
The space is not just a tool for our own photography, but rather a hub for creative community.
A note for photographers and other creatives:
Rid of the intimidation of studio lighting or come shoot fully planned conceptual themes by attending one of our many workshops, or join us for networking and critique events by checking out the plethora of events we host at our studio. Events are posted here, on this site.
About
Complacency is the death of mastery.
Nilas Photography is far more than a portrait photography service:
Nilas Photography is a full-fledged portrait photography service, but it is also the umbrella to a much wider array of photographic fulfillment.
Located in Portland, Oregon, and consisting of one photographer, Michael (Nilas), and an equal partner, manager, and model, Rose. This is a family-run operation.
Together we manage Nilas Photography, Wedding Photographer Guy, Cobalt Studios PDX, and Darchive.
Between these four branches, we accomplish editorial, lifestyle, commercial, and fine-art portraiture, weddings, elopements, and engagements. We own and manage Portland's premier photo studio, Cobalt Studios, where we not only offer up rentable space and equipment for photographers, but also host workshops, lessons, and networking events for creatives of all kinds. Our networking and creative community building, Darchive, also extends well beyond the photo studio.
Nilas
Michael
Rose
Salem
A photography mission and obsession:
From the photographer:
Nilas photography is an addiction to life behind a camera. Capturing the raw and timeless moments, and inspiring creativity, self-confidence, and inclusivity.
As a dedicated freelance photographer in Portland, Oregon, I am committed to crafting unique portraits, storytelling visuals, and conceptual art that push creative boundaries. Together with my partner, I prioritize inclusivity and strive to work with individuals from all walks of life. We believe that every person has a story worth sharing, and our mission is to capture and celebrate the diverse beauty of our community. My partner and I are always unapologetically ourselves, and we hope the same from our clients and collaborators. With a strong emphasis on building meaningful connections, we aim to create a safe and welcoming environment for our photography clients and networking collaborators. Let's collaborate and bring your vision to life.
The vision
They dreamt they could hold a memory in the palm of their hands. A fantasy, even.
They sought to immortalize a moment and the moments in between moments.
To steal it from thin air or build it from imagination.
So do I.
Our experience and goals:
Nilas Photography service began in 2016 and I've since captured countless creative portraits, professional headshots, events, and roughly 200 weddings (www.weddingphotographerguy.com).
As a transplant in Portland, photography has been the catalyst for every connection made, including my partner, Rose. Together, we aim to continue creating full-time and find stability in the hectic world of freelance photography. As a photographer and model duo, we bring a unique experience to our clients, both understanding how to create a great image and inspire the perfect poses.
When we're not doing photography for work, we create art together or spend time with our creative community. Together, we host an event called Darchive, a photographer and modeling meet-up centered around Portland, but shooting in and gathering creatives from throughout the Pacific Northwest.
In October of 2023, a dream of ours came true. We were able to purchase and transition into Portland's core photography studio, Cobalt Studio PDX. Since then, we have shifted heavily into expanding our creative community and offering photography and modeling education/workshops. We intend to expand our photography education curriculum while experimenting more and more with advanced studio photography techniques. It also provides our creative community a home base.
Photography is a central part of our family's life, and the community we build, whether it be clients or creatives, has become our extended family. We dubbed our creative community events Darchive, and they are not meant for any specific photographers, models, or creatives. Inclusivity is key and community is very important to us, and we believe in community over competition. We accept and collaborate with individuals who are amateur or high-end professionals with zero bias.
We hope you'll join us on this wild journey.
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