Bree Adams – features editor. When she isn’t helping students discover methods to improve their own personal well-being, Health Promotion and Student Wellness Coordinator Christina Ries practices one of her own: photography.
“It’s definitely a way to relax,” Ries said. “I don’t obsess about having to constantly work on a project. Even if it’s a busy photography event, I still find a calm and a confidence in the way I feel.”
Ries has been taking pictures for 10 years, becoming hooked after she received her first “nice” camera as a high school graduation present. She later went digital and never looked back.
“Photography is my main medium,” Ries said. “I photograph because I see something that intrigues me or I find another way of looking at something that would otherwise be ordinary.”
Her initial intention for any piece is to give it away to a specific person, and she keeps their interests and personality in mind when she creates it. She often recycles old items to create something new. One gift to her sister, senior Brianne Ries, was a coffee table made from framed pictures.
“My gallery is half of Bri’s apartment,” Ries said.
Ries also takes pictures of weddings, birthdays and vineyard events, as well as senior portraits. These events have allowed her to travel across the nation, from Central Park to San Diego.
“I am always excited to document these milestones and to present the photos to the client afterward,” Ries said.
Ries practices many other creative mediums. She helps with Upward Bound decorations, makes countless Halloween costumes and creates buttons that are sold at Ranch Records. She also has a background in everything from arranging flowers to catering.
“I’ll try my hand at anything except for scrapbooking,” Ries said. “It’s weird, I know, because I love taking pictures, but I hate stickers.”
Of any piece she’s ever made, she’s most proud of her design for a Snow Patrol album cover. She entered it into a contest in January 2008 and was selected as one of the top 20 entries out of 400 participants. The Portland radio station 94.7 FM held an event to exhibit her artwork.
“Even though my entry wasn’t the winner, I was still incredibly honored to be recognized among so many,” Ries said.
Presently, Ries is booked for senior portraits and as a wedding photographer in San Diego next summer. Her advertising is word-of-mouth, allowing for a flexible schedule. She has almost completed her certification for meeting and event management from the University of Oregon, which will allow her more creative outlets.
“I love organizing parties and bringing the concept from paper to event,” Ries said. “It’s another avenue of interest for me.”
For more information on Ries’ photography, go to www.hautephotographie.shutterfly.com.