Tuesday Specials are Back with a Story to Tell

“$50 OFF any Studio Headshot Session on Tuesdays in April”

For more than 20 years, I’ve supported my family on the unpredictable income of a self-employed photographer. Before that, I worked in retail—mostly with Fred Meyer—where I climbed the ladder quickly after being recruited from Zupan’s. My goal? Stay as close as I could to photography. That landed me in Home Electronics, where I explained film basics until it wore me out.

Eventually, I returned to Pendleton to run a mentor’s photo studio and soon found myself reevaluating everything through a little book called What Color is Your Parachute. That book changed my life. I moved to Portland, finished the exercises with a career counselor, and kept evolving—eventually leaving “safe earnings” behind to pursue a full-time photography career.

Walking away from a Friday paycheck was terrifying. It was 1996, and I had a 2-year-old child, a pregnant wife, and a basement studio in progress. COBRA insurance was overpriced and inadequate for a young family. Within nine months, I blew through my savings and ended up calling an old supervisor to ask if he had any graveyard shifts available, giving me two full-time jobs for four years, determined to make a secure leap.

Our first, post-pandemic trip to New Zealand (together) on the first flight that allowed a vaxed Yankee.

Over time, I found my rhythm. I built Studio B Photography around a wide variety of portraits—services I loved offering. In 2019, I narrowed my focus even further to headshots and B2B marketing. It turned out to be a smart move. Coming out of COVID, I was flooded with clients who needed updated headshots, team bios, and product photos. Without spending a dime on advertising, I beat all pre-recession records.

By 2022, I had increased my numbers by another 23% while working fewer days—just Tuesday through Thursday—freeing up time for Cathy and me to take off early in our ZenDen. That’s when I encouraged Cathy to finally quit her finance job and pursue her long-suppressed passion for sewing, which led to this: www.KiwiDesignz.com . We both knew we were choosing happiness over money. I refused to feel fear about the potential drop in household income, knowing for myself that purpose is far more important than a paycheck.

Cathy picked up a part-time job at Mill End Store, where she kept reminding me about the “Help Wanted” sign in the window for an Operations Mgr. —something I brushed off until it clicked: I could fit in a few hours a week to help modernize things. Their savings on antiquated systems were costing them far more in labor.

I dusted off a 20-year-old letter from Fred Meyer’s President—one I always said could get me a job anywhere—and offered to help part-time to streamline operations. What was supposed to be a short-term gig evolved into nearly two years before I arranged for my replacement last week. Wearing the GM title while only working part-time made boundaries difficult, especially while juggling my still-thriving studio. But three things came out of that stint that I’ll always be grateful for:

1 - I got to prove to Cathy that her dream mattered - www.KiwiDesignz.com

Milieu Gallery at Bridgeport Village is featuring both of us, that’s Cathy’s, KiwiDesignz blanket rack at the entrance.

2 - I proved to myself that I could still juggle a million moving parts, while maintaining my cool. Those two years at Mill End helped me to rewire neural pathways damaged by my 2015 TBI. With a team of 50, writing schedules, processing payroll, establishing marketing tools and posturing the store for profitability were done with gears that I forgot having at my disposal.

3 - I proved that I was still relevant. My work ethic, patience, and creativity—once folklore from my Fred Meyer days—were now on full display for the person who mattered most. This was the first time Cathy has ever seen me in a leadership role, especially at retail pace.

Alas, it’s time to return my full focus to Studio B Photography & Gallery. I'm still doing headshots, marketing images, and product 360s (#360productphotography), but the “Gallery” part of my rebrand signals something bigger: a return to my deeper purpose. Fine art photography has always been about more than pretty landscapes for me—it’s about spiritual connection, emotional resonance, and purpose.

Capping off a sizeable stream of revenue is never easy. What’s harder is being pulled by a vision that was screaming for that “extra time” that I was contributing to somebody else’s business.

That’s why I’ve chosen to support Milieu Gallery at Bridgeport Village—not as vested owner, but as an entrepreneurial ally. When I met gallery owner Ayomide, I saw in her the same guts and vision I had once only talked about. She didn’t just dream of opening a gallery in a high-rent retail space—she did it. Helping her succeed feels like the most valuable use of my time. Not because I’m done building my own dream, but because helping someone else build theirs is how mine grows, too.

So yes, I got a little distracted the past couple of years, but I’m back. My calendar’s a little more open, and my focus is sharp. If you know someone who needs an entrepreneurial ally to create their marketing images—or wants tax-deductible wall decor that evokes the right "feels" for their visiting clientele—I’d be honored to serve them.

Oh, and one more thing…

To celebrate my renewed focus, I’m offering $50 OFF any Studio Headshot Session on Tuesdays in April. Whether it’s a one-look headshot or a multi-look brand session, I’ve got you covered—just in time for some Easter egg money.

My studio is right off I-5, one exit south of 217, and one north of Bridgeport Village.


My specialty is still #headshots — mostly #businessheadshots — and I now offer dynamic, scroll-stopping 360 product content for your website and socials.

I want to help generate more business for you!

Brian

Opening night at Bridgeport Village - Milieu Gallery