So, this was probably our most dangerous photography session.
It started with Madisen’s family picking us up and driving us up into the hills above Portland. “We’re headed toward Suicide Bridge” said Papa Sickler. As we entered the exclusive neighborhoods (which have a great panoramic view of downtown Portland), Amy and I spotted a cool brick wall and a great set of stairs…right in front of a residence. We snuck onto the front yard and began to photograph Maddie, all the while hoping that no dogs or gun-toting owners would come charging out of the front door. As we left, a car pulled into the driveway and gave us a funny look. Also, a squirrel threw an acorn at me. Deliberately.
But the danger was just beginning. On the drive down towards the bridge we saw a few more great looking walls with fantastic gates in them. Maddie’s dad pulled off to the side of the road and we tried to avoid the cars that raced along the highway while shouting instructions to Madisen across the street. That “wind” that’s making Maddie’s hair do wonderful things. That’s a pickup truck (who am I kidding, this is Portland-it’s a Prius) speeding by only inches from our photo subject.
Finally, we arrived at the aptly named Suicide Bridge, where a chest-high rail is all that separates you from a 100 foot drop and a scenic view of Portland. In order to get the correct angle to include Madisen and the skyline, I’d need to stand on something that was at least a few feet tall. The options included Madisen’s father, the Ford Escape that we were driving for the weekend, or the chest high rail with a perilous drop. We’ll show you what we decided with the last photo in the post.
Madisen’s got a fantastic smile. She’s easy to photograph, chose great shoes, and wore a cool hat. However, she won’t let you know if a squirrel is taking aim at you. So, nobody’s perfect…
And here’s where you have to stand to get the shot above. Jay was nice enough to divert traffic around our car (apparently with some sort of forcefield-check out that flare).
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