Between Frames is a one-day cinematic creative retreat for photographers and artists who are drawn to atmosphere, storytelling, emotion, and images that feel like they belong inside a film.
Together with guest artist Olesya Alferenko, we’ll move through two film-inspired sessions — an intimate in-home family session and a romantic couple session at the Oregon coast.
But this day is not just about having beautiful things to photograph.
It is about learning how to see.
We’ll approach each space the way filmmakers do — paying attention to light, atmosphere, movement, quiet gestures, and all the small in-between moments that make an image feel alive.
This retreat is for you if you want to create work that feels less rushed, less formulaic, and more like a scene, a memory, or a piece of art.
A day to observe more deeply, think more intentionally, and create alongside artists who are drawn to the same kind of visual magic.
DO YOU WANT TO CREATE
IMAGES WITH MORE MOOD,
MOVEMENT, AND MEANING?
ARE YOU CRAVING A DAY
TO SLOW DOWN, SEE
DIFFERENTLY, AND CREATE
FROM A MORE ARTISTIC PLACE?
JOIN US FOR A DAY DESIGNED TO HELP YOU SEE LIKE A FILMMAKER, THINK LIKE AN ARTIST, AND TURN SIMPLE MOMENTS INTO IMAGES THAT FEEL LIKE A SCENE.
september 19
portland, OR
film
feeling
frame
I created Between Frames because I have always been moved by the language of cinema.
Not only the visuals, but the whole feeling of it — the way a soundtrack can change the weight of a scene, the way light can hold emotion, the way a quiet pause can say more than a perfect pose. I love how films teach us to notice mood, rhythm, color, space, silence, and movement.
That is the kind of seeing I want to explore through this retreat.
Instead of rushing into a session with a list of poses or perfect shots, we will slow down together and approach the day more like filmmakers. We will study the environment, notice how light moves through a space, think about composition and framing, and pay attention to the small details that can change how an image feels.
This is not about me telling you exactly how to create. It is about creating a space where we can observe together, think together, and make more intentional choices with our cameras.
How much of the room do we include? What should stay outside the frame? Where does the light lead the eye? What tiny gesture carries the most emotion?
Between Frames is an invitation to create with more awareness — to look beyond the obvious, follow the mood of a moment, and make images that feel immersive, cinematic, and emotionally alive.
Hello, I'm Iris.
SLOW DOWN INSIDE A ROMANTIC, LIGHT-FILLED HOME
At between frames
we will
CREATE THROUGH AN IN-HOME FAMILY SESSION AND PORTRAIT EXCHANGE
chat, OBSERVE, BRAINSTORM, AND SHARE WHAT WE NOTICE AS WE SHOOT
JOURNAL, SKETCH, PLAN CREATIVE IDEAS, OR SIMPLY SIT WITH THE MOOD OF THE SPACE
CREATE SPACE TO
ENTER A SPACE WITH THE AWARENESS OF A FILMMAKER
USE LIGHT, SHADOW, COLOR, AND ENVIRONMENT TO SHAPE EMOTION
MAKE MORE INTENTIONAL CHOICES WITH FRAMING, COMPOSITION, AND DISTANCE
NOTICE GESTURE, MOVEMENT, AND THE SMALL DETAILS THAT MAKE A FRAME FEEL ALIVE
EXPLORE HOW TO
CONNECT WITH A GROUP OF ARTISTS DRAWN TO FILM, ATMOSPHERE, AND STORYTELLING
CREATE IMAGES THAT FEEL LIKE A SCENE, A MEMORY, OR A PIECE OF CINEMATIC STORYTELLING
○ A one-day, intimate creative retreat in Portland, OR with a small group of like-minded artists
○ Access to a beautiful, light-filled home setting for a guided in-home family shoot
○ A coastal couple session styled and led by guest artist Olesya Alferenko
○ A creative portrait exchange with fellow artists, so you can create for each other and walk away with images of yourself too
○ Open conversations about framing, emotion, composition, light, movement, and storytelling as we shoot
○ Space to brainstorm, journal, sketch, plan creative ideas, or simply sit with the mood of the day
○ A slower retreat rhythm with time to connect between sessions
○ Light lunch provided, including sandwiches and simple refreshments
○ Dinner together at a restaurant in Seaside to end the day slowly and meaningfully
○ A personal, thoughtfully planned experience designed to feel intimate, inspiring, and unrushed
What’s included:
Olesya Alferenko is a photographer artist in Los Angeles, California . Her mission is to tell her client’s dream adventure stories, and to showcase family romance artistically and cinematically.
Her work is full of light and conveys the feelings of freedom in nature, intimate love, playfulness, exploration and that feeling of “what a beautiful life this is!” She draws inspiration for her work from films, romance series, advertising and music.
She loves to hike and explore nature, dance it up wherever music is playing, travel the world, practice yoga and laugh with her friends. She was named Best Family Photographer by Click & Company in 2003 and Unraveled Academy Artist of the year in 2005.
olesya alerenKo
Iris is a family and wedding photographer behind Light By Iris Photography. She's based out of Portland Oregon, and having sessions all over the world. Drawn deeply to atmosphere, human connection, and the poetry hidden inside ordinary moments, her images often feel like still frames from a quiet indie film.
Influenced by cinema, literature, music, memory, and the Japanese philosophy of Wabi-Sabi, Iris approaches photography with an appreciation for imperfection, transience, and emotion. She is endlessly inspired by changing light, unfamiliar places, quiet gestures, and the feeling of being fully present inside a moment.
An extreme introvert married to a musician and raising two incredible kids, photography became Iris’s way of understanding and communicating with the world around her. Her work is rooted not in posing perfection, but in observation — creating images that feel lived in, intimate, nostalgic, and emotionally honest.
Iris’ photographs have been curated for exhibition at the Chinese Modern Art Museum, and her award-winning work has landed her on multiple top 10 lists. She was recognized by the Lifestyle Photographers Association as 2023’s Photographer of the Year.
Iris Hu
Creating Soulful Art
Building Genuine Friendship
Iris and Olesya
with
