About

Teri Hofford

A little about Alchemy Portraits

Alchemy Portraits is empowering intimate portraits for individuals, couples and brands located in Portland, Oregon.

Empowerment looks different for different people at different times in their life. Whatever it is that you want or need out of your session, that is what we will create together.

  • I believe in the important stories held within scars and stretch marks; Transition, birth, survival, growth, healing and those stories deserve to be captured and honored.
  • I believe that everyone should exist in photos; for their families, for future generations and most importantly for themselves.
  • I believe that each and every human is an important and irreplaceable asset to the world.
  • I believe that the body is an incredible machine of infinite miracles, yours is beautiful and perfect exactly as it is in this very moment. It’s size, color, ability, presentation and health status are all aspects that play a part in who you are and how you exist in the world but they do not change your immense value to the world.

Hi, I’m Beth (she/they)

I’m a photographer and body image activist living in Portland, Oregon. A weird, fat, queer, nerdy, curious, silly, dog-obsessed horror movie lover with a technicolored soul in a mostly black wardrobe.

I will always watch a documentary about literally anything. I will always say yes to chocolate chip cookies. I will always giggle and talk to dogs in a baby voice when they do a long stretch. I will never, ever, get bored of learning random animal facts or the satisfied look on friend’s faces when I pretend I’m annoyed by their bad puns.

My passions are around building community, ADHD & neurodiversity advocacy, and crushing the patriarchy under the heel of my converse. I also have a bit of a potty mouth and a pretty legit plan for the zombie apocalypse.

Music is a transcendent experience. It deeply affects my mood, creative direction, expression. It’s physically painful to not move my hips when a salsa beat comes on. I will always lose the headbang challenge because metal was made for headbanging. It is an evolutionary complusion and you can’t convince me otherwise. Bluegrass, funk, classic outlaw country, R&B, showtunes and songs from animated Disney movies, Romani punk, world jazz… I’m not a music snob, whatever you’ve got bring it my way. Just don’t ask me “who is this” when I’m singing along to my favorite songs, because I don’t remember.

 

Kris Westendorp

Sara Condie

Expectations

For this to work you’ll have to be open – that is, there is no use in trying to guess what exactly to expect from this experience. We can’t know exactly where the session will go. I know it will have moments that are hard and some that are lighthearted. Perhaps we will experience some that are poignant, revolutionary, eye-opening, hilarious, freeing, calming, silly, nerve-wracking, spiritual, healing, emotional… all the things that making art evokes are on the table but you’ll have to be open to the process and all it’s surprises to receive it’s gifts. I’m ready, are you?

Hell yeah, let's do this!

Upcoming Travel

October 2022: Puerto Vallarta, Mexico