Positive Vista Photography & Art by Portia Shao

Positive Vista Photography & Art by Portia Shao 🎨Artist 📷 Photographer
🖼️ Shop Fine Art at shop.positivevista.com I love animals, and have photographed many different pets in my studio. See my Places gallery.

I have owned and operated my portrait photography studio located in downtown Santa Cruz since 2007. As an artist and photographer, I use camera, lightings, and computer as the tools to create photographic art. From my travels I have also photographed many wild animals, and birds. Raptors are my favorite birds, big cats and elephants are my favorite animals. Some examples are in my Wildlife gallery

. Travel is one of my passions, and I always have my cameras with me when I travel so I can capture some essence of the places I experience. I painted in watercolor before taking up photography professionally. I want my photographs to not just be realistic but also artistic and creative. Some examples are the Polaroid SX-70 manipulated iimages in my Polaroids gallery, they have a painterly look, each is unique. I also have taken up painting digitally on the computer, usually starting from a photograph, which can be a lousy cell phone image, but turn it into a painting. There are examples of them in my Paintings gallery, and in my Dimash gallery. Degrees and credentials:
Master of Photography (M.Photog.) from PPA in January 2017
Certified Professional Photographer (CPP)
Member of Professional Photographers of America (PPA) since 2007
Member of American Society of Photographers (ASP) since 2017

Today's design reminder: one of the easiest ways to create a cohesive space is by paying attention to tone rather than t...
09/05/2026

Today's design reminder: one of the easiest ways to create a cohesive space is by paying attention to tone rather than theme.

A warm wood frame paired with warm wood floors, or artwork with cooler tones in a room that already leans cool, can instantly make a space feel more intentional.

Nothing has to match perfectly. Wood grains don't need to be identical, and neither do the colors throughout your room. Simply deciding whether your space feels predominantly warm or cool is a great place to start.

And don't be afraid to mix in the opposite tone here and there. A little contrast often adds the interest that makes a room feel complete.

Today's Feature: "dimash WIGY with name"

https://shop.positivevista.com

There's a moment every collector remembers, standing in front of a work and just knowing. "Dimash Stranger 2022-11-26 Pr...
09/01/2026

There's a moment every collector remembers, standing in front of a work and just knowing.

"Dimash Stranger 2022-11-26 Presidential inauguration" has had that moment with a few collectors.

What's the story behind the first work of art that ever stopped you in your tracks?

https://shop.positivevista.com

Back-to-school season is not only for families with students. It changes the rhythm of entire communities.Schedules tigh...
08/28/2026

Back-to-school season is not only for families with students. It changes the rhythm of entire communities.

Schedules tighten. Evenings get shorter. People start thinking about focus, routines, and the spaces where daily life happens.

That makes August a useful time to look at your walls with fresh attention. "Dreaming of a Toledo sunrise" may be the kind of work that helps a room feel more intentional as the season shifts.

https://shop.positivevista.com/warehouse-open-edition-prints/art_print_products/dreaming-of-a-toledo-sunrise-25x20

It's August, which means the biggest home selling season of the year is starting to wrap, and people are moving house, h...
08/26/2026

It's August, which means the biggest home selling season of the year is starting to wrap, and people are moving house, heading to dorms or just resettling into places they already call home and love.

What are your end of summer and moving traditions? Share in the comments below.

Today's Feature: "Dimash in blue jacket Astana 2024 with name"

https://shop.positivevista.com

08/24/2026

Dimash angel love 2024 BTS - with name

A contemplative figure turns in three-quarter view, gaze lowered, fingers gently interlaced near the throat. Warm, directional light sculpts the cheek and jaw with amber tones, while a cool purple wash on one side and a saturated crimson field on the other establish a bold chromatic duel. The expression reads restrained and focused—eyes attentive yet inward—suggesting quiet resolve rather than overt emotion.

Refined rendering of the face contrasts with expressive brushwork elsewhere: the textured background feels like weathered velvet, and broader, painterly passages on the jacket catch unexpected violet and rust reflections. Hands receive careful attention, their poised placement adding narrative tension and a sense of imminent motion. Compositional lines draw the eye from fingers to profile, then outward into the color fields, creating a measured rhythm across the canvas.

The piece conveys controlled drama through color and light, balancing intimacy with theatrical presence. It’s a striking, poised work that would lend focused energy to a study, lounge, or personal collection.

https://shop.positivevista.com/warehouse-open-edition-prints/art_print_products/dimash-angel-love-2024-bts-with-name

Quick one: do you decorate around your art, or pick art to match a room you've already designed? No wrong answers, but I...
08/21/2026

Quick one: do you decorate around your art, or pick art to match a room you've already designed? No wrong answers, but I'm curious which is more common.

"Waiting for the light" tends to work for both camps, which is part of why people keep coming back to it. Where do you land?

https://shop.positivevista.com

I'm seeing a lot of artists celebrating World Photography Day today and wanted to join in on the appreciation!It's a cel...
08/19/2026

I'm seeing a lot of artists celebrating World Photography Day today and wanted to join in on the appreciation!

It's a celebration of the way artists preserve moments that might otherwise pass unnoticed. Every work of art begins with the same simple act: paying attention.

Artists notice the light, the atmosphere, the emotion, the relationships, and the everyday moments that many of us walk past without a second thought.

"Dimash in Macau 2023" is part of that tradition. Thanks for taking a moment to reflect with me today.

Happy World Photography Day!

https://shop.positivevista.com

Address

303 Potrero Street Suite 45/201
Santa Cruz, CA
95060

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm

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+18314261400

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