Silverton Photographer Gets The Assignment Of A Lifetime

Gretchen Dow Mashkuri is photographer from Silverton, Oregon who doesn't have a business card or a website.  So how did this mother of four end up taking the first pictures of Sam Alexis Woods?  Tiger Woods and his wife, Elin, didn’t want some high-profile celebrity photographer to take the first professional pictures of their new baby.  Gretchen's brother's sister-in-law was the interior decorator for Tiger Woods and recommended her for the job.  They picked Gretchen because she is an unknown and a mother who lives on a farm.

The birth of Sam Alexis Woods was announced on the golfer’s Web site June 18. In keeping with the couple’s desire for privacy, the announcement omitted many details, such as the baby’s height and weight.  A contract she signed prohibits her from discussing many details of the job.  “I was terrified when I walked through their door,” Mashkuri said. “They were very welcoming and warm and made me feel at ease. Just by looking at them, you can tell how proud they are to be parents.”

http://www.oregonnews.com/article/20070628/REGIONALNEWS/70628012