The people you love,
made into art
Commissioned fine art portraits of the family, the milestones, and the animals worth keeping for generations.
Blackwater is not a photo session. It is a studio that turns the people you love into artwork designed for your home and made to be passed down.
Four artforms, one standard
Made for the wall,
not the phone
A photo lives on a screen and is forgotten. A Blackwater portrait is finished as gallery grade wall art, designed for a specific space in your home and made to outlast every trend.
- Archival prints on fine art paper, canvas, and metal
- Hand finished framing chosen for your walls
- Delivered with a Certificate of Authenticity
- Designed at true scale so it fits the room the first time
Guided from first hello to hanging on the wall
The Conversation
We talk about your family, your home, and the walls you want to fill. The design begins here.
The Session
Unhurried and fully guided, directed with the ease of photographing thousands of people.
The Reveal
You view your portraits at true scale and design your pieces together, nothing left to guesswork.
Your Artwork
Finished to an heirloom standard, ready to bring home to your walls.
Donnie Stevens
I have had a camera in my hands since childhood. Through my company DLS Innovations, my team photographs thousands of students and athletes across the region every year.
Blackwater is where I slow down. This is my fine art studio, where I create commissioned artwork one family, one senior, and one animal at a time. The result is never a folder of files. It is artwork made for your walls and made to be passed down.
We are passionate about both the people and the animals you love, and every portrait is created as fine art for your walls.
The difference is intention
A True Artist
A studio that photographs thousands of people every year. You are working with an artist who knows exactly what he is doing and treats your artwork as seriously as you do.
A Guided Experience
From planning to the finished piece on your wall, every step is designed around you. Nothing is rushed or left to chance.
Heirloom Artwork
Gallery grade materials, hand finished framing, and a Certificate of Authenticity. Created to matter for generations.
A gallery of recent work
Commissioned artwork,
priced with clarity
Blackwater creates commissioned artwork, not a folder of files. A guided design appointment helps you choose exactly what fits your walls, so nothing is a surprise.
The session itself is free. A $299 retainer holds your date and is credited in full toward the artwork you choose.
View the InvestmentMost families invest in a signature wall piece and a collection for the home. We guide you through every option at your design appointment.
Donnie Stevens · Named by the Professional Photographers of America
Proud members of the Professional Photographers of America, the Professional Photographers of Ohio, and the St. Clairsville Area Chamber of Commerce.
Let's create something worth keeping
Tell us about your family, your senior, or your animal, and we will plan a portrait experience made for you.