PhotoMuseLA

Katherine & Brian's Blingy Affair - Seattle Aquarium Sneak Peek!

2011-09-25T10:19:00.000-07:00

Katherine & Brian, Seattle Aquarium

Last night's event was at the Seattle Aquarium. Katherine and Brian were the most elegant and gracious of hosts the entire night. They were surrounded by great friends and family. We had a most amazing sunset which was fully exploited.

Katherine, Brian, Bert and Mango

If you are looking for a fabulous indoor venue, I have to rank this pretty high in my book. Tyler, the venue's Coordinator treated them like royalty. Case in point: If you know Brian and Katherine, you know they are crazy for otters. So the guests were treated to the evening seat otter feeding as part of the evening's festivities. Clearly, the Aquarium has special meaning to these two.

Choosing to use a venue that supports an important cause is a great way to celebrate your love for each other and give back at the same way - a very green choice.

Day of Coordinator who rocked this shindig: Jen Taylor of Taylor'd Events
Lighting and DJ by the Fabulous Brian from Wavelink Entertainment
Cake by New Renaissance Cakes
Flowers by Buckets at Harbor Steps
Catering by The Seattle Aquarium

Oh and one last thing - Katherine said she can's see how anyone can pull off a wedding without a coordinator. I totally concur. Katherine did a lot of the gathering of details herself which she turned over to Jen.

Congratulations, Katherine & Brian!

Funky Friday with Morris Day and The Time

2011-09-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

My weekly Public Service.
You know it's Friday and you wanna dance! So get up outta ya chair.
You know you want to...

Have a great weekend.

Funky Friday with James Brown

2011-09-09T00:06:00.000-07:00

Album Design - Ellen & Matt

2011-08-04T15:17:00.000-07:00

Since I love album design and this was such a fun and unique wedding, I created this album.

Here's a video of the whole book.

2011-07-09T12:25:00.001-07:00

A recent Wedding posted to the blog: Ellen & Matt. Check it out! http://ping.fm/HTcP5

Ellen & Matt - An Eastern Washington Wedding

2011-07-09T12:22:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time in the works, but Ellen and Matt's Big Day arrived at last! The ceremony location was in Eastern Washington in a town called Pateros. It's a little known town near Lake Chelan along the North Cascade Highway, located in the Methow Valley.

Both the ceremony and the reception locations were beautifully decorated. The ceremony location is owned by friends of the family and belongs on the map as a Must See place! The owners were collectors of all things vintage; signage, a old Coke machine, bicycles, lunch boxes, etc. It was tastefully displayed; vintage kitch would be a good description. This posed a problem for me because there were SO MANY LOCATIONS to choose from to photograph!

The weather that day was perfect and so was the wedding. Ellen and Matt were relaxed before the ceremony until The Moment came to see each other for the first time. Matt was so nervous. There were tears when they saw each other. And more tears at the ceremony: I heard lots of sniffles all around me during the ceremony. After all, they were each marrying their best friend.

The couple chose to have a Signature drink for the reception - it was a Seattle Sidecar. I heard it was pretty good. The food was amazing. The couple gave away a bottle of wine as a Thank You with a custom label - an image from the engagement session we shot. This is a FIRST for me - one of my photos on a wine bottle! Since it was the Fourth of July weekend, there was an inpromptu fireworks show over the river and sparklers were given to all. Everyone had a great time and the dancing went on well after Ellen and Matt departed.

Here's a sneak peak at some of the images made that day.

Just before The Moment!

The property, owned by family friends, was loaded with wonderfully displayed collections of vintage memorabilia. My head was spinning with options!

There were bicycles everywhere.

My first wine label.

Congratulations Ellen and Matt! Have a great time on your honeymoon!

PS: here is the list of all the fantastic vendors that made this happen. Most of them are Chelan local.

Day of Coordinator: Libby Harrison of Sweet Bliss Events.

Caterer: Peppercorn Catering

Wine: Methow Valley Winery

Rentals: All Season Events Chelan

Wedding Cake: Busy Bea’s Cakes

DJ: Heidi Neal of DJChelan

Hair | Makeup: Terry Tisdale, Simply Chic

2011-06-14T23:58:00.001-07:00

Today's photo - 365 Project 2011: Day 156 http://ping.fm/qO4kk

2011-06-08T20:23:00.001-07:00

Brand New post on the blog: a newborn session! PhotoMuseLA http://ping.fm/KW8tB

Newborn Session: Meet B!

2011-06-07T20:16:00.000-07:00

A couple I know were recently blessed with a new addition: A baby girl. I had the honor of doing her very first photo session. She came with a full head of gorgeous strawberry blonde hair. Here's a sneak peak at a few of my favorites from the session.

Congratulations Anna & Ben!

2011-05-22T22:32:00.001-07:00

Today's photo - Winery Art. 365 Project 2011: Day 133 http://ping.fm/jYd9B

2011-05-20T22:52:00.001-07:00

Today's photo comes to you via my android phone. 365 Project 2011 http://ping.fm/8v5bk

2011-05-19T18:08:00.001-07:00

Today's Photo - Hints of Summer - mmmmm 365 Project 2011: Day 130 http://ping.fm/22oLW

2011-05-18T23:03:00.001-07:00

Today's photo from my 365 Project 2011: Day 129 http://ping.fm/NbjCS

2011-05-18T09:39:00.001-07:00

For all my camera slinging buddies: be strong - Battle At F-Stop Ridge http://ping.fm/6TwV4

A Rock the Frock session - Teresa and Dwayne

2011-05-05T16:47:00.000-07:00

I recently did a post wedding photo session, also known as Rock The Frock, or Trash the Dress (Trash the dress is a little alarming for some).

Teresa and Dwayne were married last Spring (you can see their wedding pictures on my blog here). However, instead of an Engagement session, Teresa wanted to do this shoot at her mom's farm.We've been excited to do this ever since we planned it. As luck would have it, we had fantastic weather! Teresa is such a natural in front of the camera. And isn't her dress just gorgeous? Yes, it's like a pewter gray, with lots of layers of tulle. You can see I loved the textures.

The nice thing about doing these photo sessions is that everyone is a lot less worried about time, getting dirty, and more interested in having fun together, and doing creative set-ups with as many or few boundaries as you want. We had a blast!

Thanks to Teresa and Dwayne, Nancy, Joel and Teresa's cousin for assisting :-).

Upcoming Art Show: Joshua Tree NP Art Festival

2011-03-30T12:54:00.000-07:00

Hello again,

Since I started my other blog A Photo A Day, I seem to have abandoned this blog. Well, now that I've got that under control, I can come back to this one.

This weekend I'll be out in 29 Palms at the 19th Annual JTNPA Art Festival. I think it's my 16th year. I've lost track. I've made some incredible friends out over the years, so when we go, it's like visiting family, except they are all artists. Most of you know I met my husband at this show in 1998.

I'll be bringing my film camera this time and will be shooting slide film. The last two years I haven't had the opportunity to go shoot in the park because Eric wasn't able to come with me (someone has to man the booth). I'm probably going to be getting up extra early for those long shadows and contrasts that I love.

It's been gray and rainy these past few months and the break will be welcome! After the show, I'll be doing some work for clients and connecting up with some business workshops and family as well. I'm pretty excited!

2011-01-14T09:59:00.001-08:00

Mark your calendars and go! Should be a good one: Los Angeles Art Show http://ping.fm/ozu25

2011-01-07T16:43:00.001-08:00

For brides on Wedding Shows: 5 Tips On Getting The Most Out Of Them http://ping.fm/Aj8Ri

Wedding Shows: 5 Tips On Getting The Most Out Of Them

2011-01-07T16:37:00.000-08:00

In the area where I live, this weekend is the biggest wedding show of the year - The Seattle Wedding Show. There will be over 400 wedding vendors there. truthfully, it can be downright overwhelming!

Where do you begin? As a wedding professional and a former bride, I've seen weddings go from planning to execution. Here are some tips to give you a little bit of an edge:

1. Know before you go:
One approach is to choose your priorities for the big day in advance. You are, in essence planning, a VERY LARGE PARTY. When Eric and I were planning our wedding, we chose four things that were important to us. They spoke of who were as a couple and what we wanted our guests' experience to be:

A beautiful location

Great photography

Good food

Dancing

With a beautiful location, we knew we wouldn't have to spend a lot on flowers or other decor. Don't get me wrong, I love flowers. But we since we were paying for it, a lot of thought had to go into what we spent money on. Food is an important aspect of who we are and we didn't just want something ordinary. So the location had to have that option nailed, which they did. Lastly, we love to dance. So having a great wedding DJ who know how to keep things fun was ensured when we made our wedding arrangements. As for the location, we chose Calamigos Ranch in California. The price for all of that ending up being the majority of our budget. But we KNEW that it would be just how we wanted it. For us, it was worth it. By the way, if you're wondering about the the photography, I already had that in the bag since several of my good friends were wedding photographers.

So sit down with your fiance and nail some key points to base the event on. This will go a long way towards simplifying your day, you'll save money instead of wasting it on little things that don't matter (and frankly won't
be missed) and spend it where it counts.

2. See the vendors you need to hire first:
From you list, you now have a plan of attack. Collect information, look at the displays, watch how they interact with others. Then if you are interested, schedule a consultation with them outside of the show environment. There is a LOT going on there and it can be challenging for them to always be attentive. After all, they are there to sell.

3. Bring address stickers with your contact info already printed:
If the show is using scanners, then this isn't an issue. But to save from writing a lot, bring printed labels with your name, address and email.

4. Wear comfy shoes: It's usually a big place and you'll feel it later.

5. Organize:
Ok, so let's say you didn't have a chance to choose your key elements. It's not too late after the show. Go through the material you have with your fiance and create from there! I'd still recommend making it about you and your betrothed. It's easy for this thing to get spun out of control and out of your hands with too much outside input. The point is, keep it simple. This is a party to celebrate your love and the the beginning of your new life together.

There are lots of tools out there to help with the organizing part. If it really gets to much, it's worth your time and money to hire a wedding planner. Even for just the day of aspects.

There you have it! I hope you find this helpful. Enjoy the show!

2011-01-03T12:38:00.001-08:00

Photobooth taken to the streets in France: Shot, printed and posted on the spot. Perffusion_Evénement/ http://ping.fm/rlHSn

Goodbye 2010!

2010-12-29T01:33:00.000-08:00

As 2010 comes to a close, I thought I'd take some time to think about all that has happened within my little world. And take a look at my To Do list, the one I posted in last December.

Things I DID:
More Travel - lots of it!
More Photography
More Dancing - took lessons this year
More Art
More hiking - two peaks in the Cascades (they were small but mighty)
More Love

And then there were some things that weren't on the list:
Visited Savannah
Said good bye to a good friend
Meet a new cousin
Went to Yellowstone with Eric
Adopted by a few angels (you know who you are...)

As for the things I didn't do, there is always next year. I don't look at it as a FAIL at all. It was an ambitious list and I look forward to giving it a go in 2011.

As with last year, here's a selection of images I rather fancied from 2010. The subject matter ranges from the Joshua Tree National Park, hot springs in Yellowstone, personal and professional portraits, the famous Eastern Market in Detroit, weddings, fall color, rusty gates in the famous cemetery in Savannah, Sip Washington - it's pretty diverse.

I also want to thank every one who sat, stood, jumped, kissed, hugged, made faces, or walked their dogs in front of my camera lens. I am truly honored to be entrusted to be a part of your lives and families.

2010-12-07T22:31:00.001-08:00

Just posted a fun e-session shot in Seattle in the blog - check it out! http://ping.fm/JAbHQ

Katherine and Brian Engagement Session, Seattle WA

2010-12-07T12:39:00.000-08:00

We had so much fun shooting this engagement session with Katherine, Brian and their Great Pyrenees puppy Burt (he's 35 lbs and counting!!!) They are all excited about their new life together.

Everyone, including Burt, was up for a fun day around Seattle. After securing our coffees, we went to the Seattle Aquarium, which is a favorite place of theirs. Then it was off to the Museum of Flight to do some more unique photography (Brian is a pilot). And we wrapped up the day at their alma mater UW right around sunset.

Here is a sneak peak - my favorites from the day :-)

You can see and hear the slideshow - click on the image below.

Congratulations Katherine & Brian!

Family Holiday Photo Session

2010-11-29T16:07:00.000-08:00

It's not too late to get a family portrait for your holiday cards. If you live in the Seattle area, I've got several slots available.

Last time I was in LA, I was invited to photograph The Kouyoumdjians.

"Dr K", the dad of the family is our dentist in SoCal. His dental office and staff are awesome! What a fun session. The kids are always goofing and made me laugh! I feel honored that I've been their photographer for five years now.

Friends, Old and New

2010-11-16T00:50:00.000-08:00

This post is about friends, new and old.

Last week, my husband and I spent the week in SoCal. For him, it had been about two years since he made the trip down south. So in addition to the photography work I had lined up (two family photo sessions, an interview with a potential 2011 Bride, and our annual Holiday Card), we had a lot of catching up to do.

After two and a half years in the Seattle area, I still find that need to get my LA fix, and see some old friends. Including Mr. Sun. By no means did we get to see everyone. It's always a challenge each time we come down. But we get better ideas of how to do it each time we come down.

The weather couldn't have been more perfect. Leaving Seattle on Jet Blue at sunset put us just in time for dinner with one of our good friends who picked us up. He steered us to a KILLER Thai place in Glendale - Sedthee. When you go, you gotta order the Prosperous Baby! After settling in for the night, the next day was full of running around town, picking up props for SG 2010*, then we paid a visit to my 86 year old grandmom before dinner in Brentwood with Eric's friends. Made time to see some other family as well.

During this visit, we managed to only hit ONLY ONE traffic jam, which was on the I-5. And we drove almost all the major freeways - The 10, 134, 101, 60, 710, and the 405 Freeways. Yes, Fall in LA is Sweet!

Saturday was meeting and photo session day with the Kouyoumdjians - five years running! Then off to OC for more visiting.

We saved Sunday for The Beach. On the way there, I got my gelato fix at what I consider the best italian market I've been to, Monte Carlo in Burbank. I have not found anything that compares here in Seattle. I was so tempted to load up a shopping basket with italian goods. Alas, the checked bag was already at 45 lbs. And it was our last day in town.

The conditions at Santa Monica Beach did not disappoint. It was The Classic California beach day. Clean air, a slight breeze was clean, California girls and boys working on their tans, 73 degrees and sunny. Pelicans flew over the surfers, and kids played in the waves. Parking was easy, too. Squeezed in some more face time with friends who came by and see us, too. Then it was back to Seattle.

All this to say that I have recently come to treasure my friends. All of them. As the camp song goes;

Make new friends,
But keep the old.
One is silver and the other's gold.

Seattle is silver in so many ways - weather, it's newness for me, my new friends, the quality of light.
LA is the gold. It will probably always be that way. As long as I get back for a visit, I'll be fine wherever we live.

*SG = Santa Girl - the annual holiday card co-produced by Me, Eric and Michael Stern of www.Cyberstern.com)

2010-11-09T08:27:00.001-08:00

So true! @JunebugBlair
RT @ee_robbins: "I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have." -Thomas Jefferson

2010-11-03T09:23:00.001-07:00

An out of the box approach. The author might know a little about this: The Art of Calculated Risk http://ping.fm/e4JdZ

2010-11-01T08:00:00.001-07:00

A very interesting blogger with a fresh look http://ping.fm/W28VX

The New Addition!

2010-10-28T00:09:00.000-07:00

Last year, almost to the day, I had the honor of photographing Kristen and Jeremy's Wedding in Kirkland. Well, the family has grown since then and I finally got to meet Baby D!

Here's a sneak peek at our session. Gotta love that red hair!!!

2010-10-26T10:49:00.001-07:00

Buying a new car? Great tips on how to do it from @Grantcardone http://ping.fm/3hEfN

2010-10-13T23:40:00.001-07:00

I don't need a permit. Do you? Great post! Seth's Blog: Do you need a permit? http://ping.fm/tlqN3

New Service! Introducing Album Exposure

2010-10-13T22:15:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, I was deeply inspired. It's like a light bulb went on, my wheels started turning and I got a huge shot of something like caffeine, all at once. Resources and opportunities started appearing (or were they there all along I just didn't see them?) and wham-o! I'm off to the races! Things around here are a lot more fun, too!

One of the cool things I now have is this great service which makes album design for me and my clients a million times easier. And I can quickly put together a slide show with music. Here's a recent wedding - Kate and Dave. Great colors!

Album Love!

2010-10-01T15:44:00.000-07:00

People wonder if I can create wedding books and albums using photos from other photographers. I do! But I'll only accept the project if the images are technically up to pro standards.

Recently I had the opportunity to design a wedding album for a very sweet couple. Their wedding was last year and took place here in the Seattle area and in India. They already had the Indian album done so I was to create the US version. My challenge was to get it designed, bound and delivered by their first anniversary in September. I am happy to say that I met my deadline and proudly handed this beauty to the bride on their anniversary.

This is a Leathercraftsmen 11x14 flush mount book.

I LOVE it! So I had to share.

We chose copper guilding to match the vibrant colors of the photo inset.

Opening spread!

A few of the pages I designed.

We were all very happy with how it came out. Thank you Leathercraftmen for such great service and quick turnaround :-)

Photos shown here by Rebecca Sullivan.

2010-09-25T17:36:00.001-07:00

I was held hostage today by blue skies & sunshine. Ransom? Picnic on a park bench. Released reluctantly.

Amy and Matt: A Family Affair

2010-09-22T15:01:00.000-07:00

Here are a few images from my sister in law's wedding that I photographed last weekend. Everyone worked really hard to create such a beautiful day!

Amy is my husband's sister who came to join my father in law's family when she was a baby. The ceremony took place at the family's church, which was at the end of the block where they live in Allen Park MI. He is very proud of her. This trip was half work and half family visit. It was nice to meet many cousins on Eric's side who knew of me, but I knew not of them.

Congratulations Amy and Matt!

2010-09-22T13:08:00.001-07:00

Have you had a chance to check out this LA Photography gallery? Love their collection http://ping.fm/hbO9O

2010-09-17T20:47:00.001-07:00

Thanks to @persimmonimages for helping with my sis n law's wedding. Loved visting with family!

2010-09-17T07:31:00.001-07:00

Grabbed a breakfast at the Dearborn Farmer's market. Lovely colors.

2010-09-15T10:49:00.001-07:00

Arrived DTW. Nice airport.

2010-09-13T01:09:00.001-07:00

Blog tweaking done for today. Goodnight!

Hike of the Summer - Mt. Catherine

2010-09-11T17:21:00.000-07:00

A few peaks seen from the trail.

Ever since we moved up to the Pacific Northwest, I swore I would "get out and hike every summer." Well, there are a couple of problems with this idea.

1. I'm a wedding photographer. We don't actually get a "summer". And as such, we willingly sacrifice many plans for 'summer vacation' or 'weekend getaways'.*

2. Weather plays a HUGE part in planning any kind of wilderness activity (cold and damp I do not do well).

So, with summer winding down (it is clearly obvious here when this happens), I'd been checking the weather for ideal conditions to take a high county hike in the Cascades. I figured I'd better get while the gettin's good for fear of kicking myself for letting these opportunities get away. So I found a hike I wanted to take that was close yet challenging on the WTA website. The one I chose was about 50 miles away and had a combination of vistas and berry picking: Mt. Catherine. As it is late summer, the huckleberries ripen in the alpine areas. I didn't want to miss that either.

This morning, when I saw the the weather forecast announce it was to be "mostly sunny" (as opposed to "mostly cloudy"), I quickly wrapped up the jobs I was working on, fed Mojo, packed up and headed out.

This was a hard hike. I won't bore you with the gory details of just how hard it was (switchbacks and 1300' elevation gain in 1.5 miles = steep!). Trust me, it was. However, the payoff was nothing less than spectacular.

The trail was well maintained. I saw few other hikers. It was also fairly dry, with only some boggy spots here and there. The last twenty-five feet of the trail was so steep, I had to climb using the mounted cable for just this purpose. As I pulled myself up and stabilized on rocky top, I almost couldn't believe the view. It was breathtaking.

This is the view looking east: I-90 and Keechelus Lake. The summit of Mt. Catherine is really small, unlike the older peaks in the Sierra Nevada range which I am more familiar with.

Beautiful foliage atop Mt. Catherine.

Views from the Summit: Mt. Rainer shrouded in clouds.

It was quite literally straight down. In the distance, I was surround by the rest of the Cascade Range. Most of the peaks seemed to be about as high as I was.

Looking North: lenticular clouds forming.

The view northwest: I-90 and the Snoqualmie Ski Area below.

As for actually finding the huckleberries on the trail, there were none. I saw a lot of wild blueberries, some ripe and many still green. So after I finished my summit ascent, I went to another spot about a quarter of a mile past the trail head where I had seen people picking last week.** There were LOTS of berries there. Mostly blueberries, which I ate.

This little pond is adjacent to the famous Pacific Crest Trail. This trail comes up from California and goes all the way to the Canadian border. For those of you in SoCal, give it a whirl. It's easy to get to.

I'm so glad I took this trip. The price was a lot of sweat and sore legs, but it was worth it. Photographs really don't do it justice. One just has to live these things. So I hope you get a chance to get out there and do some hiking.

*This is not a complaint as much as a fact for anyone who is a wedding professional. We understand what we give up in order to give joy and service to our clients. So we move our activities with our understanding spouses to the off season. We still manage to get breaks from work, just not when everyone else does.

**I tried to find this hike the previous weekend but failed. As you can see, I didn't give up.

Paige and Drew Tie the Knot!

2010-09-09T15:30:00.000-07:00

Here are a few images from a fun and unique wedding I photographed over the summer.

Paige and Drew are both actors who live in the Los Angeles area (coincidentally, near my old home in Toluca Lake). Turns out Page grew up in the Pacific Northwest and it was Frog Creek Lodge near Tacoma that Paige and Drew chose to have their wedding.

During our phone meeting, Paige told me that many friends were flying up to take part in the wedding. Most of their friends are also creatives, which made for some fun pictures!

Some of the activities to prepare for the Big Day included blueberry picking (47 lbs to be exact), preserve making, cupcake baking and decorating. Handmade gifts are a wonderful touch, I think :-).

Blueberries ready to be tabled (and eaten!)

The Ring Bearer. She was a good girl!

The Ring Bearer Bearer!

Handmade cupcakes! The flower petals were made of mini marshmallows.

Congratulations on your new life together!

2010-09-09T14:03:00.001-07:00

Five reasons I love Farmers Markets in the Northwest.

2010-09-07T14:47:00.001-07:00

Just finished a working lunch with Julie Hall of @sipwashington. She's got some fun plans for us!

2010-09-06T13:38:00.001-07:00

In the kitchen this Labor Day cooking a fab end of summer dish -Ratatouille.

Kassi & Karl Tie the Knot - Sneak Peek!

2010-08-31T19:56:00.001-07:00

Kassi and Karl were one of the first couples I met when I moved up here a couple years ago. They are both hard-working engineering students at UW and were fun to work with! Kat Speyer and I had a really great time with them.

Kassi got some fun umbrellas for the girls and the guys all had these great reflective glasses. There were wonderful toasts, lots of laughs and some tears of joy.

Here's a sneak peek of a few of the images.

Thanks, Kassi and Karl, for having us be a part of the day you married your best friend.

Thanks Kat! You rock :-)

2010-08-18T19:57:00.001-07:00

Best way to get through an evening of editing in my book: locally made chocolate from Theo's in Seattle #theoschocolate

Kate & Dave Got Hitched! Part 1

2010-08-09T20:47:00.000-07:00

Mac, Annie & Bud puttin' on the Ritz!

Here is a Part 1 of Kate and Dave's beautiful wedding.

Originally, the entire event was to take place on a rooftop, but Mother Nature had other plans:

RAIN.
But it's the middle of summer, you say?
Yes, but we are in Seattle.

Kate is from the South and many of her family came out to be a part of the big day. It was fun meeting them at the Rehearsal Dinner the night before.

It rained most of the day and stopped right before the rooftop ceremony. We had an amazing crew of vendors who just made it happen despite the weather!

I did their engagement pictures not too long ago and I've had some time to spend with Kate and Dave. I have never seen Dave so happy as he was on this day, rain and all. Thanks Kate and Dave for allowing us to be part of your day!

I'll have more from my fabulous Associate Photographer soon (to be revealed!)

Venue: Bell Harbor International Convention Center
Event Coordinator: Katy Griffiths
Transportation: British Motor Coach
Hair & Make-Up: Salon Maison
Big Band: Jake Bergevin's Javetown Swing Orchestra

And more vendors whom I'll list in the next post.

Umbrella with a smile? Yes please!

Lounge area with beautiful silk pillows.

A southern style wedding cake with coconut shavings. Delish!

Sweet sounds from The Javatown Swing Orchestra.

2010-08-08T00:33:00.001-07:00

And kudos to the staff at #Bell Harbor international for the great teamwork.

2010-08-08T00:32:00.001-07:00

Outside summer wedding rained out in Seattle today! Awesome save by Katy@Vowswedding moving it all inside. Still Fab!

Montana: Big Sky Country Yee Haw!

2010-08-06T22:34:00.000-07:00

Tuesday morning, Eastern Washington.

We said when we moved up here, it would be an adventure.

A twist of fate and some creative planning had Eric and I on our way to Yellowstone National Park last week.

I NEVER thought I'd get to Yellowstone, much less Montana. But a call from a recruiter to Eric for a job in Michigan for a short contract required he take his car. And since I didn't have any major commitments until Friday, we worked it out. I was to help with the driving as far as Billings, MT, then catch a flight home.

Montana is an amazing place. A lot of history, most of it sad (a lot of the Indian Wars took place there, Little Big Horn, The Nez Perce, etc.). Many people also worked to preserve as much as possible, beginning with Teddy Roosevelt. It was THE first National Park in the US. I might add Yellowstone the probably the BEST PARK for kids! Lots of bubbly hot stuff to spur imaginations ;-)

Here's a quote from The Total Yellowstone History page: "In 1872 the vast wilderness of the west was viewed by most Americans as something to be tamed, to be explored, settled, mined, logged, ranched and farmed. For most at that time the west was not valued for its wilderness, but rather for the material treasures that it could yield. It is remarkable that during such an age Yellowstone was set aside as the world's first national park. That such a park could have been created more than a century ago is perhaps the most illustrative indicator of how unique and magnificent the Yellowstone country was perceived to be, even then.

Of the undisturbed ecologically cohesive areas so common in western America in 1872, few remain. Now, at a time when the face of the earth has become so ravaged that few truly natural areas remain, the Yellowstone country assumes a value far greater than the original proponents of the national park ever could have anticipated. Here we find the largest essentially intact ecosystem remaining in the lower 48 states - millions of acres of diverse mountain wilderness relatively untouched by the imprint of man, much the same as it was hundreds, or even thousands, of years ago. Here in Yellowstone National Park and in the surrounding millions of acres of national forest, nearly every species of plant and animal life that John Colter could have seen when he ventured into the area almost 200 years ago continues to flourish."

The evidence from the fire twenty-two years ago was hard to miss. Lots of dead trees still stand, and some have fallen, but there's a brand new forest which has sprung up in it's place.

Since we only had one day, we chose to see the Mammoth hot springs area, Old Faithful and the valley where we'd have the best chance at seeing the wildlife towards the end of the day. My list was short. I saw all the usual suspects: Elk, Bison, Deer, a lone wolf (actually heard one!). I also wanted to see the antelope. I didn't see any in the park, but it wasn't until the next morning on the way to Billings I saw a few small herds.

It was one of my dreams to go to this park. It was a very short stay, but we look to go there again.

Here are the best pictures of the trip.

The Gorge area, Eastern Washington.

Here are some images from Bozeman, MT.

We found the Farmer's market. More of a bazaar than a produce market.

A soap wranglin' cowboy. He makes really good soap! And I couldn't resist a photo opp with him :-).

This is the motel we stayed at in Bozeman. There was a MASSIVE hail storm recently. We saw a LOT of cars with golf ball sized dents on hoods. It tore up the siding of the building!
The Gateway to Yellowstone, North entrance.

We started in the Mammoth Hot Springs area just before sunrise.

Like another planet...

After the morning in the Mammoth Hot Springs area, we made out way down to Old Faithful. A few stops were made along the way.

New growth, post fire.

This little bird hardly paid any attention to me -the foraging was too good to be bothered with a camera-totin' human.

Not quite to Old Faithful yet - The Artist's Paint Pots it's called. Worth a stop.

A view of one of the many valleys.

Hot Springs. The bluer the color, the hotter the water!

Waiting for Old Faithful.

Kinda like a theme park!

The Old Yellowstone Inn - what a beauty!

Inside the Inn.

One of the many hot springs.

There are over 700 geothermal spots in the park. And they change all the time.

These little cliff swallows were nested inside the post of a footbridge.

Mommy just flew by...

What a sky!!

Another Old Faithful show.

2010-08-03T23:28:00.001-07:00

Original 3-D Pix: Brian May, of Queen, Discovers 150-Yr-Old Photos - In Stereo Vision http://ping.fm/aoCao

2010-08-03T13:57:00.001-07:00

OMG - this is brilliant - WANT! The Camera Lens Mug http://ping.fm/01HuI

Weekend Trip: Arlington Fly-In, WA

2010-07-12T11:45:00.000-07:00

I LOVE airshows!!!

It's not often that we get visitors our way. But one of my long time friends Doug Holser is a traveling salesman for a pin-striping company. He was scheduled to take part in the annual Arlington Fly-In which was July 9-11. I've had "planes on the brain" for a long time now, what with my dad being a pilot and all. And Eric had been to this show two years ago. So it was convenient that Doug was going to be at the show so we could visit with him and see the cool planes.

One of the neat things about the show is if you own an airplane, you can fly in, and camp right next to your airplane! The place is set up with showers, grills for cooking, shuttles into town, even car rental if you need wheels. They also had a whole lot of vintage airplanes, cars, vintage military vehicles and some hot trick planes. The weather was perfect, too! Everyone loves blue skies.

We also watched a few of the arial performers. Still images don't even come CLOSE to the stuff these guys were doing. Sometimes it looked like these pilots were flinging the airplanes like paper. That's some masterful piloting. So I've included some links. See below:

This was Bud & Ross Granley performing (father and son) - watch the video here. Click on the YouTube teasers. Dad has the smaller plane. They fly Russian airplanes, Yak 55's.

This guy is enlisted in the Navy on Whidby Island. This is his airplane which he owns and has lovingly restored.

We found a matching airplane for Eric :-).

This beauty is also a trick plane, flown by Renny Price. Take a look at a fantastic compilation video of most of the planes I showed you from 2008 here. Very exciting!!!

An old restored barnstorming airplane!

I believe this airplane belongs in the Flying Heritage Collection. They have a huge selection of restored war birds. All of which are operational :-).

Awww, and these were RAD! The first privately owned fighter jets in the US. http://www.alphajetsusa.com/ I would LOVE to fly in one of these!

And to end the night, there was a Hot Air Balloon Glow. A LOT of propane goes into making these float. They had to let the balloons cool between blasts so they didn't take off. You'll notice they are tethered to their trucks.

The final glow for the night :-)

Cora & Eric Tie the Knot - Sneak Peak!

2010-07-06T21:20:00.000-07:00

Here are some images from Cora & Eric's Wedding last Saturday!

We got lucky with some sun and no rain so it was a beautiful day for a wedding :-).

I LOVE Cora's blog. Which is one reason why I was so glad we met via the blogosphere and she chose me to shoot her wedding. But I digress.

Cora was so calm all day. Actually everyone was, which is unusual for a wedding. Nevertheless, it started on time and everyone enjoyed themselves. Lots of smiles, lots of laughs, and great company.

I am so glad I got to know them, and am honored to have joined them on their most special day.

Paying homage to the way they met: as bloggers :-)

This little guy was man enough to notice he looked sharp!

Mother and daughter.

Cora had the cutest shoes - "Pretty Talls"!!!

Gwen and company

Best Wishes all, and Cora, I'll be following your blog no matter where you live :-)

2010-06-15T09:37:00.001-07:00

Want to help with the clean up efforts in Gulf Oil Spill? Here's a way http://ping.fm/zwjNt

Teresa and Dwayne Sneak - Peak Part 2

2010-05-31T21:57:00.000-07:00

As promised, part 2.

My fabulous Associate was the fabulous Kat Speyer of Persimmon Images! Didn't she just rock this baby, too? Thanks so much, Kat!!!!

Dwayne's Boutiniere

The "RickRoll'd" ACTION shot. You can't miss the smirks.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this one!!!

Love making the portrait collage - the guys did well!

More feather bouquets!

Ellen & Matt - Woodland Park Zoo Session

2010-05-29T16:18:00.000-07:00

Ellen and Matt are getting married next summer. But I can tell they are already excited about their wedding already.

This was my first time at this Seattle landmark. I loved all the bronzed sculpture located throughout the zoo! Luckily for me, Ellen & Matt were very familiar with the place - the love it there! They took me to thier favorite spots. Then we went to Green Lake, and it being a nice day, EVERYONE was there! Lots of dodging and ducking to avoid getting run over, skated into, dog walked off the path, etc.

They LOVE maps, so I had an idea to do something with them and maps. And whattaya know, there was a map at the zoo!

They took me to the bench where Matt proposed :-).

Thanks Ellen & Matt! It was a lovely afternoon!

Teresa and Dwayne - Sneak Peak! Pt 1

2010-05-25T02:10:00.000-07:00

It's weddings like these that make me shout, "I LOVE MY JOB!!!!"

Beautiful, classy, elegant, lighthearted, joyful and fun are words that come to mind to describe yesterday's event.

Teresa planned a vintage/vogue classy themed wedding - with a twist. She carefully sourced all her materials from all over to make it exactly the way she imagined it. Her dress was not white, but a beautiful light gray. She even went out of her way to make sure the food was not "wedding food". It was AMAZING!!! The whole day was amazing! From the striped walls at the Hotel Monaco, Seattle , to the ostrich feathered centerpieces to the one of a kind cuff links and the feathered hair pieces, this was one unique event!

I've never laughed so hard at a wedding, either. During the ceremony, the reader came up to do his part. After a few "sentences", the guests started to giggle. As he continued to read, the giggles turned to laughter. Then he got to this part.."I'm never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down...". It became quite clear that the couple "RickRolld" everyone!!! Well played, T & D!

And what is love without laughter anyway?

So here is a sneak peak, part 1. I'll have more from my fabulous Associate Photographer soon (to be revealed!)

Event Coordinator: Bobbi Roth - Bobbi Roth Weddings
Make-up by: Heidi - Salon Maison
Hair: Lindsy Phelps - Gary Manuel
Transportation: British Motor Coach

Teresa likes her shoes and she knows how to wear them. These are a few from the weekend's events. No, I didn't hear her complain about having sore feet. Uh-uh, not once. Really.

Aren't these the cutest stockings EVER?

Teresa and her "entourage".

The Girls vamping it up. Yes, those silk numbers have pockets!

Little Flower Girl just had to have a moment...!

I love this image. This says so much about how much they love each other. Pure honesty here. I LIVE for moments like these.

The guests were treated to a fantastic view from the 17th floor of the Seattle Harbor Club.

Thank you Teresa & Dwayne for allowing me to share in your special day. Looking forward to our Next Photo Session at the Farm!!!

2010-05-21T15:35:00.001-07:00

Pac-man 30th anniversary: Is this the best ever Google Doodle? - mirror.co.uk http://ping.fm/ErWiI

Cora and Eric and Gwen

2010-05-10T16:19:00.000-07:00

Let's see:
Blue skies - check!
Fluffy White Clouds - check!
A trio of people who obviously enjoy each other - check!
What more could you ask for to have a great Engagement Session?

Thanks guys! looking forward to your wedding!!!!

2010-05-09T11:36:00.001-07:00

Happy Mother's Day! Made a cake to honor my mom http://tinyurl.com/2ch9na7

Mother's Day 2010

2010-05-09T11:17:00.001-07:00

My mom had this recipe for Carrot Cake. I really love this version of the cake. Most carrot cakes I've had just don't do it for me. I'd been thinking about making it for the past year or so. Maybe it was because I've moved away from LA and wanted to have something familiar. Who knows? Anyway, I lacked two key components: cake baking pans and enough people to eat it. After all, it's a THREE LAYER event, and the frosting is Philly Cream Cheese. With angle flake coconut.

I also needed an occasion.

We held our first party in the Northwest last night to celebrate my recent birthday. I got the pans and made the cake in honor of my mother, Gloria (1947-2000) for Mother's Day.

There was exactly enough to feed everyone and still leave two pieces for this morning.

It's still as yummy as I remember and even better the second day.

Thanks Mom!

Kate & Dave and...

2010-05-02T15:56:00.000-07:00

Kate is one of the few people that I've met since moving up here and it seems like so much longer than the six months we've been friends. She too, is also not from Seattle and we connected pretty quickly once we met. Kate is a entrepreneur/small business owner and does lots of really great work for her clients. She mentioned that she was dating this guy Dave and had been for a while. That was back in October. Fast forward to now, he's since popped the question (to which she said Yes!), they've relocated, and they are deep into wedding planning (take note of the gorgeous ring he surprised her with!)

Some Very Important Members of the household are her (now their) long-haired Dachshunds. They started out with two, but they recently added a third - a puppy!!! Three dogs are fun and unpredictable, each of them having COMPLETELY different personalities.

The engagement session was set up as a dog walking afternoon, and good for us, the fickle spring weather was on our side. There were lots of other dogs on the walk and the two boy dogs made sure that NO ONE was gonna hurt Kate & Dave.

Here are some of the highlights.

The puppy!!!! Not easy to get him to be still...

Standing watch. We were buddies, honest! Bud just wanted his own portrait, which I did for him later.

Thanks guys! I had a blast and I'm getting excited for your big day!!!!

2010-04-29T15:26:00.001-07:00

Pretty Idea for centerpieces from @flirtygirl! Origami Cherry Blossoms http://ping.fm/AiTjW

A retro portrait session

2010-04-17T15:47:00.001-07:00

Ryan is kind of a Retro guy. He didn't want just run-of-the-mill pictures.

I have a north-ish facing window (Photographers know what this means...)

We talked a lot during the shoot. He likes his hats.

He has a record collection. We just so happen to have some.

I thought of Chet Baker when I made these few. Just add a scotch.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it when a portrait session comes together. Thanks Ryan for the great create!

2010-04-16T09:22:00.001-07:00

Ethical Style » Britney Spears Refused Retouching for Candie's Shoe Ads http://ping.fm/oo3rz

Desert Weekend Shoot

2010-04-15T14:43:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are the rest of the images from my recent trip to Joshua Tree National Park, in CA. I really needed much more time, but one must work with what one has...

FYI - the spring bloom is still on it's way up so you've still got time to get out there. Check it out here.

Desert Globemallow

Canterbury Bells

Brittlebrush

Penstamin - Hummingbirds love this one.

An Aster of some kind

Beavertail Cactus

Hedgehog cactus

From the twilight shoot with Paul Martini

Barker Dam, Sunrise Saturday morning with Ralph Nordstrom and Craig Schoenbaum.

Joshua Tree Art Show 2010

2010-04-07T11:19:00.000-07:00

Just got back from my annual art show in 29 Palms CA. For those of you unfamiliar with the show, it's the 18th year for the Joshua Tree National Park Association which runs over three days in the beginning of April. I had a great time, sold some artwork, caught up with my desert art friends, and generally "dried out" from all the Seattle rain.

It was a warm and wonderful weekend, filled with art and great weather. We needed it to be that way, too, because the previous two years we had crappy weather. In 2008, we had to shut down the show early on Friday because a rain storm blew in - artwork, pottery and glass are no match for 30mph gusts. Last year, we had wind too.

The flowers were blooming in the lower areas, but I didn't get a chance to get there this time: Eric was not able to join me and I had to be at my booth the entire time. But I did do a sunset shoot and a dawn shooting session :-). I have a lot of images to process. However here are some teasers.

This is Elizabeth Green. Where she was staying was this fantastic old Ford! We couldn't resist!

Cherry Blossom Portraits

2010-03-15T18:45:00.001-07:00

Here in the Seattle area, EVERYONE, and I mean EVERYONE, keeps an eye out on the Cherry Trees located in the Quad on the UW campus. Last year, the trees bloomed in April and were a beautiful shade of pink. This year, they were almost white. No one could explain the the color shift, but there was nothing to stop the throngs of people from coming down to celebrate in and among the trees. I was one of them.

Kassy & Karl (students at UW and one of my couples getting married this summer), let me know when the bloom was on. We had a great time framing the crowds out (in most cases), and generally being cute together.

After the Portraits, Eric and I came back to get some updated portraits.

What makes me happy...

2010-03-07T00:48:00.000-08:00

So today, I had the Blues. Not the musical kind.

Sometimes I get homesick. Sometimes I don't turn the news off in time. Sometimes I just feel crappy for unknown reasons. But wanna know what always cheers me up?

A road trip.

I have A LOT of great memories of road trips, especially photographic ones.

Even a twenty-five minute challenge to chase down something I saw next to the freeway (as an aside, it seems we photographers ALWAYS see something really cool while driving 60 mph on some freeway). That was the case today.

I was on my way back from West Seattle and the elements seemingly lined up for me: it was one of those after-the-rain-the-sun-is-out-go-take-pictures-dammit afternoons. As I sped south on I-5, I saw the shot I wanted: a grove of trees lit up by the late afternoon sun, the contrasting light and dark of the evenly spaced trunks were making a really cool pattern. Excitedly, I waited to get to the next exit, which was at least a mile or two away. Those miles always seems to take forever. Of course, the sun and the clouds were doing a dance, so it was now you see it, now you don't. Once off the freeway, I backtracked on surface streets to get to the choice spot to make my image. But alas, I could not get there from where I was: the roads just didn't connect. My hopes sank as I came to grips with the fact that this was a FAIL of a photo mission.

So I made this image instead. It's the view I have when I'm on one of my road trips. Despite the fact that I didn't get my shot, I felt better anyway. And I now know one thing that will always get me out of a blue mood.

Tips for Better Wedding Photography

2010-02-04T23:56:00.000-08:00

Over the years, I’ve been asked by friends, brides and family members questions about how to get the best images from a professional photographer. So I thought that it might be time to commit some of this to paper and share it. Some of the areas I’ll cover include weddings, headshot/portraits, family portraits, and landscapes. If you have an area you’d like me to cover, let me know.

Here’s the first one:

5 Tips for Better Wedding Photography

The great thing about your wedding day is that it’s YOUR DAY. I have a few suggestions to make it a little less stressful from my personal experience. These are the things that have worked well for brides:

1. GET COMFORTABLE: Get to know your professional photographer. After you’ve made the decision and hired your photographer, get to know them. Outside of your bridal party, the only other vendor you will be spending the most time with is your photographer. If an engagement session is offered, take them up on it. Sure, you or your fiancé may be camera shy, but this is the best time to work out the kinks, before THE BIG DAY. Your photographer wants you to feel relaxed and beautiful so that it shines through in the images. The engagement session is also less stressful than the wedding day and you’ll have more time to get great images.

2. DELEGATE DISTRACTION: This is your day. The best thing you can do for yourself and your fiancé is to get the event arrangements of the day OFF YOUR PLATE. Best case – hire a coordinator, one who has experience with weddings. Next best thing, get a trustworthy, reliable friend to handle the arrangements. Preferable someone not in the bridal party. Then, let them handle it. The less stressed you are, the more beautiful you will be. Pictures of the bride on the phone all day are not so pretty.

3. SET ASIDE TIME: Most of those gorgeous images that you’ve seen were done either before the Ceremony or just after. Talk to your photographer about the type of images you want and how much time will be required to do them. Then include that time in your wedding day timeline.

4. HIRE PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP & HAIR: These professionals will work to get you looking like you on your wedding day. Pro products won’t make you look like a ghost in the flash pictures. Pro hair and makeup is made to last the entire day.

5. FIRST LOOK: Most couples are taking the First Look option to streamline and preserve their special moment of seeing each other for the first time on their wedding day. This is entirely a personal choice, however there are some benefits to consider:

a. You look your best right after you’ve gotten your dress on: Fresh hair, fresh dress, and fresh face. Your emotion is also very genuine. You want to capture that.

b. You and your fiancé can get most, if not all, of your formal photography done before the wedding, which leaves you free to enjoy your friends and family immediately after the ceremony.

c. Most of the friends and family tend to get antsy and/or are hungry and just want to eat right after the ceremony. This can cause the formal photography session to go long as people are constantly rounded up over and over again.

d. You’ll feel less stress walking down the aisle because most of the official photos are DONE!

e. You still get your private moment – your photographer will make it extra special for you – and you’ll get great photos.

I hope you find these tips helpful. Next up, how to prepare for headshots.

Cheers!

Time Lapse - Santa Girl 2009

2010-01-13T10:09:00.001-08:00

Every year, Eric and I create our Christmas cards. Those of you lucky enough to be on the mailing list have been enjoying them for years. Here's a time lapse of how the shoot went down for SG2009 shot by my great photographer friend and mentor Michael Stern.

See, we used a real plane!

A lot of the work was done before and after the shoot. Michael really knows how to blend all the pieces and the results are always spectacular. (Thank you Michael! OX)

I want to thank Shane of Northwest Seaplanes for use of his georgeous Dehavilland Beaver DHC-2 Seaplane, Megan & Christiana of Offwhite Makeup Studios, and my good friends from Seattle (you know who you are).

Playin' with words ...and Winning!

2010-01-04T17:25:00.001-08:00

Actually, it wasn't me. But a very, very clever Weird Al. As in Weird Al Yankovic!

2010-01-02T23:37:00.001-08:00

Beautiful visuals! Timescapes Timelapse: Mountain Light on Vimeo http://ping.fm/o3QPA

Happy New Year

2009-12-28T13:19:00.000-08:00

What an interesting and exciting year 2009 was.

I'd say creatively, I've gained some new insights and visions. I connected more with my subjects - live or still life - and got some really nice work. Also had some great adventures.

Here are some highlights - the Firsts (most of them I've blogged about so the images herein area not especially associated with the event):

2009 was my first calendar year in the Seattle Area. A full cycle of the seasons, especially winter. (Most you you know my tolerance for the cold is very low, but my Smartwool socks and hoodies have been doing the trick most of the time. But as you can imagine, I'm pretty bundled up most of the time. I've got a blanket on my lap as I write this post).

Cross-Country Skiing: It was fun and beautiful on Mt Hood. Once I hit my stride, I had one of those Zen-like moments. I look forward to going again.

I experience my first Spring, as in, trees leafing out, spring flowers bursting forth in mass quantities - things that only happen in areas where it gets cold in the winter.

White Water rafting: What an exhilarating experience!
Went to the Olympic Mountians, Hurricane Ridge.

Volunteered for a Wine Crush: Always wanted to know how wine was made and I worked for one of the best - Efeste in Woodinville.

First Christmas Away with Family: two of the three stepdaughters came out to be with us for Christmas. As my second Christmas away from my family, it really was nice be with them and not have to travel. There was lots of cooking and baking. Thanks Girls!!!

First Biznik Event: I LOVED showing people in LA some powerful business mojo from my favorite social media site. Great attendance, too. Find out about it here.

Made some downright GREAT new friends. That is for sure a highlight! Which isn't to say that I don't miss my other friends. I do. But with the magic of FB, Twitter and Virgin America/JetBlue, we can be together in less than half a day. Remember that...

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to do a short re-cap of some my favorite images from 2009. The images follow.

As for 2010, I resolve to do more of the right things that make me and mine happier. Maybe you share some of these goals, too.

My short list:

More art
More photography
More writing (working on my typing speed!)
More helping others succeed
More music
More dancing
More gourmet meals out and at home (Sunset and Bon Appetite magazines - I love you!)
More creativity
More hiking (maybe even camping...)
More travel
More efficiency
More art
More study
More truth
More laughter
More organization
More wins
More love
More volunteering with the organizations I care about
More play

There are some things to have less of:
Less clutter
Less negativity
Less litter
Less procrastination
Less hate
Less trash and pollution
Less crappy art (all mediums)

So here's to a great 2010.

2009-12-18T22:41:00.001-08:00

Tiny Gingerbread houses that perch on your cocoa mug CUTE! http://ping.fm/8ZRJq

2009-12-11T00:19:00.001-08:00

RT @YasharNow RT @ HerbguyInnovative and convenient: roll up cooktop from Italy http://ping.fm/Ba1xv

2009-12-02T21:19:00.001-08:00

Wow! What a cool concept. I'm in. Help-Portrait http://ping.fm/85gt6

The Kouyoumdjian Family Session

2009-11-30T21:25:00.001-08:00

When I was in LA last week I got to photograph the "K" Family. The first time I shot them was in 2004! It's really cool to watch the kids grow up. Natalie only had this one day and this one hour to get these photos done: the kids had soccer practice, baseball games to go to and all manner of shuttling to do that Saturday. I think we rocked it!

2009-11-29T18:44:00.001-08:00

I'm going to this: Seattle Dom Sagolla, a Co-creator of Twitter Shares His Style Guide for the Short Form - Biznik http://ping.fm/oLtOH

2009-11-25T17:06:00.001-08:00

i could not resist: bacon pumpkin pie http://ping.fm/O7kvg

2009-11-22T09:43:00.001-08:00

Georgeous sunny Sunday morning! Takin' it easy after a whirlwind few days.

Fall Colors 3: For someone special

2009-11-18T23:40:00.001-08:00

This is for J.E.

2009-11-13T15:32:00.001-08:00

Stagazer Alert: SkyandTelescope.com - Observing Blog - The 2009 Leonids Are Coming! http://ping.fm/9B0my

2009-11-12T22:01:00.001-08:00

Cheap tix to paradise, who wants to go? Alaska Air Intro fares at $169 http://ping.fm/21Jtz

West Coast Holiday Portrait Promotion!

2009-11-03T22:24:00.001-08:00

Whoo hoo!

I'm excited to announce that I'll be in the LA area later this month. While I'm there, I'll be spending some time with family, friends and clients shooting family photo sessions.

As a portrait photographer, I consider it a privilege to be able to capture family moments so that those memories will last a lifetime. They are wonderful to share with your friends and family or to give as holiday gifts.

There were a lot of people who took advantage of the last special I ran in July, so I'm bringing it back by popular demand. I still have some slots available, so BOOK YOURS NOW:

Holiday Family Portrait Session Special
Los Angeles & Orange County Clients*
November 20 - 22, 2009

Photo session takes place at a location near you between Friday Nov 20 and Sunday Nov 22.
Special Session Fee: $100.00!
(that’s 25.00 off the regular session fee.)
*I've only got 8 slots available in LA and OC)

Seattle Area Clients, I'll be doing the same special from November 7 - 15, 2009.

And, there's more. As before, I'm still offering the 2 for 1 Print Special, and:

Luscious Holiday Cards
Fun Photo Greeting Cards
Gorgeous Canvas Prints
Fabulous Large format prints, too.

All of these are available online, so you don't even have to leave your house. Your prints and cards will be speedily delivered right to your door.

Referral Gift! Refer two Families who book during my stay and you'll get 20% off and a Free 5x5 Mini Book of your favorite pictures.

And it's not too late to have all of this delivered to you before you need to get them in the mail for the holidays, as long as you don't dawdle after you see the pix ;-)

Call me 818-606-6417

2009-11-02T16:55:00.001-08:00

Tweetin' some Mod Retro Indie Vintage Clothes http://ping.fm/9XX2d

2009-10-28T17:26:00.001-07:00

Just did a fun head shot session with Julie Hall-Windemere! We celebrated with pizza at #Tutta Bella http://ping.fm/l9zxe

Fall Color - more sketches

2009-10-26T22:35:00.000-07:00

I have recently been "seeing" my landscapes rather as two -dimensional pieces. More graphic, as in "flat", than as a scene unfolding before me. Maybe it's because the subjects I see daily, the water, the leaves, the trees, are so numerous. I see the patterns in the shadow play. This series is more inspired that way.

I played with a couple of the images to see how they would look. I'd LOVE to make some of them into VERY LARGE wall canvases. And I very may well do just that.

What do you think?

I just LOVE the random scattering of leaves.

Fall Color - A Preview

2009-10-25T23:38:00.001-07:00

It's late October and the colors are fading here in the Northwest. I almost missed it, being buried in my office but I managed to peel myself away from paying jobs to go out and capture some amazing colors. This is my second year experiencing this fantastic seasonal change. Getting out is also very important to do before the weather gets really contrary...

I also wanted to get some really cool pix of Eric. I love how they came out!!!

I'm putting together a slide show to share with y'all. But here are a few to wet your appetite.

2009-10-23T11:32:00.001-07:00

Off to meet with a Wedding coordinator for lunch and I'm starving!!! I'll eat before I go :-)

2009-10-20T13:07:00.001-07:00

Sneak Peek at last Sat's wedding on blog: Stormy, Windy, Sunny = FUN! http://ping.fm/Xc3ci

Kristen & Jeremy, Kirkland WA

2009-10-19T23:56:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a wedding day for Kristen and Jeremy. Here's a little sneak peak at some of the pictures, and a little story.

Kristen & Jeremy, Kirkland WA: There was wind, rain, thunder, lightening, and even a rainbow! Mother Nature took what could have been a Typical Northwest Fall Day (otherwise dull and overcast) and added a little excitement to Kristen & Jeremy's Special Day.

Saturday's forecast called for rain, heavy in the morning and light showers in the afternoon. It had been raining nearly non-stop on Friday. The plan was to do most of the pictures before the ceremony to take advantage of the natural light out...outside. Bracing myself for the worst case scenario (visions of non-stop rain and umbrella shots, then moving indoors), I brought several towels for my gear and my couple.

Kristen's wedding day preparation took place at the Hyatt in Bellevue, then we were to head over to Kirkland Marina Park.

We all just LOVED Kristen's dress!

As luck would have it, the showers stopped right before we started our pictures, and the sun came out for the first time that day. It lasted as long as we needed it and then the next round was on it's way (you can see the heavy rain clouds heading right at us, along with some serious wind).

Notice the choppiness of the water....

The sky really opened up, minutes before the ceremony!

And then it was over.

The lighting was FABULOUS under the pergola.

A very happy couple with the "personal sized" Pierre Jouettes.

I love Fall Weddings. I can really appreciate them up here in Washington State.

A little ride up to Carillon Point for some more pictures...

A runner dashes past the front doors to the Wilde Rover Irish Pub, the reception location. The festivities continued at the Pub, well into the night.

Thank you Kristen and Jeremy for having me be a part in your Big Day! Enjoy your time off and good wishes for your future together. And I want to thank Amy & Nate for trusting me enough to refer me to her childhood friend :-)

Wedding Location: Kirkland Marina Park
Reception and catering: Wilde Rover Irish Pub and Restaurant, Kirkland

2009-10-14T17:14:00.001-07:00

Neet item the Eco/Office. I LOVE this store! See Jane Work ( http://ping.fm/uESTx )

Artist Portrait

2009-09-30T00:17:00.000-07:00

Last week, I had the chance to have some fun with a couple of creatives: Jeff Cains, and artist Lynne Dykins. I borrowed a concept from another photographer, who is quite famous, who shot one of my Rock heroes years ago (trivia: guess the photographer's name and the person photographed).

Lynne, a painter, wanted something fun and no-traditional. Now, Lynne was a bit nervous about getting her picture taken. But all three of us hit it off quite well.

When doing a portrait session, we take a lot of pictures in succession. After we had been going for a while, Lynne wanted to know if taking that many pictures so quickly is actually worth it. "I mean," she says, "is my expression change that noticeable?" Jeff and I both answered with a resounding "YES!"

As any parent can attest to, moods and facial expression shift quickly - in the blink of an eye. As photographers, we are trained to just keep shooting, especially during portrait sessions. It's the fleeting 'LIFE' part of the person that makes images memorable, the personality, in between the poses. Some people HATE being posed. However, poses are a starting point. Like a picking an herb to season a main dish, it establishes the point from which to begin the rest of the creative process. After that, the creation takes on a life of it's own. And THAT is what we live for.

Wine Crush, Woodinville

2009-09-21T12:58:00.000-07:00

I helped make wine last weekend.

Back story: In getting to learn more about Washington, I went with my friends Julie & Nick to visit Woodinville, Seattle's Napa Valley on the western side of the state a few weeks ago. Julie was also planning a wine tasting of the best Washington wines for under $20.00, so we took this opportunity to check them out for ourselves.

(A warning, I'm geeking out a bit here with the links, but it was truly a fascinating experience :-)

One of the wineries I'd read about in the Seattle Magazine, was Efeste. The review was quite glowing, and they had a wine that was under 20.00 which was featured in the article. Anyway, we stopped in and one of the winemakers, Ben, told me if I wanted to help with the process, I could sign up as a volunteer. So I did.

Fast forward to last Saturday, the day I helped with the crush. It was A LOT of work, but I managed to get a few pictures.

There were about 15 of us including the owners and the winemaker, and we went through 7.9 tons of fruit. I really felt it the next day (back and neck!). But I'd do it again.

Pictures here.

2009-09-18T22:35:00.001-07:00

Listening to KCRW and working on album design = bliss!

2009-09-18T21:40:00.001-07:00

A little bit of LA - my home: http://ping.fm/0FIzv

Lake Michigan Senior Portrait Session

2009-09-10T22:53:00.001-07:00

Yes, there are Senior pictures here, but I will give you a little back story about the location.

We recently vacationed on the shores of Lake Michigan, the sandy beach side. It had been two years since we were all there as a family. This trip also included my in-laws, who owned this wonderful cottage.

Located in the beachy town of Pentwater, Michigan, there are lots of historical buildings there, and lighthouses, too.

The first time I went there was shortly after Eric and I were married. He said we'd go to his family's beach cottage for a vacation. Frankly, I just didn't DO vacations. As a landscape photographer, a 'vacation' for me was getting up before sunrise, hiking trails, hefting gear, making my own meals, driving to many locations chasing light...you get the picture.) And I was perfectly happy doing this and felt no need for doing it any other way. So this was my first ever 'vacation' (i.e. lounging on the beach, playing frisbee, reading, napping, eating...). At first, I was going crazy, looking for things to do. Then along about the second day, I laid myself across one of the many colorful inner tubes made for this purpose, and floated on the lake. The water was warm, the air perfect and the sun was shining. I had my vacation epiphany - it was bliss. I've been trying to re-experience that moment ever since.

However, when our little quintet was there last, it was overcast, cold and rainy the entire weekend. You can imagine how I felt.

So we were really looking forward to getting to the lake again as a family. And, it just so happened that my stepdaughter Brenna was in need of her Senior Portraits. So we made it a bit of a family affair: Eric was our driver and sister Joslyn was my lighting assistant.

I spent the day before scouting locations. We did really well! Here are just a few from the over 500 images shot over the three day period.

More to come soon :-)