Greg & Monica's Santa Barbara Wedding-Sneak Peek!

This week I'm KNEE DEEP in editing from my first two out-of-state weddings! First, I wanted to give you a little taste of Greg & Monica's Santa Barbara, CA beach wedding. There's nothing like a change of scenery and landscape to get my creative juices really flowing, so a beach wedding was AWESOME to shoot. Plus, I'm a sucker for palm trees and flying in airplanes, so I was a pretty happy camper! Stay tuned for more!

Tatiana's Belly Portraits!

When I think of Tatiana, I think of the classic theme of an artist and their muse; I think of fashion photographers and their favorite models that inspire them. Words like symbyosis, chemistry, vibrational plane, all seem to have to do with what happens what Tatiana walks in front of my camera. I admire her calm spirit, her effortlessness in front of my lens, and her friendship. So it was my TOTAL pleasure to get to photograph her growing belly!




I think pregnant women are absolutely divine creatures. I know, I've been there twice and it doesn't feel like that most of the time! But I guarantee having portraits done like these might offset the memories of swollen feet and queasy stomachs. . .Thank you so much Tot for allowing me to share your portraits!!

Erin & Brad's Botanical Wedding

It's been a while! I've been CRAZY busy and have lots of posts to get to! First off, let's talk about Erin & Brad. . .





Erin rocked her gorgeous "V" neckline gown, sans veil on August 2, 2008. . . .



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The bride, groom, & son all wore matching white Converse. . .

Brad went with the cream linen suit. . .

Together, they have style for days. . .


I hope Erin's spicy sass & charm rubs off on me a little. . . I could use it!
If you are looking for a tropical location within 30 minutes of Tacoma, look no further than Yangs Botanical Garden! It's absolutely BREATHTAKING that this gem is in Port Orchard, no less!


Seriously!

Priceless. . .Erin & Brad's 2-year-old son ran over to momma as grampa walked her down the aisle. Can you STAND it!? One of my favorite images ever. . .


And the weather was everything you could ask for.


Like I said. . .style for days!

This reminds me of a candid of some fabulous family on the red carpet, like Will Smith & Jada, tending to their child, or brangelina. . .lol

Awe, first dance!







Wonderful toasts and a touching, tropical wedding day that was an honor for me to capture. . . thank you so much!!!

Portrait Session-Beth!

Meet Beth

Beth came in for some long overdue portraits, after she saw the work I had done for her husband, Curtis, earlier this year....

When was the last time you had a portrait? A real portrait? A portrait to help you remember WHO you are, right now in your life? Why does it seem like portraits are important at graduation and weddings, but after that, life doesn't always get recorded beautifully...and I have to admit, women are vibrant creatures, I truly believe that, and maybe the days of a huge portrait of the woman of the house over the mantel are gone...but maybe they shouldn't be!

I adore this one above. I imagine she's quietly thinking, imagining. Could you imagine having a portrait of your mother like this? Or your sister?


Awwh, and we ended the shoot with a surprise visit from Beth's guardian angel, Curtis! lol

Nalini & Blue Lotus

It was a special treat last week when bollywood-style dance company Nalini & Blue Lotus drove down from West Seattle for a photoshoot!


Though I've photographed several single bellydancers, this was my first time photographing three at one time. I knew that this would bring different challenges but I was up for it! First off, 10 feet of backdrop wasn't quite enough for some of the wider arrangements, so I needed to go into Photoshop to extend the backdrop. Also, symmetry isn't an important factor when you are photographing a single dancer. Actually, it's asymmetry that's the focus, giving a visual trail for the eye to follow. But when you are capturing the spirit of a group who dances in unison with each other, it's important for each detail among the group to be considered. The mirrored wall behind me at the studio helped them see their reflections, but so did a lot of reviewing on the back of the camera to make sure I'm capturing what they imagine seeing.

I'm all about information. I love knowing about all kinds of things and how they work. So during photoshoots, I like to give my clients opportunities to see how things look and get excited or to point out something they don't like. Photography, especially of OURSELVES is so subjective! It gives me a good idea of how my client is thinking and what they like when I get this feedback DURING the shoot...

As you can see, there's power in threes! Each dancer on their own is exquisite, but when that is tripled, it turns into something more...I'll post again to let you know when their website is redesigned to include the images from our shoot!

Vienna-3 month portraits!

Ahhh, three months old...we will all have the pleasure of watching Vienna grow up during her first year on this blog! Each month, Vienna is coming in so I can capture her grow and change during this fast paced-sometimes chaotic-always surprising-time of her life!

Smiling is now a common occurance, but the delicate, sweet, infant features are still in full bloom...




There's that smile!

Mom was about to change her clothes, but the light shining in through the open door and Vienna's precious adorable baby-ness made me burst out with "Wait! Don't move!" Stay tuned for more images of little Vienna!