Julie Watts Photo Bloggilicious

Julie's Stint as a Radio Show Cohost

2011-12-19T14:35:00.001-08:00

Aww, hi everybody! Can't wait to update you with what I've been doing besides blogging. Everything is changing so fast. If you aren't following my antics on Facebook, do it! http://www.facebook.com/julie.watts

So one of the most fun things I did this summer was cohost a radio show on AM with Jennifer Westby for six months, called "Motivational Happy Hour":

There are TOTALLY archived shows you can listen to RIGHT NOW on that link above...don't know how long they will be up there since our show ended in November, so download/listen while you can! lol

See, when Jen asked me if I wanted to be her cohost, I said "Yes!!" without hesitation. I'm trying to discover my voice....my method for supporting others in life, really. I love one-on-one talking...I mean that's probably my favorite, whether it's on Skype or in person. But I love to write, too. And now that I've started Photopantz and been working non-stop on that project for a full year now, I'm starting to feel more comfortable in the role as "Founder of Photopantz". Which, guess what, involves being more of a public representative, going to conventions, meeting tons of people, etc. It's VERY different than my role as a photographer. I don't know why. My goal is to become completely comfortable public speaking. But I'm a little freaked out at being on video. So when this radio gig came up, I was like "Sweet! As long as nobody's watching, I can totally pretend there's not thousands of people out there listening!" And no kidding, it worked. Jen and I were on the air 4 hours a month for six months, talking to guests who were fellow entrepreneurs, and just talking about life and generally trying to be entertaining. I learned I LOVE radio. I hope I get another chance to do it in the future.

If YOU ever get the chance to go to a radio station and be on the air would you please, for me, just DO IT?!! Yes, you might be a little freaked out your first time on air, but every single "newbie" who came on our show beamed afterwards about how it was MUCH more fun and less scary than they thought. And once they heard themselves back in archive, they noted how they sounded better than they thought they did while they were doing it. It's amazing how forgiving our ear is to listening to live radio. But when you are the one in front of the microphone for the first time, you notice every tiny hesitation or "imperfection" and imagine it magnifying and broadcasting across the land! To the listener, however, it sounds just like everyday talking would sound and they think nothing of it.

My whole adult career in photography has been about being behind the camera and setting a tone for my clients so that they can truly relax and get images of themselves they've never seen before. I've started to realize that not only is it OKAY for me to have a more prominent and public role, but that maybe I've secretly wanted that for a long time but felt it was more appropriate to help behind the scenes and support other people face their fears and realize they are capable of doing things they never thought possible. :) I had a major epiphany at legendary photographer Ken Whitmire's Wall Portrait Conference last year. I realized "Holy cow. I not only CAN do the things I assumed I cannot....but could it be possible I was MADE to do these things? And the strongest feeling I ever had in the world replied YES.

I wrote and wrote and wrote after class at the 6-day wall portrait conference, late into the night. And when I got home, I walked into the garage where my husband was and talked to him for SIX hours straight about the incredible perspective shift I had...I mean it was a TRIP. It felt like, holy, or something. You guys ever have an experience like that? Where the universe kind of hits you in the head with a brick?!

As 2011 comes to a close, I am still in a state of exploring what my voice is, and where it belongs. I've been Facebooking like crazy, on my personal page, Julie Watts Photo business page, my Photopantz business page, and not quite as much as I should on my Photopantz Blog. But I've always loved this, my Julie Watts Photo Bloggillicious. This feels like home to me. And even though I have no idea who is reading this, similar to being on the radio, it is easy for me to imagine there's nobody there so it's okay to talk about what I really think.

Thanks for reading my blog posts, whoever is out there. I hope they are inspiring. I hope you get as much out of reading them over the years as I enjoy writing them.

I probably wasn't clear, but our last show aired on Thanksgiving 2011. This was the kind of thing where you paid the network for airtime, not the other way around. So that's why we enjoyed our time while we were there but moved on to other things. :)

Meaningful Locations....

2011-05-06T10:17:00.000-07:00

Awwww! It's engagement session time with Erin & Chris!

When talking about the appropriate setting for a photoshoot, a meaningful, personal is always better. Just going to "a park" is oh so amateur....there....I said it! A professional knows how to ask the right questions and key in to the unique vibe each client has. A professional photographer can "see" what the client wants and can explain how easily it can be given to them. Choosing a meaningful location is HUGE! I lucked out with Erin & Chris. They described the place Chris grew up...where they met and fell in love. Not only was it incredibly meaningful to them, it sounded beautiful. A lot of times clients are apprehensive about using meaningful locations because they tend not to be nearby (like the park). It was a decent drive into "no cell phone service" country, off the beaten path, you might say....but I just remember this "snippet" of a memory...my reply during the conversation about potential engagement shoot spots... "Oh...Erin...we have to go there. Oh no....we HAVE to do it there. That's totally where we have to do it!"

It doesn't matter how far, how difficult, how different. If it's meaningful and your face lights up as you describe it to me, I'll be hooked. My heart will be tied in a knot until I create a keepsake portrait of you in your special place. I don't care how expensive gas is or if I have to wear rubber boots. Sometimes, new clients are timid about bringing a "stranger" to meaningful locations...knowing that the stranger doesn't have the same history with the spot and may view it differently and without the love that they see it. That's probably my FAVORITE psychological situation to deal with...because when I see love, passion.... it's beautiful, no matter what. And the kind of bond and relaxation I get with my clients when they feel this from me, grants me access to capture what is priceless to them. Photography truly isn't about me. It's about you.

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What are Photopantz?

2011-01-25T15:22:00.000-08:00

Hi Everybody!

Guesss what? That "mystery thing" I've been working on for the past several months is ready to be revealed on the blog. Or at least, I'm ready to reveal it. Have you ever heard of the phrase "building readiness"? Well that's what I've been doing. Building readiness in my own heart to be able to shout to the world "I invented and designed custom pants for women wedding photographers and I am launching a Pantz company!"

See those pantz? Those are Photopantz! The fabric is stretchy but looks formal. The pockets? NINE OF THEM (don't worry, some are hidden). My rear? Can't see it if I bend over! lol

I have spent ten LONG years worrying about what pants I wear while I am photographing weddings. You wouldn't think it's that complicated, but let me tell you. When I used to stand in front of my closet the morning of a wedding, these were my choices:

Pants 1: they fit and look fine but have NO pockets. I can't bend over without tugging at my shirt/shirts/tanktops, whatever I have to wear to be covered back there.

Pants 2: they are roomy and NOT cute, but they are comfortable and HAVE 2 hand pockets. My rear still shows if I bend so I have to wear certain shirts.

Pants 3: feel great, look great, BUT my rear shows if I bend and the slanted cut pockets means I can't put things in them because things slide RIGHT out if I squat or sit down.

Pants 4: you get the idea

So for the past several years, I have been designing, in my mind, the PERFECT pair of shooting trousers....after officiating Lindsey & Casey's wedding emergently (see past blog post), I had a lunch date with the legendary Me Ra Koh . I told her about the wedding, then I told her about my aspirations to speak and share what I've learned about the psychological side of pursuing a photography business. And finally, my idea for pantz for women photographers came up.

Let me tell you...when Me Ra Koh encourages you....

Fast forward about eight weeks, and I am at PartnerCon, Pictage's professional photographer convention in New Orleans, wearing the prototype pair of "Photopantz". Jeff Jochum, marketing and business guru (omg, just read his resume...that's all I'm sayin'), has my back and it's almost unbelieveable. Women want my pants.

So since then, I've spent hours and hours learning the ins and outs of textiles, pattern grading, cost ratios, international versus domestic labor costs, hard good marketing, and lots more.

And you know what? It's oddly exhilarating. It's totally risky. There are TONS of unknowns. But throughout it all....I have this gut feeling that I was made to do this. This opportunity is for me. Is it daunting? Um....YES. Terrifying? YES. Is everyone But at the same time, I have this weird calm. It's kinda like when you know you have a hospital procedure you have to go through. It's not life threatening, but you know you are going in for it and everything will be fine afterwards. That's what I feel like. I have to go like, get my tonsils out. Okay maybe bigger than that. But when I filter out all of the distractions in my life that do me no good (ooh gotta blog about that), and I focus on what my gut tells me, and on my life experience.....I mean.....starting a custom apparel company sounds perfectly sound.

Who do you listen to? Who brings you down with their perspective? Whose opinion should you listen to less? Whose opinion should you listen to more? Who means well, and has good information, but makes you feel less than capable of pursuing your dreams? You really do have the control to not allow hurtful and unproductive content into your world. It's not easy for me. It takes mental discipline that Allan Knight helped hone in me. I know there are certain people that just DIG right under your skin....but they don't have to. You can learn to view their "output" in a different light. Their lips keep on flappin but it doesn't have the emotional effect on you anymore lol!

"You are only free once you have lost the desire for anyone elses approval but your own."-unknown

Faster Than I Can BLOG

2010-11-18T09:08:00.001-08:00

Hi Everybody....

Faster than I can blog, life is changing and opening my eyes to new opportunities. Do I jump? Do I dare? How many times can you change your vision and your focus in a single year without looking flaky? Do you listen to your gut even if the rest of the world doesn't understand what you're doing? What if you are frustrated because you can't articulate it well to the people that matter?

These are the questions I've been answering lately. Maybe you can relate. We are all making changes. Change is afoot. Don't worry, I'm always going to wanna make friends and make portraits and wedding images of my friends. It's hard to call you clients. It puts up a wall that the best photographers tear down because it gets in the way.

I JUST posted that I was going to pursue coaching formally. I LOVE discovering how much we're all alike...how much we're different. I get so inspired from talking to you about your goals and dreams and desires, your fears, your thought processes.

SO, I had a dream, I took a risk, I ended up at the PartnerCon convention in New Orleans, and now I have the hugest (huggest?) risk/opportunity at my fingertips. My gut is telling me that this is a no-brainer (haha that's ironic). But the logical world I live in wants me to be terrified at taking this NEXT HUGE risk. And I mean a "thousands of dollars" kind of risk. I kind of enjoy being in this tense position...on the verge of the unknown...am I ready for this? (yes) Is this where I dreamed of being someday? (yes) But the most important answer I've gotten from my gut is "You were made to do this. Go do the thing that isn't right for 99% of other people. I've done enough personal development work in the past three years with Karen & Fay and Cam & Linda and Allan to KNOW what my purpose is. And holy crap. I have the chance to do it in a national-type of way you guys. And I can feel you cheering me on, no matter how abrupt this opportunity arose. I have to do it, and while I do, I want very badly to be able to share with you what's running through my head. Cause I think you'll be inspired, and I want to inspire you.

I'll be keeping a lid on it for the next few months during planning. But when the official launch occurs, you'll be the first to know. Friend me on Facebook if haven't already! xoxoxoxo

Julie

Scattered Corners

2010-10-13T16:48:00.000-07:00

WARNING! THIS IS A LONG ONE WITH A COOL ENDING!

If you had to sit down with a pencil and paper right now, and draw a picture of what it's like in your mind (the "desktop" of your thought generator), what would it look like? Can you imagine it? Is it neat and tidy? Is it a box? A cube? Is it round? Is it flat? Mushy? Rock? Paper? Swirling light? Smooth granite. Is it a place you can walk through? One way or another, when you shifting your thinking can be easy or it can be chaotic.

I just LOVE thinking about this stuff, because we all go through life together, but process the details so differently sometimes. Give the same 10 people the same life for a day and I guarantee there will be 10 different ways to approach it and 10 different to-do lists. What are the things we can do to get better results and feel more joy each day? It all starts in your head.

If I were to describe my mind most of my adult life, I'd have to describe it as having scattered corners. Interesting, exciting discoveries to contemplate, marinate, and discuss (though "celebrate" rhymed better). A glorious bouquet of curling, corkscrewing potential opportunities. Genius lurks in there, I imagine. Potential. Insight. Inspiration. Guts. Would I call it organized? NO way. Compartmentalized? Nope. Is it easy to turn all of my good ideas into action? Not at all.

It became clear to me after hiring a professional organizer, Melanie, that EVEN when a pro sets up your space tailored specifically to the way YOU think and work, that just might be HALF of the battle to becoming organized. The other half is learning how to conduct.

Check this out. Imagine having an orchestra of talented, enthusiastic musicians, but a disorganized conductor without the music. Now imagine them trying to play. The potential for a song is there, but no one can hear it..NOT because the talent or desire isn't there, but because the conductor doesn't have rhythm and can't get in a flow. The conductor doesn't have the music. Melanie set me up with the tools I needed to make some great music (a.k.a.stress-free productivity) but needed to learn to play it better. Allan is coaching me to do that. The "conductor" of my inner thoughts liked to do most what it does naturally...exploring scattered corners.

I have kept my functionally organized for two years since Melanie blessed my office with her presence! What I have came to realize through that process is that my mental environment could use some organizing too! The conductor in me needed to learn to read music so it could play any music it yearned to play.

Does that make sense? Can you relate to what I'm describing? Life is a song! Learn to play it!

In more concrete terms, I sought MindFit coaching (what Allan does) because:

I didn't want the same ideas or reminders popping into my head day after day.

I didn't want to feel like there was more to do than there was time to do it, day after day.

I wanted to get out of the "must organize" pattern of thinking and get into the "a joyfully prepared & present" way of life.

But it seemed impossible to reconcile; how do I clear out my head of reminders and fears and become so productive and efficient that I ACTUALLY have free-time to pursue those really cool daydreams I dream up?

A vision began to emerge of a different way. After reading David Allen's "Getting Things Done", I began to imagine my thoughts having their own space just as every project in my office has it's own space. Creativity is awesome, but if you are like me and your creative thoughts are smashed in with "should do's" and "must remembers" and "am going to's", it can be murk up your sparkly personality. I can't stand feeling like I am forgetting something. Or that I went through the effort of writing "it" down but cannot remember where.

Being mentored and coached initially by the amazing Karen and Fay of the Wisdom Connection was revolutionary to how I viewed myself, my power, and my belief in my dreams. I don't want to imagine where I would be had I not met the gorgeously expressive group of manifesters changing the world one day at a time down there at the Wisdom Connection. I am proud to call myself one of them.

However, this summer I began specialized MindFit coaching with Allan for several months and I am realizing JUST how scattered those "scattered corners" in my mind were. You know those "busy" days where you have the vague sense that you didn't really get much accomplished? That's what I'm talking about. You have been doing a lot of thinking but it isn't translating into a lot or results or action. Big tasks like photoshoots and weddings were easy to plan and prepare for...they existed in their own tidy context in my mind. Its the everyday (gasp) structure needed for a calm, prepared organized day-to-day LIFE that didn't come naturally.

But guess what I'm like now?! Nothing's more dangerous than an organized CREATIVE person! A creative person with a COACH. A creative person who can move ideas and inspiration into reality. A creative person with a clear mind to focus on developing whatevers best to do NOW.

A creative person who isn't afraid to fail because TRUE failure is....you guessed it....the failure to even TRY.

What aren't you trying that you really WANT to?

Anytime we change our behaviors intentionally, it's that whole "practice" part that makes it work for the long-term. Sticking to it. Returning to the system. Again. Getting back on track. Again. My mind LOVES getting off track! But you know what? I have a newfound enjoyment in getting it back ON track. Recieving coaching helps the getting-back-on-track process so much quicker and easier.

My life has become dramatically more joyful and relaxed since recieving coaching, and I'm absolutely FASCINATED at how we make decisions in our lives, judgments about the outside world, and how that creates the reality we find ourselves in right at this moment. Pursuing photography as a business has been one of the hardest things I've ever done. Sure, I could have gone to graduate school and worked at a 9-5. But I just couldn't. I knew I had to pursue photography with all of my heart and mind, self-taught and blazing my own trail. And even though I occasionally attended groups with other photographers, at the end of the day, pursuing a photography business can feel LONELY. I know I'm NOT alone because I've talked to so many of you out there who feel the same way I sometimes do. Many photographers now have shared how refreshed and inspired they feel after our heart-to-heart talks about business. It inspires me too! This is the year to acknowledge that deep pull I have felt to talk to you about the psychological side of business, blog at ya about it, talk to you on the forums about it (like Me Ra's Soarority), and speak publically on the topic of passion & enthusiasm. One of the main reasons I sought out MindFit coaching was because it frustrated me that I had so much difficulty turning THAT desire to connect, into a reality.

But not anymore! I am nervously excited and relieved to share that....

I am training to add "Certified Personal Development Coach" to my repertoire!

I help photographers create a clear vision for their future, and providing support as they manifest it. Because whether you believe it or not, no one has to lose in order for you to succeed at photography. It has nothing to do with anyone else but you.

I want to offer four FREE weekly coaching calls to one individual who was inspired by this post today. What could you change in a month if you had Julie Watts to mentor you along? Just email me at julie@juliewattsphoto.com with the title "Free Coaching" in the Subject line. I will read all submissions and choose the lucky recipient and contacting them by October 31.

Good luck! I would love to hear from you!

Emergency!! "Photographer Performs Ceremony" (or, "I still can't believe I wore that scarf.")

2010-08-29T17:02:00.000-07:00

I don't think I've ever sent a text while I am photographing a wedding. But right after the ceremony of Casey & Lindsey Knopik yesterday at the Historical Orting Manor, I reached into my bag and sent this message to Katelyn, MUA extraordinare and owner of Salon Ish, who had been working with me that morning:

Me: "Katelyn, I'm not joking. I just officiated the wedding."

Katelyn: "Whhhhhaaaaaaat!!!"

I have always aspired to be the kind of photographer...well, the kind of person, who, wants to have the inner focus and passion and quick thinking to do whatever any situation requires. I really do secretly like living on the edge; I enjoy the rush of the pressure of wedding photography, and I have been focusing my intention a lot lately on being "in the flow" with where my dream of traveling to speak on passion, enthusiasm, and purpose. (I even spoke on a live tele-class just this summer on those very topics.

But you wanna know went down at Lindsey & Casey's Wedding last Saturday, right??!!

Right!

Well, it was a combination of faith and teamwork mixed together with suspense and a wedding to save! The officiant made an honest mistake and believed the ceremony to begin at 7pm. But the rehearsal had begun at 7pm; the ceremony was at 5pm. So by 5:30, there was some genuine concern building when there was no sign of the officiant and no one able to locate his cell phone number. "I'll call the Mayor," Dave, the owner of Orting Manor said, "If she's home maybe she will be able to come right over and perform the ceremony." Casey and Lindsey hesitantly agreed, as if it somehow meant reluctantly accepting the reality that this marriage ISN'T going to happen right now the way they have envisioned for months.

So as everyone is putting thought into what in the world to do at this point, still holding onto hope that the officiant will pull up at any moment...and I think to myself...

"Should I tell them that I'm ordained? I mean, I could do this....No, that would be crazy. They'll be able to solve this. I don't want to be creating one problem (no photographer) to replace the prior (no officiant)."

But as the clock ticked away and I heard that at this point it was about 5:38pm, and I'd already photographed a few more portraits of the waiting bridesmaids and bride, I found myself standing with Casey and his father, Al (who was also the best man). I had changed my mind. This problem needed to be solved now and I believed 110% that I could solve it. "Casey. I'm ordained, and I can perform your ceremony." You CAN?" was Casey Knopik's response...and within MOMENTS, I Casey replied with the sound of complete confidence in his voice, "Well then I want you to do it. At least you KNOW us."

Immediately plans went into action; Brandon Hansen, groomsmen extraordinare, readily accepts the daunting task of photographing the ceremony of his best friend's wedding. Now. With pounds of professional Nikon camera equipment loaded onto his shoulders, replacing his own um, smaller, camera. I threw it in "P" and said a little prayer. Brandon had absolutely NO instruction from me, except for where on the lens to grasp in order to zoom in and out.

Secondly, Brian Dilks, groomsman/brother-in-law to Casey-extraordinare, had the forethought to successfully locate some pretty fitting marriage vows via his iphone, which was the last critical piece necessary to pull this off without a hitch...

...once everyone was assembled, I did something I never thought I'd do in a million years...I walked up the center aisle, tall and calm enough, and turned around to face the guests. I welcomed everyone, thanked them for coming, explained who I was, what the current situation is, and what the solution we came up with was. I was answered by a wave of applause and whoops of good will! It felt so amazing to feel the support in the air!

As a photographer, I've been a part of over 60 wedding ceremonies. But to serve as the individual that leads the joining of a husband and wife...what an incredible honor! (And it was SO fun to get to be the one who gestures, "All Rise" for the entrance of the bride)

Check out these shots Brandon got? Turns out Brandon is quite the triple threat; beyond his groomsman skills and photography skills, he and Casey are journalism majors with a heart for sports...all you Seattle sports fans (of COURSE that's you Sounders FC diehards!) out to check out their sports blog, www.justson.blogspot.com .

A quiet moment of calm earlier in their wedding day....

On our way down the block to Orting's Summerfest in full swing, again, hours before the ceremony.

And proof that the reception went off without a hitch...and in case you were wondering, no, I hadn't planned ahead of time to coordinate my scarf that day with the color of the wedding. That was the first time I even WORE a scarf to shoot a wedding (already wearing 2 cameras around my neck and potentially risking fashion-inspired mild strangulation, I mentioned to the bridesmaids earlier in the day that the scarf was "experimental"). lol.

Sometimes the universe just knows what to do, and you if you listen in and go with it, remarkable things have a way of falling into place.

More images to follow!

What are your Anchors?

2010-08-23T10:58:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody!

As I gear up for the approaching season of family and senior portraits this fall, I'm especially focused on keeping the enthusiasm up for the long haul. As a lot of you parents out there can attest, sometimes your energy wavers....for me, the last week before school starts again is a BUSY one. But does it have to be uncomfortable? No. Filled with Drama? Actually no. It's amazing how habitual the "back to school" scramble can feel. With the help of an awesome skype session with Allan Knight , I'm armed with a great technique to practice, and it's simple to do.

What are your Anchors?

Anchors are anything that help to remind you how to refocus and get grounded again. From an anchor-point, you can orient yourself to your passion and desire for your day, or your life. When I'm anchored, decisions are easy to make. Worries fall to the wayside as enthusiastic action steps in front and center. Using anchors instantly makes me feel GOOD again...it chases away the fear, shows me that the pressure I might feel at the moment is temporary and in most cases, a matter of perspective...what a relief it is to realize that!

My newest anchors are jewelry with wings; these anchors remind me to stay in the flow. A tealight next to my desk reminds me that I'm worth life's little pleasures (it also reminds me I'm almost out of tealights!).

Special people anchor us family, friends, mentors & coaches...and whether we can be with them physically or not, really is beside the point. It's the way these people make us feel and fill us up that is powerful.

Music is a potent anchor. I have specific playlists with everything from meditations, to music to pump me up, music to relax and go inward with...

Hobbies can be anchors! For me, any game that requires focus is good practice for me. Throwing darts, playing hacky sack, and even running on a treadmill without falling off have all been activities that make me feel good and bring me back to center.

How do you feel right now, and what are YOUR anchors? Could you be using them more effectively to stay grounded and enthusiastic about what lies ahead for you? Have you fallen out of practice of doing something that really brings you great pleasure? Or are you feeling nourished and bountiful because you regularly call on powerful anchors that keep you balanced?

Rethinking Perspective

2010-08-12T11:46:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody!

I'm gazing at blue skies out my office window today and it can't feel much better. I have a two-part wedding boudoir session today; it started with the initial shoot several months ago, the "blonde" client. TODAY, months later, she is brunette and ready for shoot two! I've got a few tricks up my sleeve in terms of concept and I can't wait to surprise her groom with what we create today.

This entire summer has been one I will never forget. You know when you have those years that blend in and those other years that lift up, stand out as the benchmarks you gauge all other years from? Well 2010 lifts up for me big time. This is the year I began speaking and coaching on the psychology and photography business & "Passion & Purpose", as well as did a pretty sweet amount of traveling (Dallas, Kansas City, Canada, Mexico, Austria, Germany...San Fransisco and New Orleans left to go!) I photographed and met new family, new clients, new friends, and connected with old family and old friends. Traveling absolutely effects the way I think, and ultimately, the way I shoot. When I am lifted out of my computer chair and plopped down in a new environment, my wondering mind has new material to chew on......new questions are raised.....new delights emerge...

Everything that comes out of my mouth originates as a thought, and profound thoughts for me are born visually.

As we carve like a snowboarder into autumn in the next several weeks, begin thinking about family, friends, and who is important to you in your life. Is it time for me to create a family portrait for you to have hanging in your home for the holidays? Especially if you are one of my wedding clients from previous years, I'd love to create the next portrait you can't stop looking at.

Julie Watts Workshops

2010-06-28T15:35:00.001-07:00

Hi Everybody! I have been totally preoccupied these past few weeks...putting lots of thought, energy, and passion into an INCREDIBLE Puerto Vallarta, Mexico destination wedding (assisted by one of my favorite photographers in the WORLD, Cam Colclough of Calgary Canada), a lively Capitol wedding in Olympia, WA, the STAND OUT PROM Masquarade Glam Shoot, as well as several creatively inspiring custom portrait sessions, all of which I will be sharing with you here on the blog in the coming days and weeks. But there's one item I am TICKLED PINK to announce because I've thought, talked, ruminated, dreamed, wrote, thought, talked some more about ever since I first heard this question: "Julie, are you going to EVER hold a workshop I can attend?!"

After almost a DECADE in the photography business, spending THOUSANDS of dollars and many MANY hours attending photography workshops and classes, and writing pages upon pages of soul-searchin' curriculum for you, I now officially announce:

I can't WAIT to share with aspiring, amateur, & professional photographers alike, what I have learned over these past 10 years. Ten years of conquering fears, celebrating successes, and learning more about myself through my relationship with photography than I ever would have imagined, back when I was "just a 24-year-old stay-at-home-mom, with a Olympus Z4040, and a baby on my hip."

Seats are limited to make it easier for everyone attending to ask specific, personal questions and for me to give specific, personal answers at the end of each segment. Call my Studio Line at 253.229.1818 or email me at julie@juliewattsphoto.com to register! Don't wait!

Attitude Adjustment

2010-03-29T12:18:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody!

I took a well-appreciated Saturday off last weekend and did one of my favorite things--puttering around the house.

I wasn't thinking about running the business or sitting at the computer. I sat in the dirt in the garden and rode bikes to the "corner store" with my son. Thank goodness spring weather like this is becoming more and more the norm (though it's hailing outside right now!!).

This weekend, my mind was empty, slow, and at ease. But one chance encounter got it all wound up again. I ended up meeting an individual that made a strong impression on me. I could tell this person puts a lot of energy into convincing others and has obviously convinced themself. Of what, you ask? Were they enthusiastic about a great new passion? About the steps they are planning in an area of their life? Were they going on and on about the fear they felt but how excited they were at the opportunities on the other side? Hardly. Much of the 30 minute conversation I had with this person was blaming with a capital "B".

"I WANT to improve my health, but as long as (insert girlfriend, boyfriend, spouse, mother, dog, boss) doesn't improve either, I just won't be able to."

"I DON'T have (list 5 important things to having a happy life) because of (insert any of the above people) and the choices they made that effected me."

"I'm HELPLESS because (you get the idea here)."

At first, I listened politely. I even felt bad. I thought about how I could help. But I just kept listening. I saw that this person put a whole lot of energy into explaining why NOT. And not any of the reasons included THEMSELF. And they seemed to really enjoy sharing every detail of why NOT. It's one thing if someone is having a bad day...it's quite another when they are having a bad LIFE. Apparently, not ONE thing in this persons personal, career, health, or spiritual life was even aiming in a helpful direction. If that was me, that would be pretty depressing. But this individual seemed pretty content with their truth they were so dissatisfied with.

Seeing this, I debated on whether I should even TRY to suggest that maybe this person could change things for themselves. I'm a serious optimist. I know opportunities arise for people in the most unlikeliest situations....but unsolicited advice, you know, is not always popular...so I chose my words carefully and as a result didn't end up speaking too much. I listened and I learned. By consciously putting myself in a "listening and learning" mindset, it protected me from soaking up some of the "ick" that I can take away after talking with a negatively-focused person or some who has emotionally dumped on me. Recognizing it. Naming it in your mind. That was the first step for me to realize that I was making a choice to stay separate, no matter how subtle and convincing those excuses sounded, especially with someone who has mastered the art at communicating them in a way that shouted "I think my life sucks, it's everyone elses fault, and don't you DARE try to blame me for any of this."

Like I said, they made a real impression on me!

Nothing is more disappointing than talking to a person that doesn't realize how amazing it is to be alive right now, here! Never in a time in history has the average person had so much access to peace and information....it has never been easier to learn more about ANYTHING, speak FREELY, and custom-design a life around your own personal starting point. And to meet a person seemingly unaware of their personal power, to the point that they resist the suggestion of it. Man that sucks! We don't have to SETTLE for unhealthy relationships. We don't have to settle for an unhappy life.

In my early 20s, I started to recognize how attitude effects everything, the way I looked at the world started to shift, and that totally intriegued me. I wanted to test it. I wanted to prove that my "old" way wasn't so bad...but once I began to see the changes in how I felt every day, and how there all of a sudden seemed like there was plenty of good and exciting things to talk about, I saw that it was no joke.

Listen to what comes out of your mouth and how. Do you like how you sound? Do you want to change it? Simply noticing.....it can have a HUGE effect on your happiness and your enthusiasm for life. Have you noticed the same things, in yourself or people you live with, or at work? What do you think?

You are unique, just like everybody else.

2010-03-19T11:19:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody!

Today I just wanted to say that I am loving the Seth Godin blog post the other day about anxiety.

"Anxiety is nothing but repeatedly re-experiencing failure in advance."

I am loving that perspective because it is so disarming. As a business owner in this day and age, the amount of challenges, opportunities, risks, rewards, changes in this business increase constantly. As a young photographer, you jump on board thinking you have a decent handle on this new fascination of yours, only to eventually realize that this train has MILLIONS of stops, THOUSANDS of fellow passengers. You are drawn in by the well-written blog posts, the style of this photographer, the equipment proficiency of that photographer, the seemingly endless amount of creative inspiration everyone else seems to already have....sooner, more, better, faster......than you.

Sound familiar?

The truth is, you are unique, just like everybody else.

The truth is, you CAN find yourself in the mirror of others, but the instant your gut turns in knots or your "inner critic" starts whispering in your ear...then outside influence may be changing from constructive to destructive. Do not take it personally if you get caught up in this, we all do from time to time. YOUR true path, as you discover it, will make you feel the very opposite. The very opposite....

The truth is, we all start from a unique place in this world, and our journeys should not be compared, but celebrated, admired, and encouraged. Our footsteps are our own.

Don't assume you've failed before you've even tried. Don't assume you'll succeed until you've thought deeply about what success looks like for YOU. Not for Jasmine Star, David Jay, Joe Buissink, Liana Lehman, David Beckstead, Christy Pelland, Tim Willoughby and certainly not Julie Watts!

Spend as much energy discovering yourself and your expression as you do discovering others and their expression. You have FAR MORE to learn inside about yourself than you may realize. You are fascinating. But you have much to learn. Don't we all?

The truth is, the minute you begin to TAKE NOTICE of the minutae in your life that strike a nerve, you'll begin cut through the overgrowth of the overwhelming cloud of EVERYONE ELSE'S output. Restlessness lies in constantly intaking the output of others.

Dane Sanders wrote a whole book about maximizing your individual strengths if you are considering a career as a professional photographer, Fast Track Photographer. If you are surprised that only about 20% of what I do in business is actual shooting, then you just learned the #1 difference between having photography in your life as a business versus photography in your life as a hobby.

Photography can serve you on your journey in many, many ways. Relax and enjoy the ride, whereever it may take you....

This is me and the hubby in 1995 when I was enrolled in my first BW photography class in high school, when I "knew" I was going to become a clinical psychologist! Little did I know where I would be a decade and a half later....

Chris + Brit // Kansas City Weddings-Sneak Peek

2010-03-16T17:53:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Chris & Britany, my cousin....who had their marriage formally blessed by the church on their 1st civil wedding anniversary, this past Saturday, March 13th in Kansas City, KS! Chris & Britany were married last year in the courthouse as Chris awaited a bone marrow transplant for leukemia...both of them have this old soul quality about them...I definitely see why each of them loves the other which is a wonderful side effect of pursuing my art...

...getting to focus on love and relationships definitely keeps me happy...and getting to know families and friends totally speaks to the part of me that almost applied to graduate school for Marriage & Family Therapy back at PLU. But fate had other plans so I became a married stay at home mom at 22 and my high school BW film photography days were reawakened as I took "electronic imaging" to fulfill my elective requirements in 1999. And yes I was totally afraid of Y2k and that I spent all this time in school just for the world to end RIGHT when I get my bachelor's degree in psychology, JUST because of some zeros and ones! haha

Don't worry though...I will be booking weddings beyond 2012!!

Shall I wrap up the point of this post by saying, we often lose sight of the negativity around us, if it's always been there. But others can see the effect it has on us, and we can too if we just make a point to watch out for it. We can insist on more peace in our lives. We can change up the routine. Turn off the TV. Do anything else. Life is too precious to waste a minute feeling bad about anything that isn't worth it. What in your life isn't going according to plan? What things, big or small, could you do about it to bring you more peace?

"I don't believe in weekends."~Richard Avedon

2010-03-15T13:44:00.000-07:00

Photography isn't something I do because it's fun. Photography isn't something I do because dslrs are cheap or because people tell me I'm a good photographer. I have bled, sweat, cried and agonized over my ART I have created in this past decade as a photographer more than I have over my own children. What I am obsessed with is this vessel for exploring what I have to SHOW my children about who they are, who I am, and what ART is created when one soul's energies intermix with another soul's energy. "Your 8x10s are pricey" misses a very critical point of my existence. If I get asked that, I feel like a complete failure and go home and cry.-Julie Watts

It's scary to share that truth with all of you..... but maybe I should...I am beginning my new phase in my career of mentoring other people interested in photography and I won't lie to them.

How do you recharge?

2010-03-12T08:53:00.000-08:00

Hi Everybody!

I'm about to fly out to Kansas City to photograph a truly special wedding tomorrow...and as I look at my desk and see the lists of things I wanted to get done before I left (which didn't!), I am centering myself instead of wasting too much energy judging my performance in the office this week! I had over one thousand pictures to cull from the Miss Pierce County Pageant on March 6th, in addition to regular office tasks and shoots!

I learned from my business coach, Karen Buckley, about how different people recharge, and it's been really helpful and I thought I'd share that nugget with you all. The basic idea is that some people recharge by being alone, going away, in the quiet and silence of themselves. Other people recharge by going "out", gathering around people, around bustling activity and getting pumped up by the collective energy surrounding them.

Well pretty much instantly, I could make a list of my friends and family and who recharges how. For me, it's a no brainer. I LOVE being alone "lost in her own thoughts" like the Pemco Insurance commercials say on the radio up here about the "bookstore waif"' you'll find so easily here in the Pacific Northwest. Though with a full-time business and full-time family, I'm not waifing around the bookstore a lot...I have realized HOW critical it really is for us to keep an eye on your energy level and mood, and recognize when a little recharge is necessary.

So I'm truly looking forward to the time in the airport and the time in the air today...ipod, pen and a pad and I'm one happy recharging camper.

Sneak Peeks!! Portraits For Haiti

2010-02-23T20:21:00.000-08:00

Hi Everybody!

I wanted to show you what you missed out on if you didn't get a session with me this past Sunday when I was involved with a four other photographers at Gene Coulon Park for Portraits For Haiti! We were blessed with El-Nino driven warm temps (for February that is!) and sunny skies...a perfect day to donate all of the proceeds of our 30 minute portrait sessions to a deserving cause.

100% of the proceeds from all of our donation-based sessions that day goes to help the children of Haiti. We raised over $1500.00 on Sunday!

This tickily moment brought to you by Portraits For Haiti....

Hugs for grampa brought to you by Portraits For Haiti.

And of course, this bench full of adorable wiggily grandkids brought to you by...Portraits For Haiti...Thank you SO MUCH to everyone involved...I'm so glad I got to capture these moments for you...

Back to editing all of these fabulous families' images!! Thank you everyone who made it out!

Senior Inspiration--Heck Yes!

2010-02-20T14:38:00.001-08:00

Hi Everybody and big juicy HELLO to all the students out there!! I can't WAIT to see what we create for you SENIORS!

My big aim is to create an environment where you feel Comfortable, I feel Comfortable, and we can PLAY! Whether you LOVE having your picture taken or LOATHE it...haha nothing makes a difference like having an experienced pro goofily guiding your way. I rely on gut instinct and a rock solid knowledge of equipment and technique based on nearly 10 years of business, but you may just be surprised at how much I play during your shoot...and how much of it isn't stiff and static...

I make each shoot as unique as possible by talking with you and getting a feel for who you are, and what you are about. I LOVE taking your ideas and making them real for you...but rest assured, if you have NO IDEA what you want to do some of my best creative work has occurred in sessions with NO destination in particular in mind...

If you are one of the lucky ones who will receive one of my special FACEBOOK cards tonight, high tail it over to my "Julie Watts Photo" fan page and let's see what we can create together!! With packages ranging from $300-$2000, everyone can afford to have a fun experience and fantastic images of who you are right now...

What are you waiting for?! :)

xoxo,

Julie

2010-02-09T17:18:00.000-08:00

Hi Everybody!

So much has happened so far this year... I am so glad! This can be a cold, dark, soggy time of the year, so I'm glad excitement is in the air. I have two international trips scheduled this year and some really open and fun brides and grooms that I'm excited to get to know better. First though, remember back in 2008 and Christine & Travis' Surprise Engagement "Portrait" Shoot?

I wanted to show you a few of my favorite images from Christine & Travis' WEDDING last September, because they are some of my favorite images ever...

It was a beautiful September Saturday in Puyallup, and Christine's dad just saw her as a bride for the first time. As he started to get a little emotionally overwhelmed, Christine responded by leading her pops in a few, deep breathes. It was absolutely beautiful to have watched this unfold. Yes, I live for getting the epic gorgeous shots of my brides and grooms, the kind of picture I wished I'd had of me as a bride, but THIS stuff below? These spontaneous moments of connection have grabbed my attention my whole life and this is one of those images I could look at over and over and not get bored of it.

There's so much expression in body language.

That's what you are really asking for when you ask me if I shoot a lot of candids, I think."Will there be spontaneous moments captured where our natural body language shows our deep connection?" That's what I hear when you ask me that.

Seconds after a totally inappropriate moment between brothers. ;)

I actually have another Photoshopped version of the one above of Christine where I filled in her hair between her bangs and her temple. But I thought it would be neat to see the original before any PS.

There's a HUGE bigtoy right behind Christine above!!

And sometimes images are 99% perfect but that last 1% happened to be front and center...oops!

Alright sometimes I'm writing the captions underneath the images and sometimes above. I think in spirals and have to fight that sometimes!!

Congratulations Christine & Travis! To see their slideshow, click here!

Portraits For Haiti

2010-01-29T13:40:00.000-08:00

Hi Everybody! I don’t know one person who hasn’t been deeply touched and devastated in their own way due to the mind blowing earthquake that took place in Haiti just weeks ago. The footage of the mass destruction and the loss of lives is enough to keep me awake at night. The horror to have your husband/wife or worse yet, child missing or found dead, just turns my stomach. My heart goes to everyone involved but especially the children. Perhaps it’s because I myself am a mom, but I just can’t get the images of the injured and children out of my head. Already there were so many children who were deemed orphans before the quake hit but now the number of parent-less children is overwhelming.

I have spent the last 3 months writing snail mail letters to deployed soldiers, via the remarkable group Soldiers Angels.
It has been incredibly grounding for me and hopefully grounding for our deployed men and women. I haven't talked about it before now...I was doing it for me but I see how by spreading the word, you might think about writing to a soldier, too.

Well, the ravishing and talented Jenna Karowski of JFK Weddings asked if I would be willing to donate a day or portrait shooting to help the children of Haiti. My answer? Totally.

Myself along with some of my lovely photographer friends are coming together to put on a special portrait event to help raise money for the devastation in Haiti caused by the recent earthquake.
We are all giving our time and talents to do portrait sessions all day on Sunday February 21st, for donations. ALL proceeds will go directly to the cause.
If you have been thinking about getting professional pictures (your kiddo’s, family, senior, pictures with your sweetheart or anything else) done or if you haven’t had a chance to donate yet, this event is for you. We will be making 30 minute appointments for all day Sunday February 21st, 2010.
If you are interested in securing your portrait session please email me directly at PortraitsForHaiti@jfkstudios.com and I will promptly email you back with more information and get you scheduled. Appointments are being taken on a first come first serve basis and spots will fill up quickly, so email today!
Thank you to Jenna Karowski, Jessica Hanaumi, Emma Smith, Shannon Hodson & Amanda Mays for volunteering your time and talents to help make a difference!!

What I've Been Up To

2010-01-04T11:25:00.000-08:00

Hi Everybody!

This time of year has always been a wonderful time of creative mixup mashup inside my head, and right now is no exception. Below are a few examples of what I've been up too while I'm not blogging...I'm off to Texas on Wednesday to shoot my cousin's wedding so today's blog is short.

I'm really into this quote from "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron...

"Being creative is different than living a creative life."

I am SO into living a creative life, but too much I think we get the two confused. Having to "be" creative is a sort of a judgment call, it brings pressure to mind because "being" creative to me is seen as something you either have or you don't. Obviously that's ridiculous because we are all creative by nature...creativity has a depth and a breadth that is far more than drawing or painting or singing or any of the traditional aspects I think of....to me, it's a relief to remember I can choose to live a creative life...that's a verb. I can DO that.

I got on the drums the other night with my ipod on. Sure there were other things to do. But I wanted to follow along and let Dave Grohl give me a private lesson...after about 45 minutes I needed a hearty drink of water! Later that night when we had a jam session, everybody agreed I rocked exceptionally hard...Brent laughs at what 45 minutes of practice does for me...and what's weird is that the feeling lasts...the feeling of honoring yourself, letting it all out, and having others recognize it is just extra confirmation, but it does feel good.

Is there something you've forgotten to do in a while? Is there a burning desire you're ignoring, living with a little tiny itch of dissatisfaction that you can't place? Be open to letting it creep it's way out from where it's hiding inside of you...even if your Inner Critic is telling you why you shouldn't. If it's too much, at least listen what your Inner Critic has to say...cause the truth is you have a right to living a creative life as much as any other beating heart that's ever beated.

Magical Lights

2009-12-17T22:10:00.000-08:00

Hi Everybody!

Well it's December and I was stunned to hear my daughter say "Mom Christmas is in a week!"

Does that surprise you too? Or are you well aware of the date because you are eyeballing it on the calendar each day, hoping to keep everything together, your giving, your recieving, your joyful and grateful attitude..............yeah.........me too.

I'm glad to get the tree up right after Thanksgiving because Christmas is my favorite day of the year. It's pretty much always been my big SHE-bang since my birthday is the 26th. It lands on a saturday this year--yee haw! I have nothing planned. I don't want to miss out on an opportunity to insist the family all does something I've always wanted to make 'em do (you know how Moms are haha)...but I'm a little distractible so unless I write 'em down, I can never remember what all those epic things are unless I find them in my lil spiral notebook I carry with me whereever I go.

So while I'm pacing myself with my photography errands and items to complete (and I'm right on schedule), I'm going to share the spectacular view of Seattle last week at dusk...

Isn't it something else or what? I will always fawn at pretty lights :)

And just because I'm in the Holiday Mood, I thought I'd post a teaser of one of my weddings that has yet to be completed!! Do I EVER do that? No! Check out a peek of Carly & Erik's Seattle Wedding:

I hope to have it posted before I leave for San Francisco to celebrate with my amazing business coaches, Karen Buckley & Fay Freed at the Wisdom Connection...it's a quick weekend trip with an evening at our friends' Becca & Patrick's, and some wickedly fun shopping at Union Square downtown...

Do you wanna see what I've been shooting like crazy over the past month or so? Well when I get back I'll show ya! Til then, have some cocoa or eggnog and take it easy and feel the love this season.

Photographer Preview Success!

2009-12-10T09:27:00.000-08:00

Hi Everybody!

I am about to leave to go drop off a wedding album(-oooh-which reminds me--I need to grab some quick shots of it before it goes to it's home)and off to a wedding rehearsal, the last wedding of the year...I LOVE winter weddings!

But first I wanted to post a few pics from the first ever Photographer's Preview night at Julie Watts Photo Studio. Check it out!

Okay so this was me before anybody showed up...I've got a sweet mirrored wall that is fun to play with when you are all set up and still have a few minutes to spare before people start showing up...it's safe to say we all had a great time...lots of talking and taking turns shooting Lindsay & Julian! It was a great way to start off my TWO events at the studio held back to back, Photographer's Preview and Client Appreciation Open House! And I could NOT have done it without the help of my secret weapon (and the secret weapon of many brides), Atiya Canley, owner, You Are The Star Wedding & Events!! http://www.youarethestarweddings.com/

You will be hearing more about her soon, as I have been kicking around the idea of having interviews here on the blog. I think that would be fun. I get to meet so many interesting people...it's one of the best parts about being a professional photographer...

Okay gotta run!!

What's Happening December 4th and 5th????

2009-11-24T17:14:00.000-08:00

Hi Everybody!! Whether you're a photographer or a client, I'd love to see you and hang out at one of my TWO events coming up VERY SOON!!

On Friday, December 4th at Julie Watts Photo Studios, portrait photographers are invited to a very special, "Photographer's Preview" on Saturday, December 5th.

I hope to see you there, photog friends, and please, bring a friend! It will be a FUN NIGHT for sure!!

Clients!! I am so excited for you to come check out my newly updated Studio space! If I've never photographed you in my studio, come see what it's all about!

Saturday I'm raffling off a GALLERY WRAP CANVAS WALL PRINT and some lucky client who comes is gonna win it!! Come say hello and see if one of YOUR pictures is on display! You'll recieve a crazy 50% off regular print prices JUST in time to send to Grandma Hildegard in Toledo for the holidays! Knock out half of your Christmas list in one stop...beautiful portraits never go out of style and are always appreciated for years to come...in fact beautiful portraits are the one affordable gift you can give that becomes more valuable over time to those that love you the most.

Stay tuned!! I've been setting up the new studio with brick red paint, tile & wood flooring, and MORE!! Mark your calendars and come out and say hello December 4th or 5th!

Mode Organic Salon's Fall Hair Fashion Collection

2009-11-04T10:09:00.000-08:00

Yay! The official flyer for tomorrow night's big event!! I'll see you there!!

Mode Organic Salon's Art Opening!!

2009-10-27T10:45:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody!

It was been a brisk October with zillions of shoots and one more GLAMOROUS wedding to show you! But today's post is "time sensitive" so I'm going to get right to it!

I was fortunate enough to be asked by Mode Organic Salon in Seattle to shoot their Fall Hair Fashion Collection!! I'm not going to lie; this was a big shoot for me. . .I got to go location scouting (my intuition must be honed in pretty good because my first stop ended up being my favorite from the whole day). On top of that, I shot a test shoot, filed for my first Use Permit, and coordinated/gathered props and talked concept with the graceful and amazing Selina from Mode.

One huge part of being a photographer for me is being THANKFUL. And OH BOY was I when I saw that, on SHOOT DAY, the weather was absolutely divine for playing with for just this kind of shoot. THANK YOU MOTHER NATURE!!

The shoot was a total success thanks to all of the hairstylists, make-up artists, and models who totally BROUGHT IT! And if that wasn't exhilerating enough, Mode is having an Art Opening!!

Our "Where the Wild Things Are" inspired art opening is on Thursday, November 5 from 6-8pm. The Mode Artistic Team has created our first collection of looks for hair for Fall/Winter/Holiday '09. We styled some models and held a photo shoot to capture the looks in the Washington Arboretum and will be showing the photographs (shot by Julie Watts) at our Downtown location. We will also be showing some beautifully dreamy landscapes painted by Irene Wood. Last, but not least, our models will be at the salon with hair done up Avant-Garde...

Allissa & Cory's Laurel Creek Manor Wedding

2009-10-15T19:58:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody!!

Alissa & Cory had an awesome wedding. It was WAY BACK WHEN in September on the 6th. Gosh aren't the seasons moving quick? Feels like EONS ago!! I'm so excited to get to "reminisce" already!

Ahhh. One of the few minutes Alissa & Cory spent together alone on their wedding day at the beautiful Laurel Creek Manor in Sumner, WA.

Ask me how much I love an birdcage veil. ASK ME! Oh my gosh...TONS. Tons. They are so instant-vintage glam I can't stand it.

We dodged a few rain showers and Mother Nature looked happily upon us. It dried out just when we needed it...I always love shooting after the rain because the colors are so vivid, even the concrete and stone shimmers...

The ceremony was undercover and backlit....one of my absolutely favorite ways to photograph a ceremony...everbody let's look at how adorable Alissa is listening to Cory! :)

Below is the menfolk....

I am totally for a minimalist approach to photographing ceremonies. Strip it bare down to the raw emotion, I say!

This is one of my favorite groom shots...Cory said something about the wedding photography part of his wedding day was way more fun than he thought it was gonna be. I was like " I know!" haha! If a groom has been a groomsman in a prior wedding I've done, then he already knows that I'm pretty fun to work with! Heck, I grew up racing BMX bikes for 7 years, being one of the only girls around. I have one older brother and our dad who built cars and married my high school sweetheart who builds cars. My son even builds cars with legos. So I appreciate guys for who they are (which is definitely different than how women are!!) and let them know they can go ahead and be guys and be themselves in front of my camera. I can capture the fun stuff but also show their ultra cool side...definitely a feel most men want on their wedding day...

I absolutely love the above and below pictures.

And this one below? Of the walking kiss? This was right after they left the ceremony as man and wife. I'm the ONLY one on earth who witnessed this and so glad I was there to catch it. It's freakin' perfect..OH you guys are too cute. Congratulations!!

Some divine dancing....

Some bustling and reception prep beforehand....

Some after-ceremony celebratin' !

If you wanna see Alissa and Cory's ENTIRE wedding slideshow, just click HERE.

Newborn: Sophie!

2009-10-02T12:59:00.001-07:00

Hi Everybody!

Newborns....it's hard to photograph them without falling in love...they are so tender, so new...I can't help but be overwhelmed with optimism and warm fuzzy feelings to watch new parents' lives happily flipped upside down with the arrival of this beautifully unique little bundle. And when the parents are bridal clients of mine from 2008, then it's even bigger because I know their families and friends and how excited everyone is about their baby.

Introducing baby Sophie and a few of my favorite portraits from her first professional photography session:

Welcome Sophie! I wish nothing but love and happiness for you and your patient, gentle, loving parents as you start on this wild and crazy journey called Life!

Newly Designed JWP Website is LIVE!!!

2009-09-14T18:42:00.001-07:00

Yay! I'm havin' a GREAT DAY too! For the first time since 2007, my website has been completely redesigned and updated with the latest images I've taken of my clients...you should be able to come away feelin' like you know what I'm all about and excited to talk more! Right now I have to go finish cookin' burgers for the family, but take a look and be one of the first to let me know what you think!!

www.juliewattsphoto.com

THANKS EVERYBODY! If it wasn't for YOU putting your trust in me, and letting me get to know you and your families and friends, I wouldn't have the opportunity to create these images!

Wedding: Amber & Mike

2009-09-10T18:04:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody! Meet Amber. Is she kinda staring you down in this picture? I think it's hot! Plus, she's all rainbows and unicorns underneath. Just kidding...actually, her favorite car is a Volkswagen Thing. Yellow. White ragtop. So that pretty much just makes her cool inside and out. Here are a few highlights from her beautiful Laurel Creek Manor Wedding on August 29, 2009. . .

This is Mike. Mike is who Amber loves.

Amber and her mom have LIVED & BREATHED the planning of this day for months.

Whoosh. In a moment, the beginning of a whole new phase of life........wife.

Since the first time I set foot in the Bridal Suite at Laurel Creek Manor, I was in love...and Amber looks simply amazing here, doesn't she?

The sneak, the peek....Amber & Mike's first sight moment! I can't get enough of that sly grin she's got waitin' for her new Husband. . .

A quick quiet moment...gone in the twinkle of an eye...

The lovely side of the bridal party. . . .

The manly side. . . .

A meaningful side moment with mom. . . .

Seriously--how much more picturesque can you get?!

August at Laurel Creek. Amber & Mike promise their love to each other.

This is it. This is for Real.

It's a done deal! Congratulations and cheering ensue!

Now, I didn't hear what Amber said to Mike first since becoming his wife. . .

But it looks like is was pretty funny! I have no doubt this is a sign of all the great times ahead for them in their marriage. . .

"Introducing, for the first time, Mr. & Mrs. . . . . ."

First dance.... fresh night air.

You know. Just hangin' out on the steps.

I'm loving how the vintage feel arose out of this moment!

The exit! This cracks me up because there is so much action...we've got peeks into the limo, last tosses of rose petals, and the new marrieds getting to watch everyone bid them Bon Voyage via some unstoppable limo sunroof action. And this reminds me of what it was like to be a kid and not be able to see the top of a limo. :)

< Festivities carried on throughout the night. . .

Amber & Mike, I am so thankful to have gotten to meet you both, your family and friends and get to capture your wedding day. You guys are all awesome! Stacy and Amber, you guys had a couple of fantastic pictures....

To view the slideshow of Amber & Mike's wedding, click here!

Lindsay's rad senior photoshoot

2009-09-07T05:26:00.000-07:00

Last week I photographed Lindsay's senior photoshoot. Here are some of my favorite shots. . .

My senior shoots are unpredictable; I feel very comfortable at this point in my career experimenting for a portion of the shoot, and some of the big changes and evolutions in my career begin from a place of experimentation just like during Lindsay's shoot. I've been reading The Artists Way by Julia Cameron at the suggestion of Me Ra Koh, and have to say it's an incredible read so far and if you haven't got this book yet GET IT!

And just in case you think I may have plucked Lindsay right out of a modeling agency, in fact I've been photographing Lindsay and her big sister Alex since way back when in 2005! Linds I hope you don't mind I went into the archives and whipped out a couple rad shots.

Looks like I haven't changed much in terms of my willingness to experiment! lol

But the girls have changed so much! Grown, poised, amazing young women and I'm so glad to know you Linds, Alex, & Lois!!

Yay! Nominated & 1st Day of School!

2009-09-02T11:24:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

Well the kids got back on the bus this morning, as it did for a lot of you too. As much as I'll miss them during the day hours, and as much as an adjustment the quiet house is, I do enjoy the peace and freedom and the day flies by anyhow. . .we've got lots to look forward to in 1st and 5th grade. And as I walked back to the house, I grabbed this shot of our cat Carmen. Woe to all you rodents. You haven't a chance. lol

Okay so back to business! Here's the LATEST:

KING 5's Best of Western Washington

For the start of the new season, lots of plans are coming to fruition! First off, check out my nomination for KING 5's Best of Western Washington Contest http://best.king5.com/julie-watts-photo/biz/138487 !! I'd love it if you'd review me! There's nothing like first hand experience to make an awesome review that could really help another person navigate the dizzying world of choosing a photographer that's right for them.

So thank you for that! I appreciate all the support you've given me over the past 9 years!!

There are several projects I'm working on, not to mention some stunning weddings & shoots (like Amber & Mike's wedding at Laurel Creek Manor last weekend and a crazy awesome senior portrait with Lindsay). Oh and I should add:

NEW WEBSITE GOING LIVE WITHIN 72 HOURS!!

Yes, you heard it right! I am falling out of my chair over the totally new website. Designed by my trusty teammember, Ron Ford, owner of WebVisuals.com. I can't wait for you to see it!! Stop by soon or make it easy and subscribe to get the latest!

FOCUS

2009-08-17T15:56:00.000-07:00

Focus has definitely been on my mind lately....I've been paying more attention, focused attention day to day and I gotta tell you; it sure beats multitasking! I'm starting to really pay attention to when I'm focused and productive in the traditional sense, and when I'm more philosophical and "in my head", not thinking about goals, but questioning and pondering life. It's what I call "thinking broadly".

I think it's natural for ones mind to flow back and forth over the course of a day or a week or a year, but for a long time I think I beat myself up about being in one mental mode and telling myself I really SHOULD be in the other...for example, spending a Monday morning flipping through a trade publication and thinking about different ways I could be running my business when an inner critic is telling me I SHOULD be doing something more "focused" in the studio.

And sure, there are times I'm under a deadline and can "force" my way into either of the way of thinking that I need to be in, but understanding that on regular days, it's not only okay, but it's GOOD to plan the day around what way I'm naturally thinking. I mean, I have lots tasks, like we all do, and it isn't always easy to prioritize...it depends on if I'm thinking broadly or feeling like focusing in on one task.

Lately I've really felt a pull for creativity--due to the fact that I've been spending MOST of my thought time on the business side of business. It's time for some of my extra thought energy to be swung back over to creating. I remember a few years ago being swung the other way; overflowing with creativity but feeling guilty for not feeling like focusing in on zeros and ones. It's like the girl with curly hair who wants straight hair, and visa versa! So I feel pretty good now because instead of judging myself, I'm shutting up and listening instead...lol...pouring myself fully over to whichever end of the "FOCUS" spectrum is beckoning me.

So this is an invitation for you to take a look at how YOU uniquely function...I'd almost venture to say that lots of disagreements people have can be rooted in differing modes of thought...one parent doesn't want to camp on a certain weekend because there's a game on TV (focused thought), the other parent insists because the kids are only young once and it's the least disruptive weekend to be out of town for the family routine (the broad view). Or, you're strolling through every aisle of the superstore...getting idea after idea for your next big project or party (broad) when your cell phone rings and you are asked why you aren't home with the cough syrup yet (focused)!!

BABIES!!!

2009-08-09T15:17:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody!

Okay so there is quite the baby boom occurring here at Julie Watts Photo! No, not me, silly, it's you, my clients (though I introduce my new niece at the end of this post)!!

Through weddings and seniors I meet most of you, and from those photographic roots, you ask me to photograph your bellies, your babies. And I get so excited for your pregnancies...I didn't know I'd actually get to photograph my clients create families for themselves, year after year. It's a very dynamic part of photography...the ever-growing body of my work that is not just one chapter of my client's life, it's chapter after chapter...each one as fun as the next because I get to KNOW you all so well...and it's not just "any" photographer coming over to photograph your newborn, it's YOUR photographer, Julie Watts.

So in celebration of all of the buns in the oven I'll be photographing over the coming months, here are a few memorable images I've created for you in the past!

This little darling totally knocked us out with this wildly classical looking pose and expression!

The soft...slow...snuggly...this is the life of a Newborn...(above)

Tasty toes and scrumptious baby chub

Overflowing with personality

Anticipation...your a big FOUR year old now...

Portrait of a Snowbaby

Lilly's Curiosity

Emily in a Dress, all Grown Up (above)

Just Plan Mischevious and Adorable!!

Addison...too busy Dreaming to be mischevious....yet! Adorable since the beginning...

And introducing Nuala...a new friend of the Julie Watts Photo! She's a bright little thing and appears to have couch lounging DOWN at only three weeks. What an absolute DOLL, don'tcha think?!

What a peaceful, beautiful way to remember childhood...outside with your mom and dad and nothing else...for most people, pictures are a major part of remembering your childhood...and these experiences are authentic moments that are sparked into existence because of a need for current family pictures...so the experience turns out to be just as much as memorable as the images themselves...which leads me to give you a little insider info about a special promotion I am lining up. In coordination with celebrating my NEW, STYLISH website being launched, I'll be offering a LIMITED number of past clients a family portrait session September through November, in plenty of time for the holidays...

And above are my own little darlings...and there's ONE more addition...our family welcomed a new NEICE on July 21...baby Alaina Marie!

Aunt Julie Rocks!!! lol

Tart Hair & Cosmetic Studio!

2009-07-30T18:00:00.000-07:00

Hey Everybody!

Wow...Washington State has hit the triple digits in the last couple of days. HOT! Thank goodness I was a "wuss" and bought one of those one room/window AC units 2 years ago. Sounds like most of the big box stores are out of AC units now, and I get to blog in a very comfortable 70 degrees while it's currently 95 degrees outside. I know this is a "so what" moment for the readers in the rest of the country...but we hardly know what to do with ourselves up in the Northwest! This doesn't happen here!!

Anywhoo, I wanted to share the fun news that I have NON-portrait photography on display at Tart Studios in Ballard, WA. . .

I was really impressed with Jami, Jill and the gang at Tart...the salon really is the "hidden gem" I'd heard about...after entering their street level entrance, you go down and around a long stairway, around a corner, and WOW, right to the entrance of one of the lightest, brightest, sparkling salons I've seen in a long time. It's a great excuse to go get a great new style and meet the Tart ladies!

Tart Studios supports local artists, how can you not love that? They rotate the artwork on display every two months (which I love because their clients get new eye candy around each visit) and guess WHO is on display right this very second? Yes, it's true. I have LARGE artwork on display July 3 - Sept. 3. How big?

Well the proportions of everything are BIG in Tart Studios to take advantage of the amazing ceiling height....Big Poppies above is a mounted print 24in. x 36in. Two feet by three feet!

The crazy part about having non-portrait art on display was FINDING SOME on my external drives. I didn't realize it had been so long since I intentionally created a body of work that wasn't portrait-focused. Almost everything you see here originated from files that had been tucked away, hidden since 2006! It really struck me. . .what else was I doing 3 years ago that I'd like to re-introduce into my life? How about you? Any creative outlets you used to participate in that you've kind of let go by the wayside? If we get REALLY deep and introspective, we could even wonder about old ways of thinking...sometimes we quit spending time doing things that nourish us, and then one day, find ourselves in a rut. I strongly believe that asking yourself these kind of questions point blank are a really helpful way to bring more awareness and happiness to our life.

I would have never guessed in a million years that it had been that long since I shot florals...but I love these images as much today as when I took them. I think 49Tips (the 24x36 of the tulip, above) is one of my all-time favorite floral shots...I plan on hanging it at home when the exhibition comes to an end...if you've got a perfect place in your home for any of the following images, mounted-ready to hang, 16x20inches, they will be for sale after the exhibition. Email me if you'd like to have one of these one-of-a-kind images for yourself!

I'm off to go make tacos...but coming up next on Julie Watts Photo Bloggillicious is a post not to be missed. All about BABIES!!! I became an aunt to my first ever neice and I'm celebrating the occasion with a tribute to my littlest clients by featuring my favorite shots of them...along with showing off a few of my favorite shots I took of my neice and the family when she was hours old...

Also coming up, a post about my first ever experience with eyelash extensions (see what a 'low maintenance' gal like myself thinks about 'em). As someone who gets mani/pedis just as often as it snows around here, trying out eyelash extensions was a pretty zany idea! Stay tuned...

Stacy & Mark's Wedding

2009-07-12T13:15:00.001-07:00

Hi Everybody! Memorial Day Weekend was gorgeous (seems like so long ago already, doesn't it?) and I had the pleasure of capturing Stacy & Mark's wedding day for them through my eye...here's a few of my favs

Tonya, Stacy's bridesmaid to the left, is one of my '07 brides!! Stacy loved a particular high-contrast shot from Tonya's "before" shots, so it was fun to get some shots of Stacy and her girls arriving to the Grand Holiday Ballroom...braced and ready to support Stacy on the day her life changes...

I just love this shot of the bridesmaids & Stacy. They just look all tied up in knots :)
And unless you are on primetime TV or a professional model, how often do you get the chance to relax whilst getting beautifed??

Mark is not only a veteran, he's deploying for a tour in Afghanistan this month with the US Army. THANK YOU Mark for everything you do to protect us all and our freedom.
I love this super glowy image of Stacy & Mark. Stacy looks amazing and for some reason it's extra lighthearted because Mark is gazing off, looking like he's whistling a happy tune!

Stacy's bouquet was really unique and stunning...but great florists like hers arrive early, make sure everything is taken care of, then dissappear off into the night to let their floral artistry speak for itself...if the business responsible for this gorgeous bouquet is reading this, I'd love for you to drop me a line so I can give you credit! Your work was beautiful!

I love how the colors of the grass and distressed whitewash walls pop around Stacy & Mark.
Congratulations you two....I hope the next year in which Mark is in Afghanistan flies by...you've got an anniversary shoot coming your way when Mark returns...I can't wait to capture you two snuggling and nuggling again after such a long time apart! It will be so juicy!

Thank You

2009-07-02T18:23:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody!

I've been spending a good part of 2009 working on a whole new, better-than-ever website with updated images and design with my web designer and friend, Ron Ford of Webvisuals. I can't WAIT for the new site to go live and give birth to the next era of Julie Watts Photo. My evolution has been in large part to my business coach, Karen Buckley of the Wisdom Connection. I have been doing some intense work and I feel like I've learned years worth of information in a very short time... and I want to take this opportunity to say "Thank You" to everyone on the team, Sonny at Asabooks, Hannah my assistant (and one of my closest friends ever), my family for believing in me, Wendy & Seth for their friendship, my photographer friends (gosh--too many to list), Me Ra Koh especially...your vision and bravery leave me speechless, and especially my beloved clients and brides. Yes you are all still "my brides" to me and always will be. I feel like an honorary member of so many of your families! I am honored and stoked beyond belief to be a part of your lives!

...so as I wait in limbo between the old website and the new, I'm going to be moving the thank yous I've received to the blog. No matter WHAT you do for a living, take the time to reread the positive responses you've received. Without further ado:

"Thank you so much for the amazing pictures. Everyone has said how beautiful they are. A few have said that they even cried all over again. Your sooo amazing and we look forward to seeing you soon."-- The Taylors

(OMG did you read that last part?! How funny is that!? Don't worry, the groomsmen and I got along famously...lol)

"Julie, Thank you so much for coming to our wedding and being our rockstar photographer! Not only did you take the most amazing beautiful pictures (everyone loves them!) but you also helped me keep my head on my shoulders. I would have been a mess without you! You are so talented and an amazing artist! If you and your family ever want a Montana vacation, you are always welcome to our home! We love you, Celeste & Ryan Johnston"

If you are loving the love-fest, go ahead and click here to check out 29 more reviews submitted to King 5's Best of Western Washington Contest!

Thank You All!!!!

Stacy & Mark Engagement!

2009-06-23T18:28:00.000-07:00

Not a typical engagement picture?

Well if an engagement shoot is defined as a casual photoshoot of a couple in love, relaxed and playful, and totally comfortable being themselves, then what's not to love about some playful sparring?

Especially when Mark, one of our honored servicemen, falls in love with Stacy, a captivating Emergency Responder-type. Sparks and sparring flew...........

We had a great time trekking Snoqualmie Falls and stopping occasionally to take some pictures!

I had the pleasure of shooting Stacy & Mark's Olympia wedding just two weeks later. They planned the wedding in just a couple of short months...Mark is going to serve in Afghanistan and well, he popped the question over the phone when he realized he just didn't want to wait until he got back. Awwww.....

Cold hand on the back! Cold hand on the back!

"You coming up here with me?"

Next up will be my FAVORITE shots from Stacy & Mark's Memorial Day weekend wedding in Olympia! Stay tuned! I've got another great senior to tell you about and an update on baby Vienna's first year...

Senior-Lauren O!

2009-06-01T13:55:00.001-07:00

Hi There Julie Watts Photo Blogillicious Readers!

Meet Lauren O. This fiery senior was a blast to shoot (Her career interest is Culinary Arts). This was one of the rare times I decided to shoot a senior in my studio...

. . .because for me, the variety/spontaneousness of location shooting will always tickle that place in my heart that remembers being a young stay-at-home mom 10 years ago. . .I was a person that felt the burning desire for photography so intensely that nothing derailed my drive. I am so thankful I had that start; shooting with a consumer camera on auto, lamps in the house laid on the side, and big skirts thumbtacked to the wall as a backdrop for my rolly polly 10 month old. That was spring of 2000, and there's something so peaceful and settling about looking back and remembering that for the past 10 years, I never gave up on my dream. I didn't give in to the worry that raced through my mind many, many times. There were SO many aspects to consider, so much experience to be gained before I could truly speak with authority and confidence about anything photography-related.

Happiness in life really is about honoring Each Day of the life's journey...not criticizing how steep the road is, how long it's taking you, how you're not outfitted with the proper metaphorical "gear."

The journey REVEALS what's most important to you in life. Clearing out everything else actually brings you closer being the best you can possibly be. I love seniors because they are at a monumental time of transition...a beginning of a new journey that THEY design themselves, that will have twists and turns and ups and downs. But as long as they follow their passion and listen to their gut, they'll see exactly what I'm talking about...

A huge CONGRATULATIONS to Lauren on graduating! Follow you passion, enjoy the climb!

Sweet Pleasures, Mother & Daughter

2009-05-27T17:50:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody! Hey guess what? I'm almost all the way caught up on blogging...I've got some '09 seniors to show you, two more weddings from the past TWO WEEKS I'm finishing up, but for now, I'd love to show you the lovely, the talented, mother and daughter duo, Shannon & Taylee.

Taylee struck me with her poise. I love her soft smile in this one...

Ohhh...the stuff of life. We've brushed hair/been brushed a thousand times as girls and women...we've said "Ouch!" and we've said "Sorry, I'll try to be gentle but you've got a knot." We've whined hoping it'd get over with, and we've left the braid not QUITE even 'cause we know we've got to pick our battles...okay so maybe when I say "we" I really mean "me", but chances are 50% percent of the population has been on one end or another of this process. That's why it's so fun to get shots of these "ordinary" moments...because so many memories are brought back when you see them...because you've never really seen yourselves from this perspective...kudos to all you mom's out there! You too, Shannon. You are one heck of a mom.

So, after I grabbed that, I looked down. It was just too perfect:

Here's some more favorites:

Next, we ran over to my studio in Edgewood to get a few more formal, black on black portraits...

I just love how their mother-daughter bond shows through...

I always have a great time on my shoots, but mother/daughter shoots are close to my heart!! My daughter is 6...about time for ME to get a shoot done like this with MY daughter, don't you think?

Live in the Question

2009-05-13T09:18:00.000-07:00

Hey There People!

In the spirit of catching up on blogging, I bring you these studio shots of professional bellydancer/instructor, Malia, one of my favorite clients ever 'cause we always have so much fun and try to go somewhere different creatively with each shoot we do together. She performs regularly around the Sound and her website is here. Yes of course those are my images on the website, even the sillouette one with the sword!!

The studio itself is a completely different environment than shooting on location. You have control and responsibility for choosing lighting, the setting, etc. It uses a totally different part of my brain than when I'm doing say, a senior shoot outdoors and the responsibility is on identifying where the great little spots are and making creative decisions quickly based on the light Mother Nature set up for me. In the studio, it's quiet.... time stops....I have to plan. I need inspiration and one person that always inspires me is Malia.

What I like most about repeat clients is that we really get into a GROOVE! Now we totally know each other and it's a perfect environment to experiment and goof off. Sometimes in life, I feel like there's too much pressure to KNOW everything. My business coaches, Karen Buckley & Fay Freed, have introduced me to so many awesome ideas, but the one I love right now is the idea of "living in the question." Instead of going on auto-pilot and worrying about a decision to make, I can choose to relax and be comfortable "living in the question" and letting the answer rise to the surface of my thoughts instead of trying to force it.

So even though I didn't know it at the time, that's what I was doing with Malia last fall. Living in the Question. "Why don't we try this?"

"Okay, now, what would happen if we did that?"

"What if we changed this?"

"What if we did that?"

I really get a lot out of collaborating with existing clients on photo projects, especially when it's a concept shoot like with Nicole & Dan's studio Engagement session, all crazy and whatnot. It really gives my brain somewhere foreign and new to explore and discover. And I LOVE that.

Aliya & Billy's Canal Wedding

2009-05-05T13:09:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody! I'm so excited to show you Aliya & Billy's wedding images. I'm also excited to figure out how to get my Twitter posts on the blog since I've just started a fun summer goal; unicycling! But I digress...let's check out this rad wedding...

Aliya, such a graceful bride...Billy, such an upbeat force to be reckoned with!

Nothings much cuter than chilly bridesmaids huddling while the guys get their photo-op.

Aliya showing a peek of her lipstick red peekaboo toe pumps! LOVE that.

Billy's captivating bride....

The vintage flare.

The sunlight flare.

What a great wedding party to photograph!

Best friends......together

Sometimes a guy needs a hand...or two...or...ha ha

I love the lucky horseshoe ring, Chris J.

Waiting men...

Sometimes images just GET you, and you could look at one a thousand times and never get tired of it. This one does it for me. Aliya's graceful strut and head-turn just kill me. Her girls. Her groom. And her mom in the background with folded hands watching her baby-turned-bride. Sigh...I think I need this on my wall in my office so I get to look at it all the time.

Chris J, shown here next to Billy, is a CUSTOM MADE THE SUITS! You simply have to check out his ultracool website, www.likearockstar.com . You WON'T be disappointed, and you just might leave with an order for your own custom-made clothing. You've been warned.

Aliya's wedding ceremony entrance...glorious The Canal in Ballard is a fantastic venue with some of the most SCRUMPTIOUS food I've ever eaten.

Emotions rolled through the room during their ceremony. But they started with Billy. :)

I'm sure it's the surest thing she ever did......loving him.

The Mr. & The Mrs.

Among the family shots, this one with dad and bro...

Spontaneous Dual Parental Affection.

The Ethereal Bride

Tender kiss for grandma

These little darlings rocked the dance floor like nobody's business. Twirls, knee slides, and general booty shakin'...just adorable.

This one cracks me up, too...love the juxtaposition of emotions!

Aliya & Billy, it was such a privilege to be a part of your wedding day! There entire wedding day slideshow is here.

Janelle & Jonathan-Engaged!

2009-04-27T11:24:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited for Janelle & Jonathan's wedding this coming May! We just finished up talking about the timeline of their day, so I thought it would be a great time to show you some images from their engagement shoot back in the fall...

Jonathan is the Youth Pastor at St. Louise Catholic Church in Bellevue!

Check out the golden glow of the sanctuary...in just a few short weeks I'll have some very different shots of them in here!

I had so much fun with you guys that day...looking forward to getting together again to shoot your wedding!

OSP-W "Group Shooting is Unnatural!"

2009-04-20T10:40:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody!

This past weekend I attended a photography conference in Seattle, OSP-W (Open Source Photo-West). It was great to see so many familiar faces in the crowd and some wonderful speakers flew in for the event. Overall I had a fantastic time and really learned a lot of "cool stuff" that I am going to spend some time processing in my brain and applying to my business. One of my favorite speakers was Kevin Swan, "Luxury Wedding Photographer" and co-founder of Kiss Wedding Albums. Random side note: Kevin Swan reminds me a TON of my older brother, John. You can just "see" the gears turning in his head as he thinks. He has a background in advertising & marketing and cuts right to the chase on a variety of topics. Simple is his thing. Don't believe me? His website which I linked to above has a SINGLE page. I was fortunate to be one of a handful of photogs who went to dinner with Kevin, Mike Larson, Shawn Austin, & Nathan Holritz after their Get Simple Seminar on Friday.

Inbetwixt the great speakers this weekend, were scheduled "Group Shoots." One or two experienced or well-known photographers would "Lead" the shoot, and the group would trounce around Seattle with a gorgeous, well moving bride model, (or engaged couple, senior, etc). Group shoots are a good opportunity to learn new techniques in shooting or posing, or shoot in locations or situations you've never encountered yet, with no pressure to produce any particular final product. Group shoots are a time to experiment, and for new shooters, it's an opportunity to build your portfolio with shots from the Group Shoot. However, personally, I usually don't like group shoots. Here's one of my favs from the Group Shoot.

I have even developed one personal motto regarding Group Shoots.

GROUP SHOOTING IS UNNATURAL!

Sure, it is possible to grab beautiful shots like this fashion-y one above of our model, Brittany, but want to see what the reality was like?

See all those photographers down there? That's what it's like! You can't really get JUST where you want to be, it's difficult to give the bride direction, and it's just too darn easy to start feelin' like Paparazzi and getting elbows and lenses in your shots! Not to mention, there's 25 other people out there with nearly identical images of the identical bride!

Luckily, I was in a great group of photographers, many of whom I already knew, so it was fun to talk and laugh as we leaned over each other, walked in front of each others shots, and generally enjoyed being together on a beautiful Seattle day with friends and mutual interests. I actually hadn't signed up for any group shoot but the schedule of events rearrangd a bit and I found myself on one anyway. I only had my 50mm 1.4 and my fisheye lens with me (my most portable lenses) which are coincidentally the WORST lenses for a group shoot! lol Luckily, I love challenges so grabbed what I could with the 50mm and enjoyed separating from the pack and documenting the experience from the outside with the fisheye. Sharing this perspective with you guys is way more fun than showing a couple shots and having to explain the nutty circumstances! A picture really does say a thousand words!

Personalized Wine-Making @ Castlebridge!

2009-04-15T10:48:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone! Long-time no blog! I've so much to catch you guys up on! For one thing, I am looking forward to blog about Aliya & Billy's April 3rd wedding at The Canal in Ballard...first though, I wanted to share these great shots that my bride Jill from February 3rd sent me of their wine-making adventure at Castlebridge Winery, conveniently located in Kent! The wine was used above as wedding favors for their guests, which was such a cool idea I just had to share it!

I have yet to make my first batch of Castlebridge wine, but I've sampled all four flavors Jill and her VERY good friends labored over and they were DELICIOUS....from white to blush to red. Yum!

Too cute!

The final product below, featuring customized labels featuring images from Jill & Barry's Engagement session!

Thanks for sharing Jill!! I will for sure take you up on your offer to help me make my first Julie Watts Photo batch of wine at Castlebridge Winery!

In other news, here's just a little sneak peek of Aliya & Billy's wedding! That's Aliya's mother, Raina, in the background (and Billy's hidin' back there too) watching her youngest daughter on her wedding day. Doesn't this image have an unREAL amount of vintage essence?!

Jill & Barry @ the Woodmark Hotel!!

2009-03-02T10:54:00.000-08:00

Jill & Barry had an amazing wedding this past February 7th at The Woodmark Hotel in Kirkland. . .

All of their friends and family. . .

there to celebrate the official union of. . .

the enchanting bride, Jill. . .

with her handsome groom, Barry. . .

Jill & Barry, married at last!

You don't see me give an image a treatment like the above pastel shot very often, but I LOVE this particular shot in this hue.

Coming soon, the ceremony, reception, and a special blog post about their wedding favors. Hint* (It comes in red and white, used to require stomping, but Jill just used a little help from her friends!)

Cheryl & Deon-Adopting again!

2009-02-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

I've known Cheryl's family since junior high; so when Cheryl & Deon asked if I'd take some headshots they needed for their "page" on their www.lifetimeadoption.com site, I was really humbled.

Cheryl & Deon already have one adopted son, Jalen, who is now two years old and they are ready to add to their family! This brings up another reason I am so fulfilled as a photographer; I am entrusted by a family to create an image of them that will be the first sight for the birth mother of the couple she will choose to give her child to?! It's SUCH an honor. You can view their page, it's here.

Adoption is an absolute miracle to me; I have several adult friends who were adopted and I know my own life wouldn't be the same without having them here with me. As a mom myself, I really can't imagine holding anyone in higher esteem as I hold birth mothers who make this most loving, selfless choice. Can you imagine? Knowing you can't give your baby the life that you know your baby deserves? Making the decision to change another family's life forever by blessing them with the ultimate gift-- your precious child. It's just mindblowing to me....amazing...kudos to all of you who are involved in one way or another in supporting adoptive families and birth mothers.

Dan & Nicole's Wedding!

2009-02-25T10:25:00.000-08:00

Two thoughts come to mind when I think about Dan & Nicole's January 30th wedding; wow it was COLD OUTSIDE and wow how HOT was Nicole's bridal party?!!

I think I just shared this with my assistant, Amanda Mays, but I want to share it with everybody now. While Nicole and her bridesmaids were getting ready at the church, two of her bridesmaids came out to the foyer, dressed in these black satin floor length gowns, hair-BAM!, makeup-BAM! They were so stunning, that when they wisked past a couple of the groomsmen on their way back to the rest of the girls in the getting ready room, I observed the two guys to basically gasp with their jaws DROPPED at the GORGEOUSNESS that just breezed through their view. The ladies were on a mission so they were long gone and had no idea of the reaction they got. . . it was the coolest little moment, so now you know!

The day started off at Cherry Creek Hair Company (253.848.4775) in Puyallup. I thought they did an absolutely beautiful job on everyone and it was a great way to begin Nicole's big day ahead. . .

Smooches for pooches! Nicole's new pup!

It was a fun challenge to get a sweet shoe shot. This was done in a long, dark, hallway with a bit of light shining from the little window in the door. I slid the little table over, got down low, and voila!

A beautiful shot of Nicole. . .you'd never know it was below 40 degrees, but it helps to be wrapped up in the arms of your cuddily husband-to-be.

Dan looking so handsome!

Nicole sneakin' into the sanctuary to get a look at the decor at the altar!

On goes the garter. . . .with a little help from her friends :)

It's true. I love jumping groomsmen.

There was an Airstream on location at the church. I've always loved how futuristic they look and did a little dance inside my head when I saw it! There's at least two things that are sure to get a photographer excited; fantastic light, and unexpected awesome "props".

Did I mention the plentiful supply of cherubic, delightful children? I love this shot of Nicole telling the girls about what was going to happen. Chances are they will never forget being flowergirls and watching Nicole transform into at such a beautiful bride!

Okay so I love this one Nicole, where your brother George is giving you away. . .I can't even look at it without feeling the emotion from this moment surrounding me. And your rose balls look great, BTW! lol

It's here. For real.

How a guy looks when he's soaking up the most amazing woman he's ever met.

The minimalism of this shot puts all the focus on all the right things, I think...I've always been a fan of negative space. The story isn't always told the best including EVERYTHING in a shot.

He was dropping her flower petals, then putting them back in. Seriously, could they be ANY CUTER?!! I LOVE her little folded hands and how sweetly engaged she looks in what he's doing!

Happily Married!! Let the celebrating begin!

Good lighting isn't always about having tons of it....it's more about having it in the right place, aiming the right direction, and the right amount of it. This is a great example of that. The only light was coming from Dan's dome lights in his truck.

The Reception Begins!

Nicole was pretty clever with incorporating the floral decorations from the ceremony into the reception. And just in case you ever need to know, these are much heavier than they look and do require some beefy fishing line!

Here is how Nicole used their wacky engagement photos as reception centerpieces! I think they were a huge hit!

This one cracks me up. Future bridesmaids, you may want to preview the slideshow your friend is putting together for her wedding reception. Just a thought. :)

This was the first time I had worked with Brian Wyatt of Sound Beam Productions (206)371-9577. I can't stress enough how much influence an experienced DJ can have on the enjoyment of your guests at your reception. There is an art to assessing the ebb and flow of a crowd, and interacting with them in ways that are truly entertaining. I have such a respect for DJs that have this ability. You may not know, but the DJ and photographer need to have great communication, most of the time with just nods and "thumbs up" from across the room...before he can announce the cake cut, I need to be on my way over to the cake table...before the first dance, I need to be all dialed in for my remote flash. When the DJ and photographer are in sync, the reception flows beautifully and naturally.

With DJ Brians help, I was able to grab this awesome shot below!

I love this shot of the moms. . . after the "formal" shot of them together, they just got down to business reveling in the countless notable moments of their children's first day as husband and wife! How proud it must feel to be them!

Dan and Nicole had a photobooth which was also a huge hit. Guests and friends could immediately stick their images onto a scrapbook page and write a special message. At the end of the night, how could I resist???

There were so many great moments that day...Dan & Nicole I love you guys!!! I wish you two the BEST!! To see their entire slideshow, click here!

Dan & Nicole's Hilarious Studio Shoot

2009-02-18T14:24:00.000-08:00

The story of newlyweds' Nicole & Dan's January 31st wedding really begins back in December when we shot their super-secret studio engagement shoot.

I almost always do engagement shoots on location at a fun spot either special to the couple, or that we come up with together. Nicole, on the other hand, came with with a specific VISION for a variety of different photo centerpieces for her wedding reception. Fun concept shots that fit their personalities shot in the studio with striking colors....shots that would really get the guests started in conversation and mingling about!

This was RIGHT up my alley! I love being able to take clients' ideas and make them a reality. The resulting images were TOP SECRET until they were unveiled on their wedding day....are you ready to see the images??

I would be remiss at this point not to post a couple of teasers from their beautiful wedding!

Nicole is a hairstylist so naturally she wanted to do Dan's hair on their wedding day. However, she didn't want him to see her before their formal "reveal" to each other...The solution? Easy! Dan just had to keep his eyes closed when hey was brought into her dressing room! Isn't that hysterical?! It was the cutest thing ever, shooting Nicole style him up without him having any idea of how absolutely stunning she looked as his blushing bride. . .

This was a fun wedding....more pics and a slideshow to come!

Exciting Developments!

2009-01-29T10:37:00.000-08:00

Hi Everybody!

I wanted to show you the latest issue of South Sound Wedding & Event Magazine since you might see some familiar faces. . .

Here's the issue to look for on newsstands; cover photo which was taken by the incomparable Ms. Heather Gilson of One Love Photo!

I captured this shot on the left of a DARLING little trooper (the bride's neice) at the wedding of Megan & DJ Davis. . .haven't we all felt this way before?!?

And here we have Erin & Brad's Botanical Garden wedding I shot for them last August! But that's not all. . .

Yes, that's a full page ad for Julie Watts Photo! The text reads,

"Ryan and Celeste of Seattle, WA were married August 23, 2008 in Butte, MT. We ran over and took this shot in about 60 seconds as the limo and caravan of family and friends watched on. The crazy time limitations and lack of control in wedding photography will either drive a photographer nuts, or inspire them to no end. As for me? I can't help but be inspired. . ."

Congratulations everyone on being in print!!

The fun doesn't stop there. . . within the next two weeks I'll be unveiling an addition to my website that is going to allow you to see what it's like to be on an actual shoot with me!

Senior--Jenny!

2009-01-22T09:23:00.000-08:00

Back in the fall I had the pleasure of shooting Jenny's senior portraits!

Jenny's BF was a client of mine when he had his senior photoshoot last year. . .

Can you guess what I used for Jenny's backdrop in this shot?

This shot above with mom and BF Jesse should give you a big hint of where I found that fantastic black backdrop...

Yep, none other than dad's sweet rig!

I literally shot all around this truck, and there was a photo-op everywhere I looked. You know how babies and pets are totally fascinated by new toys? You can see their gears grinding in their head as they discover all the new possibilities? Me too! I'd never shot a semi-truck before so I was pretty stoked. . .we climbed on the back, did shots in the cab, mirrors, grill, fenders, etc...

We are all at the mercy of the sun and the clouds when you are shooting on location...so patience and a watchful eye are my best assets when it comes to figuring what shots to do when. I especially liked the light filtering through this shot...

I really liked the colors on the porch so why not grab a few shots in a place she's ran up and down a gazillion times?

Awww.....again, the directional backlight was sweet right here!

Jenny you are a total doll! I had fun with you and Jesse and your mom! Tell your dear 'ole dad thanks for letting us use the truck!

*I have had some VERY EXCITING developments to share with you soon so stay tuned! Within the next few days I'll post my cool news!!

Photographing the Moon

2009-01-14T17:31:00.000-08:00

As much as I am in love with photographing people,I've always wanted to learn how to take a good shot of the moon. Heavenly bodies like planets don't count as landscape or still life to me...in my weird world planets get their "portrait" taken! The Universe is awesome, gorgeous, and a complete miracle! Little 'ole me down here on Earth has tried to photograph the moon before, but it always just looked like a tiny white fuzzy ball....

So, how DO you get a great Moon shot?

ISO 200, F9, 1/125sec 200mm

The first key is TELEPHOTO! If you are trying this with a point-and-shoot camera, the results probably won't be as good, but if that's all you've got, by all means try it anyway! I'm going to explain how I did it with my new Nikon D700 DSLR and a 70-200mm 2.8 lens. The recommended lens is a 300mm, but as you can see 200mm impressed me enough to want to show people :)

Set your ISO to 200. This goes against instinct, but do it anyway and I'll explain why it works below.

Set your F-stop somewhere in the 6.3-9 range.

Okay. Now either use a tripod or anything you can set the camera on to keep it from shaking. I have to admit that I sat on my front porch at midnight and held the camera up, balancing my elbows on my knees, and didn't breathe. lol But ideally you're not handholding a shot like this.

Experiment with your shutter speed...1/125th 1/100th, 1/80th, etc.

Okay so here's the mind blower: Even though it's nighttime and dark outside, you're not shooting the dark sky...what you're actually shooting is the Moon which is light by DIRECT SUNLIGHT! The Moon is well lit! Isn't that wild?!

So the low ISO allows you to see the craters and cool details and color variance in the surface of the moon, and the high F-stop contributes to that as well. If you had a low aperture (F-stop) like 2.8 or 3.5, the moon would appear to be a solid white ball, as it does in most random snapshots.

Lastly, crop the heck out of the image and use a little Unsharp Mask in Photoshop if you need to crisp it up. I'm really happy with my results, ESPECIALLY because I was winging it, trying to get a good shot without the preferred 300mm and (gasp) not using a tripod.

I'm all amped up to whip out my tripod next time and the other cool trick I want to try is-get this-aiming your camera lens THROUGH a telescope aimed at the moon?!? That doesn't seem like it works but I hear it works GREAT even with whatever telescope you've got. My best friend has a telescope. This is definitely a fun little experiement I'll be returning to in the future, with a tripod AND a telescope for sure, and who knows, maybe with a beefy 300mm someday!

Engaged! Jill & Barry!!

2009-01-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

Jill & Barry are getting married this coming February and so I suppose it was fitting that it was a bit chilly during their engagement shoot last fall at the Woodmark Hotel! Okay it wasn't a bit chilly, it was windy and absolutely chilling! lol But guess whose love kept them warm? Here are some favorite shots of this adorable couple:

I'm so pumped for your wedding you guys! Everybody, stay tuned for their wedding in February 2009!!

Wedding! Vanessa & Anthony!!

2009-01-09T18:27:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year Everybody! It's been busy around here but I've been itchin' to get back to blogging about a bunch of great shoots!

Let's start off with Vanessa & Anthony's Gig Harbor Wedding from last October!!

The wedding was held at The Inn at Gig Harbor

Hotel weddings are a great way to go. When your guests can relax and stay overnight, it makes things easy peasy for everyone, especially if you've got family traveling from far and wide to be there to support you on your wedding day! Everyone at the Inn was SO accommodating; they even let Vanessa & Anthony park their 4x4 trucks all crazy in the parking lot!! Not to mention ginormous truck tires were rolled into the foyer to be used as pedestal tables for signing guest books and guest...hoods?! Yep! Leave it to this couple to take an age old tradition and make it all cool and manly. I mean, the guest book will be a treasured keepsake, but a truck hood signed by guests, well that gets admired everytime you look at it hung up in the shop (I mean, I don't THINK he's gonna put that hood on his truck and drive it around!!) Check this out:

The Inn...

The Ladies. . .

The gentlemen. . .

Anthony. . .

Flare....loving it. . .

Vanessa. . . gorgeous!

Grabbing a quick moment alone at the Inn. . .

This was their idea...kissing at the bar with guests in line. I love it when couples get excited about the shots they'd like!

Hilarity ensues during a lively round of toasting and storytelling. . . . .

Our time....our song...our love. . .

Vanessa & Anthony's entire wedding slideshow can be viewed if you just give a little click on here!

SNOW, FUN, & CANDY BAR SLEIGHS

2008-12-22T15:11:00.001-08:00

We usually don't get snow in my neck of the woods, and if we do, it's a couple of inches that melts the next day...but this year's Western Washington snowfall is indeed extraordinary. . .I had a chance to prepare ahead of time with food and good snowboots, so that feels like quite the accomplishment! I'm more of an "idea" girl but when it comes to survival, I get pretty motivated :)

Do you like the snow?

Do you live in a place where this is rare, or a place that gets pummeled with blizzards and subzero temperatures?

What do you DO when you're cooped up at home?

My son talking. . . .

My daughter sledding.

I don't know what's more endearing, that this is a classic shot of dad and daughter, or that dad's beloved '69 Chevy Pickup is in the background! Okay, I agree, it's dad and daughter, but around our house this truck is buffed and polished and admired. A little surface rust, like a few grey hairs, just adds interest and character. . .

And when it's time to inside and thaw out, I ACTUALLY had a craft ready to go! My mom used to make candybar sleighs, each bar individually wrapped up with candycanes taped to the sides as runners. Normally, the bar on the bottom would be a large Hershey's or Nestles Crunch, but I accidentally ate mine. I thought I had bought plenty. Oops. So I wrapped an Odwalla bar instead! Easy and fun.

As cool as it is to be "snowed in", I can't help but notice that any of my "routines" (if you could call them that) were gone. Everybody's sleeping in. We're eating whatever, whenever. And even though I see the benefits of structure and discipline, this has been a fun departure from the norm. I've read a book by the window with cocoa and got through a couple of chapters before anybody needed me. Ahh, the simple pleasures :)

How about you?

Baby Olivia & The Essence of Squish

2008-12-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

Olivia. What a cutie! I grabbed this in between shots. . .I love the documentary feel of it.

And Angela's mom had this AWESOME old freaky chair in the middle of her very contemporary and normal colored home. We balanced Olivia with mom sitting on the floor behind the chair (you can see her arm).

A lot of parents think their babies aren't acting "normal" when being photographed. It usually just takes them some time to warm up. Photographers and their cameras are VERY interesting to small children occasionally and they are just too curious to smile in the beginning. . . .

I've never so well captured the essence of "squish" that make babies so irresistable...

Jeez, did I say something wrong Olivia?! lol

Lil baby buns. . . .

Olivia those BLUE EYES! My Goodness! On her head, if you are wondering, are Olivia's superficial hematomas. They are just on the surface, don't hurt or do anything, and will go away eventually....

Can't wait to get to watch you grow up Olivia!

Olivia is the darling offspring of one of my BBB, (brides before I started blogging), Angela and her husband Josh. Let's revisit their April '07 wedding a moment. . . .

Aw yes. Angela's so vintage-y I loved this one in particular.

This dress was handmade by Angela's mother...GOR-Geous....

Denise & Chris & the Rain

2008-12-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

I'm a big fan of Laurel Creek Manor in Sumner, and this past September I shot Denise & Chris' wedding there.

Remember Chris & Denise's Engagement Shoot??

I've been saying lately, "If it DOES rain on your wedding day, Laurel Creek Manor is the place you want to be."

Laurel Creek has lots of covered porch area, but standing on the steps and getting a little sprinkled on was beautiful. I LOVED the fans Denise chose in lieu of bouquets...

The directional light from the steps was to-die-for! Love this one of Chris. Very James Deany...lol

This neutral wall color and awesome window lighting upstairs makes this "spare room" one of my favorite places to shoot a bride, rain OR shine.

The ceremony was on the back patio while the guests were under the tent, very charming and delightful!

Awwwwww.....

Awwwwww!

Seriously. Fans. Must be considered by all you brides-to-be out there. . . .

Now for a few formals of the new Mr. & Mrs.....

Here, Denise and Chris are standing under a narrow archway and the rain really started to lighten up. . . .

There's nothing I love more when it rains during a "shoot" than the incredibly glossy sheen that pavement takes on when wet...my eyes just LOVE it!

Some good partying down got going!

And a moment to cuddle and take in this whole magical thing called a wedding. . . .

Denise & Chris! You both were so easy and it was an exciting day for me to shoot for you! Hugs!!

To see Denise & Chris' slideshow, click Here!

Senior Photoshoot-Danielle!

2008-12-14T19:24:00.000-08:00

Danielle. I already knew I would love Danielle because I already had photographed her sister and neice. I didn't know what she looked like though, so when I got to the meeting place, I saw this gal pull in and start to check her makeup in her rearview. "That's probably her" so I walked over and this grown woman rolls down her window and I immediately see that she's not a senior...but I made sure to tell her I thought she might be the senior client I was meeting because how fun is THAT to go home and tell your family, you know?

But back to Danielle.

What a beauty she posesses!

And these colors! I just love.

This is a unique image for me....I thought it was quite adorable and every little detail is necessary, not just the shoes and the hands. The greenery in the back and the rocks and the curb and the pebbles in the forefront are as much of the visual story, I think....

It was great to meet you Danielle and it was a TOTAL pleasure to get to do your senior photoshoot....

"Hello?" "Julie, This is Travis..You don't know me but..."

2008-12-06T15:10:00.001-08:00

"...I think my girlfriend has contacted you about doing a holiday picture shoot, but I had an idea I wanted to run by you. I was thinking about proposing to Christine at the end of the shoot..."

Sweeter words rarely grace a wedding photographer's ears.....

First off, I already knew I loved Christine. I mean, she was the enthusiastic focus of one of my most memorable bridal bouquet toss sequences

It was obvious. This chick wasn't messin' around!!!

So when it came time for the holiday shoot, I just was hoping I wouldn't accidentally slip and call it an engagement shoot! I tried to put that in the back of my mind until it was REALLY time. . .

I actually did pretty well and Travis was very calm throughout the shoot. Wouldn't you LOVE to see the REST and how it all went down, frame by frame?!? Just click Christine & Travis' Surprise Engagement Slideshow!!

Congratulations again you guys!! Can't WAIT for your wedding!!!

Brides Hear This!!!

2008-12-06T12:40:00.000-08:00

I was meeting a new fantastic bride of mine (yes, I consider you "my" brides and always will, even when you're a grandma, you'll always a "bride" in my mind) Pamela down at the Sumner Starbucks, when I got to chattin' with Starbucks employee Heidi about wedding photography. "Have you heard of the new site?" she said. "No, what site?" http://www.bravobride.com/ "

Bravobride.com is an online marketplace where brides come to purchase pre-owned EVERYTHING for your wedding. Because seriously, there are better things to do with 30 fluted crystal vases than use them for coin banks in your garage or give them to your photographer as she leaves at the end of the night! (lol) Post them on Bravo Bride and earn some cash! And brides-t0-be, what a GREAT way to get the most "ooh" and "ahh" for your money!

Thanks Heidi!

Having It All

2008-11-28T16:34:00.000-08:00

I just read an article about "Having it All" in life, and I thought it was pretty well said. So I won't try to say it any better, just go check it out and let's reflect together!! Our grandmothers and great aunts back in the day had difficult, busy lives, too.

(That's my dad, sucking his thumb)

The only difference between then and now, is the type of things we are busy with. The author suggests that this need of "Having It All" and the lack of peace we may feel if we aren't "There" yet (I'm of course referring to the magical destination of "Have It All-Land") probably comes from popular culture and advertising. I have to agree, but I have a hard time really deciding where the root of this came from. Grandma (or Great Grandma for you), in a nutshell, were happier with less. Adjusted for inflation, families of decades prior earned less but saved more. Their houses were MUCH smaller. But the pace of modern life now seems so fast! The author of the "Have It All" article did, however, make an interesting point about how grown women of today grew up as the first generation that was told we could Be Anything We Wanted To Be. She thinks that somehow the message we received was We Must Be Everything!

Ever feel like that?

(yep, that's me)

Ever held back just feeling plain GOOD without even realizing you're doing it? Instead, you're just too concerned moment to moment with making sure you are accomplishing as MUCH as you can in as SHORT of time possible? lol

For me, this time of year always gives me an annual gut check. It's almost like our culture tells us we will be frazzled, and that we had better "Do" "Buy" "Go" or else... and it's always been in my nature since I was little to be a little rebellious and think outside the box. So when I feel the Holiday Pressure on the horizon each year, I get in touch with the part of me that stands up and says "No! I WILL decide, thank you very much, what I need or don't need to enjoy my life. And if you've reviewed the things you're thankful for, you probably also came to the same realization that you Have a LOT of things that were luxuries for millions of people that ever set foot on this Earth before us. Like Love. Like a safe neighborhood. Like a closet full of clothes. Like electricity (man do I LOVE electricity).

What If, I mean WHAT IF you were living in "Have-It-All-Land" all this time and just didn't realize it? What would that feel like to be there? And not just for a few minutes until the cares of the world sweep you back up, but really, truly, releasing from whatever negative ingrained beliefs you have about what you SHOULD be doing or SHOULD be feeling. Sometimes you've heard it so much you don't even recognize what it's doing to you. . .

The really AWESOME part about this, is that the moment you recognize and wrestle a bit with those Shoulds in your life that you kinda just let slip in there, you can let them go. That doesn't mean they won't try to squeak back in your life (especially when you are too busy to notice), but a little introspection at the holidays can lead to a season that you end up truly soaking up and enjoying more than ever before. . . .

I have several exciting posts to post, including a slideshow to a "holiday" portrait shoot that turned into a "surprise" marriage proposal right before my very camera!! Stay tuned because I'm going to be doing some massive blogging next week!! Weddings, seniors, babies, families, & one exquisite belly dancer!

Senior Photoshoot--Shelby!!

2008-11-17T13:23:00.000-08:00

This is Shelby. Shelby is a senior.

Shelby and I created some beautiful photos of her. . . .

But Shelby also has horses and wanted some images with them. I've photographed seniors with animals before, and I love animals, but I'd never shot a horse before. I did a little research on the internet, looking at different images and reading some advice. Horses may spook at flash, I was warned. That took me back to 4th grade and riding on my friend Keri's horses. We'd ride down the road and one of her horses was freaked out by mailboxes. Horses are so powerful! I certainly didn't want to spook it! I also pretty much nixed using a reflector, as those wiggle and wobble and reflect and their unpredictibility also may spook.

So I had a few ideas in mind when I arrived for the shoot, but sometimes as much as you plan, as a photographer you have to be ready for anything. Shelby's horses, beautiful and majestic, were no ordinary horses. They were ex-race horses. 17'2 hands tall horses. So big most people probably have never seen one close in their life. Keri in 4th grade had a horse that was 12 hands tall. That was a tall horse, I thought. But SEVENTEEN HANDS?!?!? That's GIGANTIC!

Does this look like a huge horse?

Well, you need more information to really tell. Shelby is around 5'8''. Notice that her horse's head goes from pretty much waist level to her forehead-ish area. Look down at your waist. Look at your forehead (lol). That's a huge head. And horses look kinda mad or distracted when their ears aren't pointing forward in images. We had a heck of a time getting Shelby's horse to have that desired alert-happy-horse look, especially when there was so much DELICIOUS grass around...and noisy cows that she wasn't used to hearing. . .I am going to take this moment to thank everyone who helped with the horse-aspect of the shoot!!

Okay. Enough about that. There was another prominent challenge to overcome. Full Sun. Or, Full Sun & Dark Horse & Blonde Subject. Sounds like a movie title! If I exposed the shot for Shelby, the horse would be underexposed. If I exposed for the horse, Shelby would be overexposed. Flash would have helped counter the effect of the sun, but I didn't want to spook the horse!

We worked hard and I was able to capture a handful of shots where everything "lined" up--exposure, pose, expression, position, and EARS all RIGHT! I hear "hallelujah" when I see this shot above! lol

Now, I've been reading Annie Leibovitz' new book, At Work. She was in town last week Lecturing at Benaroya Hall and I was lucky enough to get a ticket to the sold out show and early enough to get a signed copy AND sit in the very front (more on this later). Her book includes behind the scenes stories about how a handful of her 40-years-of photoshoots came to be. I couldn't help but feel in good company when it comes to banging out a successful no matter what. In fact, I enjoy and even look forward to the unpredictability. Bring it on...

Oh but lastly, I have to mention the realization I had driving on the way home from this shoot. Race horses are the one type that are probably the MOST used to camera flashes. I had thought about giving it a try and seeing what would happen, but I made a judgment call and decided against it. But knowing what I know now about race horses, it would have been safe enough to give it a try. In the end, this was a shoot to remember and will retell anytime I'm around photographers and we're dishing out our best photoshoot stories.... :) Thanks Shelby!!!

Senior Photoshoot---Katie!

2008-11-12T18:26:00.000-08:00

As I continue on my quest to catch up with blogging, we arrive now with the lovely and captivating, Katie...

And BF Colton came too and was incredibly sweet and helpful. . .

When we were talking on the phone planning the shoot, I remember Katie saying that she didn't think Enumclaw would be the ideal photoshoot location. I hadn't shot there yet though, and she was agreeable to giving it a shot. Can you believe this wall we found? Enumclaw, you Rock!!

A more few faves...

Katie & Colton, I had a great time shooting with you guys and generally messing around with ideas. I appreciate your reflector folding skills (Colton is the only person to ever fold the extra large one correctly on the FIRST try). Have an amazing senior year Katie!!!

Vienna 5 and 6 months!! Studio Vs. Location

2008-11-06T12:07:00.001-08:00

This is a good opportunity to compare studio versus outdoor (or "location") shooting. Here we have Vienna's 5 month images from the studio!

The Watermelon Pucker...

When you can't beat 'em, Dad joins 'em!!!

Whoa Mom, what is THAT?!

High Key studio portraiture, basically, is shooting white on white, or at the very least it's lightly toned. This would be an example of a high key shot.

With studio portraiture, everything in the shoot needs to be preplanned. The lighting, backdrops, props, etc. The sky is the limit in terms of what your possibilities are, but it takes much more space for shooting, but more for storage of studio stuff. Also, studio shooting gives you ultimate control. By nature I'm not very high-maintenance, and my studio shooting reflects that. I keep it Simple. . .even if it's like this shot below, it's simple. This only took one light and one backdrop...

I have realized over the last few years that I am the type of person that functions really well in uncertain or uncontrolled conditions. I love the variety and uniqueness of shooting on location. I love the unpredictability of a wedding day. The whole world can be your studio, if you are willing to give up some control and think on your feet. It just depends on what you want the outcome to be.

I think like most photographers, I started shooting outdoors, around the house, etc. I can imagine that when a photographer eventually tries the studio, there are some of us who hear angels sing and realize that they truly love aspects of studio shooting. For me however, I just have to laugh at how truly shocked I felt the first time I stood in front of a white backdrop. It was just..so....white. And foreign. There weren't the usual conditions I was so comfortable working with. After the shock wore off, it turned into amusement. It was like discovering photography again for the first time, and it was an opportunity to play and make mistakes and search for answers. I will never be done learning about studio shooting...which means I'll never get bored!

Ahhh, but on location, that's where I feel the most at home. Speaking of home, I love it when clients take a chance and let me shoot at their home even though "There aren't any good spots here." There's ALWAYS good spots, and I think it's especially helpful to have a professional photographer show you where they are so that you can appreciate aspects of your home in a whole new way!

Okay so last week, we took advantage of the backyard maples at our place!!

It's hard to believe you are already six months, Vienna! See you next month!

Tracy & Ryan! Pickering Barn!!

2008-11-03T15:39:00.001-08:00

Tracy & Ryan were married on August 31 this year! I especially loved this shot below from the Bellevue Gene Juarez because of the motion and expressions on everyone's face as they see Tracy's transformation into a bride. I can hear the gasps as I look at it. . .

Tracy chose The Pickering Barn in Issaquah as her wedding venue. The history is amazing. The Pickering Barn was part of a dairy/farmlands and built in the 1890s! Eventually the barn and farmland was donated to the city in 1997 and the barn was restored/remodeled. It's so cool to have been there, and then to see the images of it from a century ago... I posted one below. It has Pickering Place retail center to one side across the street, but acres of undeveloped wetlands to the other. If you are looking for a venue for your wedding, you have to check this place out!!

The Pickering Barn Today.......

The Pickering Barn 100 years ago (from the other side). . .

Ryan didn't get a glimpse of Tracy until she walked down the aisle...and both had waited a LONG time for that moment! They have been a couple for EIGHT years!! Just wait until you see his reaction below...

But first, a cool fisheye shot of the hall. . . .

and I loved Tracy's details-- elegant, simple, gorgeous.

Okay here we are; Tracy's Grandpa walking her down the aisle. . .

And Ryan seeing her. . .

OH it just makes my heart split in half, do a spin, and stick back together when I see a moment like this. . . sigh. . .

Lots of laughs during the ceremony though!

A couple of my very favorite shots....

Congratulations Tracy & Ryan! I wish you all the BEST in your life together! Thank you SO much for asking me to be a part of it!! See Tracy & Ryan's wedding slideshow here!

Our Anniversary!!

2008-10-30T14:03:00.000-07:00

Here you are seeing a photograph from our wedding, taken 10 years ago today! We were pretty young, 21, but this also signifies the experience that led me to become a wedding photographer. Technically, my photographer had some cool ideas, but was very much old school and didn't get emotional, feminine, and stylish shots. And this one above is just plain weird...lol! I got my first digital camera a year later and the rest is history!

So Happy Anniversary to us! It's been an amazing ride...we hope to have an engagement shoot this season and I'll post those when we do!

Nominated!

2008-10-15T10:40:00.000-07:00

I am so excited! I was nominated for King5's Evening Magazine "Best of Western Washington"! How cool is that? You can still go HERE to leave a comment about me and my photography, and I would LOVE it if you did!

Consider yourself "hugged" for leaving a comment, just like Tracy is hugging her new Mother-In-Law right here! Haven't seen Tracy & Ryan's wedding yet?? It's coming soon!

Vienna--4 Month Portraits!

2008-10-15T06:37:00.000-07:00

Here are a few shots from Vienna's 4 Month old portraits. Big during the forth month are things like playing with your toes and sucking on your fingers, wearing tutus and generally loving life and learning something new every minute. . . .

Vendor Spotlight! DJ Tony!

2008-10-14T06:17:00.000-07:00

I worked with DJ Tony at Eldri & Jerry's wedding this past summer and I wanted to let you all know that I highly recommend him.

Number one, vendors don't have to be nice to other vendors when you are working at the same event...lots of vendors just worry about the client and that's it. But Tony was really friendly and easy to work with. What really made an impression on me was his respect for what photographers' duties are, and how he can help make our job easier. In turn, we photographers can make the DJs duties easier by staying in contact with them throughout the event so that the DJ never has to wait to "find the photographer" before he/she announces the bouquet throw or other reception event. When the DJ and photographer work as a team, it's the coolest. I love looking across the room at a DJ, and then giving "the nod" and knowing that the DJ and I are on the same page and ready to make the reception FUN and keeping the pace up throughout the evening. Plus, DJ Tony has this really cool huge inflatable, portable screen for viewing slideshows! It was a huge success at Eldri & Jerry's wedding, and everyone had a great view (something hard to pull off with a smaller screen). How awesome is that?!

My Recycling Achievement!!

2008-10-13T15:03:00.000-07:00

So I just had to share this, even though I have many great clients and images to blog about right now.

My recycling achievement.

Okay, so we've got the standard 13 gallon trash can under the sink, and then outside the door around the corner is a big outside recycling can. Recycling is addictive, just to let you know. There is a certain satisfaction I get when I squash a cereal box or rinse out a plastic tub. Anyway, garbage day is Thursday and that is soo hard for me to remember. So last Thursday morning I scramble out of bed half-asleep to try to get the garbage can out to the road before the truck comes. I go outside and check the garbage can on the side of the house. Hmmm. No garbage. I check the other one. That's empty, too. I run inside and when I check the kitchen, I realize that OUR FAMILY OF 4 CREATED ONLY ONE 13 GALLON CAN FULL OF GARBAGE IN AN ENTIRE WEEK! Our recycling cans, however, were overflowing, which is cool because in our area, you get a credit on your bill for the amount of stuff you recycle.

So if you aren't recycling now, go ahead, give it a try. I know some neighborhoods make it easier than others; in ours, you can put paper, cans, AND glass all in the same can. But do what you can (lol no pun intended).

I also got some of those reinforced shopping bags, and they hold a lot more than the plastic bags which flop over and pour out on your drive home. My next personal challenge will be, "Can I go an entire week without using plastic bags from stores?" Now, I totally understand using them if you've got a bazillion groceries, but for runs to the drug store or speciality shop, I'd venture to say that you could make your life easier by just putting your stuff in your shopper bag and grabbing the receipt. It's really rewarding to not take what I don't REALLY need. If somebody else has a great tip or tries the Weeklong Bag Challenge, let me know!!

Ryan & Celeste Funky Montana Wedding!

2008-09-23T15:00:00.000-07:00

This is Celeste, at her parents' place in Butte...

Celeste's wedding colors were "pink and leopard".

She removed the sleeves from her dress and made gloves, and it looked divine.

This is Ryan.

Well, actually, this is more like Ryan.

Look at his awesome side of the wedding party! They are way too cool for you. Just kidding!

Celeste wore these leopard print stilettos. A really long time. And never complained. I just love that about her!

Ahh, the ceremony...just look at grampa's hat dad is wearing!

The ceremony had some tough light (full sun, facing the bride) but the officiant (Ryan's Dad) was so cute (he was so emotional in the beginning he laughed about hoping he could make it through the ceremony), and the vows so personal and absolutely perfect that the sun was the last thing on anyones mind...

Oh yeah! I love this shot of Ryan seeing Celeste (for the first time) on her way...

Everyone in the wedding party was talented, creative, and full of life...see that suit? Joe sewed it himself ;) Here are some favorite shots.....

Philana wrote and performed the most incredible song personalized for Celeste and Ryan. OMG.

I feel like I've left so much out! To see the entire slideshow, click here!

The Groom, Beach Ceremony, Reception Lighting tricks!

2008-09-16T18:04:00.000-07:00

This is Brian the Best Man & Greg the Groom. You don't need me to tell you they are brothers, do you?! I just absolutely love this shot of them. They are so adorable, aren't they?

I'm a sucker for camera tricks, so I thought it was hilarious when Greg (or was it Brian) says, "Oh! We should do 'big head, little head'!"

As guests arrived on the beach for the ceremony, the sea breeze danced by and made the California sunshine comfortable...acoustic guitar filled the air...

A union was made official. . .

I am convinced that this image wouldn't be half as good if the little boy's foot wasn't trailing off like it is...reminds me of a Norman Rockwell moment!

Recipe for Great Group Shots:

1. Spread the word! Let EVERYONE know ahead of time, several times, that they will be needed for a group shot.

2. Let them know exactly WHEN and WHERE.

3. Take several shots but not too many. I never take more than 5.

4. Show your enthusiasm and appreciation for their participation!

I've learned to embrace wind, whether it's during formals or a senior photoshoot...Predictable? No. If you respect it and work with it, it can be so dreamy. . .this is Monica's favorite shot.

But this is one of my faves. . .

And I love the tropical feel of this one. Palm trees!!

Just this summer, I began shooting receptions with an external flash mounted on a stand with an umbrella. Add a remote trigger and voila! Dramatic lighting that you just can't get if you are using the flash on your camera. . . .

Here we have it in color which is just as striking...

I'm so lucky to have had the opportunity to photograph such a wonderful group of people. Monica and Greg are truly meant to be together. They are so thoughtful. . .so tender. . . so funny. . .There are so many other awesome moments from Greg & Monica's wedding. . .to see their entire wedding slideshow, click here!

Greg & Monica's Santa Barbara Wedding-Continued!

2008-09-16T15:20:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a whirlwind the past few weeks have been. I've got eight posts coming your way! EIGHT! So let's get to it!

Monica & Greg were married on East Beach in Santa Barbara, CA last month. . .first off, check out the detail on her dress. Ab-so-lute-ly BREATHTAKING!

Monica's beautiful sister and neice. . .

Monica's friend from college also happened to be a spectacular makeup artist...

Monica's beach wedding...stay tuned for her groom!

Senior Portraits-Erika!

2008-09-09T06:58:00.001-07:00

Meet Erika.
She is one of those seniors with a lot of poise, she's got a calm way about her on the outside, but listen to her talk and she's all fire on the inside!

Erika is a shortstop for her year-round select team and catcher for her school team. So before you hear anything else, let's just think about that for a while. The shortstop position is pretty much where all the action is, where all the split second decisions are made (okay probably not ALL of them). It's a position for a player with confidence and ability. I don't know much about catching, but I know that communication between the catcher and pitcher is an integral part of the entire game. . . Check out how we caught the wind just right on the shot below!

Did I mention she was the Captain of her Fastpitch team as well as Senior Class President?
. . . AND she is being recruited by over 25 schools in the nation to attend their school and play softball based on her academic and athletic accomplishments?! How about being Brown University’s number one recruit in the nation for the class of 2009?

It probably won't surprise you that she's got a 3.9 GPA. . . .

Erika! I had a great time meeting you and shooting your senior portraits! Enjoy your senior year and designing a fantastic future for yourself! In life, we go through several waves of reinvention, and your senior year is definitely one of the biggest. I'm talking with my business coach about "designing my lifestyle" now that my littlest started Kindergarten! It's is a whole new world of opportunities each day for me, and I can definitely identify with the feeling that the whole world is at your fingertips, which hopefully every senior feels. Heck, everybody should get in touch with that feeling; it's more true than not. . . .