The intenship was awarded to Jonah Rondon who is an artist in her own right. Check out her 3 webites http://www.jonahrondon.com

http://www.maluhia.biz

http://www.aworldaway.etsy.com

I’m so happy to have Jonah with us for at least the next two months.

Woe is me. I MISSED it. Tucked in with too many emails was an invitation to Robin Layton’s one-night-only art show. She superbly blends modern photography with hand chosen relics. Empowered with inspiring energy, wit and an appeal all her own, Robin pushes the display envelope blending photographic moments-in-time into, on top of, or around period based decor. Keep an eye out for more from Robin Layton Works,(I know I will) or simply purchase her creations!
See you at the next opening.

Voting has started for King 5 Evening Magazine’s “Best of Western Washington”. Why not help let everyone know YOUR choice of the best Wedding Vendors. Naturally we would be HONORED to have your vote! It only takes a minute to vote! (more…)

Golf Club at Newcastle is renown for it’s expansive views and brilliant sunsets. Utterly professional are the women who support lucky couples who choose this amazing venue. After an hour with the GCN crew it’s easy to love the glam-gone-giddy side of the otherwise professional Babes of Newcastle.

Tonhya photographed this lovely group in the JKP studio during our last “Happy Hour Special”. See. Don’t they look happy? Tonhya did a great job capturing their playful side.

Keep watching the blog or sign up for RSS. We have another “Happy Hour” planned for the near future…

Due to the huge popularity of these sessions, June 30th will be our final session date

Come to our studio during Happy Hour for your FREE photo session!
(more…)

Announcing the fabulous Sharlane

The impression that Associate Photographers are “less than” simply isn’t true at Janet Klinger Photography. The ever popular Sharlane has come on board as an Associate Photographer. Together we have formed a win-win relationship. The first part was easy for me: choosing to pursue Sharlane as an Associate. Ever since meeting her, I have been impressed with Sharlane’s positive, creative energy. I fell in love with her work for it’s natural, playful, yet somehow classic style; exactly the same qualities that shine in Sharlane herself. If you are lucky enough to secure Sharlane for wedding photography, you’ll find someone who is passionate about creating something unique just for you. Not only is this inspiring for Sharlane’s clients, but for Sharlane herself. Finding the differences, enhancing the traditions in each wedding, Sharlane remains inspired as an artist, year after wonderful year.

So why would Sharlane, a popular, highly skilled, much published photographer want a Associate relationship? (more…)

We’re Nominated! King 5 TV Evening Magazine lists Janet Klinger Photography for “Best Wedding Photographer in Western Washington”! We’re thrilled to be included as a nominee in their 16th annual “Best of Western Washington” contest.

Voting ends Monday, October 13th. King 5 is encouraging us to reach out to our colleagues and clients to participate in the process.

If you would like to, we’d be honored to receive your vote and perhaps even a review of our work.

Vote here! Then simply press the yellow “Vote” button.

Whether you shoot weddings, mitzvahs, or corporate events, working as a photo team has advantages. Since 1991 I wouldn’t consider working an event without an additional photographer. While the biggest benefit is having a second set of eyes to capture moments I might not see myself, or to cover a second location simultaneously, the advantages are many. However, before asking these more advanced responsibilities of team members, I like to make sure the basics are covered.

Here is my Top Fifteen “What every Photography Assistant and Shooter Knows” list I like all members of the JKP team to know from day one, helping keep not only the event running smoothly, but the post production time to a minimum.

1. Sync your camera Date/Time with the Primary Photographer’s camera before the event.
2. Count all pieces of gear before and after the event, including notating the number of CF cards. Put the numbers list in the “exposed CF cards” bag.
3. Only shoot macro close-ups at an aperture of 4.0 or less if you are on a tripod or are at a shutter speed of 1/125 of faster. (It helps to take off the heavy camera bag.)
4. Unless it is incredibly bright so that you are unable to get your desired aperture, you are usually better off shooting at ISO 400 than 100 (here in the great NW).
5. Unless you are going for a motion effect, or are capturing ambient light in a dark space, please shoot at a shutter speed of 1/45^th of a second or faster. If using a long lens, your shutter should be at least as fast as your longest lens capability until you know you can succeed otherwise. Example: if shooting a 24-70mm use a minimum shutter speed of 1/80. If a 70-200mm use a minimum shutter speed of 1/200.
6. Do not exceed ISO 1000 on Canon 40D and “below”. If you must choose a higher ISO, use the custom function “reduce noise”. Triple check your exposure when shooting in low light to avoid noise.
7. Everybody blinks. Shoot at least the number of subjects plus one, up to a max of eight exposures. 2 people= 3 exposures minimum, 5 people=6 exposure minimum, but 8 people=8 exposures.
8. Group shots (6 or more people, or 2 rows +) require a minimum aperture of 5.6 unless using a 20mm or wider angle lens where 4.0 is fine. (Obviously you can play with small depth of field making one or two people stand out, but don’t let this art shot be the only variation of a group.)
9. If shooting over the main shooters shoulder, use a radically different lens or your image will probably get rejected as a similar.
10. Use manual exposure when shooting against a window, large doorway, bright sky, or other back lit situation. In a pinch, simply stay on auto, set to over expose by 1-2 stops depending on the desired effect and amount of back light present. Work on checking exposure regularly to avoid forgetting to reset exposure.
11. Check your histogram at least once every new lighting situation to be sure you are capturing appropriate highlights and shadows. This is much more trustworthy exposure check than your preview.
12. To capture someone walking towards you, choose a shutter speed of 1/125 or faster, Al Servo mode, “all” focus points, and I prefer one shot mode for regular speed walking to select “the moment”, and a fast motor wind for a hustle walk, run or jump in combo with a shutter 1/250 or faster.
13. Download CF cards to portable drive as soon as full.
14. Keep CF cards/film on your person at ALL times, even when we shoot out of state weddings and hike, dine, or partake in other adventures. (Water related events we choose a third party to entrust with cards until we are safe and dry.)
15. While downloading to a portable drive immediately gives us a second copy of all images created, this is not a fool-proof system and therefore does not replace downloading each and every CF card individually to the main production hard-drive immediately upon arriving at the studio.

Now for the fun part- Let’s go shoot!

I am thrilled and honored that the Readers of Seattle Bride voted me, Janet Klinger, the “Best Photographer 2008″. THANK YOU! From the bottom of my heart. Granted it was a TIE, but according to Ali Basye (the Editor of Seattle Bride) we split the largest number of votes ever cast in a tie. Spreading the love.

The fabulously talented J Garner won Best Photographer in the “Vendors Choice” category along with his wife, Katarina. These two are not only incredibly talented, but industrious, personable, and business savvy. Hmmm. Wait. Don’t hire them. Hire me! After all, this is MY blog.

Other Winning Vendors (A partial list as it’s late. Purchase the latest edition of Seattle Bride for details.)

True Color Events: Best Wedding Planner AND Day-of-Wedding Planner. Vendors’ Choice.
Aisle of View: Best Wedding Planner AND Day-of-Wedding Planner AND ALL AROUND BEST WEDDING VENDOR. Readers’ Choice. Go Merry Beth!!!
Luly Yang Couture: Best Custom Dress Designer AND Best Bridal Accessories. Readers’ Choice.
Luly Yang Couture: Best Custom Dress Designer AND Best Dress Shop. Vendors’ Choice.
Golf Club At Newcastle: Best Location for a Sunset Wedding. Readers’ Choice.
Flora Nova: Best Florist. Vendors’ Choice. (She’s all over this blog. Do a search!)
Aria Style: Best Florist. Readers’ Choice.
Moms, Maids and More: Best Mother-of-the-Bride Apparel AND Flower Girl Dresses. Vendors’ Choice AND Readers’ Choice.
E.E. Robbins, The Engagement Ring Store: Engagement/Wedding Rings. Vendors’ Choice.
The Healthy Bride: Bridal Fitness Plan. (I work out with her too, but I’m a healthy “Goddess”, not bride.)
The Michael Benson Band: Best Live Band/Entertainment. Vendors’ Choice AND Readers’ Choice.
Wave Link Music: Best DJ for the Reception. Vendors’ Choice.
Hotel 1000: Best Hotel for Guests. Vendors’ Choice.
A Heavenly Ceremony: Best Officiant/Clergy. Readers’ Choice.
Fairmont Olympic Hotel: Best Quintessential Seattle-Area Reception Site. Readers’ Choice.

Anyone notice anything in common? Nearly all of these vendors have been featured on Janet Klinger’s Photography Blog. Love to say I told you so. For more Wedding Vendors we adore, choose the “Vendor” category on the right.

Janet needs a nurturing assistant who really CARES that the client gets fabulous coverage. The ideal person is on the lookout for ways to help the photography go smoothly and the client to feel calm and confident. A multi-tasker needed to help shoot, set up lighting, handhold supplemental lighting, track request lists, handle gear and be VERY strong to carry heavy bags for hours at a time. Mostly weekends with occasional weekday/evening.

1+ years event and/or portrait shooting experience required. Please note that while there is some shooting involved, all images and their copyright remain with Janet Klinger Photography and are unavailable for use in your collection of images.

Please provide resume, cover letter and link to online portfolio in an email to info@janetklinger.com

Loosing my inner control freak, and training the miracle do-all employee; two of my career-long struggles. What a gift to hear from like minded, articulate (and funny) photographers Me Ra Koh, Sara France, Marc Weisberg and Dane Sanders describing their all-consuming post processing. They have each struggled with whether to keep post processing in-house vs. outsourcing. “Four’s Company“, a video from Shoot Dot Edit, allows me to be cyber-present during such a personally poignant conversation. I feel as if I’m sitting in the living room sharing ideas.

If you have personal experience with Shoot Dot Edit, renowned professional post-processors, or their competitors, I’d love to hear from you. Our busy time is upon us, so further personal opinions that might help me decide on a post processor to help support our in-house, overworked staff are gratefully appreciated.

The over loaded post processor blues.

Expensive gear can be overrated, yet having the best gear for the individual photographer IS important. That gear might be a fabulously sharp, detail-rich Hasselblad, or the quick, precise, fun Canon EOS. Equally perfect, in the right hands, could be a cheap, plastic lens equipped Holga, an instant Polaroid camera, or a panoramic Wide-Lux. Photographers who keep up with the latest techniques while also being inspired by the roots of photography offer you a complete, inspired list of classic and unique ways to record your wedding and your life! The bottom line; choose the skilled photographer for her work, not the gear.

Gear and technique driven benefits

• Wedding reception slide shows complete with images from earlier in the day.
• Taking highlights home (and on the honeymoon) with you loaded onto your iPod.
• Albums as small as 3×3 and as large as 12×18, with the huge benefit of large discounts for clone albums. (“Clone” refers to an exact duplicate.)
• On-line albums, proofing, ordering and archiving
• Highly personalized Art images, made more so by unique lenses/camera formats
• Personalized styles created with software or in the darkroom

Capture the details with a sharp lens

Associate Photographer (and intrepid Production Manager) Jane P. is celebrating Pride Month by offering 20% off portrait sessions with LGBT/alternative families & individuals in the month of June! You can check out her portfolio under “Associates & Design” on the main website. Weekend sessions are available, except the day of the Seattle Pride parade (but if you find her there, I’m sure she’ll have a camera handy!). Portraits are in-studio and immediate environs only.

Call the studio at 206-622-7478 to take advantage of this special event!

My first real job was as a sales clerk at Marshall Fields in Chicago. I was 16 years old. There I first heard “The customer is always right.” Even more valuable, I observed that some customers were “more important” to business than others. While initially I thought this stature was based on the depth of a pocket book, more imperative was a sense of partnership and loyalty. By choosing to state product preferences, request numerous special orders, and constructively criticize the management rather than go elsewhere, business and client became more bonded to each other.

If that was true for an enormous business, it’s even more so for a humble one. I rely on customer feedback, positive AND negative. Here are a few of the changes I’ve made because of your feedback.

NEW PHOTOGRAPHY PRODUCTS AND SERVICES OFFERED, THANKS TO YOUR HELPFUL FEEDBACK.

Offer a large selection of albums * Discount clone albums * Sell Originals (formerly negatives) * Offer less expensive sessions with talented Associate Photographers * Make ordering easier for friends and family by posting an online gallery * Keeping galleries private on request * Re-releasing the images on request * If custom prints are not necessary, a print discount applies during the first month of on-line proofing * Same day slideshows displayed at the event * Images posted to your iPod * Use of images on your website * Fine Art Holiday, Thank You, Baby Announcement, and Save the Date cards

Have you noticed another change? Please post it in “comments”.

Keep your feedback coming and keep coming back!
Inspired?

Thank you. The Management.

Photographing Vera Wang’s Fall 2008 collection I witnessed the talents of Bryan Rafanelli of Rafanelli Events who planned this fashion-infused champagne brunch. This man is pure elegance. Aside from the obvious impeccable attention to detail, his calm in-charge demeanor would put the most demanding mother of the bride at ease. Judging from the ambiance created in each space, it’s clear Bryan Rafanelli is equally in-touch with the bride and grooms individuality, encouraging a bold or gentle emergence, as best suits. I would recommend Rafanelli in a heartbeat.

Other top vendors at this exclusive event were: Dresses by Vera Wang, The Ritz Carlton, Boston Common, Claudia Kronenberg Photography, Hair & Makeup by Luiz Filho , Flowers by Spruce Floral, Music by Music Management,

The man himself, Bryan Rafanelli.

Erwin Schinnerl, General Manager, The Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common. Erica Ann Arkin, Vice President of Bridal and Maids, Vera Wang, New York, in the background.

Claudia Kronenberg and Brea McDonald

Luiz Filho, Hair and Makeup Artist

Outside the Ritz Carlton, Boston

Sipping fine champagne on the beaches of Nantucket. Sunset made to order. Five adult girls indulge in giggles and cameras- just like 22 years earlier living together, traveling and playing at being professional photographers. Claudia Kronenberg and I have emerged from RIT and our year photographing abroad as successful photographers on different coasts. Annie Wiswal Widger’s creation of Gentle Thunder Farms is an equestrian Shangri-La. With her big-heart humor, Annie leads trial rides and boards/owns 20 horses. She also runs a gift shop with all things equestrian. Both Anne Sarsfield Morton and Laura Zeffer have found their personal peace through meditation and self-awareness. Anne occasionally teaches meditation after years of running an on-line fine art gallery featuring her fellow Vermont artists. Laura meditates under the guidance of the late world-renown guru for peace, Sri Chin moi. Laura and I both live in Seattle now so get to run and swim together.

Anne, Annie, Laura, Claudia

Five years until our next official reunion, we College and Europe-traveling friends are happily bonded for life.

Adoptive Families Magazine found me through our photography work with World Association for Children and Parents (WACAP). Besides being honored, I respect that AFM uses adopted kids on their covers. So many beautiful adopted kids to choose from.

I’m thrilled to share my shots, used for the Sept and Nov 2007 issues.

This entry is inspired by Mother Talkers, an informative, get-involved site for mothers (and some fathers may enjoy it too). Specifically, I’m responding to a post about the now notorious “Trash the Dress” phenomenon.

Trashing the dress is anything but new. Photographing weddings since 1989 I have always most enjoyed sharing in the sheer joy of the day with those clients less concerned with wear and tear of the dress, and more with their overall excitement about their evolving relationship.

Wanting to keep a dress clean before the ceremony is understandable (though it’s helpful to get more spontaneous, fun, dramatic shots with those LESS concerned with a bit of dirt.)
Yet we all have dreams. Perhaps a bride owns a white horse. It makes sense to wait until after the wedding day to capture those classic bride-on-horse dreamy moments. I’m helping to fulfill dreams and visions, capturing a playful side of my clients. Why not have some fun, hurt no one, be gorgeous, be you, imagined or real, while dirty, wet, or wind blown?!

I prefer to involve both partners in the “trash” sessions. Marriage is not a solo journey.

Some of my recent trash, well, more RECYCLE concepts for couples include:
Riding on motor scooters, veil secured but wildly blown, dress hiked, shoes as jewels, even if a bit of mud hangs from the heel.
Mist sprayed bodies on a boat and then dock. Dog in tow. Who cares if the pup jumps on you. The wedding is over!
Sandy feet and dress fringe. No need to get the whole dress wet, unless you want to!
A romantic bathroom scene, complete with shaving cream, bubbles, and less.
Both of you romping in the hay, grass, mud. Then, of course, there’s clean-up time.
Simply going to your favorite location and not pampering the dress. Think Pike Place Market. Even if you don’t roll on the ground, your dress will be dirty.

Trash the dress if you want, or simply allow it to get soiled while you create life-lasting moments. Why wait for a wedding? Trash your pajamas today!

Granted, my first impression was tainted. I rushed full boar to get to Ummelina International Day Spa. Hurry up and relax. My life’s motto.
Still, I had been savoring the thought of this day. Knowing I have a message as often as schedule allows, the talented Heather Quintans gave me this incredibly generous gift after photographing her family. (No bonuses please! Just tell your friends.)

Chik and Heather Quintans’ adorable family. Thank you, from every muscle and tendon in my body!

Feeling good to arrive on-time after a hectic day, I was confused upon entering the building. Where do I enter? Then I had to wait 20 minutes to simply access a dressing room.
From then on, Ummm. Soft light, calming music, lightly scented candles dancing from nooks and crannies. The best part was the divine Molly McMartin, Massage Guide extraordinaire. In a co-ed parlor (bring you sweetheart!) she starts with a lightly scented foot soak and hydrating rub. Then off to the private room. Heat pad under torso, heated towl on my back, she begins applying just the right pressure to the carefully chosen spots. She asked good questions and listened intently. After leaving in a state above reality, I was led next door to the private Monsoon Shower, stocked with many of Ummelina’s bath products. Finally, we end the session back in the parlor, heated neck pillow seeping into my much used shoulders. (Think “heavy camera bag”.)

Congratulations to Ummelina’s on their new business location: Yakima WA wine country, nestled inside the same building as the Hilton Garden Inn! This means you can use the pool and exercise equipment too.  Take a dip, sip some wine, message divine! Hope to see you there!

Client personalities are a favorite part of my job, my challenge, my life’s adventure. Some stand out above even my usual, fabulous clients.
Five years ago I had the BEST TIME photographing Gregg and Olinda Blackburn’s engagement session and then their Seattle Yacht Club wedding. These two are stand-outs in all the best ways. Recently I was thrilled to have a studio visit with Olinda and their daughter, Hailey. What a difference 5 years makes, but besides having Hailey in tow, you wouldn’t know it’s been 5 years by looking at Olinda.
Now we’re planning a Fall session including Gregg. I love hanging out with these three. I hope to be their photographer for life!





Five years later…

Look at this gorgeous woman. Would you know she has a 3 year old?