When it’s nice there is no place more beautiful than Seattle. My profession often allows me to be outside, and this evening I could take advantage of the awesome light Seattle often reflects following a storm. So lucky am I to have an engagement session with a couple flexible enough to cancel and reschedule the session all within one hour. We did get rained on, but it was worth it to spend time with Kimberly and Kevin. What a special night we had!

These two are so at-ease. What a joy to be a part of this experience

Proof is on the finger!

Who knew it was about to rain again!

Kissing in the rain

Karlee and Paul wanted wedding photography clearly depicting that “our wedding location is Seattle, Washington”. We considered the modern downtown library by Rem Koolhaas, and a fabulous rooftop view from Sodo, Pioneer Square. Ultimately “the classics” represented these two best. We began our pre-wedding urban excursion at Seattle’s Pike Place Market, then rode in a classic British Bentley to the Olympic Sculpture Park, and finally arriving at the adorable, lodge-like Edgewater Hotel. (No they didn’t fish from their room!)

We had so much fun (and accomplished so much for the families and wedding party) during this pre-wedding playful session that during the rest of the day we were able to capture the natural flow of events. I much prefer working this way. No one enjoys hurrying through photographs during the reception. Besides, the candid moments during the cocktail hour are often when the light is most beautiful. Karlee and Paul wanted images that illustrated their love for each other and family. Sometimes other flows work better, so plans are customized from couple to couple, event to event. Planning is Teamwork. Teamwork. Teamwork. Thanks to Karlee and Paul for the great experience, and for your creative exploration of the possibilities.

Venue: The Edgewater Hotel
Florist: Sue Staple, Amaryllis (425) 339-6008
Dress & Veil: La Belle Elaines Bridal
Hair & Make-up: Salon Mason, (253) 984-0667
Men’s Attire: The Tux Shop

You know that feeling when insides buzz, the heart knows best; anything is possible? Such was the day I met Monica and Vikrant. Anyone planning a wedding with coordinator Janel Schlitt of Occasions, LLC, is already on my “Got to work with them” list. But even if Monica and Vikrant decided to exchange their go-all-out July 4th wedding bash at the Westin Bellevue for a simple, quick courtroom gig, my “cool event” meter would still be flashing atop the Excitement rating. These two have everything it takes to be great clients. Energy, teamwork, looks, confidence to rely on their carefully chosen vendors to finesse their inspired interweaving of traditional Indian flair with two highly modern, independent spirits. It’s hard not to love these two.
Below are a few engagement photos to tide us all over until the Big Day.
M&V, see you two on the 4th. Maybe I’ll arrive on a white horse too. Or, uh, maybe not.

Janet’s next travel special will be August 16-20th, covering several beautiful and scenic locations in Oregon:

Lake of the Woods (by Klamath Falls) — One of Outside Magazine’s “Perfect 10″ family travel destinations

The unparalleled beauty of Crater Lake (only one Crater Lake session left, 10 AM on Monday the 18th.)

Ashland (home of the Shakespeare Festival)

(photographs courtesy Ashland Chamber of Commerce)

Contact the studio to schedule your session

Janet will be available to photograph your family, pregnant belly, or baby in Orange County, California July 17th, 19th and 20th . One hour sessions with unlimited exposures are $450. Add $200 per additional hour. Standard travel special rules apply, and there are still 2 slots available. Hope to see you there.

Our next travel special is coming up soon. Janet will be in Cape Meares, Oregon June 27th-30th. Take advantage of this beautiful location and have a fun filled session with Janet!

Jocelyn is Engaged! Just because Clive is thousands of miles away didn’t stop Jocelyn from having an engagement session. I can’t wait to meet the mystery man, and share with him how lucky he is. Jocelyn, thanks for choosing me. I had a ball working with you. Now you know first hand why it’s easy to love my job.

For a fun urban location, we chose the Seattle Central Library, which was the building voted #108 on the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) list of Americans’ 150 favorite structures in the U.S. It provides a stunning setting, both inside and out!

Put couple-in-love into playful mood, add great teamwork with photographer, get memorable stories to tell and photos to share. Thanks Lauren and Andy, for a fabulous few hours. Can’t wait to see you soon for session #2, your wedding!

Hurry! Janet will be in Anchorage, Alaska doing Alaska location portraits through June 7th! For information on how travel specials work, see our former post here.

Even getting here is beautiful

You in your kyak here

Join me for one or two of the final Kentucky portraits.
$450 each for one hour including unlimited exposures and a private website.

Still available on Friday May 16th

10AM – Overlooking the rolling glow-green hills surrounding Louisville.

5PM- An Hour at the Churchill Downs. Overlooking the track from a private box, surrounded by manicured grounds or the stables.

Book today for a sure bet!

Want to love your job? Photograph a teenager. Just when you thought you were charmed, humored, humbled more than possible, the next teenager comes along to raise the bar.

Sure, I love babies. Heart-melting, sweet, chubby adorable faces that change expressions each second. Toddlers and preschoolers have dress-up and Big messes, my jokes are hysterical even when the studio team rolls their eyes. Grade schoolers charmingly tell me how to operate the camera, serve the beverages, encourage their pet to smile, accurately. Middle schoolers are most brilliant of all ages. I get to simply take their lead on these energetic sessions. No matter how much we plan, we detour down the path taken at this fleeting moment.

Teenagers are often excited to help plan & design their own photo session. Remarkably different from the year before, I capture the theme unfolding, sometimes leading the action, more often following. From this teen-time on, I know my most important collaborator is no longer the parent designer of yesteryear, but the unfolding teenager now before the camera. With the design work done, let’s play!

Jane was a gem to work with. Enthusiastic and positive in mind, determined to ignore the cold in body.

Test: How old is Jane? She celebrates her Bat Mitzvah this weekend.

Answer: 20 of course!

Or 26?

Congratulations on your Bat Mitzvah, Jane. Looking forward to photographing you and your family at Temple Beth Am tomorrow. And thank you for the great downtown Ballard session! Ballard looks good on you.

I’m not sure who had more fun at this 3 hour Las Vegas engagement session:
the wild-about-you couple, or the wild-about-both-of-you photographer.

Gorgeous locations heed gorgeous environmental portraits. It’s my job to work with whatever is on hand and still make you look great. But given choices, why not plan a session around a location that is meaningful to you and your family. Where did you meet? Where do you hike, swim, bike or dance? Where was the proposal? Better yet, document the proposal! Do you love to eat in the International District? What’s your favorite romantic restaurant? (Mine is Carmelita on Phinney Ridge, where Tim and I had our first date.) Do you share a sport? Where do you launch your boat? Where do you vacation? (I travel anywhere for sessions. US, Canada, Mexico, and Europe so far. Can’t wait for a trip to Asia. Hint Hint. Just get me there and put me up!)
With a little advanced planning, we can design as simple or as elaborate a session to accommodate your dreams! Make it happen.

Here are a few photos from a recent session at a local Seattle park.

Simple plans, natural Northwest setting.

Ballard hasn’t been sleepy for a long time, and now the excitement never stops. Aside form munching on delicious hand made breads, organic fruits, and taking home organic local beef from the well attended Ballard Sunday Farmers Market, Ellie and I did what we do best. Explored nooks and crannies.

Proof. We’re in Ballard!

Real Brick in Ballard. Not the imitation stuff.

Ellie was hoping to pet that Alley Cat. Elllllliiieee!!!

Taking advantage of Ballard ambiance, the filming of PBS’ Kid Biz$ or Biz Kid$. I couldn’t find a link

This makes the door on my studio look good!

Oh yeah. We did come for the Market.

It may not seem that way on this blog, but I DO NOTICE other kids too. Is she not beautiful?

I love being outside. My two year old and I share an interest in nature, and plants especially.

While most of my clients don’t want to go to the arboretum this time of year, this is my favorite time. Not only are the textures layered in a contrast of velvet and gloss, the scents are Divine! If you haven’t smelled the Daphne Odora, Witch Hazel, or Jasmine this time of year, get to the Washington Arboretum’s Winter Garden. Inhale deeply and forget your worries. Inhaling, I think of my late mother who was always either filling her lungs with garden scents, or sighing in despair that she couldn’t spend all of her time outside. The woes (and thrills) of a garden addict run in our blood!