Family on the Lake

It turned out to be a beautiful evening for this family portrait session! A few clouds rolled in just as we started and worked to my favor as a jumbo-sized soft box! (That’s the big thing they put over the light/flash so the light isn’t so harsh)

We started out on the deck of their home, overlooking the lake. The view was amazing, but I was having more fun watching their two boys having fun with the shoot. They were not camera shy at all, and both boys had lots of fun ideas to share.

After a “formal” shoot, they decided to change into some more casual outfits. We went back down to the dock for a little fun.

The boys wanted to show off on their bikes a bit, so we walked up to the driveway and did a few tricks!

Then I decided to ask the boys who could jump higher… we went back to the dock to for a little more fun before ending our session.

The Perfect Gift

I often find myself browsing through Craigslist looking at ads people post looking for photographers. Usually the ad reads something to the effect of “I don’t have money, so if you would like to add to your portfolio, this would be a great opportunity!” Well here’s a newsflash: I don’t have to work for free to add to my portfolio. People often don’t understand the true amount of time and effort that goes into a photo shoot. It’s not just walking around taking snapshots and then handing over a disk of images. It’s work. Hard work. And the work isn’t over when you’re done taking pictures. You have to weed through hundreds of images and make the choice of what is good and what isn’t. Then there’s the editing, and time to upload, etc etc…

But I digress….

Last week I was browsing Craigslist adds just for fun, and I came across one that caught my eye. Someone wanted to hire a photographer to document a very special surprise evening they had planned for their mother. He offered a fair payment for two hours of shooting time, and stated he would want to buy prints at a later time. The gig was all the way up in Woodinville, which is about an hour and a half from my home in Olympia. Normally it wouldn’t have been worth my drive, but  I liked the add so much I responded anyways. I just loved the idea that this man had come up with, and I felt it would be an honor to be able to be a part of their evening.

To my surprise, he called me the next day, saying that with all of the responses he received from the ad he placed he liked my work the best. Now that made my day!

The event was a Chris Isaac concert, being held at the Chateau Ste Michelle winery. That in itself was enough to get a photographer excited! The grounds are meticulously maintained and the buildings are beautiful.

Mother and son arrived in a town car at the VIP entrance. As the mother stepped out of the car, I was snapping pictures like paparazzi. She walked towards her son saying “I think that lady thinks I am someone else!” Her son then told her that he had hired me for the evening to document their time during the VIP reception. (photographers weren’t allowed into the concert)

They walked through the grounds, tasted some wine, and enjoyed the amazing feast that was provided for all VIP guests.

Then it was portrait time. The mother said she hadn’t had a photo taken of her in years… it was my pleasure with her beautiful smile! She still seemed in disbelief when it was my time to leave. I have a feeling her evening was just getting started…

True Love: Wife, Mom, Dad, and Ukulele

I think having a past client call you up and ask if you are available for another photo shoot is the best compliment a photographer can get. I had the opportunity to photograph not only a past client (David) again, but also his extended family. David’s wife’s parents were in town unexpectedly, so he thought this was the perfect opportunity to get some family portraits, as well as a few more shots for his upcoming album release.

Here’s the coolest part: The parents hadn’t had their photo taken together in over two decades! Now that is a special event to be remembered!

We started off with a few family portraits, but soon I had “Mom and Dad” sitting side by side laughing while watching me snap away. They were so stinking cute! I could have stayed and photographed them all day long without a care in the world.

David’s wife was not home for our first photo shoot, so I had the pleasure of meeting her during this one. And by pleasure, I mean complete joy! She and David were so great together… their love for each other just shined through and through. She was so excited to have photos taken, and had many ideas for us to work with. I love it when clients have ideas and suggestions for a photograph! And I love it even more when they get to see those ideas come to life.

Next we took some fun shots for David’s upcoming Ukulele CD release. I think I’m as excited about getting a copy of the CD as he was about getting the copies of his images! I certainly hope that David keeps pumping out the albums, because I can’t wait to work with him again!

Cuties in the Park

I had a friend (much like my second mother) visiting this side of the mountains from Eastern Washington to help out her son’s family, as his wife had just had their fifth child. As any good grandma would do, she spent the majority of her time caring for the other four children so mother and baby could just enjoy each other for a while.

I wasn’t about to not see my “other mom” while she was visiting just because she was being the devoted grandma she is. We decided to pack up three of the kids (the oldest was in school) and head to the park so we could get some visiting in, but still entertain the kiddos. Of course I had my camera with me, and I had to take advantage of these little cuties!

Here are a few of my favorite shots from the day. They were quite used to their mom snapping photos of them, and had no problems giving me big grins all day long!

Almost Home

I was able to go back to my “Home Town” for a week last month. I hadn’t been there for more than a day or so at a time for the last ten years. Now mind you this isn’t really my old “Home”… that is 43 miles north of here, but that is for another blog posting.

It’s funny when you’re gone for a long time, and then come back… so many things change, yet everything still seems the same. I took a walk through town with my mom and my camera, looking at all of the “landmarks” that I never really appreciated before. Colville, Washington really is a cute little town.

I never even knew that this sign existed until I went on this photo walk…. Amazing how you can visit a town once a week for 18 years and still find new places…

This was my favorite store in all of Colville… the Flour Mill had everything a girl could want: Horse tack, feed, pet supplies, farming books, etc..etc..

Here’s the view looking over the Colville Fairgrounds. Yes, this is the county fair that I mention in my “About Me” section of my website. My very first photos were displayed here! 🙂

Almost sunset at the park I used to go to as a kid…

And here’s just a few of my favorite park “toys” …. I think they are older than I am!

My favorite swing set they had at the park… (there were three different ones!)

And last but not least, have you ever seen one of these before?? They call it a merry-go-round… you stand inside those metal bars somewhere and you run as fast as you can…. then you jump up on the bar and hang on for dear life! I got hurt so many times on this thing! I doubt they are even legal anymore in parks…. safety hazard!!

I’m so glad I had the opportunity to capture “my little town” on such a beautiful day!

Photography Friends

I don’t think that there is anything a photographer loves more than having the chance to work with another photographer, who also happens to be one of your best friends. You get to talk photography talk all day and you both get excited about the same subjects to capture. You learn from each other (well, I learn from him) and you try out each other’s gear… (I try his gear) You laugh at each other because now you realize how you look on “the other side” of the lens.

Last week we were finally able to trade family photo shoots – a long awaited event that we have been talking about for much too long. What a fantastic visit that I wish would never end!

Stroll Through Tumwater Falls

Families like this make my job easy. A stroll through Tumwater Falls on a lazy afternoon. A beautiful family with cute dogs and lots of big smiles. Photographer’s paradise.

Family

I had the pleasure of photographing this wonderful family yesterday! This was a photographer’s paradise and I would have stayed all day if I was able to. Five acres of farmland, cows, chickens of all kinds, goats, pigs, dogs, a beautiful yard and a cute yellow playhouse. What fun!