Favorites, part 7.

A few of my friends have gently reminded me that I haven't posted any favorites in a while. I'll admit this is true, but defend myself because of the feverish pace I'm working at right now! Just returned from an amazing wedding in Vancouver BC and am preparing for two more wedding this weekend. In fact, my next weekend of freedom isn't until September! So throw me a bone here! :)

Have some favorites:

This is a portrait of one of my very closest friends. At this time this was taken I hadn't shot very many people who were close to me. It was fun to photograph someone I love so dearly, and I was thrilled with the end result.
I love Will's expression in this shot. It was a really, really warm day up on Cougar Mountain and Will was being so good. Since this was his 9 month shoot and we had been taking photos since his birth, he knew well how to sit for Aly's camera. :)

This is one of my favorite wedding images of all time. Very few people I share it with see what I see in it. There are no special effects in post processing with this image. I simply slowed my shutter speed and hoped for the best. Because this shot was taken pre-ceremony, I like the feeling of rushing to get married. All in all, one of my favs.

Okay I'll be honest. I had seen other photographers pull off this type of shot and wasn't sure if I could do it. I didn't intend to copy another photographer's shot, but the opportunity was there and I took it. I was so excited when I processed the image and found. "Yeah, I can do it too!". There's something about envying other peoples' work and then realizing that you have what it takes, too.

This picture is hanging in my office for two reasons: 1) I love my nephew so much and 2) How fun is his expression? Aiden is another child who is very comfortable around my camera, so photographing him is just like having play time. And the result? Fun images that represent Aiden's true personality. Gotta love it!

Favorites, part 7, detail edition.

The beauty is in the details, and my bride and groom's are masters of the details. Enjoy the beauty that was their wedding days!

Favorites, part 6.

More black and white love.

Favorites, Part 5, Humor Edition.

No explanations for humor. Enjoy!

Favorites, part 4. Black and White Edition.

I love this photo of dad interacting with his son. In this situation we were trying to be near the window so I could avoid using my flash. Right behind me was the dining room table and chairs, and space was cramped. I was excited when I found out that getting low on ground means you can get both people in the frame!

Oh baby Samuel, what's cuter than you?

This little guy was too much fun. I love kids at weddings, especially when they continually ham it up in front of the camera. This is one of many hilarious shots I got of this kid at Katrina and John's wedding last summer.

We had just finished Shelby and Ross' posed photos after their ceremony when they embraced each other in such a heartfelt way. The minute I took this photo I was filled with elation. THIS was what I wanted to capture in addition to stellar posed stuff.

I have a nephew, so I understand how fun it is to be an aunt. Look at Amanda's nephew! He was so tickled with himself, and his laugh was utterly contagious.

Favorites, part 3.

It's always more of a challenge to get good, artsy shots of the guys in weddings. Not sure why that is. Maybe it has to do with the lack of frill and lace in their getups, or the fact that most grooms and groomsmen would rather the camera be pointed at their bride than themselves. Regardless, I felt a sense of accomplishment when I got this shot. I finally found a place to focus for the gentlemen, and the shoes are the perfect choice (even if they're untied).
If you've known La Luz for any amount of time, it's very likely that you've seen this shot before. It will always be one of my favorites. It was taken immediately after the ceremony concluded and is so full of emotion.
We took quite a few posed photos of the bridal party at Wendy and Pat's wedding, but this one is my favorite. A minor freak-out about dirt on the dress resulted in this gorgeous, dramatic pose from the bride. The red of the bridesmaids' dresses looks so rich against the bride's white dress.

Light is something we deal with during every shoot. Where to place it, how to use it, how to let it speak in the image. I love this shot because the light turned out so dramatic. I do not use strobes or any other major lighting devices. During engagement shoots outdoors I don't use a flash. So this is all natural light, but it just worked.

Pure married joy. Lens flare that actually adds interest to the image. Pure photographer's joy.

Favorites, part 2.

This shot was taken during my niece Kaitlin's 1 year session. She, like myself, (and her grandma, and my mom...), celebrates her birthday in October, which means pumpkins! I love this photo because you just can't tell how small she was. That pumpkin was not big. At all. Yet it dwarfs her. I just love that.



This is a selection from Sara and Chad's photos last Christmas. We met early at the Tacoma Art Museum and braved the chill in order to get some good Christmas card photos. This one stands out because I remember finding those ramps and being so inspired. As I recall it, we were already done with our session, but I had them jump up there in order to get a few snaps. It symbolizes inspiration to me, and I love it for that.


Shelby! Shelby and Ross were my last wedding of 2006, right between Christmas and New Year's Eve. The scene when Shelby and her attendants were getting ready for the wedding was hectic and extremely fun. The champagne was flowing, and Shelby, a reserved, quiet, lovely bride, was very composed. I love this shot because you can see her toe, which I believe, hints at maybe a bit of the excitement she was likely feeling inside. Oh, and I love vintage bathroom tile. And ivory dressed.

This is Truly. She's probably one of my favorite little girls to photograph because she is such a ham! I almost threw this shot away because the background got so blown out. I was bummed, because I loved her expression, and of course, her ballet pose. So I decided to keep it, and I made it work. I tested my Photoshop skills and came up with something I really, really like.


This shot was taken during my very first boudoir session. I was super nervous going into it. I didn't know how to pose someone who was in such a vulnerable position. But Trish and I got a great repore going and ended up having a ton of fun. I love this shot because it hints at sexy while still being soft and pretty. No Playboy stuff here, my friends.

Favorites, part 1.

I know for a fact that my favorite images aren't always the client's favorite images, and I think that's because of the different experiences of photographer and subject. The pictures that make my heart race with excitement generally have to do with reaching a goal, pushing my limits, or trying something new. In an effort to engage my readers and let my past, present and future clients get an idea of my true style, I want to share my favorites. These aren't all technically perfect, the lighting wasn't always perfect nor was it likely an image that stood out to anyone else. These are the pictures that inspire a sense of pride in me for personal reasons. So check back often. My goal is to share 100+ photos (some previously unpublicized) in increments of 5. These are in no specific order. I will also give a brief artist's statement for each image. Please enjoy getting to know me and my work a little better. If you see one (or two) of your images here, I invite you to comment and let me know your experiences of the shot and whether or not it was one of your top pics.


This was one of the last images taken at Wendy and Pat's wedding in 2006. I love this picture not only because of the expression on the bride and her friend's faces, but because I can remember how loud the music was blasting and that I was dancing while I took the shot.

This is one of my very early images. Katrina and John were wonderful to work with, and even taking this non-traditional ring shot was a major step for me. I was elated when I processed it; I had captured it just the way I wanted to, and I was really proud of that!

Like parents with their children, photographers don't pick favorite clients. But at the very top of my list is Megan. She was an incredibly beautiful bride, inside and out. Although she had a bright and cheerful personality, I fell in love with this photo because it captured a brief moment of introspection in the mirror. Her peace and quiet here is just so honest.


Another shot from Megan and Jason's wedding. You might not be able to see it in a copy this small, but the marks and scars on Jason's hands are very visible in this photo. I loved the juxtaposition of Jason's hard working mechanic's hands against Megan's pristine white dress. What a perfect description of them as people!

Delight, Tom and I had such a wonderful time during their engagement session. Their fun loving attitude gave me the courage to ask them to do a "fun" and off-the-wall shot, which I normally wouldn't ask for. This is progress, people! I think finding success as a photographer will mean overcoming my fears and just going for it. This photo is the first step in that direction.