2009 Favorites

I promised you last week that I wanted to start a series of my favorite things.  What better way than for me to start with some of my favorite pictures from last year? 

There are so many things that I see in a  photograph.  First off,  people’s expressions.  What are they thinking about?  Were they happy?  Dreaming?  Making a joke?  The next thing is lighting.  I cannot tell you how much I love beautiful light!  Oh, it’s gorgeous!!  If you’ve ever done a shoot with me, you know I’m always looking for “the perfect light”.  I’m enamored with it!  And then there is framing.  You’ve got to get it just right to make my first love show off completely. 

All that said, here are a few of my favs.  And to add a little fun to this post, I thought we’d turn it into a game.  Vote for your favorite pictures by leaving a comment, and I will give the winner a 5×7 print of the picture!  Get your votes in now, because on Friday I’ll announce the winner!  Good luck!  (Pictures are in no particular order)

Samantha in the Sun.  Pic #1

Kaeph and Latara #2

Abigail in the grass #3

Jackson on the run #4

Archer Fam #5

Erin and Isabelle #6

Adam and Kristina #7

The Arrigoni Fam #8

Kennedi #9

In the air #10

Thank you to all of my awesome clients that helped to make 2009 a fabulous year of memories!

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I’m outta here!

I promise, it’s not the rain, but I am hopping a plan to SoCal today though for the rest of the week.  Just thought I’d give you all a heads up so you didn’t think I was MIA.   When I get back, I’m going to have a few new fun things on my blog.  Chiefly, Amber’s “Favorite things”.  Yes, you will all be able to see where my money and calories go when I am unsupervised. 

Oh yeah, and GO SAINTS!!!!  Well, and go Colts.  I’m so torn, I love them both!!!

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Rain, rain go away!!

Don’t get me wrong.  I was born in the Northwest, and most days my heart burst with the beauty that surrounds me.  And I actually love the rain.  I love it when I can curl up with a cup of coffee (yes, decaf.  Don’t worry, I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing) and reading or watching a movie.  I love it, except on the days when we’re trying to do an outdoor shoot.  On those days when it’s raining and I’ve got a little baby that needs her picture taken, I wish we could all jump on a plane and head to Hawaii.  That said, the weather didn’t harm us this day.  Don’t get me wrong.  It was fridged outside, but we just went inside.  I had never done a shoot at the Seattle Library before, but I thought it could be cool.  And thankfully, I was right!  Check out how chic Kennedi is.  She’s the best dressed baby in town!

Yeah, she knows how to work the camera.

I totally love this picture.  The color, the windows, and even though she’s crying, Kennedi looks cute too!

Another one of my favs…

Look at those eyes!  I love how clear they are!

So we didn’t have to go to Hawaii after all, and I’m still happily living in the Great Northwest.  For one more day.  And Kennedi, you are beautiful!  Thank you for another wonderful time with me and the camera!  I can’t wait until your one year shoot!

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Ode to sunlight

As I had mentioned before, I am a bit back logged on getting some shoots up.  So as you look at the bright sun in these pictures and think “wait, I thought she was in Seattle…?”, don’t be alarmed.  It’s still raining here, this is just a couple of months ago. 

You know the time of day where the sun is getting lazy and sleepily sets in the horizon?  And then that glowing mess of light is up in the sky, making you think everything is spun out of gold for that remaining hour of light?  Ah.  That is my favorite time of any day.  (I guess you could also think of the beginning of the day when the opposite happens.  But then the sun jumps up from behind the mountains and comes screaming in your window that it’s time to get up.  Oh sun.  You’re like a little kid on Christmas every day.  Not all of us want to play when you do). These pictures always remind me of that time of day (the good late one, not the early bad one).  The glow in Heidi’s hair, the sun on Emily’s face.  The illumination of the whole family.  Perfect.

This little man was our semi focus as it was near his first birthday.  He’s a natural in front of the camera.

Look at this beauty.  And look at the sun on her face.  Sigh.

I LOVE this picture!  The horse was giving Emily a kiss and I think it freaked her out a bit.  Too bad her first kiss had to be so slimy, but it sure was fun to catch with the camera!

Look at how proud Sean is to be standing on his own!  You own that ground!

I’m totally in to pictures of families like this next set.  To me it captures a family more than just standing in a line.  You get to see the interaction.  The love. 

Archers, thank you so much for this shoot.  It’s always a pleasure!

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It had to be done

I am a very concentrated girl.  That doesn’t mean I concentrate well on what I should, but more likely on what I shouldn’t.  Ever since I wrote the blog of Grace in the Market, I have not been able to get the coffee from the Chocolate Box out of my head!!!  Mike and I are trying to limit sugar and caffeine (Doctor’s orders…nothing I would ever try to do with out a firm fist enforcing it!), which means it’s all I can think about!!!  Mike keeps asking me “are you upset about something?”.  I look at him confused and say “no”, and then I realize I’m thinking about coffee and how I can’t have it!  So, yesterday was a VERY special treat for me.  We went to the market so that I could get my cup o’ joe.  And yes, it was worth it.  And yes, I can feel it adversely affecting me.  And yes, I would do it all over again.   And yes, it was hard for me to throw away the empty cup even though the joy juice was gone.  I thought just smelling it was worth it.

Now that you all think I’m a nut job, I should probably sign off.  Hope ya all had a great weekend!

This is my "I'm in love" look, if you haven't seen it before

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Grace in the Market

When I was young I didn’t like Pike Place Market.  I’ve always been a germaphobe, but it was super bad when I was young.  The smell of fish flying through the air made me gauge.  I must admit, I still hold my breath when I run past the fish, but I live in the air of culture and creativity there.  I always linger on my way to Le Panier, the French bakery. I think about the dough, the crust, the tradition.  Beechers, Sur La Table, ah!  I love it.  Love it!  It is all topped off with a mocha from the Chocolate Box.  Seriously, if you like coffee and chocolate you MUST go there.  Now I must go there!  Just writing about it is making me crazy!

Enough about the Market though.  It’s the people I photographed there that are important.  I’ve loved working with the Arrigoni’s in the past, and this was no exception.  They are a family of love and joy, and it is contagious!  Their adorable daughter Grace is their delight, and she’s one of my favorite kiddos to photograph!

Look at her expression!

I absolutely love this picture!  I look down at my tummy too, but it doesn’t look this cute.

Grace was hamming it up for the people in the alley. This was supposed to be a all together family picture, but Grace needed room to perform.

Another one of my favorite pictures.

You’ve seen this one in color from the preview, but I had to get it in here in black and white too.

Arrigonis, I had such a great time with you guys!  Thanks again for the honor of working with you.

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Joridson birthday bash

The first element to a good party; pizza.  The second good friends.  Third, knowledge that a good dessert will follow the pizza.  Fourth, no inhibitions.

On Sunday, we had all of these elements.  My cousin Julie and her family all have their birthdays in January.  We decided that we should celebrate with a Wii party, which included pizza, lemon cheese cake (that I made from scratch) and guitar hero.  First we tried a new pizza place in Black Diamond called Sahara Pizza, and it was awesome!  That got our spirits in the right mood.  Then we grabbed our guitars and rocked out.  And I do mean rocked out.  We sang along with the songs, Sammie (my two year old 2nd cousin) and I danced to the music as others played their songs, and then we ended it all with one of the best cheesecake ever!!!  BTW, if you are a foodie and have never tried America’s Test Kitchen, you are missing out.  That’s where the cheesecake recipe came from, as well as all of my other recipes.  Check that out next…

Oh, I guess Sammie didn’t dance the whole time.  She did stop for a while and pretend to eat the cheese from her play kitchen.  Ah to be two again.

You may think the face is innocent, but he was killing us softly with his song (and outrageous score)

Julie pondering how she’ll beat us…

Chad going straight to “medium” hardness on his first attempt. 

This is when I was playing one of my favorite songs “Eye of the Tiger”.  It doesn’t get better than this.

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Arrigoni Preview

Ah, where to begin?  First of all, it was a beautiful day.  Second, it was Pike Place Market.  Third, it was one of my favorite families.  Fourth, they bought me coffee (and not just any coffee mind you. It was specially brewed Starbucks coffee in a $1400 machine.  Uh huh.  That’s right).  I know you’re thinking my day was perfect, and the answer is “yes, yes it was”.

Here’s a cute pic of the cutie I got to work with all day. Check out those hazel eyes!  I can’t wait to show you guys more! 

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Coming up this week….

Just wanted to give you a heads up to what you’ll find this week…

Today: Strangers on the street

Tomorrow: Arrigoni Preview

Wednesday: Joridson Birthday bash

Friday:  Arrigoni’s in their glory

So back to today.  We were just wrapping up our shoot in Seattle by this graffiti wall that I absolutely love.  There was a couple there needing a picture, so I snapped one for them and put it here.  So, for my acquaintances in front of the wall, here ya go!  Hope you enjoy it!

For the rest of you, I look forward to checking back in with you this week!

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A day in the park

The park was full of life and beginnings.  Brides quitely standing in the shade waiting to go down the aisle in various parts of the lawn.  Children’s laugther, the whack of tennis balls spinning on the courts, the whisper of lovers, all floated through the air.  All added to the shimmer of the day, creating the perfect back drop for Kennedi’s second shoot. 

Look at the love on their faces!

The Shirk’s brought along some of their best friends to join our shoot as well.  Their little kiddos are almost exactly the same age, giving them a fun attachment.

All ready for business. 

BFFs from birth.

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