It was demanding work, but I fondly remember quite a few of my clients. Among them was a mother who came in once each month with big ideas and our best coupons to get updated photos of each of her children. And among those children was Raeanna, about 10 at the time.

While I left the studio a long time ago, Raeanna's mother always remembered me and even called me over the years to hire me for a variety of things-- from photography tutoring sessions to photographing her son's Eagle Scout ceremony.

So imagine my delight when I got the email from Raeanna announcing both that she was engaged and that she wanted my wife and I to shoot her wedding!

Here's a look at some of our favorites from the wedding day.

Interested in booking your own engagement photo session? Got somewhere NEAT for us to travel to? Drop us a line! We'd love to hear from you and help you start planning!

One of my favorite things about this whole space is how they consulted with so many different wedding-related professions in designing it. The set up's pretty ideal for photographers (Just look at those white ceilings!), DJs and caterers. And aside from being set up well for professionals, the whole place is INCREDIBLY versatile. There are multiple locations for where a wedding ceremony can be held, including a lot of outdoor visual variety for portraits, family photos, and other things you'd want on the wedding day. I can't wait to shoot an actual wedding here!

Thanks again to all the other vendors for their hard work, this wouldn't have turned out as beautiful if it weren't for your time, effort, and professional skill!

Sublime Stems www.sublimestems.com

Cakes by Kramp www.cakesbykramp.com

Salon Jasmine www.salonjasminebeauty.com

Flawless - by Mariah Tilton www.flawless-esthetics.com

Maisy+Lola Refined Rustic Rentals https://goo.gl/Q8yP6k

Freelance Model Kelsey Griess


 

Not only was this a beautiful wedding, but a fantastic example of what you can do on a budget and some serious creativity. Definitely worth a look!

But first, perhaps you're wondering why you should spend a portion of your budget on staff portraits. Why not just bring in that one guy with the good camera in accounting? Or maybe everyone can just use their phone and get one at home? Those all seem like cheap, convenient options, right?

Well, yes and no. It sure is easy and affordable, but staff portraits are an important part of your business and they communicate a lot about the quality of work you do. Behind all your marketing and design is the message that your product is valuable, worthy of the time and money of your client. Your appearance is a part of that message, and these days, the first look a client gets of who you are is almost certainly on your website.

The only thing a smartphone selfie communicates is "Quality doesn't matter as long as it's cheap and easy!" Probably not what you want to say, right?

So, let's talk about what a professional brings.

It's fairly simply, a professional will know how to work with your staff to get good images (even the ones who hate being in photos!) They won't take up your whole day, and they'll return images that have been expertly edited to help your staff look their best. A professional will know the technical details behind flattering lighting, proper posing, and have the experience to get it done in a reasonable amount of time.

Case in point, here's a before and after image from one of my recent sessions with the good folks at Elmhurst Mutual.

We can see in this un-cropped portrait that the changes to exposure, color, and the skin are all subtle, but make a big impact. The eyes light up and engage the viewer, the skin looks warmer, and elements like the logo on the shirt stand out just a tiny bit more.

Eyes, in fact, are one of the most important parts of the portrait. Find someone currently using a smartphone selfie for the business and compare the eyes in it to a proper headshot. There's a world of difference. Any professional portrait worth their salt is going to put life and energy in the eyes of their subject, and not merely in Photoshop, but in the photo itself, with proper lighting and posing.

See what I mean?

So, let's move on to how you can prepare for a shoot with us.

1. Think about when you want to schedule your session: We use a mobile studio set up  and prefer to come to our clients. Unlike traditional studios, you won't have to carpool your whole company out to a single location. We'll come to you and work around your schedule. Think about a convenient time to have as many employees in the office as possible, and try not to schedule us up against any other big events.

2. Inform (and remind) your employees about their upcoming portraits. Given them enough forewarning that they can schedule hair appointments if necessary. 

3. Think about how you want your staff to dress. Is their a dress code they'll already be following? Do they have company shirts with logos they can wear? Can they dress in the company's colors? Simplicity tends to lend itself better to a sense of professionalism, so if something starts to sound too complex or expensive, that's probably a good sign you need to do something else.

4. Set aside a location for us to photograph. We'll be setting up a background and lighting, and it needs to be out of the way. Often times we'll find ourselves in a spare conference room so as not to disrupt ongoing work. Also consider whether or not you need group portraits-- that may require a larger room!

5. Consider consulting with your company's graphic designer. What does he or she need for the website? Does a particular background color better than others? 

6. Contact us! Even if you're not 100% sure what you need, we're here to help cast a creative vision for your company's portraits. It can be something as simple as the classy gray backdrop you saw in the portraits above, or maybe I'll spend 8 hours underground with one of your cleaning teams. This is one of the best aspects of working with a professional-- not just executing your vision, but helping develop it.

We're here to help you look your professional best!

Getting a feel for different vendors and their services and products is kind of our thing (We love giving recommendations when we meet folks in person), so of course I said yes!

So here's what they sent me.

This is actually a high-quality lighter, and as a non-smoker, I was totally unaware that high-quality lighters were such a big deal. The first thing I noticed when unpackaging it from its gift box was the heft. The only lighters I've used before this were all cheap, plastic, and lightweight. This one felt solid, like it was made to last. And having my name engraved on it was pretty darn neat!

But the coolest part was definitely seeing it in action. Check this out:

Maybe it's just me, but I thought this was one of the coolest designs I've ever seen for a lighter. I didn't even know several eyelights like that were even an option. Honestly, I now carry this with me.

After a short trip to pick up some butane, I spent a few days trying it out. I wanted to see how well it stood up to frequent, repeated use. After using up about half its store, I'm happy to say it's still working perfectly!

You can find the actual lighter here, definitely a cool little gift for that someone special in your life!

-Jason

It's hard to believe 2017's already come to an end. One of the things I like to do every year is take some time to review the year's weddings and relive some memories. See where we did well, where we can improve, and just reminisce. I really enjoy shooting weddings, and I love the fact that we get to help create something important in the lives of our clients-- it still amazes me that I get to do this for a living!

So with that in mind, I'd like to share with you some of our best photos and favorite memories from our 2017 weddings. Thanks again to everyone who chose to work with us-- it was our honor to get to photograph your weddings!

So, we thought we'd share some of our favorite Washington wedding venues from 2017!

1. Thornewood Castle 
To use their own words, "Thornewood Castle is a 500-year-old Tudor Gothic historic site known as “the house that love built.”", and it's nestled out in Lakewood, WA right by American Lake. Aside from being one of the most visually stunning locations we've ever worked at by far, it's also very versatile. There are a number of indoor and outdoor locations that work well with our fickle Washington weather, and it's going to look beautiful either way. The staff have always been professional and accommodating with us, and we're always excited to head back there. 

Now, there may be some restrictions with how many guests you can actually bring along, depending on whether your ceremony (and reception) are primarily indoors or outdoors. They'll gladly help you figure out what's reasonable given your guest list though.

On top of that, Thornewood is also a renowned Bed & Breakfast, meaning that once you're done partying with friends and family, you can actually stay at this gorgeous home and enjoy its centuries-old charm and wonder!

Want to see what it's like? Have a look at these two weddings!

Connor & Jessica's Wedding Day at Thornewood Castle

Chris & Claire's Medieval Wedding Day at Thornewood Castle

2. Trinity Tree Farm
Next on our list, Trinity Tree Farm actually sports two separate locations, referred to simply as "The Barn" and "The Lodge". You may remember a few months back we were experiencing a lot of smoke in Washington due to wildfires in other areas of the country, and despite the haze and heat, Trinity not only remained a beautiful location, but a functional one as well. One of our main gripes about Washington state venues is the all-to-often lack of air conditioning. Trinity Tree farm definitely has air conditioning, and it worked wonderfully. In the sample below, you'll see that we retreated indoors for all of the formal photos, and it was an excellent decision on the Bride and Groom's part.

Tyler & Beth's Wedding Day at Trinity Tree Farm

This is another venue with versatile, generous amounts of space. The property divides into cozy outdoor areas, a variety of preparation rooms, a main hall for dining and dancing, and many other rooms for guests to mill about and enjoy. Where some other venues will mainly force guests into a single, large area, this venue has plenty of space for private conversations, outdoor games, exploration, and all of the larger events. In short, this is the kind of event venue that actually compels people to hang around and enjoy themselves beyond the ceremony, and if you want to really celebrate with friends and family into the evening, Trinity Tree Farm is a great place to consider.

3. The Winsome Grace
If you love intricate details full of thought and heart, consider one of Sumner's most beautiful locations, The Winsome Grace. Every detail has been meticulously planned out over several decades, resulting in a very affordable locale full of rich, elegant beauty. If I told you about the pool table situated in one of the dressing rooms, the sliding bookcase concealing the bridal suite, the hidden hallway, the sauna, and the cozy backyard garden, I would still just be scratching the surface on everything this venue has to offer.

Probably one of the best aspects are the owners. Duane and Jeannie are some of the most gracious, kind, hard-working people we've ever met. You won't be disappointed working with them.

This venue is definitely ideal if you're planning a medium or small wedding party, with the maximum number of people allowed coming it at 120. That said, I highly recommend visiting in person-- I've seen people fall so in love with this place that they started cutting their guest list on the spot!

Check out this wedding for some great photo ideas and a look inside this beautiful, historical house!

Dan & Rachel's Wedding Day at the Winsome Grace

4. Cedar Lodge of Maple Valley
We were introduced to Cedar Lodge a few years back by a friend, and it's been a delight to shoot there over the years. It's another one of those locations that makes good use of its space to fit in just about everything you'd need, and at a very affordable price. In addition to the main hall used for ceremony and receptions, there are beautifully decorated getting-ready areas as well as indoor and outdoor options for some of your formal photos and bridal portraits. It's close by to places like "Lake Wilderness Park", which has been a popular spot for those all-important formals and is just a few minutes away!

In addition to being a fantastic venue, all their proceeds to get benefit a wonderful cause, the Maple Valley Food Bank & Emergency Services. It's a great way to use some of the cost of the wedding day to help give back!

Check out some of our favorite weddings from this great place:

Brad & Monika's Wedding Day at Cedar Lodge of Maple Valley

Brian & Molly's Wedding Day at Cedar Lodge of Maple Valley

And that wraps up our favorite venues for 2017! We've shot at quite a few places more than what's listed here, but these places have consistently been wonderful venues, not just from our own standpoint but from the experience of couples and other wedding vendors as well.

Are you having your wedding at one of these venues? We'd love to work with you! Learn more here and contact us today to secure your spot-- 2018 is already booking up!

We're just going to jump right into the goofiness, the love, and the friendship. Buckle up!

Often times, but not all the time.

Adelaide and her Mom, Lisa, opted to meet with me and discuss their plans on a Saturday morning over coffee. It was a good chance to discuss outfits, preferences, location ideas, and overall just make sure we're a good fit.

And y'know what? The actual, practical result can be seen pretty clearly in her photos. We shot for roughly 2 hours, but had a lot of fun exploring downtown Tacoma, the UW area, the glass museum, and at one point getting caught in the middle of "Walk for the Cure". We had a blast! We were able to keep an eye out for what she wanted, the colors she liked, and the areas she was interested, because we had discussed it beforehand.

If you're considering a senior session (or really, any kind of professional portrait session) with us, planning is important. And the best kind is when we can sit and chat in-person. We're happy to go over those details via email, but if you've got the time, we'd love to meet you face-to-face!

8 hours on-site, 30 minute sessions. Families, couples, high school seniors, everyone's welcome! 

Want to be notified when we have our next mini-session Saturday? Follow us on Facebook! We start sending out notifications and taking appointments about a month before any given Mini-Session Saturday, and we book up fast!

Wanna see what a whole day looks like? Check out some samples from our last full day of mini-sessions!

But seriously though, how cool is this?! Tyler & Beth had their wedding at Trinity Tree Farm! And they chose us to photograph their day. And boy howdy am I glad they did, you'll see it in the photos but these two are just adorable together and their friends and family were a joy to work with!

Now, their wedding took place back when things in Washington were still a bit smokey from some nearby fires. The ceremony was outside, but we ended up retreating to the inside of the Lodge for a lot of the formal photos. Thanks to some *very* powerful air conditioning, we managed to escape an incredibly hot and humid day.

On that note, I have to say how impressed I am with this venue. The indoor areas were beautiful, comfortable, and pretty extensive. A lot of the venues we end up working at excel at either indoor or outdoor features, but Trinity had both covered very well. Hannah and I can't wait to go back!

Also, it was kind of neat to work with such beautiful grounds. The surrounding gardens were beautiful, plentiful, incredibly well-kept, and afforded us a lot of visual variety.

Now, that bit in the title about a thousand receptions? Steven & Karina had their wedding here in Washington so Karina's parents were able to attend, but were then going to follow it up with *multiple receptions around the United States*. Why celebrate with just a few people when you can celebrate with literally everyone you love? 

The weeks coming up to the wedding were kind of a whirlwind of planning and scheduling. We had a bridal session just a few days before the wedding, and had the photos done in time to have prints displayed at the wedding. It was a little crazy, and a lot of fun.

But I digress, take a look at the photos and you'll see what I mean, everything turned out beautifully!

Interesting in learning more about having us shooting your wedding? We would LOVE to chat with you, drop us a line! 

 

First off, Brandon & Dieu were two of the sweetest, kindest people we've ever had the chance to work with. And, shockingly, they might have been bigger nerds than my wife and I. The engagement session alone is still one of my favorites. On top of that, at the end of the wedding day, they sent me home with a gift, a bottle of Tullamore Dew, some excellent Irish Whiskey we had mentioned wanting months ago. Who on earth is that generous and remembers offhanded comments things that far back?

Second, I need to give a hearty thanks to my assistant for the day, Whitney of Whitney Patterson Photography, who did a bang-up job 2nd shooting and assisting while my wife was unavailable at school, AND all while 30 weeks pregnant. On top of that, I was getting over a cold that day, and my voice completely failed about halfway through the wedding, and so Whitney became my voice. Every instruction, every communication, she was there helping me make it happen.

Third, I don't think we could have made things happen without my last-minute assistant Gennifer Potter. As I woke up the day of the wedding, I realized pretty quickly that between my cold and Whitney being pregnant, we'd need an extra set of hands, and Gennifer agreed to help us just a few hours before the wedding. Things would NOT have gone as well as they did without her help. Thanks again Gennifer, you were a life saver!

All that said, check out the photos we managed to get together, it was a wonderful day!

Interested in learning more about our photography team? Questions we can answer? Contact us today! We'd love to chat with you and help you with any questions you have.

Questions? Interested in booking with us? Send us an email! We're happy to answer questions and we'd love to work with you!

And their kids were a blast to work with-- full of energy, jump-from-high-places courage, and more videogame knowledge than you can shake a stick at.

Check out what we got!

Questions? Interested in booking with us? Send us an email! We're happy to answer questions and we'd love to work with you!



 

It's hard put to words what their friends and family are like-- definitely one of the most supportive (and goofiest) crew we've ever worked with, so maybe it's just best you take a look at some of our favorites photos from the day of. Enjoy!



Want to know more? Have any questions we can answer? Let us know! We'd love to hear from you and help you plan your special day!

It was fun getting to hear about their life of adventure as medical professionals, traveling from one location to another, and it was a (tear-jerking) honor getting to witness their vows of lifelong love to one another.

But I digress. It was a beautiful day, and I'm excited to share some of the wonderful photos we got with you!

Want to learn more? Send us a message! We'd love to hear from you. In addition to our wedding packages, we definitely have options for a small, but memorable, elopement, just like this one.

Ashon & Natalie are some of the coolest people we've ever met with one of the most unusual stories. Suffice to say, they're both currently fishing on a boat in Alaska, and Ashon comes from a family with nearing a dozen adopted brothers and sisters. (Usually brought home while their adoptive father was out at sea fishing!)

An extended like that means one HECK of a party and more than few interesting, tear-jerking stories. And a big, warm welcome for Natalie into the family.

On top of that, they just so happened to choose one of the most interesting venues we've ever been to: The Georgetown Ballroom

Below are the photos that they themselves chose for their wedding album. I hope you enjoy, I know we did!

Connor and Jessica's wedding was one of those day where I kind of just want to stand back and marvel at how on top of things everyone was. Jessica's bridesmaids and Connor's groomsmen were some of the most active and involved I've ever met, and Tricia from Weddings Realized (Jessica's wedding planner) made everything run with clockwork efficiency. And, ever the gracious hosts, Thornewood Castle's staff were polite, helpful, and the venue was gorgeous.

We also had the chance to work with our good friend Shane from Shane Faye Videography! It's not always easy to work with several media professionals, but Shane has always been an amiable delight to work alongside, to say nothing of the quality of his work.

But I digress. Check out the beautiful photos we got from Connor & Jessica's beautiful wedding day!