Digital files are great. Sharing on Facebook is fun. But nothing beats holding an album in your hands or showcasing a large print on the wall. It’s tangible. You can touch and feel. It’s right there. And it really says something about the event, the person or the emotion of a photo. When you view photos online, everything is backlit and illuminated. Colors may or may not be true to form. Seeing a photograph in person, with front lighting, is an entirely different experience for your eyes.

In this digital age, it’s difficult to convince people that YES, you DO want something to show for your money; and it’s more than a disc of files. And what we offer it isn’t cheap, I will give you that. We put a lot of man-hours into these albums. They aren’t just plug and play programs we use to design these books and each one is carefully crafted using our imagination and our own creativity. We customize every single inch of every single album. Additionally, the product itself isn’t cheap for us to buy or produce. But every time I deliver an album to a client I get to watch their eyes light up, I get to see them get choaked up, and I see how having that product in front of them makes them feel. I think everyone agrees that it is definitely worth the investment.

I feel those emotions too. When I opened this package today (and I’ve been looking at these files now for about 6 months… so I admit I’m kind of tired of them), I experienced these images in an entirely different way. I was so proud of what we created and proud to showcase it for our clients. In fact, the first thing I did was run to my husband so he could see the album. I love seeing his pride in me, and my work, too.

This particular item is my number one top seller. I sell this exact product (or a larger version) to almost 100% of my couples. It’s an engagement guest book. We lay the photographs into the album on the right side of the page. The left side, along with a couple of additional blank pages, is left open for guests to sign at the wedding. It’s an amazing way of showing your guests your engagement pictures along with having a beautiful keepsake for a lifetime. This particular album was bound with a two-tone leather/suede combo (we have endless possibilities and combinations) along with a 4 inch cut out to feature a photo on the front. We recommend the 8×8 size shown here for weddings with guests up to 140. Larger albums are available for those with larger weddings. With every album purchase, we automatically include a DVD disc of all the original jpeg images from the session for our couples to archive and keep.

This is a shot of the custom CD case we do for the digital files. Recently, we were featured as a top designer of these cases by the company who produces the product. It was such an honor for Steve’s designs to be featured like that on a national scale!

Yesterday though, they flew from Rincon, PR where the wedding is happening to meet me and Rebecca in San Juan. We did a session at the Castillo San Felipe del Morro in old town San Juan. Then, all four of us, piled into the car, braved San Juan traffic (by the way… I rock at driving around here. Which kinda makes me question the legality of my driving skills back home.) and make the three hour drive to Rincon.

After few hours at the hotel bar, and some time in the sand, Jessica and Andy invited as guests to their rehearsal dinner. Didn’t stop me from taking more pictures! I’m so looking forward to spending more time with the both of them and their wonderful families today!

Here is one of my favorites from our session when exploring all the knooks and crannies of the fort. We went down this long corridor that was totally dark and found this open door at the end. I quickly placed Andy and Jessica right there in the light, and I just felt like it was a little bit of magic!

She is one of the warmest and friendliest people I’ve ever met… and stunning gorgeous. I don’t know what it is, but I am so thankful that not only are my clients the most beautiful on the outside, but also the most beautiful on the inside. Jessi is just settling in here in Washington and I so wish her the best of luck this weekend. I know she’s a little nervous, but I now know, if she just shows them what I saw this past Saturday night, she is definitely going to get the job.

Good luck Jessi! I’m totally rooting for you!

With head shots it’s always a tough call… color or black and white? Since we couldn’t decide on these, we did both!

Yeah. I know.

It’s super awesome and super cool.

But they really wanted to include the boat in some of their pictures as that is a really important aspect of their life together and I was more than happy to oblige. We met up at their house first and then headed out with the hydroplane towards Seward Park. We were originally scheduled to do their session on Sunday, however because of rain (yeah, rain in Seattle… go figure…), we rescheduled for that Monday. Luckily the weather was ideal and you couldn’t ask for a warmer more diffused sun light. It was fantastic and I was in photographer-heaven; two gorgeous people, a gorgeous location, and gorgeous light. <sigh> It was nice.

But these two made it fun – we tried to keep things playful (although I do think at one point Jeff actually thought I was completely off my rocker) and fun and capture their personalities and fun relationship. They have a very sexy and intense chemistry with one another, so as the sun went down, things got a little sexier and hotter.

Funny thing happened though… Christabelle really liked the engagement session I did last year with another couple. One of her favorite shots was from Kerry Park, on Queen Anne Hill, after dark. It was a total accident that shot ever happened though because where I was going to originally take that couple was closed. For this session though, we did Kerry Park prior to the sun going completely down, but that location I wanted last year? Well, it was open! So I quickly called them on the phone while driving towards the highway, called them back, and went for it. I have to say… I love the results of the rainbow light!

Note: Double click to zoom in closer on the pictures!

Every once in a while, someone in the community donates a house or a building for what is called a Practice Burn. This allows the firefighters to do controlled training in a real life scenario kind of way. Essentially at the end of the day, though, the building is burned to the ground. If you’ve ever seen a true ripping fire, the power and the intensity is something to be feared, but is also so hypnotizing. You can be standing a block away, yet feel this intense heat and pressure all around you, but something about the fire just beckons your eyes and mind. It’s just amazing to witness. And watching these guys run in and out of a burning building is just a really wild experience.

My husband was kind enough to put in for photography access to this particular burn yesterday, which was approved by the Chief, and I went out to photograph some of the details of the burn. I had a lot of fun, I just wish I could have stayed until it was all in ashes (but it take hours and sometimes days for it to completely burn down all the way, so that wasn’t necessarily an option), but real life, work and kids called me away in the mid-afternoon. My mom even came out with the girls thinking that Maggie would enjoy watching the fire and watching daddy at work. Nothing could have been further from the truth as Maggie was terrified. Poor little thing… so my mom took her back to the car and they were entertained by throwing rocks in a mud puddle.

This was the first time that Maggie had ever seen Jason in his bunker gear. She’s seen him in uniform tons, but never full decked out with airpacks and everything. Even I have only seen it a few times in our marriage. So it was totally fun to see him working and doing what he does best! But at one point, Jason asked Maggie to hold his helmet.

So here are some details of the day… I’ll let the images speak for themselves and save you the narration.

The shoot itself was a lot of fun! Due to copyright considerations, photographing inside an art museum is actually pretty rare of an opportunity, so I was lucky to get the chance to do this. Add in the emotion of the actual moment happening in front of me and I can tell you that it was a wonderful experience.

Today when I picked up the mail, the magazine was kind enough to send me a complimentary copy – complete with my own by line. It’s a pretty satisfying moment when seeing my name in print!

Yesterday, I went out with her and hubby Jake to do a few holiday card pictures for them. I captured this one of Rebecca that I just ADORE!

But I also caught some nice moments with the two of them together!

Have I mentioned that I LOVE fall?! This shot came out so warm and beautiful right out of the camera. Love shooting with all the warm leaves in the background!

The package includes a 1-hour session with me here in Olympia. You will have a minimum of 50 soft proofs to view after the session. The package also includes: (4) 8×10 prints, (4) 5×7 prints, (2) Digital Files of those 8×10 prints and 50 custom designed 5×7 holiday cards printed on beautiful linen paper. Individually, the items retail for $660.00, but this special package is $425.00.

If you book before September 15th, you will also get the cool and brand new Gallery Float Wrap in an 11×14 size. This is a brand new product that I’m launching for 2010 and will retail for $150! But you get it free. Your session can happen anytime between now and November 15th, you’ve just got to get a $150.00 deposit on your package to me before September 15th. Totally easy!!

So get on it already… I know it’s hard to start thinking Holidays in September, but when December 1st rolls around, and you are half way done with all your shopping… won’t you appreciate the time you put into it now?

Just remember… the BEST time for fall-leaf pictures is that first 2.5 weeks in October. I’ve still got a lot of session dates available those weeks!

Let’s talk families and kids first…
First off… you get an hour long session with me (this includes an option to wear both regular attire and then also do a clothing change into something more ‘holiday’ like). After your session, I’ll upload all the soft proofs online and then we can start sorting through them together. Each holiday session comes with: (4) 8×10 prints, (4) 5×7 prints, (2) Digital files of those 8×10 prints and 50 custom designed 5×7 holiday cards printed on beautiful linen paper. Individually, these items retail for $660.00, but this special package is $425.00.

If you book your session before September 15th (the actual session can happen anytime in September or October)… I’m throwing in something super cool and super awesome. FOR FREE!

In 2010, I’m offering these new Gallery Float Wraps. They are beautiful displays that actually float off the wall – no framing required. Shown here is an example of a little gift I did for one of my wedding clients, sized 11×14. These will retail for $150.00 next year. And I’m throwing in a free 11×14 with the Holiday Package booking by September 15th. Pretty sweet, huh? Keep it, or give it to grandma and grandpa for Christmas – either way, these are amazing displays to treasure for a lifetime! (click on each picture to see a larger version!)

Now let’s talk something a little more naughty than nice…
Ah… the holidays are one of the most popular times to book that boudoir session in order to provide that special someone that really special gift! Since my hubby is a firefighter, I thought I’d extend a little holiday ‘cheer’ to some of the other firefighters out there in the world, so the firefighter wives better listen up!

If you are a firefighter wife, and this is something you’ve been wanting to do, find a friend, call me up to book. If your friend books the boudoir session at full price, you get yours for $100.00. Yup. That is a $175.00 savings just for those firefighter wives out there. You can even share the cost of the hotel room with your friend and we can do your sessions simultaneously! It’s an awesome value!

Each of the booked sessions receives a 5×7 silk lined and custom matted image portfolio with (2) 5×7′s to share with a loved one. Or, trade that out for a $50 credit towards an album. Your choice.

Check out The Tease: A Boudoir Studio for information about pricing and products.

Lovely huh? Lots of stuff to choose from!

So give me an e-mail or a phone call… I’ve got very limited dates left available in September and October is booking fast. All session must be completed before November 15th.