22 Aug Challenge, Solution, Results
With the growing availability of digital and phone cameras, everyone can now be a photographer. I think this trend is wonderful! Who better to capture the special moments of your child's youth than you. It is also making people pause and realize that there is a...
31 Oct How to take a ghost photo
It's Halloween! Hands down one of my favorite holidays of the year (and not just because my daughter gives me her Reese's Peanut Butter Cups). I love all the scary stuff that abounds. It's like we adults have been given permission to play and be...
23 Oct Fremont Family Photographer
Fremont Family Photographer About twice a year, we make the drive over the bridge and into Fremont for the day. As a Fremont Family Photographer, I have my favorite haunts, and I drag my family along. We start with Thai food - Jai Thai is our...
03 Oct Bainbridge Island Photographer
Bainbridge Island Photographer When the sun is shining, Seattle really starts to show off. To take advantage of this beautiful fall weather, my family and I hopped on a ferry to Bainbridge Island to explore. One of the best perks of my job is getting to...
20 Sep Seattle Family Mini Session
Seattle Family Mini Session In my daily life, I am a very laid back person. On my really good days, I would even call myself a FUN mom. We’ve had lucky charms for dinner while watching Harry Potter; jumped in the ocean with all of our...
16 Aug Constantly Learning
If Every Photographer Has A Role Model...
26 Jul 4 must have images of your camping weekend
Who doesn't think that there is something magical about camping? Being out in nature, breathing fresh air, building camp fires and the s'mores. Lots and lots and lots of s'mores...
03 Jul A Very Special Shoot
Facebook popped up a memory on my feed yesterday of my daughter 5 years ago, and I almost started crying (yes, I know, I'm a sap so daily tears are not unheard of). It was like looking at a different person. Her cheeks puffed out and...
28 Jun One Simple Thing You Can Do To Ensure You Have A Great Family Photoshoot
You've picked out the perfect outfits. You've researched the best locations. You've even got your sweetie on board with the idea of family photos. So, why is it that today - of all days - your children are on their worst behavior? You get your...
23 Jun “How do I get my images to look like yours?”
"How do I get my images to look like yours?" I was asked this question last week by a super sweet new mama who was doing an AMAZING job of capturing her child with her new digital camera. I wanted to explain that it comes with hours...
13 Jun How Did You Get That Shot? FIREWORKS
I'm going to start a monthly installment of: "HOW DID YOU GET THAT SHOT?" This post is for all you moms out there interested in playing around with your digital camera. I love working with moms (and dads) to help them take better photos. In fact,...
05 Jun You Need A Personal Project
What's the fastest way to get out of a rut? When you feel stuck and the creative juices just aren't flowing? Get a personal project! A personal project can be anything from learning to play guitar to knitting your first scarf. The important thing is to start...
03 May 4 Super Simple Things You Can Do Right Now To Take Better Photos of Your Kids
So, you got a digital camera for Christmas. Now what? So many buttons. What if you press something and it explodes? I feel ya'. I've been there. Here are 4 super simple things you can do to start taking photos of your kiddos. 1) Shoot in Automatic. Unless...
25 Apr Three tips to style your baby bump
When I was pregnant, I felt anything but cute. I really wish that I had known Wendy then. Wendy is a Seattle Personal Shopper and Wardrobe Stylist who works with woman who feel frumpy or outdated. She is also expecting her first baby girl! I put her...
18 Apr Photoshop Magic
I think Photoshop gets a bad rap. Sure, it can be used for evil purposes such as perpetuating the unrealistic standards the beauty industry uses - but, much like the force, in the right hands, Photoshop creates pure magic. Take this image I took last Saturday...
27 Mar You won’t believe what this woman can do with flowers!
I'm thrilled to introduce you to Tahmina also know as a floral GENIUS! She is a Seattle Wedding Florist and general floral artist who puts together flower arrangements that will blow your mind! When I asked her about putting together some flower crowns for my Mom &...
13 Mar Mothers Day Mini Sessions
Mothers Day has always held a special place in my heart. It was my daughter's original due date (but she was stubborn and late - story of her life). Motherhood is an experience that cannot be summed up in a few sentences but it is so...
06 Mar 10 questions to ask a photographers before booking them
I have a confession to make. Don’t let this get out, but before I became a professional photographer, I had NEVER hired a professional photographer to capture my own family. I mean, when my daughter was born, I headed over to JC Penny and used a coupon...
02 Mar Dear Moms
Dear Moms, I see you. I see the way you look at your little baby girl with such love in your eyes. You can’t believe that you could love any person this much. I see the mess on the floor. The dirty dishes in the sink. The guilt...
12 Jan West Seattle Child Photographer | Sunset at Lincoln Park
You know what makes everything better? Roller Skates, of course! At least, my daughter thinks so. When I suggested we catch the sunset at Lincoln Park she agreed as long as she could wear her roller skates. I pointed out that most the paths were...
15 Dec West Seattle Child Photography | A whimsical childhood sunset shoot at Greenlake
I have known and loved these girls since they first opened their eyes on this world. They have grown up playing with my daughter while our families shared time together. Their mama is one of my closest friends, and I was thrilled to finally get...
10 Dec West Seattle Child Photographer | A Magical Childhood Shoot at Greenlake
I don’t know if it was all an act, but these four siblings connected with each other in a way that was really beautiful. I’m sure there is plenty of fighting at home, but for me, they really let their love for each other shine....
28 Nov Best Child Photographer West Seattle | A Day In The Life shoot with a trip to Lincoln Park
It can so hard to open up your home to a photographer. To let her see the real you: dirty dishes and all after of night of very little sleep because the baby was up every hour. It takes trust, confidence and little bravery. Kate...
17 Nov Best Family Photographer West Seattle | Day In The Life of Tahmina, Robert and the Twins
I honestly don’t know how parents of twins do it. I think back on my daughters first five years and then I try to image that with TWO! Tahmina and Robert, however, make it look easy. It might be because their boys are quite possibly...
21 Oct West Seattle Family Photography | A Wet October at the University of Washington
Remember that horrible storm that swept through Seattle last week? The one that was supposed to blow all other storms out of the sky? That was the day of the Levine family photoshoot. Anticipating the storm, I diligently searched for indoor shooting locations and we agreed...
13 Oct West Seattle Childhood Photography | An afternoon with Grandma
The stories that I tell through my photography are not necessarily the grand stories of big events. The little everyday stories that make up our lives are just as important to me. One of my mother’s many skills is sewing. So every time I need a...
10 Oct Seattle Day In The Life Family Photographer | A Case For The Day-In-The-Life Session
I know what you're thinking. Not because I can read minds (how great would that be?!) but because I've had the same thought: why on earth would I want a photographer to come to my home, photograph the mess, capture me with my hair sticking...
29 Sep Humanitarian Aid Photography | Agnus and her family
Agnus and her three children live just feet from the little school on the top of the hill in a home the size of my living room. One of her children attends the school and she has a smile that lights up a room. She...
12 Sep Humanitarian Aid Photographer | Bernard and Counsella
Bernard and Counsella live in the village of Ntoma with their seven children (two of whom attend school). Their son, Samuel goes to Mama Naomi's school on the top of the hill and their daughter is studying to become a lawyer. After surviving the genocide, they...
05 Sep Humanitarian Aid Photographer | Valerie’s Story
During the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, many families fled to Tanzania to escape the violence. Valerie and her family were one of those families, and they lived in Tanzania for over 20 years - building their lives together. Last year, however, the Tanzania government kicked all...
11 Jul 24 Things to do in a Day In The Life Family Session
One of the biggest questions that I get asked about Day In The Life Photography is, “What would we do all day?” The purpose of a Day In The Life photoshoot is to capture you and your family doing what you normally do together. The only...
27 Jun How to prepare for your Day In The Life Family Photography Session
Welcome you brave beautiful soul. You, who are ready to move beyond those picturesque images of families laughing in a field of wildflowers without a care in the wold. You, who know that life is not always a perfect sunset walk on the beach but...
20 Jun West Seattle Children Photography | Welcome little Yael
One of my favorite parts of getting to work with couples is getting the call a couple years later to capture their newborn! It is absolutely essential that you are comfortable with the photographer capturing your tiny human, and having worked with Aaron and Sasha...
25 May A Day In The Life Of The Allbee Family
I have photographed beautiful weddings filled with love and joy; hilarious events that support causes to make the world a better place. I have worked with countless families to capture a stunning shot that they can proudly display on their wall, however, absolutely nothing compares...
17 May Day In The Life Sessions!
https://youtu.be/dyHcUNlboOc I've got an exciting announcement to make and a session to give-a-way. Watch to the end to see how to enter!...
24 Feb A California Adventure
A couple of times a year, my family and I drive down to Northern California to visit my husband's family. It is a grueling 12 hour drive each way and we always opt to do the whole thing in one fell swoop - yes we...
09 Feb How To Dress For Your Family Photoshoot at Kerry Park
The most common question I get asked as a family photographer is, "what should we wear?" Its a great question and the answer will depend a lot on who you are as a family. Below are a few of the basic answers that I give...
29 Dec My family in the snow on Christmas
Every time I take my camera with me to the snow, I remember just how much I LOVE SHOOTING IN THE SNOW!!! The lighting conditions are perfect: overcast sky (check), soft light (check), built in white reflector of soft light all over the entire ground...
20 Oct Two Boys and a Little Girl on the Way
Kiira is one of those beautiful mothers who makes parenting look easy. She has two high energy boys yet never looks frazzled or stressed. She is always smiling and ready to offer support to her friends. I absolutely love her. She invited me to her home...
04 May Love Buzz 2015
Out of everything in the world, the thing that scares in the most is the childhood cancer. So, when my friend, Emily asked me to photograph an event to raise money for childhood cancer research, I jumped at the opportunity. Apparently, these St. Baldrick's events...
08 Jan Photo Equipment and Gear
My most commonly asked question isn't, "what is the best time of day to shoot." Or even, "What should I wear?" By far, the question I get asked the most is, "What equipment and gear should I buy to be able to take photos like...
19 Oct Family Photos at the Ballard Locks | Seattle Family Photographer
In case I haven't mentioned it, I LOVE to shoot in the fall. All the colors and the crisp air. It is hands down the best time of year. You know what makes it even better? Having a beautiful, fun family to take photos...
30 Sep Family Photoshoot at Kubota Gardens | Seattle Family Photographer
I love this family! Seriously. I have a confession to make: when I get hired to do family photos with teenagers, a little knot of fear lodges itself in my belly. Most of the time, teenagers don't want to be there. They don't want to...
29 Sep A Family Photoshoot At Jack Block Park | Seattle Family Photographer
This is my favorite time of year to capture families together. The light has that beautiful golden quality. It is still warm enough to be outside without being too hot. I met Angie and her family at Jack Block Park for a lovely late afternoon...
14 Aug Family Photos at Kubota Gardens | Seattle Family Photographers
Photography is about so much more to me than simply capturing a pretty picture. I have a passion for telling stories - the story of a family, the story of a couple, even the story of a child. What I love about telling these stories...
21 Apr A long overdue post about Italy with my family
Traveling with my family is probably my favorite thing in the whole world. I couldn't ask for two more charming, easy-going, adventure-loving companions. This trip was especially fun as we traveled with a group of people who were equally amazing and fun. ...
15 Jan Matt and Laurine are having a baby! | Seattle Maternity Photographer
One of my favorite parts of being a photographer is watching the families that I work with grow and change over the years. I had the pleasure of capturing Matt and Laurine's beautiful Kirkland wedding last summer so was absolutely delighted when Laruine contacted me...
11 Dec An afternoon with my two favorite people | Seattle Family Photographer
So, the thing about being friends with a photographer is that you get really cute pictures of your kid...
10 Dec Thanksgiving Day | Seattle Family Photographer
Every year on Thanksgiving, my family and I try to do something healthy before we stuff ourselves silly. This year we decided to go for a walk in the greenbelt near our house. The sun was just setting and that golden light was spilling over...
06 Dec A Family Session at Sunrise | Seattle Family Photographer
I am not a morning person. Never have been and despite my child's best efforts, I probably never will be. I do however LOVE the light at sunrise. It has such a fresh quality that sunset light lacks. Mary Beth and her family managed to...
05 Dec Rachel, Brad, Lucas and Calvin at Lincoln Park | Seattle Family Photographer
Remember that really cold, really windy weekend we had last week. You know the one – the day before and the day after were absolutely lovely but that day in the middle was so blustery that it almost tore my roof off. That was the...
19 Nov A Fall Family Shoot at Kubota Gardens | Seattle Family Photographer
A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting the Wysocki family at Kubota Gardens to take their Christmas card photos. I love meeting families with young children at parks around the city because the kids have so much fun exploring and just...
07 Nov A Fall Family Shoot at Magnuson Park | Seattle Family Photographer
One of my favorite things about being a photographer is watching families as they grow. I begin the journeys with my families at various places – senior portraits, engagements, maternity – and watch as the families grow and change together. I had the privilege of capturing...
25 Oct Little Matteo is a Big Brother! A family shoot at Kubota Gardens | Seattle Family Photographer
Nika and Jeff were some of my first clients when I was starting out. Matteo was just a baby- a wonderful happy child – and Nika and Jeff had a grace and ease that made parenting look simple. Matteo grew and grew and now he...
16 Oct A Family Outing to Kubota Gardens
At the risk of “outing” one of my very favorite places to shoot near Seattle, I'm going to let you all in on a secret. Kubota Gardens is absolutely stunning – especially this time of year – and NO ONE is ever there. A...
08 Oct A Pumpkin Patch Adventure with My Family
Last weekend, my family and I went on our annual pumpkin patch adventure. It couldn't have been a nicer day, and, after we picked out the perfect pumpkins, we explored the corn maze. Ilya lasted about 10 mintues - which I thought was pretty good...
02 Oct A lovely family shoot at Seward Park | Seattle Family Photographer
Picking my daughter up from preschool every day, I got to know the other kids in her class fairly well. Some of them were extra silly, some were extra focused, but little Sabrina was by far the sweetest one. She would always talk to me...
16 Aug A Water Taxi Adventure with my Family
Last week, my family and I took the water taxi downtown. What started off as a beautiful sunny afternoon turned into something entirely different as a strom rolled in. The light was amazing and made the entire city glow. ...
03 Jul An afternoon playdate with McKinley at Lincoln Park
9 monts old has got to be one of my very favorite ages. During the second six months of life, kids are learning new things and changing every day. Its such a wonderful time to capture these fleeting moments in time. Little McKinley was just about...
04 Jun A Lovely Afternoon at Lincoln Park with Rheta, Ryan and the Girls
Eleanor and my daughter, Ilya, have played together since they were born. We used to swap date nights with Rheta and Ryan, so I can say with confidence that this is an outstanding family. They are always having fun together, and they are not afraid...
13 May Welcome Little Jensen!
I've got it bad - babies on the brain! Photo sessions with adorable little children like baby Jensen are not helping. Every one of his expressions was precious - and he had SO much expression for such a little kid. The way that Brian and...
08 Apr A beautiful Saturday afternoon in the backyard
I have had the pleasure of photographing Nika, Jeff, and little Matteo since he was just a few months old, and I have loved every minute of it! I usually spend a great deal of time during my photo shoots encouraging people to relax (because, lets...
03 Apr A beautiful afternoon shoot at Luther Burbank Park in Mercer Island
I've known Mike for about six months now so I can say with some authority that he is a really good person. He classifies himself as an attorney (NOT a lawyer!) and is always ready to greet people with a smile. What I did not...
26 Mar An afternoon at Luther Burbank Park in Mercer Island
Last Sunday my family and I found ourselves in a rather unique situation: an entire afternoon and nothing planned! What were we to do with ourselves? Well, if you know us at all, the first thing we did was head over to Freemont to eat...
20 Feb A Sunny Afternoon in Seattle with my Favorite Date
When the sun comes out in Seattle, I get a little loopy. Even if it is windy and freezing, I want to be outside absorbing as much light as I can and this last sunny day just so happened to co-incide with Ilya's day off...
15 Dec Spending the Holidays on the Northern California Coast
Thanksgiving was such a wonderful time for me and my family. We drove down to Northern California to visit with our family and meet the newest member - Little Ronin. That's right - this little cuttie, who is all cheeks and eyes, is my little...
14 Nov A Fall Family Shoot in Lincoln Park
Diane and her family are absolutely wonderful. They are the kind of family that you can tell loves each other and genuinely has fun together. Our shoot took place on a Sunday afternoon that started out nice but quickly turned into a rainy hailstorm. I...
04 Nov A Rainy Fall Shoot at Discovery Park
I LOVE fall photo shoots - the colors, the smells, the light...
03 Feb The Traveling Red Dress
We live in a sensationalized culture. The news is full of horrific and heart-warming stories. Billboards and commercials are designed to illicit emotional reactions, and someone always has a story about someone they know who suffered some tragedy or incredible triumph. I won't say that I...