Daydreaming of summer weddings!

Having not actually seen the sun for over a week now (except for the briefest of appearances designed to keep Northwesterners from actually moving away), I've started longing for those longer days of spring and summer when I'll be able to take advantage of the beauty of Puget Sound without freezing to death.


Over the years I've had a lot of fun shooting weddings out on the Sound for couples who wanted a little something out of the ordinary. Here are just a few of my favorite images from my maritime wedding portfolio and I'm looking forward to adding more to this in the warmer months ahead.

If you're planning a boat wedding, please contact me. I don't get seasick, I know a sea shanty or two and I also know how to work a camera aboard a wedding venue that moves!

Best of Western Washington

I was quite honored last month to be named "Best Photographer" in the wedding category in King5's Evening Magazine Best of Western Washington contest. There were almost 600 nominees in the contest and because of the wonderful support of past clients and hundreds of other people who had become familiar with my work over the years, I won. In fact, I garnered more votes than any other vendor in the overall wedding category.

Unlike many other photographers, I didn't offer free stuff in exchange for votes. I noticed other nominees offering potential movie tickets, Starbuck's cards, Target gift cards etc. I instead relied on people voting for me that believed in my work and believed in me personally. I was truly humbled by how many people were supporting me and saying nice things about my photography as well as the positive experience of working with me. The only teensy (tongue in cheek) incentive that I offered was something I promised I'd give everyone if I wound up winning the contest. It was nothing much...just a FREE PONY! And I made good on that promise by uploading a small gallery of my favorite pony pictures available for download in high resolution to my supporters. Here's a few portraits of my friend Pierre who lives at the farm across the street from my studio. :)

"Word of mouth" has been how I have allowed my business to marketed forever. My passion lies in the photography, not the marketing, and word of mouth, via social networking, is how I won this contest. I had to supply a little description of my work for the contest page and it really does illustrate how I truly feel and the reason why I do what I do.


"Life zooms by...but a photograph can slow it down. I first realized that when I begged my parents for a camera in 6th grade and I've had one in my hand ever since. It's truly an honor to be invited into someone's life to capture a moment, or a celebration, or just a memory. My goal is to capture what my heart sees. Sharing that is one of my greatest joys."


Thanks to all of you who voted for me. If you're stopping by for the first time and looking for a photographer for your wedding next year, perhaps I'll be offering YOU a free pony (or some other cute animal) if you support me in the 2013 contest. Until then, in the now immortal words of Carly Rae Jepsen, "Here's my number (studio 360-779-7663), so call me maybe!"

The Run of Hope

Last Sunday was a day that I still can't get out of my mind. The day was filled with so many wonderful things. Amidst the complete and total chaos of almost 1200 walkers and runners at Seward Park there were some absolutely incredible people. The Run of Hope is in its 4th year now and I've been lucky enough to emcee it each year. On September 30th over $300,000 was raised in the fight against pediatric brain tumors bringing the 4 year total to just over $1,000,000!

In every fight there is a champion, and it doesn't matter whether or not they 'win' the battle. The winner is the person who champions the cause, the moment, or the struggle, with energy, emotion and Hope. Seward Park was filled with champions a week ago and at every turn I kept bumping into them. There were doctors and researchers who have dedicated their lives to caring for children and finding a cure for pediatric cancer and there also were families who have endured the worst nightmare imaginable, losing a child, and yet on this day they were filled with Hope and united with a common goal. These families raised money and walked or ran in honor of their own child or the children of others. My dear friends, the Strauss family, who lost their daughter Gloria to cancer in 2007, were there in force to rally support for their cousin Stephanie who is struggling bravely at the moment.

The energy at this event was so hopeful because something tangible was being done to find a cure for cancer. That Hope at times was tempered with great loss. My heart was heavy when over the course of the event I spoke with 5 different moms who have all lost a child to cancer in the last few years. Their strength is beyond belief and should be an inspiration and a call to action for anyone that can help in this fight. One mom in particular, Heather Hughes, lost her beautiful daughter Sarah to cancer two years ago. The "Sarah Mary" award now goes to the top fundraising team and quite fittingly, Team Sarah Mary with their overwhelming support, has won this award every year. I had the great pleasure of meeting Sarah a few years ago and I still remember her engaging smile and the quiet grace that she so willingly shared with everyone.

Every little bit helps. A year ago, with my friend Ann Marie, we started Team Ninja! with only a week to go before the Run of Hope, and still we raised over $800. This year, I got Team Ninja! going just two weeks ahead of time and thanks to some very generous friends and the incredible Dice family (whose hilarious daughter Maggie is a cancer survivor), we raised almost $4400. Next year we will start earlier and welcome as many fundraising Ninja warriors to this fight as we can. You just can't go wrong with Ninjas on your side and together with all the other people that are passionate about this cause and this event, I sincerely do think there is Hope for the future.

Faces of Champions:

Race founder Erin Cordry's son Max, brain cancer survivor with little brother Beck on his shoulders.

Maggie Dice, cancer survivor and all around awesome kid.

Four incredible people, from left Cory, Rich and Jim who have decades long résumés at Seattle Children's and Run of Hope founder Erin

Fellow cancer survivors and great friends Eloise (whose senior portraits I just took) and Max

Team Ninja! greeting participants at the finish line.

Fellow Ninjas, Gracie and Kara in a familiar pose!

Run of Hope founder and professional instigator of awesomeness, Erin Cordry

I have no idea who this is, but she screamed "Hope" at me without saying a word!

Auctioneer Larry Snyder with daughter and official race "starter" Daniela.

The Strauss family with friends (but 8 of them are Strauss')

Next year, with your help, the Team Ninja! army will be even bigger!

Heather Hughes, Sarah's mom, with her father.

Sarah, bless her sweet heart.

Remembering Henry today

Thinking about my little buddy Henry today on what would have been his 12th birthday. He left this world at just 10 years of age in December of 2010 and will be dearly missed forever.

In the hospital, December 2010

Driving Daboata in summer of 2010

Henry was the littlest wiseman that I have ever met. He taught without speeches or words but with actions. He loved life, his friends, and his dear mother Lihua and cancer didn't stop him until the very end. During his struggle, cancer it seemed at times was just an inconvenience, a bump in a road that he so enjoyed running down.

At the zoo in November 2011

He didn't complain about needing a wheelchair on our trip to the aquarium. He just saved up his strength for when he really needed it, like examining an amazing fish or browsing the toys in the gift shop. The rest of the time, on that day that I'll never forget, my daughter Alex (who was the same age) would push him in his wheelchair. His little crush on her was so sweet and genuine.

At the aquarium, October 2010

December 2010

Henry had an agenda in life. He had stuff to do, places to go, people to see, Lego's to build. He learned English in no time flat and made friends so very easily. I visited him in the hospital just a few days before he passed away. His cancer was relentless and his pain was increasing. I heard him exclaim to nobody in particular, "This is the worst day ever!" It was a brutally honest thing to share and it was utterly heart breaking. He was helpless against the pain, and I and everyone else in the world was helpless to stop the suffering. That is such a terrible feeling and there just MUST be something that can be done about it. Lihua was an incredible mom and she did absolutely everything that she possibly could for Henry. They loved each other so much. Even though she is back in Xian now in central China, her heart is really here in Seattle where her boy was laid to rest.

Yesterday, my dear friend Ann Marie and I visited the cemetery where Henry is buried on what was already his birthday in China. We knew that Lihua would appreciate that Henry was still lovingly remembered. Ann Marie brought a card and some toy cars and we stayed quite a while reminiscing about the wonderful experience of getting to know Henry and Lihua.

How fitting that Henry's birthday falls during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. His loss is yet another tragic reminder of the ravages of pediatric cancer. My hope is that by remembering and celebrating a life like Henry's, and all the other kids who were taken from us too soon, the cumulative compassion can be directed towards finding a cure.

One way to help and to provide hope is through the Run of Hope, to benefit pediatric brain tumor research at Seattle Children's Hospital, where Henry was treated. The event is on the very last day of this month of cancer awareness, Sunday, September 30th at Seward Park. If you'd like to join me on Team Ninja! or to support this effort to strike back against cancer then please visit the link below.

Team Ninja! at the Run of Hope

Henry at beaming at camp in the summer of 2010, having one of his best days ever.

Classic moments

Weddings are full of them and at times they happen so very fast. I love trying to catch them before they get away. Being able to pause and reflect on a great moment in life just makes it all the more meaningful. The jumbled awesome chaos of a wedding, an event, or just a day in your life can be remembered and reflected upon so much more clearly through even a single photograph. It's as if the photograph opens a little door in your mind and when you pass through it, so many other memories of a great day come rushing back.

I thought I'd share just a few favorite photographs from very recent weddings and I will share more soon. Each one of these photographs involves a couple with a great story to tell. It was my honor to provide them with something to help them tell that story for years to come.

This is one of the sweetest photographs that I've ever taken. It just keeps grabbing my heart every time I look at it.

 

 

It's been 5 years

It was 5 years ago today that cancer took the life of beautiful Katie Gerstenberger. Time diminishes a lot of things in life but certainly not loss and definitely not LOVE. Katie is loved by her family just as much today as she was back in that heart wrenching, although at times quite joyous, summer of 2007.

Katie would have been 17 years old now, the same age as my son Miles. What would she have grown up to become? The sky was the limit for that feisty, energetic, creative and compassionate 12 year old. Her older brother David has impressed me so much over these past 5 years with his maturity as well as his goofiness. David and Katie definitely knew how to have fun and were the very best of friends. I'm positive that wouldn't have changed at all.

I've shared this photograph before but I have to again. I took this two weeks to the day before Katie died. It was a day where she was able to fulfill one of her short life's greatest dreams, to be a bridesmaid in a wedding. Katie's cousin Andrea and her fiancé Mike moved their wedding up a full 6 months to make Katie's dream come true.

Katie glowed that day and never more so than in the split second whenshe shared a moment with her mother Karen before the wedding. They loved each other so much and I think this photograph proves it.

Karen's grief journey has been excruciating, enlightening, thought provoking and inspirational. She has turned her grief into a message of hope and understanding for those families whose lives are turned upside down by illness. Her message can also be a reality check for those who might take life a little too much for granted. Her mission now is to improve family centered-care at hospitals throughout the country. This desire led her to write a book, "Because of Katie" chronicling with astounding honesty her family's journey from diagnosis to treatment, through surgery and recovery, from relapse to hospice, through Katie's final days, and then finally, the path towards healing. Karen's candor is remarkable and the way she processes the emotions of such a personal story and then articulates them so beautifully is a rare gift.

You can find Karen's book here;

Because of Katie

Katie would be proud to know how much she is still loved and how much she continues to inspire people all these years later. Her care team at Seattle Children's Hospital all have fond memories of her. One of her Childlife workers recently told Karen that she uses what Katie taught her every single day in her work with critically ill children. Katie's legacy is still incomplete. She has many more lives to touch and the undying love of her mother Karen will see to it that this happens.

I feel blessed to have known Katie and honored to have had her amazing mother Karen in my life, all the way back to when she herself was a feisty 13 year old flipping me crap in our 8th grade math class. How unsurprising that she wound up having a daughter possessing so many of her unique and wonderful qualities.

The Gerstenbergers experienced a staggering loss 5 years ago but their love continues to grow. Karen, her husband Gregg, David AND Katie are still bound together by this love and time can never take that away.

A Pineapple update

Please take a moment to read an update by dear friend Anna "Jiffy" Davies, about the incomparable Leslie "Pineapple" Krom. A lot has happened to Pineapple in the last few months, some of it incredible and some it devastating. Still, she smiles through the turmoil and revs up her life engine even louder. She's determined to continue to make a mark in this world. With your help, she can fulfill her dreams as well as give her the opportunity to continue to inspire others with her unwavering passion for life and for living in the moment. ♥

Leslie's Bucket List Fund