Marisha & Blake had an intimate wedding full of joy, laughter and tears! We had so much fun taking their wedding photos in Pike Place Market. I loved roaming around in the market, hitting all my old stomping grounds. Before I became a wedding photographer in Seattle, I worked at a bakery in Pike Place. I absolutely loved that job! I still dream about it….it was such a wonderful time. As much as I loved my bakery job….I love being a wedding photographer way way more!!

Oh man, this takes me back to Glacier National Park going over all this footage. I'd like to go back there right now, and be with these two people all over again. Daniel and Casciana actually live in New York, so that would take some planning. I feel so grateful to have had the privilege to photograph this incredible wedding in Montana. With some really phenomenal people.

Anytime you have to fly across the world for a wedding, most likely it's going to be a memorable one. Wonderful day.. full of laughter and sweet sentiment. This family really took me in and made me one of their own while I was there. I got to go to all the family dinners and the late night chats over sake. The wedding day started out with Grandma showing me her wedding photo, and telling me a bit about her day. I don't speak Japanese, but I can get the gist of what she was telling me. She was a sweet little lady....man, I just want to go back.

Recently, Michael and I were nominated to compete in Rangefinder Magazine’s 30 Rising Stars of Wedding Photography.   It was an incredible honor to be nominated, this was the greatest compliment of my entire career!  This summer marks 10 years for me working full time as a photographer.  I have not taken on a single job other than photography in the last ten years.   I have truly dug my heels in, and did whatever I could to keep this passion a float.  I have had some very difficult years, but it has been incredibly fulfilling to do what I love for a living.  Photographing with Michael over the last 5 years...has truly been a dream come true.  To work side by side with your life partner...words could not describe.  It has brought us so much closer as a couple...it has taught us very quickly how to communicate with each other effectively….and how to be loving to each other under a ton of stress.  We did not win the competition, but honestly just being a part of it was winning enough for me.  I am so grateful to be a photographer.  

This week I got to see Lionel Richie in concert, it was really neat.  He said something at his concert that really gutted me, he said “I look at my life and I cannot believe that I have had the honor to write and perform all these songs...and to do what I love, most of my life.  And it wouldn’t be possible without…...incredible competition”.  This brought tears to my eyes because I feel the same.  There has been times in my career that I have plateaued….and I have brought myself back up again, reinventing myself & my work from the inspiration of my incredible competition.  It's very difficult to stay relevant as a photographer in Seattle, but continuing to fight for it...has made me the photographer I am today.

Here are my 30 favorites of the last 5 years that I submitted to Rangefinder.  

Thank you for listening.  Thank you to Michael, my Mom and my beloved Grandfather for supporting me...  I wouldn’t know how to run a business without all the patience and training from Mom & Grandpa... I wouldn’t love every shoot as much.. without Michael by my side.