Coe Twins Turn 5!

On Sunday, we took off to Gene Coulon Park in Renton, to hook up with the Coe sisters for their birthday photo session. Unknown to me, the day had reached record-breaking temps which meant record-breaking crowds! By early evening, the crowds had thinned out, the weather was perfect, and the the girls looked beautiful in the late afternoon sun.
Taliyah couldn't resist having fun showing me her different cheerleading moves. The expression on her face tells just how much she loves it!
Kaylena...we almost had to call off the photo shoot, as she burned her finger on a hot iron just minutes before leaving to meet me. I hear it was quite the scene! Fortunately, she came along with her sisters despite her sore finger and wounded emotions. Wouldn't you know it? There's nothing like water therapy to erase the memory of a painful escapade.
The perfect ending to a wonderful day. Thanks, Coe girls...you were great!!!

Happy 80th Birthday Gift

So a few weeks ago, my husband ran into his former boss at Crossroads Mall...it had been years since either of us had seen Robin. He told her of my photography business, and soon we had scheduled a photo session of her family so that she could give a special gift to her mother-in-law on her upcoming 80th birthday. Cool!

It's funny how time has a way of passing so quickly. The last time I saw Kelsey, she was running along the banks of a river at Remlinger Farms, picking pumpkins with my daughter Ashley and riding the kiddie train together. She must have been no older than 7 or 8...and here she is, all grown up and a senior in high school. Wow.

If Kelsey was 8 the last time we were together, her sister Kendall wasn't far behind. My girls, who accompanied me on this shoot, couldn't believe how grown-up both girls looked. It was funny to hear them make the same observation - especially since they are nearly the same age!

I heard back from Robin today that they were really happy with the images taken at her photo shoot. I was happy when I reviewed them, but to know that she was very, very happy makes me just...happy! Here is one of my favorite images taken of her family at the Arboretum last week.

Brianna's Baby Shower

Last Sunday, I attended a baby shower for Brianna, a friend who is expecting her first baby (boy) in just a few weeks. If all goes as planned, I'll have the privilege of meeting her newborn Nathaniel on the day he makes his entrance into this world...with my camera in tow, naturally.

Baby shower games...it's just not a shower without them! My friend Krisztina's daughter, Aliyah, wanted so much to be part of the action and participate in the activities. She took a keen interest in the "Let's-guess-what's-in-the-baby-food-jars" game. Let's see, does green mean peas or mixed vegetables? Here's a hint...it doesn't matter! Stay away from the green stuff!!! The look on her face says it all.

Not to be deterred by one unfortunate tasting game, Aliyah made up a new game all on her own - cake tasting without utensils! It was okay, though...she had a crowd of adults all watching her actions, and no one wanted to spoil her fun.

The look on her face here is definitely more relaxed...chocolate cake does wonders to ease the memories of a baby food game gone bad.

Another "guest" at Briann'a shower was Micah, a happy baby with an infectious smile. We had such a good time together! He seemed to absolutely love getting his picture taken...over and over again. Every time the shutter clicked, he burst into giggles that soon captured everyone's attention.

The best way to end this post...with a smile. Be blessed!

Alyssa's Awesome Photo Shoot!

My youngest daughter turned fourteen this month...though she had me fooled, I thought she was fourteen months ago! As is our tradition, I took her out on a photo shoot to commemorate her birthday. This time, we chose a new location...an awesome spot in Seattle under the Pike's Place Market called Post Alley. I can't believe it took me 20 years of living in the Seattle region to find this place. It's perfect for taking portraits because of the incredible soft, natural light that wraps around the subject from all directions. The final results look like the images were created in a studio, but hey, now you know the truth!

We shot here for nearly an hour when I looked up and realized the restaurant that backs up to the alley had opened for business and turned on their lights. I love the red glow that illuminates the window in the background.

Not wanting my oldest daughter to be left out, I took some shots of her as well to update our family photographs in the home. As I took this image of the girls together, a passerby asked if they were twins (they're hearing that a lot these days). The girls responded that they were just sisters, and he responded, "But you're the same age, right?" Say what? (They're actually 20 months apart in age).

We continued on our way to take more pictures, and I stopped at the Victoria Clipper terminal because I had noticed a cool glass wall that I thought would make a good backdrop for more pictures. It worked.

Thank goodness for older sisters to provide a touch of humor and fun to loosen up the photo shoot, so that I could capture these beautiful smiles.

We ended our day on the steps of Key Arena at the Seattle Center. It's so fun to find locations that in the past I would have breezed right by...now I can't resist stairs in the shade. These are some of Alyssa's favorite images from the day. Cheers!

Nathanael & Jessica's Wedding Show

Something I enjoy doing for the couples we photograph is to put their images into a slideshow created for their family and friends. Last night, I put the finishing touches on Nate and Jessica's wedding slideshow. Gabriel and I pray that the images we captured at their wedding will serve to strengthen the bond between them for many years to come. If you'd like to watch their show, click on this link: http://bigshow.bigfolio.com/?s=000001884&t=7b8b405c195a6e8126d639fa9ba0dea7