Maija Karin Photography

Casey and Drew tie the knot! 6.20.09

2009-07-29T21:25:00.001-07:00

Here it is Casey! Finally a sneak peak of your photos! :) I received a confession from Casey yesterday that she has been checking my blog every day in hopes of seeing a little snippet of their wedding. :) And now that I just got married myself (on July 17th), I understand the pain of waiting to see your photos. So I figured I better get my behind in gear and put some of their beautiful wedding up on my blog!
I had the great pleasure of meeting Casey and Drew on their wedding day on June 20th! They got married at the amazing Pine River Ranch up by Lake Wenatchee. I have never shot there before, so I was in heaven seeking out new creative spots and ideas. But my favorite is always just capturing the moment, because they fly by SO fast!

Casey and Drew are such a sweet, fun loving couple and I am so glad they found me. One of the coolest parts of my job is being able to go to these joyous events and see what each person chooses to reflect themselves for their special day. Everyone has different and unique ideas. I love it!
It was a blast to be a part of your day Casey and Drew! Thank you for the opportunity.

I've been published!!

2009-07-27T21:28:00.001-07:00

Well sort of! Some of you might remember this stunning and sweet couple...Kendall and Kevin. I shot their wedding back in May of this year. Kendall submitted some of her photos to the company that she bought her bridesmaid's dresses from, and it turns out that they loved the photos so much they decided to feature Kendall and Kevin's wedding on their blog. So I am pretty excited to see some of my shots up on their site and helping to express the story of the wedding day!! Check out www.corenmooreblog.blogspot.com to see their beautiful wedding.

I also wanted to share Kevin and Kendall's VERY sweet testimonial that they gave me after the wedding. I feel so blessed to do what I do and to share in these precious moments with people. Thank you again Kevin and Kendall for allowing me to be a part of your day!! :)

"Maija was an absolute pleasure to work with!! She went beyond our expectations and captured our day perfectly. She is a bride's dream to work with- easy going, organized, and made us feel very comfortable. We gave her ideas of shots we wanted, and she made sure she got them. We had no worries the day of our wedding because we knew Maija was there capturing every moment. She actually seemed to be everywhere at once! When we look back at our pictures, it's like re-living our wedding day all over again. She did that good of job capturing everything- and in ways we didn't even imagine! I don't know how we are going to choose which photos to frame or put in an album, because I want to use every one! We highly recommend Maija and her love for photography truly shows in her work. THANK YOU!!! "

from a very happy couple,

Kevin and Kendall Chinn

Dave and Mia's Maternity

2009-07-25T09:05:00.000-07:00

I love Dave and Mia! They are such a sweet, fun couple. I had the wonderful opportunity to capture their wedding day two years ago, and now here they are getting ready to welcome a new little one into the world. I was honored when they asked me to capture this special time in their lives as well. We made a day out of it....taking photos at their home and then hopping on their boat and taking a little trip over to a park in the Seattle area. I had a blast with them!!! :)

Thank you again Dave and Mia for inviting me back into your life. I always have such an amazing time with you both. It's a blessing to be a part of your little family....even for the brief moments I am around you!!

Meet the Grosdidier Family!

2009-07-10T20:00:00.000-07:00

I had the great pleasure of capturing the Grosdidier Family last month. They are such a sweet family with lots of energy. I loved that they have four girls, because I come from a family of three girls and there is nothing like having sisters! So sweet.
I hope you enjoy this little preview.

I mean seriously....how sweet are these faces?!!
I had to add this one, because it is SO real for young kids. Mouth wide open!

I love these two shots. So tender.

Ahh...nothing like a mouth full of sand to create a sweet picture. :)

I really like how this shot shows off her beautiful freckles.

Chris and Nichole are Married!!! 6.13.09

2009-07-05T14:56:00.000-07:00

Nichole and Chris ROCK!!! You may remember these two from their engagement session I did back in April. A fun couple, full of life and laughter. I had such a great time with them and we were able to get some amazing shots of the Gorge in Crescent Bar. As I was driving down to their wedding location, I could not help but think to myself how absolutely beautiful it was up on the top of the cliff overlooking the Gorge....so I just HAD to take Chris and Nichole up there to do some of their shots. You will see in this sneak peak of their wedding that I totally couldn't decide which ones were my favorites. I loved so many of them and am so thankful I went with my gut and took them up to the top of the hill. It looks like they are right on the edge of a cliff (well....they really were). :) I love when my couples are open to doing something out of the box or not "on the schedule", because the end result is usually amazing photos that you will cherish for a life time!

Kids are one of my favorite subjects to shoot at weddings. I love their expressions. Darling!
Here are some of the shots we did up on the cliff. I love them and think I am going to make one into a canvas. They just have a great feel to them. Chris and Nichole were so stunning!

I like this shot, because it looks like they are dancing. :) Nothing like a dance on the cliff side.

How about them legs?! Fun shot.

Strike a pose there's nothin' to it. Vogue!

Beautiful Nichole!

The next up and coming model Chris. Watch out!!

Love these with the umbrella. I think it is always a great idea to have a prop or two for photos. Fun! :)

I couldn't help myself, I had to stick this shot of the sleeping baby in here. Too cute!

The lovely ladies.
Real men!

Thank you again Chris and Nichole for being so fun! I felt welcomed right into the family when I met you and enjoyed sharing all the laughter with you. I hope you enjoyed the little sneak peak. More to follow..... :)

Marissa and Jason Engaged

2009-06-27T10:42:00.000-07:00

I LOVE MY JOB!!!! I get to work with cool, fun people like Mari and Jason and just play and capture moments. I met these two cool cats about three weeks ago for their engagement session, and it made me SO excited to capture their wedding on Sept. 12th of this year. I know Mari from high school, we played a little volleyball together back in the day. Once again, it has been so great to work with people that I grew up with and to see where they are at today.

As you will see by the pictures, they love to laugh. :) Which I am a big fan of....that's what these sessions are all about....having FUN and enjoying each other.
They are a sweet and stunning couple. Happy viewing!!!

Love this shot!!!

This shot right here...hands down one of my faves! Isn't she sssttuuunnning?! The lighting was perfect.

I really liked the lighting in these shots as well. I took them to what would seem like a very random place up a canyon and we pulled our cars over to the side of the road and hopped the fence to grab these shots. Totally worth it!

I don't know why, but I kind of like feet pictures. They are just sweet to me. :)

Love this shot too, because it totally shows how they like to make each other laugh. :)

Too cute! :)

I had to post this fun little one.

Thanks Mari and Jason for being SO FUN!!! And for making me laugh. I can't wait for your wedding....I know we will have a blast. Hope you enjoyed your preview of the engagement photos.

The Westlund Family

2009-06-24T14:20:00.001-07:00

I had the wonderful opportunity to photograph The Westlund family at the beginning of this month! It was so much fun. I went to high school and college with Michelle...and we were actually roommates in college for one of those years...so we go way back!! It's such a blast to get reconnected with people I grew up with and to see where they are today and watch families growing. Josh and Michelle have two sweet, blond beauties. I hope you like this little taste from their session. I thought it would be fun to change things up a bit and add some balloons to the photos, so I brought some for the girls to hold and I think it turned out pretty cool.

Peek-a-boo!

So fun to add these balloons. Adds color and something dynamic to the photos.

This shot is one of my favorites of the girls together. Happy and delighted in life!

I love this shot of Michelle.

The beautiful couple...Mr. and Mrs. Westlund!

I thought this shot was so cute, because it was like she was thinking "if I just close my eyes tight enough, I'll disappear and maybe she won't take a picture of me." I still took one. :)

Aren't their eyes amazing? So big, round, and blue!! I know I have said it before...but these eyes are a photographers dream.

Thank you Westlund family for trusting me to capture your family!! I had a great time. Michelle and Josh...it was wonderful to see you again! I promise that I am working on the rest of your photos and hope to have them done sooner than later. :) Hope you like what you see here.

Chris and Becky make it official!

2009-06-14T23:06:00.000-07:00

I am wiping my brow as I post these photos...my busy season is upon me. I love my job with all my heart, but there is no doubt that during this time I have to say time is tight and photos are everywhere. :)
So here are a few photos from Chris and Becky's wedding. They got married on May 30th at St. Luke's Church in Wenatchee, WA and then had their reception at the beautiful Highlander Golf Club. We had a blast and I'm so thankful I was able to be a part of their big event. I might post even more photos later, but these will have to do for now.
A sweet face! He wanted me to check out his truck.

Miss Becky getting ready for her big moment. I love her face in the picture below.

How cute are those cheeks?! I love that he's wearing a minimal amount of clothes amongst everyone who is all dressed up. Just as a baby should be. :)
This is Becky's other love of her life....her dalmatian!
I absolutely love the flower girls face in these photos. Too cute!

Now this is what I call a family photo!

Becky had the sweet idea to put the photos of their loved ones who have passed on her bouquet in remembrance of them.
As you can see.....they were a very fun couple!

Kind words....

2009-06-12T08:20:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share a few kind words from one of my most recent brides. Kevin and Kendall were married on May 2, 2009 and you can see more of their photos if you scroll down about three or four posts. Words like these make my job SO worth it!

"Maija,

Helloooooo!! I can't even begin to tell you how much I am in LOVE with all the pictures. I have been stalking your blog hoping to see a pic or two, but to see THAT many made me so happy!! I have been gone on our honeymoon and then a week in Nashville for work, but I wanted to thank you for everything. You did such an amazing job and everyone that's seen the pictures has said the nicest things. Looking back at the pictures, I am just amazed you were able to capture everything. It seems like you were every where all at once! You captured our wedding perfectly and I cannot wait to see the rest. So, thank you and I'm so happy we were able to work together!! You made my day by posting all of those pictures!

Kendall Chinn:)

Alia and Ella...two sweet peas!

2009-06-11T22:34:00.000-07:00

I just had to post a few shots that I took of two of my sweet nieces. They are so adorable and they have stolen my heart. I hope you enjoy seeing a few shots of their smiling faces. Kids are the best and make the world a better place! They remind us of the simple things in life and how those things are what should make us happy....like love!

A little taste of Matt and Cat engaged!

2009-06-05T23:11:00.000-07:00

Oh, such a fun sweet couple. I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Matt and Cat (or Catherine) at the Bridal Show in Wenatchee this January. I was pleased to hear that I was going to get the chance to capture their wedding on August 29th up at Red Tail Canyon Farm.
We had a great time during the engagement session....not only were they natural in front of the camera but they came up with some fun/creative ideas to spice up the session. (I'm always open to new ideas...I can't think of them all myself!)
I loved these first couple with the lavender in the shot. Adds a soft and sweet element!

I love this shot because they just look so happy, in love, and carefree!

These were a combination effort between me and them to create the creative dynamic.

It was fun to add a little texture to this for some flare.

I think this shot has a great tenderness to it.

Love this ring shot!

Matt and Cat, I am very much looking forward to your wedding and all the fun we will be having. Thanks for being so easy to work with ! Hope you enjoyed the little preview. :)

Jessica and Ron Married with a theme!

2009-06-02T14:44:00.000-07:00

Jessica and Ron were married on May 16th, 2009 at the beautiful Beecher Hill House! And needless to say (once you look through the photos) it was a unique, fun, no-detail-unturned, theme wedding. Jessica has always been into the Medieval time period and so decided to have a theme wedding that goes along with her passion. I was so excited to hear that I was going to be a part of this event....because I knew it was going to be different from any other wedding I have been to. They did an awesome job on all the details of the wedding....even the guests were dressed up!!! Fun, fun, fun.

It was quite the production to get everyone in their close/costumes. They had to be so hot back in the day! I know these ladies (and guys) were pretty hot on this day.

I really like this shot of the two of them. So happy!

These lanterns were presented during the wedding to honor those family members that were no longer with them. Very sweet.

This is hands down my favorite shot from the wedding. First of all, isn't this little girl so sweet?! Second, this is one of those moments that you just pray for as a photographer...hoping the girl will just look your way for one second. And she did!

Jessica is very into horses as well....so that became part of the wedding (which was actually a surprise for her at the wedding)

See...even the guests got into it! It was awesome! I loved all the characters that came out to play. :)

Thank you Ron and Jessica for letting me be a part of such a fun and unique event. I hope you enjoyed every moment and felt celebrated and loved!

Mindi's Belly Bump!

2009-05-28T20:45:00.000-07:00

Mindi and are from the same block...literally! We grew up together. :) We shared lots of block parties together....oh the memories. Anyway, I knew that Mindi would be stocking my blog a bit for some of her belly pictures that I took towards the beginning of this month. (Just had to give you a hard time Mindi!) So here are a few shots of her little belly that we took in Leavenworth. The weather was trying to be a challenge, but I think we won the fight. Rain, clouds, and wind...I say "bring it on!" :)

This is Mindi and Brian's second child and they are having a GIRL!! They have a sweet little boy, Greyson, so they are pretty excited about having a girl. I'm mean, who wouldn't love having one of each. :)

Enjoy the pics!

The Mott Family

2009-05-21T14:57:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed capturing the Mott family! I'm so glad Angela contacted me. I went to high school with Chris and it is so fun to see where people are in life after getting out of the high school bubble (especially when you are already a couple years past your 10 year reunion like I am...is it bad to say that I am starting to feel a little old? But I am still young at heart!)

The Mott's are such a sweet, adorable family. I think it was a very 'real' family session, which is just how I like it. :) Two wonderful parents, a one year old that is ready to go, go, go and won't stop for the camera just because we "adults" decided to have a photo session, and a 3 year old who is enjoying being young and acting just her age. It was fun!

Cute photo of Angela and little Makai!

I really like these shots on the bench...again very real and relaxed! With a dash of creativity. :)

Love these shots of Ava!

Makai's blue eyes were just mesmerizing.

Angela and Chris....a beautiful couple!

I thought this shot was really sweet with Chris and Ava. A cute little father/daughter moment.

Love this shot of Angela and Ava. How cute are they?!!!

Saving the best for last. Or at least, I love this photo. The lighting coming from the back of them is just beautiful .....plus their both looking at the camera (I apparently had a little luck on my side!)

Thank you Mott's for letting me capture your family! I had a blast and I hope that you did too.

Kevin and Kendall married May 2, 2009

2009-05-19T11:02:00.000-07:00

I felt SO blessed to be at Kevin and Kendall's wedding, capturing all the emotion and moments that made up their special day. I met this wonderful couple last year in August and I knew I was going to have such a great time with them...and I did! I flew down from Washington to San Diego, CA to be there for the wedding. They found me when I was living in San Diego, but I have since moved back up to my hometown in Washington. But there was no way I was going to miss this (or break my contract with them, for that matter)! It was so worth the trip....plus I got to enjoy beautiful San Diego. :) I have to admit I miss it a little bit.

They got married at the Temecula Creek Inn (which is about an hour north of San Diego). Such a beautiful location! It was a new place for me, so I got to do some exploring and be creative with what they had to offer...which was a lot!

I hope you enjoy my small selection from their wedding. I might post more when I have a chance to go through them all. It's ALWAYS so hard for me to choose photos to post.

Loved her eyes. Gorgeous!

I grabbed this shot as Kendall was opening her gift from Kevin. Obviously a very special moment for her that she will never forget.

I love these very real moments in the getting ready process. For me, this is one of the best times to capture the bit of chaos that comes with every wedding.

I wanted to post these two shots of Kendall together, because I thought it was so sweet. This was when she first came out to see Kevin for the first time. She was flooded with emotion. So endearing...it made me want to cry.

The gentlemen! They gave me a run for my money...lots of laughing and joking around. Just my kind of group.

The beautiful ladies! They were a fun crew. :)

I'm a big fan of this shot of Kendall.

The man of the hour...actually the man of the day, Kevin.

How about those eyes? Aren't they amazing?

Love the color in this one.

A couple sweet moments with Kevin and Kendall. Kendall's veil was so fun to photograph....it went on forever!

Kendall was struck with emotion several times throughout the day. It was beautiful! This is her coming down the isle to marry the man of her life!

These were a couple of sweet moments during the song that was sung for their ceremony. Once again....Kendall was shedding some tears (so sweet!) It truly was a joy to watch their love for each other.

I just thought this was too cute to pass up!!

Yippee! Married at last. :)

I was so happy that I was able to capture this split second moment between the two of them just after they came back down the isle from becoming the new "Mr. and Mrs. Chinn". Moments like these are what make my job such a joy!

This was an amazing tree down by the ceremony location. Such a dynamic backdrop. And I just can't help but think how long this tree has had to grow in order for it to become this magnificent. Before we were all born...that's for sure + a couple hundred years. :)

I love this shot of them dancing because I caught one of Kendall's tears before it feel on her cheek. Again, such a sweet couple with a lot of emotion between them. (You might have to click on the photo to make it larger in order to see what I am talking about)

Thank you again Kevin and Kendall for inviting me to be part of your blessed day! I loved being there and it was really fun to watch the two of you love each other. Hope you like what you see. There will be plenty more to come. :)

Audrey's Belly Bump

2009-05-08T21:47:00.000-07:00

Okay...so I was pretty excited about this session! I haven't had the chance to do a ton of belly bump sessions, mainly because about 95% of my business has been weddings. And while I LOVE shooting weddings, I have to admit I hope that I get the opportunity to capture some more belly bumps in the future because it is so much fun and so precious! I went to high school with Audrey (we even played some volleyball together back in the day). So I was very honored and excited when she contacted me about doing some pregnancy photos for her second child. Audrey and her sweet husband and little girl were a true joy to work with...not to mention they are a darn good lookin' family! :)
I knew of a great spot to shoot in Leavenworth, WA and that is the backdrop to these shots.
Enjoy!!

Katie and Dereck are engaged

2009-05-08T21:23:00.000-07:00

Katie and Dereck + 1. :) I had the wonderful opportunity to capture Katie, Dereck, and Dereck's daughter in April for their engagement session. They are getting married in August, and I am very much looking forward to that day. The busy season is now here, so I am going to keep this post short and sweet in my words, but I hope you enjoy all the fun shots we got!!!

How cute is she?!! Love her smile. :)

Vincent + Haley = FUN

2009-04-23T18:09:00.000-07:00

As you can see these guys are just flat out cool! I had the pleasure of meeting Vincent and Haley about a week ago in Leavenworth, WA. Right away I knew they were going to be a neat couple that I would connect with and have an awesome time. Engagement sessions are so much fun because it's relaxing and we can go to any location and just play. No stress....just creativity and getting to know each other. :) High five to Vincent and Haley for being ROCK STARS!

Engaged: Chris and Nichole

2009-04-22T21:37:00.000-07:00

I had a blast with Chris and Nichole! They are just a cool, laugh-a-lot kind of couple. :) We went to their wedding location in Crescent Bar and got creative. I have to admit, it took Chris a little while to get comfortable in front of the camera...but after a beer he was doing great! (Sorry Chris, I had to throw that in) Seriously, though I am really looking forward to spending the day with both of them on their wedding day. I KNOW it's going to be a good time. Don't they have great smiles?!

Matt and Nicole's Wedding

2009-04-20T12:47:00.000-07:00

Here are a few shots from Matt and Nicole's wedding that I shot in Valencia, CA on April 4th! It was such a fun wedding. I know this post is a little random and out of order, but I am having to get used to posting on this blog again, because it is different from the one that was hacked into. So forgive the randomness! I still hope you enjoy looking at the shots.

SAD NEWS :(

2009-04-20T12:33:00.000-07:00

I have very sad news to share with everyone who has been following my blog and to those who are new to visit. My blog was hacked into and given a virus and now no longer exists. I have lost all of my posts from the past 9 months or so. Needless to say I was pretty saddened by this, but also realize that it's not the end of the world. When life pushes you down, I say you gotta get right back up and push back! So I am going to be starting a new blog, but for now I will be posting here on my old blog, which still exists. Thank you to everyone who has been following my blog and welcome to you all who are visiting for the first time. It means the world to me that you enjoy looking through my photos. I truly love what I do! I will try and stay on top of this one and get up some of the new engagement sessions I have done last week as well as maybe a couple of my most recent weddings.

I wish you a happy and wonderful day! And cheers to keeping your head held high no matter what life throws your way. :)

Maija

More photos from John and Sheena's Wedding

2008-06-28T20:27:00.001-07:00

I had a chance to go through more of John and Sheena's photos from their wedding on June 21st and I hope you enjoy! I love shooting up at Cave B Winery, it truly is a breath taking location. Even with stormy conditions, it sets up a beautiful backdrop for an intimate wedding.
Thanks again to Sheena and John for being so laid back and fun! I didn't feel one bit of stress the whole day. Even when it rained during the ceremony, they were still smiling and just so happy to be getting married. :)

I loved the back of her hair. Beautiful twists and a simple veil.

How cute are these shoes?! I loved that Sheena went for something different and put some flare in her step with color.

I was just playing around with texture on some of my photos. Kind of fun to use it on detail shots.

The ladies!

I know you can't tell, but it really was raining. I love a good challenge.

Sharing something a little sweet....they were so kind to each other. No smooshed cake in the face.

The sunset was SO amazing during the reception. Again showing the immense beauty of the backdrop to Cave B.

Just a taste from John and Sheena's wedding at Cave B!

2008-06-23T17:19:00.000-07:00

Though there are plenty more where this came from, I thought I would post a couple shots from John and Sheena's wedding this last Saturday 6.21.08! I will be posting more later when I get further into their photos. We really had a great time and it even rained during the ceremony! Tears of joy from up above. They were such good sports about everything.

The BEAUTIFUL wedding of Kathie and Shannon 6.7.08!!

2008-06-18T18:07:00.000-07:00

Okay, are you ready for this stunning couple?!! I had such a wonderful time with Kathie and Shannon. It was a beautiful wedding for two beautiful people. The wedding was held at the Pala Mesa Resort in Fallbrook, CA and then we took a trip down south to Poway where the reception was held in the amazing backyard of a family friend.
Since I have such a hard time choosing photos for my blog, you are going to have to bear with me, as I have posted about 35 photos from their wedding. I just couldn't decide. :)
I hope you enjoy.
Congratulations Kathie and Shannon!!!

The gorgeous dress!! It was very elegant and had an ivory vintage color. Loved it!

I love this photo, because I feel like it truly captures what she was feeling right after putting on her dress. Pure joy!

Oh, I love the immense pride and joy that is coming from her mom as she watches her get dressed. She is giving her daughter away today...

Love these shots with the bright green in the background. They were actually taken right outside the room where she was getting ready. Nothing fancy, but so beautiful.

In this photo, Kathie had just seen her dad for the first time and it brought a surge of emotion. Immediate tears.

What a cool dad!!
The handsome groom Shannon in his 'Men in Black' sunglasses.
Fun shots with the boys!

This shot was taken right after the ceremony. You can feel how happy they are.

The rings amongst some candy. They had a small sweets table (instead of a cake table), so I took some of the m&ms and tried to get creative. :)
I loved Kathie's bouquet. Perfection!

And the night comes to a sparkling end! Thanks again Kathie and Shannon for letting me be such a huge part of your celebration.

What are you Proud To Be?

2008-06-12T16:32:00.001-07:00

My older sister Lara is starting a new business called "Proud to Be." It's a t-shirt company where you can create your own Proud to be phrase. What are you Proud to Be?! Think about it and then visit her website at www.proudtobeclothing.com. It is not quite up and running yet, but it should be in the very near future. Here are a few fun pictures that I got to take for her website, to show off some of the Proud to be t-shirts. Not to mention I get to show off my family too.

One of my dear nieces Alia!

My sweet nephew Anthony!
My wonderfully amazing niece number two, Miss Ella!
My two BEAUTIFUL sisters....the one above is my younger sister Katya and the lower photo is of my older sister Lara (who is the one starting "Proud to be clothing" company). Isn't it such a great idea?!!

The three of us together with our proud to be t-shirts. Do you like what I am proud to be? I think it suits me perfectly. :)

Fun times with Jody and Mandie....

2008-06-12T15:21:00.000-07:00

I have unintentionally delayed putting up some pictures from Jody and Mandie's engagement session. I meant to post something about two weeks ago and here we are a month after the session and I finally am putting some up (where does the time go?!). So sorry ! But here are a few from our time up in Wenatchee, WA in May. I had such a great time with the two of them, and I am SO looking forward to their wedding. I know it will be a blast!!!
See you in about a month Jody and Mandie. :)

Meet Ingrid and Dane...

2008-05-20T22:09:00.000-07:00

I feel so lucky and excited to be part of Ingrid and Dane's celebration of love for each other. We went out and shot their engagement session in the Wenatchee Valley draped in apple blossoms. Such a beautiful time of year!
Thank you Dane and Ingrid for giving me a chance to capture some of your life moments....you guys are a blast!

Anyone for some ice cream?

2008-05-20T21:25:00.000-07:00

I had such a great time with Sara and Ryan! We found some fun places to shoot as well as ate a little ice cream along the way....mmm, soooo good. Thank you Sara and Ryan for making my job such a pleasure...I can't wait for the fun we'll have at your wedding!

Meet Amare and family!!

2008-05-10T21:26:00.000-07:00

I have been so blessed by being a part of Celebrating Adoption. How adorable is this sweet face?! Meet Amare....

Anthony and the Beach

2008-05-06T20:57:00.000-07:00

I want to apologize yet again for being so slow to get things up on my blog. I actually have a bit of an excuse this time, but it's not a fun one. No...my dog did not eat my homework! But my computer did crash on me. Yes....a photographers nightmare. I had to take a few deep breaths and be a problem solver. So here I am working on someone else computer while mine is getting fixed.

Enough about that...it's on to the photos. I wanted to get these up weeks ago, but better late than never. This is my sweet nephew Anthony and it was his first time at the beach and he LOVED IT!!! My younger sister Katya, my mother, and Anthony came to visit me at the very end of March and we of course had to go to the beach. Anthony had never seen sand or the great spanning ocean before. We couldn't stop him from running to the ocean as you can see from the photos below. Enjoy!!!

Tyee and Amber - Happily Ever Afer!

2008-03-17T16:44:00.000-07:00

I was privileged to photograph this wedding on March 1st! Though it was cold, with a wind chill of I'm guessing something below zero, we still got some great shots.
Funny story how I ended up meeting this lovely couple. My parents were moving out of their house of 22 years in Cashmere, Wa in October of 2007. They held a garage sale to lose some excess baggage and this is where I met Amber. I was inside the house, while my mother and Aunt were out manning the sales and Amber walks in. In hopes of maybe finding a trinket or two for her wedding or new home. Well, little did she know she would be walking out with a photographer for her wedding. I came back outside, only to find my mom and Aunt talking with this very sweet looking girl about weddings. To keep the story short, Amber and I talked outside until it got dark. I showed her a book or two of my photos...and then she gave me a call a couple hours later. Now Amber and Tyee will always be able to say "We got our photographer at a garage sale!"
They were such a fun and laid back couple. There are not too many couples that would be willing to brave very very cold winds and trekking through the snow to "get the shot." But Tyee and Amber are just those kind of people.
Thank you Amber and Tyee for making your wedding so creative and fun to photograph!!

Leise and Bryan's Engagement Session 2/18/08

2008-02-26T15:14:00.000-08:00

Ok...so I did this session on Monday February 18th, two days after being struck with the yuck that has been going around. I came down with an upper respiratory tract infection. Even though I could barely talk (because I lost most of my voice) and was coughing up a lung...we went out and did the shoot. In part because Bryan (and his brave spirit) is going back to Iraq until just about a month before their wedding in July. He actually called me from Iraq to book their wedding. I had to ask why he was calling me all the way from Iraq...and he answered simply "It's one of my jobs for the wedding!" What a faithful guy to still do his part clear on the other side of the world.
It was my first time meeting Leise and Bryan. I felt horrible, because I was sick and not myself. But I am happy to say, I think I was still able to turn on some sort of creative juices and capture some fun shots of the two of them. Not to mention that they did such a great job loving each other and having fun in front of the camera. We took all the pictures in Cashmere, WA. First going down to the river side...dragging Leise's beautiful shoes through the left over snow (she was a trooper). Then we went on to a little area by some railroad tracks that had great backgrounds. There are about five different ones right in a row...giving great variety without having to drive all over the place. And lastly, we ended up at a park, and shot a couple pictures of them on the swings. Very important for everyone to find the kid in themselves! :)

Enjoy the pictures...and I'm sorry, because I know I get a little carried away with how many pictures I put up.

These next two shots were very spontaneous. There was a train going by at one point during the shoot and Leise and Bryan were just standing off to the side waiting for the train to pass. I randomly asked them to stand by the train going by to see if I might catch a fun shot...and it worked!

Go Red For Women!!

2008-02-04T20:08:00.000-08:00

The American Heart Association has gone red for the month of February! What does this mean?
Well, it turns out that Heart Disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the United States. Ladies we've got to take care of our hearts ...so this month, please wear red to bring awareness of this fact!!!
Go to http://www.americanheart.org/ to find out more information.

I was invited to join a group of volunteers last week to start bringing this awareness to the locals here in San Diego. I started out the evening by joining two of the staff of the American Heart Associate here in San Diego....Emily and Rebecca. They handed out signs, pins and stickers to the businesses down town. Way to go ladies!

Also in honor of the kick off for American Heart Month both the San Diego County Building and U.S. Grant Hotel helped by lighting up their buildings in red!! Check out the pictures below.

So....wear red this month and ALWAYS love your heart!!!

Rebecca and Emily handing out "Go Red For Women" signs, pins, and stickers downtown San Diego.

The San Diego County Building lighting up in red to honor women and their hearts!

Some of the volunteers and staff holding their signs to bring awareness to American Heart Month in front of the County Building. How great are those red dress signs?!

My good friend Alison and I showing off our red dresses to promote awareness.

A couple pictures to show off the US Grant Hotel bringing awareness in down town San Diego.

CELEBRATING ADOPTION

2008-02-03T20:06:00.000-08:00

Last year in July of 2007, my best friend Joy and her husband Hans, adopted a beautiful girl from Thailand. I traveled the world with Joy in 2001, making stops in the Cook Islands, New Zealand, Australia, and Thailand. During our travels Joy and I were struck by the horrible and frightening abuse that children experienced, and they have no voice to change it. Joy has always had a heart for children, but after having her own child (a sweet little boy, River) in 2003, her burden for children grew. She wanted to give them a voice, love, and a home. However, Joy was slowly but surely realizing that she couldn't save them all....but she and her family could make a difference with one.
They made the bold and beautiful decision to adopt from Thailand and expand their family from 3 to 4. And now they are complete.

I have been so inspired by their story and others who have given childen without a home...a place to call home! I wanted to give my talents and time to those who are giving their time and love to children around the world, so I have joined a group of wonderful photographers to give the gift of great portraits of newly adopted children.

Here is a little snipit from the Celebrating Adoption website:

"Celebrating Adoption is an organization of photographers dedicated to promoting adoption. Our participating photographers are very different: some shoot with natural light while others use studio light; some prefer posing the subject while others prefer the spontaneity of lifestyle photography; but we all have one thing in common, the desire to celebrate your adoption with you!"

My first opportunity to photograph a little boy who was adopted from San Diego came this last week. His name is Bryce and is a beautiful, fun loving little boy.

A little about his story...
"Bryce was like a gift from heaven from the start. We were chosen to be his parents only 6 days after being approved to adopt...and have felt lucky ever since. Bryce joined our family from the San Diego county foster system at 2 months old. And we finalized the adoption when he was almost two. He is the light of our world, so happy and loving!"
Eris Wilson

I hope you enjoy these photos...and be watching out for photos of Joy's family in the very near future! And to those of you who are adopting or thinking about adopting, please give me a call to schedule a session with me. I would love to capture your new family member! :)

Happy New Year and Happy Birthday to Alia!!

2008-01-29T15:27:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I can only say I am sorry for being so slow to get another blog up. Wow....it's been six weeks. But I did want to say Happy New Year to you! The thing I love most about new years, is that it gives us both a chance to reflect on time past and get excited about the possibilities of the time to come! We each have probably created our list of new years resolutions...partly out of habit and partly out of expectation (even if you don't really want to). I think it's always a good idea because it at least gives you something to aim for, no matter what the list entails. I wish you all the best on reaching your goals for 2008. I will be sure to let you know as I reach successes in my life! :)

On to the celebration of my niece's 2nd birthday! Happy Birthday Alia! It was so fun for me to capture a few shots at her birthday .....watching all her delight that the day was ALL about her. I think she reveled in every moment of it.

Little boots on Alia's little sister's (Ella) feet. No significance to them, I just like the color.

Anthony, Alia's little cousin....he's 11 months old.

A look of surprise....

How cute is this cake?! My older sister (Alia's mom) made this cake. She had such a cute idea to make snowmen out of donut holes and create scarves out of foot long gum. Darling! Here is a view from the top.

Tea time anyone?!

Alia being silly and shy at the same time. She is going through a faze where she doesn't really want to smile for the camera. I am lucky if I even get a silly face. :)

I just thought this was so sweet. It's Grandpa's hand wrapped in love from Ella (the littlest one of the bunch). Alia was so focused on this card, you would almost think she could read at just 2 years old. I always knew we would have a genius in the family!

A rolling pin to add to her collection of kitchen stuff. This girl has a full on kitchen...no joke! What a lucky girl.

Waiting patiently for the best part of the day...her cake!!

She almost has it.

Ah...success! Happy Birthday Alia!

The Cosina Family

2007-12-08T16:42:00.000-08:00

Okay, first of all I just want to say how much I love my job and how blessed I feel that I get the opportunity to capture people's lives. The Cosina family gave me yet another chance to give someone memories....and I had such a blast doing it!!
For me doing family sessions is so enjoyable and relaxing. There is no stress and I set it up so everyone can just be themselves with little detail to think about. For any of you out there that might be thinking about doing a session, I hope seeing some of the Cosina family photos will give you an idea of how I work and what I have to offer. How sweet is this face?!! Jayda was such a doll to photograph...each and every one of her expressions was perfect. And truly that is what I love about my job, there doesn't have to be perfection....for me it's about capturing people for who they are and in a moment in time. Not setting up a bunch of poses and saying "Okay, everyone say cheese" (Who made that expression up anyway?)

Brother resisting a kiss from sister....oh, how things will never change.

Daddy and his little girl were having a good time together as Jayda found a perfect spot to sit, right on dad's shoulders. :) I love doing sequences like this, because you can truly capture the essence of the moment. Memories I hope they will enjoy for a very long time.

Nothing beats a beautiful fall day, setting the stage with a full blanket of multicolored leaves. One of the main reasons I enjoy going on location to do a shoot (instead of in a studio) is because Mother Nature provides us with free breathtaking backdrops pretty much every day! This way each photos session has a different feel and varying backdrops.

Meet Grant.....

2007-12-05T16:12:00.000-08:00

This is Grant, and let me tell you, he was so wonderful to work with!!! Not only is he completely adorable, but he lasted for two hours of taking pictures without a complaint. For a five month old, I would say that is pretty amazing!!
It was fun to do this photo session because Grant's mom (Rachel) came with some fun ideas for pictures, hence the Santa hat, colorful blanket, and backgrounds. We went to the beach in Coronado, CA and then to a park near by, where there were several colorful toys to take pictures with.

Thanks Grant and Rachel for making this such a great day!!!

Jay and Kelley's Wedding November 17th, 2007

2007-11-21T17:33:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures from the engagement session with Jay and Kelley, taken on a chilly fall day in Seattle, WA.

Jay and Kelley's wedding was held in Escondido, CA. However, they are from Washington State, like me!!! :) It was kind of funny how they found me to be their photographer, because they did a search in California and found me there because I currently live in San Diego, CA. But when they did the search and got in contact with me I was up in Washington. It worked out great because we were able to do their engagement session up in Washington and get to know each other a bit before the wedding.

While I truly love the process of the entire wedding day, I think one of my favorite times to photograph is the getting ready process. Capturing the details, the anticipation, and the range of emotions....the intimate moments are a huge part of why I love to do weddings!

This was a special moment where Kelley's dad was able to see her for the first time, dressed now as the woman he will be giving away. Giving away the bride....

Jay and Kelley rented a fun old time car for their get away after the ceremony. It was such a great way to do their first toast and ride off to the reception for more celebrating.

Kelley and the maid of honor giving me a post ceremony smile.

These are the beautiful ladies of the day....

The Men of the glorious event!

A moment with grandma...these were very important photos for Jay and Kelley to get.

The first dance.....

And the real celebrating starts!! Fortunately the DJ was great and helped facilitate a good time for everyone!

It's a party!! Everyone was having a great time.

Dave and Alison's Wedding September 29th, 2007

2007-11-20T16:03:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my blog. While all of you have been blogging for the past ten years, I am just getting started. Let's just say that I have been focusing on other more important things...I'm not sure what, but I need an excuse for why I haven't jumped on the band wagon. I am jumping on now and I would like to share some of my recent photos with you from weddings I have done, families I have photographed, and just photos from my everyday life. Thank you for coming to visit and I look forward all of my future blogging moments! These are a few of the getting ready shots I took of Alison as she got ready for her much anticipated wedding. She was a stunning bride and I also can call her my friend! I was blessed to be able to be there and to capture all of her very special moments.

Alison bought some really fun umbrellas for pictures, so it was great for me to grab a couple of creative shots of the girls with them.

Okay, so you will have to forgive me on this one because I am so new at the blogging thing, but these dancing pictures are a bit out of order. Nonetheless, I loved taking these first dance photos because there was so much natural light and they were a beautiful couple to watch take their first dance.

And the ceremony begins with the sweet ring bearer and flower girl....

These were some beautiful shots of Alison. The lighting was perfect and she was such an easy subject to photograph....very photogenic.

The cake was so simple but so beautiful. It fit the beach ambiance perfectly!

This is Alison's older sister and maid of honor giving her toast which was full of laughs...

The first dance with Alison and her dad...

And shots of the evening, where I got to play with my shutter speed and aperture to create different images of the night.

Dancing girls....Alison and her three sisters (who were her bride's maids) tore up the beach floor.

Dancing to "Cotton eye Joe"

Each of the tables had a light underneith it to create a gentle glow when the sun went down.

The getaway...