c.pelland photography

Thanks Again Tacoma! :: Best of 2011

2011-11-29T19:02:00.000-08:00

Wanted to extend a big THANK YOU TACOMA & The Tacoma Weekly for voting me best photographer for the second year in a row. It's a true honor!

storybooks by Ada Rosman

2011-11-28T12:29:00.000-08:00

custom storybooks are the most popular way my clients choose to showcase their wedding experience and now they're even better! Thanks to the endlessly talented metal smith, Ada Rosman, these pieces have even more character and make the story of your love that much more special.

visit adarosman.com for more information on this amazing local artist.

Shall we? :: Let's make it Facebook Official

2011-11-10T12:04:00.000-08:00

for the latest photo stories from c.pelland photography become friends with principal photographer, Christy Pelland. it's simple, it's fun and you probably won't regret it. heheee!

Come now, let's make it Facebook official!

Betty Jean's Words of Wisdom // Special Discount

2011-10-03T12:17:00.001-07:00

To celebrate my 28th year of birth, I'm giving the gift to you! Book your 2012 Sweet Betty Jean Experience during the month of October and receive $280 off the package of your choice.

2012 is your year! Sweet Betty Jean is here to help you delight in the unique beauty that is you. Make your pinup experience a gift to yourself simply because you deserve it. Book your experience now because if not, you'll be one year older when you do! (not that that's a bad thing, but it works for a marketing spiel, aye?)

Contact Christy at christypelland@mac.com for more information and booking.

Rules & Restrictions:
Discount may be applied to other referral and special credits acquired from Sweet Betty Jean. Must be used for specific dates during April 2012 - July 2012. Deposit of $200 must be received by October 31, 2011 in order to qualify for Words of Wisdom Special Discount. Please inquire at sweetbettyjean.com for more information on packages and requirements for booking.

Stand Out Prom // Ladies Takeover Oktoberfest!

2011-09-16T10:37:00.000-07:00

Grab your ladies, break out your lederhosen & celebrate the coming of fall Bavarian style! Join us for an exclusive ladies only pre-funk party for Puyallup’s Oktoberfest! All proceeds go to Stand Out Prom Scholarship Program.

$40 price includes // Admission to Puyallup’s Oktoberfest • Prizes • Harvest Fare • Photobooth • Music & More • Come dressed & ready to take over Oktoberfest!

6:30p-9:00pm at Salon Ish • 107 West Stewart, Puyallup

purchase your tickets at www.standoutprom.com

RSVP and check out the latest on prizes and costuming ideas on Stand Out Prom's facebook.

Signature Stand Out Event Designed by TLB Events, hosted by Salon Ish & Stand Out Prom Directors

Sweet Betty Jean's Ultimate Giveaway

2011-07-13T01:29:00.000-07:00

Always wanted to do a Sweet Betty Jean but just don't have the cash?
Now's your chance to score the deal of a lifetime & champion cancer research here in Washington!

Winner receives the best Sweet Betty Jean & her vendors have to offer:

~ Sweet Betty Jean - Miss Betty Package
~ Including 15 perfectly polished pinups & a lil' black book
~ Signature hair & makeup styling by Che'mel Salon
~ Lash Extensions by Salon Ish
~ Shopping spree at Orange Clothing Boutique
- Shopping spree at Vanity Fashion Boutique
~ Retro inspired jewelry by Ada Rosman
~ Over the top hairpiece from Lillie Miller
~ Custom pinup bottoms by Gay Springer
~ Six weeks of training with Taiso Fitness

All together more than a $3000 Value!

All you have to do is donate to the American Cancer Society!
For every $25 donation, your name is entered into the drawing for the ultimate Sweet Betty Jean session. So on and so forth.
Donate $100 and you get 5 entries!

100% of the proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society.

AUGUST 13th - THE WINNER IS ADRIENNE EMMEL!

ENTER YOUR $100 DONATION TODAY AND GET OUR LIMITED EDITION DON'T STOP BELIEVIN' TSHIRT! Available for donations made only from August 5 thru August 12!

Drawing Rules
1. Entry. It is the responsibility of the drawing participant to enter her name in the drawing. Participation is voluntary. Should you wish to enter the drawing, simply click on the donate button above and contribute the amount you would like. Winner must be female. Only those who complete designated forms and donate total amount are eligible for the drawing.
3. Prizes. Winner will receive one (1) Sweet Betty Jean package. Specific prizes are as follows:
~Sweet Betty Jean – Miss Betty Jean Package
~ Signature hair & makeup styling by Che'mel Salon
~ Lash Extensions by Salon Ish
~ certificate to Orange Clothing Boutique
~ Retro inspired jewelry by Ada Rosman
~ hairpiece from Lillie Miller
~ Custom pinup bottoms by Gay Springer
~ Six weeks of training with Taiso Fitness
4. Odds of winning. Odds of winning depend upon the number of completed donations received.
5. Availability. The drawing is open to eligible participants on Wednesday July 13, 2011 and will close at 10pm on Saturday, August 13, 2011. Winner will be chosen at random during the Hick Party event on August 13 – hickparty.org. Winner need not be present to win. Winning pinup shoot will occur after December 2011.
6. Eligibility. The contest is open to any woman. Winners must be at least 18 years of age. Winnings can not be combined with any other offers.
7. Promotion. Participation in the contest constitutes acceptance of these contest rules and permission for use of winners’ names and images for purposes of advertising, promotion and publicity utilizing the media of the Hick Party, American Cancer Society and Sweet Betty Jean.
8. Limits of Liability. Neither Sweet Betty Jean, the Hick Party nor the American Cancer Society bear any responsibility whatsoever for injuries, losses, or damages of any kind that result from acceptance, possession, or use of any prize. Sweet Betty Jean reserve the right to cancel, terminate, or suspend the drawing at any time if the members deem necessary or the integrity of the drawing is compromised in any way and in such event, to select the winner from among all valid entries received, up to such time of cancellation, termination or suspension.
9. Winner Responsibilities. Winners are solely responsible for contacting Sweet Betty Jean for all pre session planning.
10. Release. By entering, participants release and hold harmless the American Cancer Society, The Hick Party and Sweet Betty Jean and their directors, officers, employees, and agents, from any and all liability, injuries, losses or damages of any kind caused by any prize or incurred with respect to the awarding, acceptance, receipt, possession, and/or use or misuse of any prize and acknowledge that the Sponsors nor Administrators are not liable for any warranty, representation, or guarantee, express or implied, in fact or in law, relative to any prize, including but not limited to its quality, mechanical condition or fitness for a particular purpose.
11. Rights. Participant hereby waives all rights to claim, punitive, incidental or consequential damages, or any other damages, including attorneys' fees, other than Participant's actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e., costs associated with entering this Contest), and Participant further waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of Participants and Sponsor in connection with this Drawing, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the substantive laws of the State of Washington, USA without regard to Washington’s choice of law rules.

Contest Sponsor: Sweet Betty Jean p.o. box 443 graham, wa 98338

Sweet Betty Jean :: website launch!

2011-02-10T12:26:00.000-08:00

Sweet Betty Jean officially launches Valentines Day! check it out! sweetbettyjean.com

Sweet Betty Jean :: Peep Show

2011-01-21T08:30:00.000-08:00

Our new venture, Sweet Betty Jean, and the official website will launch Valentines Day, February 14th. In honor of that launch, we're hosting a Sweet Betty Jean Peep Show on Saturday, February 12th at Che'mel Salon on Tacoma's 6th Ave from 6pm - 9pm.

The Peep Show will give you sneak peeks at never before seen Sweet Betty Jean pinups and showcase all the elements that make Sweet Betty Jeans so delightful. You’ll meet the Che’mel artists that create the signature hair & makeup styling, unique vintage clothing and accessories by Vanity Fashion Boutique, sexy shoes and lingerie by Vixens, learn about custom tailored looks by Gay Springer and one-of-a-kind hair pieces by Lillie Miller. We'll also have a bevy of Sweet Betty Jean images on display, novelty items and the Sweet Betty Jean books.

Tammi Barber of TLB Events is designing the space which will feature a sweet treats chocolate bar, wine & champagne bar and of course, her signature TLB Events look with all that swanky décor we just love!

There will be swag bags for each guest including discounts and other sweet goodies for all! Not to mention some pretty sweet prize drawings including major Sweet Betty Jean discounts and other fabulous free stuff.

Please RSVP – God forbid we run out of wine! We sure hope to see you!

For more information on the featured vendors – check them out!

Che’mel Salon
Vanity Fashion Boutique
Vixens House of Shoes
Flourish by Lillie Miller
TLB Events

Christy's Bombshell Birthday Contest :: WINNERS!

2010-10-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

And the winner is ...

Mrs. Selena Boone of Newberg, Oregon - come on down! - you've won all this:

Sweet Betty Jean Pinup Session
Phone & Email Consultations to create your specific look
Professional hair & makeup by Melissa Anderson of Che’mel Salon
One Hour of shooting at c.pelland photography studio
Three perfected print ready images
Joint Copyright to all images
Full resolution image files on archival DVD

Selena's hot mix was TOTALLY HOT and completely original by adding a song she composed and recorded. Talk about taking it to the next level!

Selena's Winning Mix ::

Selena Boone
New York – Cat Power
Leather & Lace – Britney Spears
Fruits of my Labor – Selena Faith (HER!)
Big Heavy – Amanda Blank
Fever – Madonna
Stay Here Forever – Jewel
Butterfly – Crazytown
I Do – Gin Wigmore
Tears of Joy – Lucinda Williams
Poor – Meaghan Smith
Sun Dirt Water – The Waifs
Red Red Wine – UB40
Money Honey – Lady Gaga
Livin’ on Love – Alan Jackson

We (meaning my main lady - Mrs. Rebecca Stewart-Johnson and I) decided to go with a Top 5 list of winners who get a lil' something extra special for being so dang awesome! Each of the top finalists will receive $250 off their Sweet Betty Jean pinup experience. And the winners are:

Sage Niebuhr of Cannon Beach, Oregon
Hot Like Sauce – Pretty Lights
Suffri – Nneka
The Way You Move – Outkast
Halfway Tree – Damian Marley
Carry Out –Timbaland
Fire Burning – Sean Kingston
Fancy Footwork – Chromeo
Lovesick – Lindstrom & Christabelle
Electric Avenue – Eddy Grant
Shutterbug – Big Boi
Don’t Stop The Music – Rihanna
Black Betty – Ram Jam
We Trying to Stay Alive – Wyclef Jean
Dat New “New” – Kid Cudi
Kangpe – Nneka
Seed 2.0 – The Roots
Hung Up – Madonna

Lillie Miller of Tacoma, Washington
Dick in a Box – Justin Timberlake & Andy Sandburg
Nasty Naughty Boy – Christina Aguilera
Bounce – Timbaland
Ride – Ciara
Rude Boy – Rihanna
Shoop – Salt n’ Peppa
Futuresex Lovesounds – Justin Timberlake
Lovers and Friends – Lil’ Jon
Wetter – Twista
Is This Real? – Lisa Hall
Feelin’ Love – Paula Cole
Wicked Games – Chris Isaak
Nice and Slow – Usher
Falsetto – The Dream
Pony – Ginuwine
Live in This Club – Usher
Like I Love You – Usher
Birthday Sex – Jeremih

Kristina Franklin of Tacoma, Washington
Girl, You’ll be a Woman Soon – Urge Overkill
Boom, Boom – John Lee Hooker
Your Touch – The Black Keys
Foxy Lady – Jimi Hendrix
Shut Up and Let Me Go – The Ting Tings
No You Girls – Franz Ferdinand
Rock n’ Roll Queen – The Subways
Sex on Fire – Kings of Leon
Midnight in Her Eyes – The Black Keys
Gold Guns Girls – Metric
Make it Wit Chu – Queens of the Stoneage
Girl is on my Mind – The Black Keys

Adrienne Emmel of Issaquah, Washington
A Little Something for you – Adrienne Emmel
Hot Mess – Cobra Starship
Maneater – Nelly Furtado
Buttons – Pussycat Dolls
Gimme More – Britney Spears
Peaches & Cream – 112
Lips of an Angel – Hinder
Suga Suga – Baby Bash
All Nite – Janet Jackson
In My Head – Jason Derulo
I’m a Slave 4 U – Britney Spears
La La – Ashley Simpson
Pour Some Sugar on Me – Def Leppard
Right Round – Flo Rida
Yeah – Usher
Boom Boom - Vengaboys

Thank you to everyone who entered the contest! it was truly such a joy to receive all these great sets of music - each one packaged so creatively with lil' extras to make me smile. I just might have to make this an annual event. Thanks again ladies!

Christy's Bombshell Birthday Contest

2010-09-20T16:30:00.000-07:00

In honor of my 27th birthday I'm giving the gift to you! Sweet Betty Jean is the name of my classic pinup artistry that will launch this coming Valentines Day. It's my new favorite and I want to share it with you!

Winner receives:

Sweet Betty Jean Pinup Session
Phone & Email Consultations to create your specific look
Professional hair & makeup by Melissa Anderson of Che’mel Salon
One Hour of shooting at c.pelland photography studio
Three perfected print ready images
Joint Copyright to all images
Full resolution image files on archival DVD

How to Enter:
Send in a mix cd of your favorite songs (Minimum of 10) that make you feel your sexiest! What makes you wanna dance? Is it the smooth seduction of Usher, sweet cooing of Michael or thumping bass of Beyonce? It's completely up to you - just make sure it's HOT!

Mail submissions to:
Attn: Christy Pelland
c.pelland photography
p.o. box 443 graham. washington 98338

Submission are due by Sunday, October 3rd - my birthday!

I will choose the winner by who has the best mix. No majority rules on this one - decision is completely determined by my personal opinion. The winner will be announced Wednesday, October 6th.

any questions - email sweetbettyjean@gmail.com or visit www.sweetbettyjean.com

Official Rules:

Description of the Contest: The Christy’s Bombshell Birthday (the “Contest”) is designed to encourage eligible participants to use their creativity to create their own interpretation of the ultimate hot mix. Judge (Christy Pelland) will choose the winning entry and prizes will be awarded in accordance with these Official Rules.
Sponsor: The Contest is sponsored by c.pelland photography, a Washington Company with principal place of business in Graham, Washington, USA.
Eligibility: The Contest is open only to Facebook friends of Christy Pelland.
Contest Period: The Contest begins at 6:00:00 A.M. Pacific Time (PT) on September 21, 2010 and ends on 11:59:59 P.M. Pacific Time (PT) on October 3, 2010.
How To Enter: Send in a mix cd of your favorite songs (Minimum of 10) that make you feel your sexiest. Include full name of participant, email, phone number, mailing address and full list of songs with artist. Mail submissions to: Attn: Christy Pelland c.pelland photography p.o. box 443 graham. washington 98338. All entries must be received by October 3, 2010. Only submissions mailed to this address will be accepted as valid.
Judging and Selection of Winner: All entries will be judged by Christy Pelland "Expert Judge" and qualified associates based on the following judging criteria: 1) artistic merit, 2) creativity, 3) theme communication, 4) appropriateness of the supporting statement, and 5) whether the submissions adhered to these Rules. Decisions of the judges are final and binding. If the winner is not able for whatever reason to accept their prize, then c.pelland photography reserves the right to award the prize to another Entrant (as applicable).

STAND OUT PROM 2010 :: prom fashion shoot

2010-06-11T00:21:00.000-07:00

Stand Out Prom was started with the idea that we'd pull together the best senior experience for one young lucky lady. it's grown quite a bit since that simple start but the most fun and excitement still remains in the day of prom. the build up is crazy - this year Kayleigha picked out shoes from Vixen, designed custom jewlery with Ada Rosman, total hair re-styling by Melissa Anderson at Che'mel Salon, mani & pedi from Pepper's Salon in Puyallup, handcrafted boleros from Salchar & The Secret Boutique and of course, complete styling from her personal team of specialists (The Stand Out Prom directors).

there's nothing quite like coming up with a random idea, getting it sketched out, pitching it with high hopes and seeing it come to fruition. especially, when you have a creative team that can pull off anything - the elements just fall into place.

the Stand Out Prom Directors minus Tammi Barber of TLB Events who was workin' it at a wedding.

Kayleigha had never been to Northwest Costume before and was blown away when we took her back into the archives. rows and rows, shelves upon shelves full of unique costumes, old Vegas garb and the most outrageous head pieces you'll ever encounter. basically, the coolest place in the South Sound!

the second story of Northwest Costume is a large event space with ballroom, private bar and the signature Sherlock Holmes room. Mary Johnson, the owner of the costume shop, graciously let us use the space which fit our Victorian theme to a 't'!

after a lightning fast shoot at the costume shop we headed down 6th Avenue to Wright Park for a few 'sunny day in the park' shots. the classic features of the park made for a perfect backdrop - Kayleigha looked just like a Victorian lady strolling through the manicured grounds.

Jennifer at j.robbins florist totally hooked us up again this year with her amazing floral designs.

Heidi Campbell at Unabashed Bliss designed this flower just for Kayleigha - the shades of purple and black were just what she wanted.

a bit of coaching is always a good thing. hehee. that parasol was custom painted by Mary at Northwest Costume - when i told her what look we were going for and the items i had in mind, she mentioned having a parasol that would work but it was white - i hinted that black would be way better and what do you know - when we showed up on saturday, Mary had that parasol spray painted black. it photographed like a dream and will definitely be a favorite item of mine in shoots-to-come!

ohhh the richness of this image blows me away - color splash!

we wrapped up at the park and cruised on down to the Meeker Mansion, a historical landmark and museum in Puyallup.

i could have played all day in the mansion but we only had a short time because these kids had to get to prom! after all, that's why we were doing what we were doing. hehee. these next few images were such a crack up - i can't believe they were keeping a straight face. after firing off a few shots, i commented that this setup totally looked like the cover of a romance novel - possible title, 'Forbidden Love' - baahahaa. with that everyone bust into laughter ...

and there you have it - a quick peak at what we were up to last weekend! to see all of my favorites from the shoot head on over to the Stand Out Prom facebook page.

becca and i are headed to the coast today for the Cannon Beach wedding of Holly & Tony. i'm incredibly stoked to get this weekend going and soooo looking forward to their rehearsal dinner where they're serving my signature red sauce! whoop whoop! have a great one folks!

samantha + matt :: teaser

2010-06-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

last saturday, i had the pleasure of covering the wedding adventures of samantha and matt - a local (and i mean real local to me - living just down the way in Graham!) couple who's simple ceremony and private dinner party reception were SIMPLY PERFECT!

talk about a GORGEOUS group of women! and if you can believe it - they're all related! everyone of the bridesmaids were samantha's sisters and the lovely woman in red featured above - her stunning mother! i think it's safe to say we know where the girls get their looks! fabulous ladies! simply fabulous!

really, could a first look be any more perfect!?! these two are just adorable and every bit of the excitement and build up was soooo worth it!

even the wildlife couldn't get enough of these two! this lil' bugger got a bit too close though - i had to run him off!

the Wright Park Seymour Conservatory is so perfect and usually off limits to shoot in unless you have a permit (teheee or a really charming smile!) It was an ideal location for the two's very intimate vows in front of immediate family.

after the short and incredibly sweet ceremony - we took off toward the reception on Tacoma's waterfront gem, C.I. Shenanigans. we stopped off at a few spots on the way there - couldn't have asked for more perfect shooting conditions on this early spring day especially since the forecast was for solid rain!

a big thanks to Melissa Anderson of Che'mel Salon for completely rockin' out samantha and the rest of the bridal party's makeup! having perfect, photo ready makeup done by a professional is a MUST for your wedding day and Melissa is truly one of the best!

these two were an absolute delight to photograph - every part of this blissed out day was filled with the carefree, loving attitude that they exude. i can't wait to share the rest of this moment in their life with you! stay tuned my friends!

oh and if you just love teasers - my facebook friends get the advanced peek at all my weddings - so get in on the buzz and LET'S BE FRIENDS!

GLAM NIGHT :: teasers

2010-05-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

what's a friday without a teaser!?! so i'm still not back to the routine of blogging on a daily basis but that's only because there is so much cool stuff going on right now! one of those is Stand Out Prom and all the sweet projects we've done to raise this year's scholarship funds. GLAM NIGHT Masquerade was truly a creative explosion utilizing the best makeup artists, hair stylists and other creative artists we came up with incredible looks and had every beautiful lady feelin' like the vixen she is!

don't let this dark ring leader scare you - i promise, she's quite a pleasant lady. wink wink. hahahaa.

enjoy these teasers - i've got to get back to editing the rest!

GLAM NIGHT :: masquerade

2010-05-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

LADIES! we've got three spots still open for GLAM NIGHT Masquerade this Sunday at Che'mel Salon. Help us raise the last bit of funds for the Stand Out Prom Scholarship by attending this one of a kind event.

check out standoutprom.com for more details. click on GLAM NIGHT.

We've dropped the price to only $100 - call Che'mel today to claim your spot 253.548.8910!

STAND OUT PROM 2010 :: WINNER

2010-05-07T01:00:00.000-07:00

Now and then, you meet people and they instantly knock your socks off! You know in the first ten minutes that this person is going to do great things with their time on this earth because of the passion and talent they possess. with Stand Out Prom we're looking for that 'it' factor but also an overwhelming desire to give back and share those gifts with the community. we found all that and more in this year's winner, Miss Kayleigha Holten, from Emerald Ridge High School in Puyallup.

Kayleigha first caught our attention with her incredibly well crafted application that immediately had us rolling with answers to questions such as the following when asked what areas of the creative arts she is involved with,

'A little bit of everything … meaning dragon masks created from bubble wrap and masking tape; hot pink suspension bridges of laminated spruce and gorilla glue, and of course, a bedroom papered with pencil drawings, pastel portraits, and the immortalization of the Hamlet cast in full-color cartoon.'

she went on to describe other areas to including studio art, graphic design, photoshop play, piano, concert choir and her true passion, theatrical lighting design. that's one heck of a list - and i promise you, she does it all extremely well!

Along with a long list of volunteer activities Kayleigha explained where she plans to take her love of the creative arts, 'I plan to utilize college education to pursue lighting and set design, as well as painting, drawing and other studio art forms. In the college setting I will have the opportunity to work as I would in the professional theatre industry as a lighting designer, and learn the CAD program, VectorWorks, for creating lighting plots.' She went on to explain how she's going to do that, 'I will attend Boston University next fall to major in theatre lighting design in the College of Fine Arts. While there I will have the opportunity to take advantage of the theatre program’s partnership with a professional theatre to find employment opportunities and develop the skills necessary to pursue theatre as a career. I am also contemplating a Master’s degree in teaching and becoming a drama teacher.' at this point, we were all very impressed.

The last question before the essay was 'tell us anything else about yourself that makes you - you.' Kayleigha's response couldn't have been more perfect,

' I avoid the norm, so I customize everything. I love Shakespeare and classical literature, including poetry. I love to lead, and have been a class officer all three years of my high school career, making me responsible for planning this year’s prom. I give everything one hundred percent, and throw myself at life. The walls of my room are covered with my artwork and pictures of friends and family—you cannot see the paint underneath. Hanging from the valance above my window is a collection of over twenty scarves, a few of which I have knitted. I wear these all the time, because they go well with my fancy black theatre clothes (remember this), although I love to surround myself with color. My friends tease me for my collection of patterned gloves, which I showcase whenever it is cold. They love my feisty lightning bolt earrings, too. My favorite animals are cows and tigers, and I love the colors red, white, and black together, because they are classy and professional. I strive for this same professionalism in everything I undertake, and work hard to maintain my 3.97 gpa. I have been described as an ‘old soul.’ I love old music, and also have an interest in politics. Musical theatre inspires my life. I can’t get enough of it.'

At this point, i knew we had to meet this girl but it was the following essay that made me think we'd found our winner.

Light exposes things in the theater. It storms the stage, a strobe of lightning shadowing a haunted house. It sets the scene, uncomfortable colors squirming beneath a discordant Renter. It constructs a jail, blue bars crying softly into the bloody red of a Birmingham cell. I decide.

As resident lighting designer at Emerald Ridge High School, performing technical tasks both as a volunteer and a school district employee, I’ve made a career out of backstage obscurity. In the summer before my sophomore year a close friend involved in the theatre department at Emerald Ridge invited me to join the Technical Crew. Of course, I possessed a dearth of knowledge regarding lighting consoles, dimmers, and the fancy lamps that can’t be touched by human hands. Something twisted into a back flip in the region of my stomach when, less than a month after I’d begun my technical career, my friend informed me of my assignation to light board operations for the fall play. I could barely turn the light board on, let alone program and operate the beast. But one hundred and eighty three time-sensitive light cues later, as I watched the fading frosted box of light caress the innocent man lying dead upon the stage, I became conscious for the first time of a dramatic undertone that would become the intense focus of my high school endeavors.

Just as actors craft expressions, I craft moods. Should no change in lighting hurl Les Miserables’ Jean Valjean from the smokey blues of the Toulon prison into the grey, impoverished streets of Paris or the dank greenish hue of the sewers below, he might as well remain forever in captivity, lacking the means to convey his vehemence upon the stage. Such tragedy haunts the designer’s soul. Without soul in theatre, there is nothing, an emptiness as stark as a naked script not yet clothed in its robe of annotations and lighting cues.

Immediately following the enlightening fall play experience, I immersed myself in the technical field with enthusiasm. I adapted a more professional outlook on my dealings in the theatre, which bled into other aspects of my life; into my three-year tenure as an elected class officer, into my seasons as a varsity track and cross country athlete, into my amalgam of community service hours and resultant United Way community service letters. My passion for theatre prepared me for adulthood.

My first business letter inquired into the possibility of completing an internship at the Tacoma Musical Playhouse, where I undertook one hundred and ninety-five unpaid hours of lighting and set design. During my time at the community theatre I discovered the lighting manual for the board at my high school and invested hours learning to program subroutines, effects, and complex lighting cues previously inaccessible to members of the Emerald Ridge Technical Crew.

The internship led to my continuing seasonal employment as lighting designer for Tacoma Musical Playhouse Kids’ Camp productions. I have been able to give back to my community through the four hundred plus hours I donate each year for the design and operation of school events in the auditorium. I aid in lighting local elementary schools’ dramatic enterprises and participate in the high school Martin Luther King, Jr. assembly, which for the past two years I have directed. This year I wrote the script, blocked the scenes (including a Civil War reenactment complete with fog machines and time-period guns), and choreographed the final musical number. However, the accomplishment of which I am most proud is the lighting and set design for Les Miserables: School Edition.

Painfully aware that the board housed in the Emerald Ridge tech booth could not possibly suffice for perhaps the largest production ever undertaken by the Puyallup School District, I employed the writing experience gained in my other professional endeavors to appeal to local community members for the funding to purchase the necessary equipment. Although unable to purchase a new board, I did procure enough donations to allow its rental.

I launched into my customary eighteen hour days, arriving at school in the dark at six in the morning and often not leaving until the nighttime clock chimed midnight. I focused lights, built a rotating barricade, telescoping lamp posts and a flyable bridge, and painted stones upon the garden wall. Everything had to be perfect.

When Les Miserables opened, an elderly man approached me after the first Saturday show to share his opinion that he had ‘seen things on that stage that had never before been conceived,’ and that credit for the astounding look of the show belonged to me. That night I shed my first tears of joy. As a graduating senior, I hope to instill that same joy into the underclassmen I am training to assume lighting duties when I head off to major in lighting design at the Boston University, College of Fine Arts.

I will miss the auditorium which first shrouded me in its comfortable darkness, and then thrust me into full view as last year’s “Techie of the Year,” and earned my school-wide reputation as the “lighting girl who can do anything.” The relationships I have formed through my thespian pursuits will long outlive the transience of their founding productions. Because of theatre, I know, and I am known in, my community. Through the endeavor to procure a better light board I reached outside school boundaries to establish myself in the Puyallup community. In my work on the Martin Luther King, Jr. assembly I developed a relationship with my principal, choir director, office staff, and numerous adults in my high school community. As lighting designer, I earned citizenship in the dramatic world of the acting community.

Life to me is art and the world an empty canvas. I live to create, and create to live. I aspire to reveal the power and beauty of the world to those who view my work, and inspire them to see the artistry in life. In this way, I stand out.

Wow. That's what you're thinking right? us too! After reading through all the applications we picked our top four girls and set up interviews for later that week.

All of the applicants are amazing young women who are truly following their passions for the creative arts and serving their community but Kayleigha had something else, something very special. She was our last interview of the evening, she waited outside the doors of the private room at the Mandolin Cafe, patiently, in her black professional attire, with perfectly parted hair and a satchel full of her work. As we debated back and forth about the other interviewees, you could tell she was nervous as she kept checking to see if we were finished and ready for her.

Kayleigha graciously thanked us for having her and immediately after introductions went into her work. As she spoke, you could feel the passion for her art was quickly eradicating the nervousness. As she flipped to specifically tabbed sections of her portfolio; she maintained a strictly factual account of each event - there was no embellishment need, what she has accomplished in her short career was absolutely amazing.

She went on to tell a few key stories that truly were the turning point in the interview. The first was about her contributions to a local elementary school, where she created a 'tech zone' out of duct tape and crate paper for a young boy in order to make him feel special. Then she casually transitioned into the detailed odyssey that was ERHS's production of Les Miserables which she expressed was her 'baby.' We were very impressed with her initiative to raise funds for the rental of new control board (which is explained in her essay) but were absolutely blown away when she began to reflect on her encounter with an elderly man after opening night of the show. She shed tears of joy as the man expressed his gratitude and then reflected on the moment to us confessing, 'i am so passionate about my art but had no idea it affected others so deeply.'

That was the point when the tears started welling up in my eyes - and i have to admit, are doing so now as i remember the moment. To sit across the table from a young woman with such gifts, drive and insight was incredible but paired with Kayleigha's humble attitude and genuine heart for service was overwhelming. I glanced over at Becca, she knew where my heart was at and shot me her signature smirk & wink. we'd found the young woman we were looking for.

The Stand Out Prom directors spent the next week and a half gathering swag - everything to make Kayleigha's senior experience a grand one. There's the full prom makeover by Che'mel Salon, fashion session with yours truly, custom jewelry from Ada Rosman, grad party invitations by rsj creative, grad party by TLB Events, manicure & pedicure from Pepper's Salon, tickets to the Grand Cinema, shoes from Vixen, a Stella & Dot gift certificate, handcrafted headband from Flourish by Lillie, a senior photo session by Jon+Moch Photography, handmade scarf from me because Kayleigha loves them, giant poka dot swag bag from Tammi, personalized notes from each of the directors and last but not least, a sweet mix cd of the director's favorite tunes! Oh yeah, and lets not forget the $2,000 scholarship!

my last minute addition - because that was one aspect of her application that stood out - dressing up the 'fancy black theater clothes' with a beloved scarf:

The signature STAND OUT pendant by Miss Ada Rosman.

During that time we also contacted the school, her teachers, play director and parents to inform them of the pending surprise. On Thursday, May 6th, the Stand Out Prom directors plus our official photographer, Julie Watts, gathered at the local coffee shop to assemble the swag before venturing over to the school. Most of us were working on very lil' sleep due to an overload of excitement for the big surprise. Personally, I couldn't stop smiling and actually caught myself slightly jumping while I spoke. hahaa.

It was almost 4 o'clock so we jumped in our vehicles and set out for Emerald Ridge. The sun beamed down on us as we strode toward the school - smiles as wide as Texas across our faces. We met Kayleigha's parents and her choir director, Rob Dennis, in the commons and proceeded to the auditorium where Kayleigha was in the middle of play practice.

All of us stopped at the doors for the classic PRIZE PATROL photo opt and then quickly passed through them. Mr. Dennis and I scanned the room for Kayleigha but she was backstage - the play director, Paul Hill, was in on the surprise and called everyone out onto the stage for us.

As the students emerged from behind the sets they looked incredibly bewildered and then Kayleigha stepped out. She saw all of us and it clicked - her face showed it all - the surprise, excitement and happiness. We joined her and in a shower of hugs, explained to her classmates what Kayleigha has won and why we're so honored to have her as our 2010 winner. The auditorium was filled with cheers and clapping - but most importantly, one incredibly deserving young woman who'd just received the surprise of her high school career.

After our quick presentation, we let the cast of Pride & Prejudice get back to their rehearsal. As we exited, Kayleigha's parents thanked us for everything and explained just how excited their daughter was to be apart of this process. Kayleigha's mother recounted how grateful and enthusiastic Kayleigha was after meeting with us and that she'd been anxiously awaiting our decision. She also mentioned that Kayleigha hoped to someday be like us, giving back to others - i have to say, that melted my heart - that's why we do it folks!

We walked out of that auditorium on cloud nine - i looked over at Melissa to see tears on her cheeks and couldn't help but hug her. This random idea that we started with on a whim last year has grown into something very special - a program that truly inspires young women.

A very big thanks goes out to Kayleigha, her family, teachers and theater family. We couldn't be more pleased to have you as a representative of Stand Out Prom and look forward to giving you a senior experience like none other! You absolutely and completely rock Kayleigha!

To see all the photos from the big surprise - head on over to our facebook page

click. VOTE. watch. RALLY. smile.

2010-05-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

This is a call to rally! Last spring, I was nominated for Brotherton Cadillac & Komo News 4’s Community Champions Award which means I could win $5,000 for my favorite charity if I get the most votes. Yes, you guessed it – this is a shameless solicitation for your vote – but wait, it gets better and i promise, reading this blog post will take longer than the actual voting - hahaa:

Here’s the story – each month of the last year their was a nominee, each nominee had a mini documentary made on them by an aspiring filmmaker, the films are now posted for voting and the winner will be determined by who has the most votes. The winner will then receive a $5,000 grant for their favorite charity which for me would go straight to our Stand Out Prom Scholarship Fund.

If you’re not familiar with Stand Out Prom, here’s the cliff notes on it: Our mission as women in the creative arts is to inspire, support and mentor young women of Pierce County by providing them with unique experiences and giving them the financial backing to pursue the artistic desires of their heart.

To learn more about Stand Out Prom please visit standoutprom.com

My documentary was created by Brent Christofferson of BlueRain Productions, a gifted young man whom I’m now proud to call a friend. Brent spent countless hours gathering footage at many events, directing interviews and editing his heart out. The product of his labor is a beautiful portrait of the things I love most in life – my family, community and art.

Please take the time to view the documentary and cast a vote. I know your time is incredibly valuable and I promise it will not be wasted.

See the film nomination here: http://www.komonews.com/younews?contest=main

If you like what you see – Please pass the link around to family and friends. This contest is purely based on the online voting so utilizing all the networks (facebook, myspace, email contacts, etc.) you have at hand would be greatly appreciated! it's this simple:

CLICK on over to http://www.komonews.com/younews?contest=main

VOTE for christy pelland (scroll to bottom of main page)

WATCH the film

RALLY your friends, family and co-workers to do the same.

SMILE in knowing you have done something good for the community!

Thank you again for your support of this project and the arts in Washington!

To learn more about the events mentioned in the film check out:
standoutprom.com
www.hickparty.org
christypelland.com

our newest addition :: Harper Merry Pelland

2010-04-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

some people have to plan everything in life from the clothes they're wearing the next day to the color of their yet-to-be-conceived child's room. hahaa. shaun and i are definitely planners but not in that sense - you can only plan so far in life, there's a point where you just have to give it up to faith and let it roll. this theory is truly reflected in our parenting style, we're very loose with how we respond to the stresses of being a parent by that i mean we often result to absurd bouts of laughter versus yelling and slamming doors. for example, when reese slid down the stairs with a bursting poopy diaper, leaving a trail on each step along the way - shaun and i looked at each other with a twist of horror but quickly realized the hilarity of the moment and went about dealing with it. i tend to view many situations in life with this manner which is closely related to absurdist humour, defined as:

Surreal humour, also called absurdist humour, is a form of humour, stylistically related to the artistic ambitions of the surrealists, based on bizarre juxtapositions, absurd situations and nonsense. Common elements of surreal humour include the non-sequitur, in which one statement is followed by another with no logical progression and the placing of otherwise logical constructs in different contexts where they become ludicrous and bizarre.

that all being said, shaun and i decided not to find out what the sex of our new baby was. this is the same decision we made when i was pregnant with reese and it turned out wonderfully. honestly, how often are you positively surprised these days?

as i approached my due date of march 15th, i began to get a bit annoyed with being pregnant. i'd been completely cool with it until the week before, heck i was still working but then, like a switch, i was ready to be done. i thought for sure i'd be early - don't ask me why, i just had that feeling but it wasn't happening. we tried all the old wive's tales such as eating spicy food, strenuous physical activity, triggering pressure points during my massage and of course, doing the act that got the baby in their in the first place (sorry, that may be too much information for some - but it's actually the only thing most nurses and OBGYN's recommend. hahaa). none of it was working and as we welcomed the morning of march 15th, i decided the only thing i could hope for is that my doctor would agree to induce me that week.

monday, march 15th, i dropped reese off at her sitter's house and started the trek into downtown tacoma stopping along the way to pick up my favorite cinnamon dolce latte from starbucks. when i got to my doctor's they told me my appointment was not until wednesday - i explained that pregnancy brain was truly taking over and that i'd do just about anything for an appointment that day. they worked me in with the nurse practitioner in about an hour which meant i had time to mosey on down to Corina Bakery for some sausage and cheese quiche. i quickly strode the four blocks to the cafe in hopes that with this last ditch workout i'd be dilated further and ready to be admitted to labor and delivery at my appointment. i wasn't that lucky - i was still at a '4' and looked perfectly fine - not cool. we scheduled the induction for that thursday and i left disappointed.

what's a girl to do when she's 39 weeks pregnant and semi-depressed - SHOP! of course. haha. i hit target for the last bit of baby items we needed and stumbled upon a new line they carry called Liberty - it's vintage fabrics that inspire everything from children's clothing to storage bins - I LOVE IT! who knew target had such cool stuff - so i loaded up on all kinds of gear and headed off to the next best cure for a disappointing day - a massage. on my way, my great friend and hairstylist, Dannielle Matison, suggested that i try some castor oil to get labor started. i said 'why not' and after an incredibly relaxing massage, downed a small glass of the 'get this baby out' orange juice cocktail - that was 3 pm.

nothing happened for hours, shaun got home and we laid on the couch just relaxing and chatting about what is to come. then at 8 o'clock the contractions hit strong - i was having to actually stop and work through them. we called my sister and told her she better head out this way - that we'd be going to the hospital tonight. i then called the hospital, told them i was experiencing contractions but didn't know how to gauge them because i had an epidural during my 27 hour labor last time. the nurse said that i labor long and that i should take a bath and then give them another call. i advised her that we live in Graham - a 45 minute drive from the hospital and she said that would be just fine. hummm. so i took a bath with the aid of my three year old - dumping water on my back and telling me, 'you okay mommy.' hahaa it was really cute but wasn't helping - everything was just getting more intense.

when i got out of the bath i could barely handle getting dressed - i told shaun we needed to leave really soon. then began the sickness - oh yeah, hunched over the porcelain god dispensing everything i'd ingested that day. lovely. in between breaks i yelled to shaun to call the hospital and tell them we're coming. julie finally arrived, all three of them were running around trying to get all the items into the car - reese kept handing shaun baby blankets telling him that baby needed them. i broke up the packing rampage and told my husband, 'we need to leave now.' as i attempted to get into the passenger seat, i felt incredibly sick to my stomach and knew something else was coming back up. i rushed into the house and as i hunched over my water broke - i strongly said, 'we're leaving now' and in a flash we were down the driveway.

there's nothing you can really say at a time like this - both of us knew we just HAD to get to the hospital. no other word can describe the feeling other than INTENSE. every few moments i was having to work through a painful contraction - every muscle tensing up in my body trying to push this baby out. by the time we crossed over the highway (which meant we were about 15 minutes away) i knew i wasn't going to be getting an epidural and began to truly fear the reality that this baby might come in my car! seriously.

i rolled down the window so i could grasp the roof of the car and physically pick myself up with each gut wrenching contraction. there was absolutely no holding back - i'd never felt a sensation like this - every part of my body was working together to push this child out of me. i have never prayed so hard in my life, 'God please don't let this baby come in the car, just get us to the hospital!' this in complete silence mind you - we still hadn't said a word to each other just the occasional squeal of pain.

as we pulled onto stadium way in tacoma i was holding the baby in - i knew it was only a minute or two til we got to the hospital. shaun pulled into the ER entrance (which is the same for after hours birth admittance at Tacoma General), parked in between to ambulances - i jumped out. as soon as i started to make my way to the door, my legs completely gave out, shaun thought i had made it inside when he saw a man rush inside - he looked over the hood of the car and saw me on the ground. shaun jumped out and picked me up - the man had notified the nurses inside and got me a wheelchair. as the nurses took me up to the birthing center - shaun rushed to get the car out of the emergency zone and into the parking garage.

as the elevator slowly climbed the floors, the nurse observed me in silence - odd i know. when we pulled up to the birth center counter one nurse advised me to 'try and stay calm' - i looked at her with all the fear of God and fury of the ages and responded with, 'i'm really trying.' she then yelled out to the other, 'ALL RIGHT! THIS BABY'S COMING NOW!' all nine of them rushed into the back room, stripped me down, got me on the table, took one look and said, 'okay, we see baby - push when you're ready.' ahhh! all this before even getting my name or even providing me with a hospital gown.

i felt the baby coming in the car but the confirmation of that fact was still so shocking! it meant i would be pushing this baby out without any bit of modern medicine - come on, drugs were invented for a reason - this stuff is beyond painful! not to mention the fact that my husband was not even in the room yet. as he finally found his way to the birth center, the only nurse left in the area told him, 'you better get back there!' he looked at her puzzled and hurried down the hall, he walked into a room filled with bustling nurses - i saw him first, he looked beyond lost and later admitted he didn't even know if it was the right room. the ladies asked me if that was the father and rushed him over to me.

in an instant, he grabbed my shoulder and helped the other three nurses hold me down. i only looked at him and the ceiling because i just couldn't deal with seeing what else was going on down there. i pushed once and then with the next contraction, i closed my eyes, gasped in pain and pushed with every bit of who i am - our baby had arrived. the doctor (who at the time i thought was just another nurse) announced that we had a girl and i yelp with joy. i secretly want all girls but don't tell shaun. haha. Harper Merry weighed in at 8 lbs. 11 oz and a whooping 20 inches long; just shy of her big sister Reese who was 8 lbs. 13 oz and 21 inches. it was 10:25 pm - we had arrived at the hospital at 10:15 pm. crazy. THANK YOU LORD!

after a few hours we were in our recovery suite enjoying the new life we'd been so blessed with. both of us were struck with how much harper resembled her sister - and couldn't wait to tell reese she'd been right. as i mentioned, we didn't find out the sex of our child but the entire time reese was insistent that she was going to have a lil' sister or 'bebe tister' as she says it.

in the next post i'll share the first day in the life of miss harper which includes meeting her big sister and the rest of the family.

Pelland Family maternity :: portraits

2010-04-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

alrighty - it's time to get this blog started again - hahaa. i know by the traffic logger and by requests from faithful readers that some new postings are in dire need. so we'll start off where we left off - with our family maternity photos.

the expression, 'well, she's three,' is the explanation for most of the odd ball reactions we get from reese these days. it's quite funny to see how a jovial lil' kid goes from zero to sixty over the slightest suggestion but then again, that's just part of growing up. on this day, reese wanted absolutely nothing to do with the camera - even with her mimi (my mom) being the one behind it. shaun and i attempted a few bits of bribery but eventually decided to let her do her own thing for a bit.

whenever i ask a friend or family member to take a picture - my request is usually met with some form of 'okay, but no guarantees, i'm not a professional.' most are very surprised at how fast the shutter can fly and confused if i give them a camera with a fixed lens on it - haha but all in all we get a few shots that convey the moment. my mom was out at the house this evening and helped us out - i simply set it all up for her, direct her where to stand and guide her to just keep clicking. in between directions, i managed to snap off a few that i love - like the one above of shaun watching reese take off into the field.

during these images - reese was running around mimi singing to herself and occasionally stopping to spurt off some comments about us like, 'mom and dad silly.' we tried talking her into a photo or two but it still wasn't working.

there's alot of things you do in life to entertain your kiddos - shaun and i like to dance. there's quite a bit of spontaneous dance parties that take place in our house. whenever a great song comes on the radio, reese knows to head to the kitchen for some spinning, jumping and laughing. we've been doing it since she was a newborn and it's just stuck. honestly, it's hard to have a bad attitude about things when your kid wants you to dance with them.

i grabbed the camera from my mom and was just going to get a few of shaun and reese when all of the sudden the kid started to SMILE! this rare moment had to be taken advantage of - so i threw the camera back in my mom's arms and ran over to the two of them...

shaun was flipping reese around and trying to take her new puppy when the giggles started - i came up behind shauno and started to pull the strings of her hat - this caused more laughter and therefor some of my favorite images from our short stroll in the field.

and here's the framer ...

these were not what i had in mind but they sure capture this time in our lives. little reese has quite the personality, filled with compassion for others but at the same time quite the lil' firecracker when it comes to her decision making which of course, shines with wardrobe selections. haha. in the short days to come - our new lil' one would arrive and reese's role as a big sister would take shape. i can't wait to share that experience with you all in the coming posts - our family has grown in many ways and i can honestly say it truly makes you see the best parts of life. thanks for coming back to the stories friends!

STAND OUT PROM 2010 :: in full swing!

2010-03-05T08:32:00.000-08:00

you guys remember the Stand Out Prom contest from last year? the random idea that popped up one night and within two weeks was an absolute phenomenon that treated one lucky young lady to the prom and graduation experience of a lifetime? yeah that one! well, it's that time again and we're amping things up with a $2,000 scholarship and many other amazing bits of swag.

today is the official launch of the contest where we are debuting the new website, blog and facebook. i highly recommend you check out all three and especially become a fan of the program on facebook so you can keep in the know for all the sweet fund raising events, special offers and other tid bits that will come up!

this year is going to be one wild ride not only for the directors, applicants, vendors and winner but also for all of you who get to share in the experience! thank you all for your support and love as we make this happen for one deserving young lady!

yours truly :: maternity

2010-03-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

after spending a bit of time outside in the chilling morning air, we ventured inside where becca treated us to her family's signature dutch babies. these are one of my very favorite breakfast treats but i haven't been able to make any lately because my stoneware i usually use to cook them in, broke. i'd told becca i was looking for a cast iron skillet and to pick one up if she found one at a yard sale or antique store. she did me one better and purchased a new one from the Metropolitan Market - this was our bebe sprinkle gift instead of diapers - and it was perfect!

after a full meal we decided to stay inside the house versus trekking out to the studio which i neglected to turn the heat on in. sometimes you just make things work. we got the same affect i was looking for in these and we didn't even have to step out of the kitchen.

it's absolutely amazing to see how your body changes during pregnancy. i have to admit, after reese i was in shock and had a hard time reconnecting with my once capable body. it took a bit to get back into the swing of things but it eventually happened. i've learned quite a bit since then and that's allowed me to go with the flow even more so with baby number two. everyone keeps saying it, but this time really has flown by.

the first time around - some of my very favorite maternity photos were shot in this very same spot - on the wood flooring of our entryway. haha. i love to shoot in places that are familiar to a subject because it has that much more meaning and connection to them. the entryway of our home is where we welcome guests and pass through each day - it's part of who we are.

i love these images because they record who i am at this point in my life. the changes i'm experiencing and the growth - both personal and physical - that's taken place over the past few years. i'm not the only part of this story though, the next post will feature the other important members of the ever expanding Pelland family, miss reese and shaun. these were not the portraits i had in mind but they certainly do describe the family at this point - anyone with a three year old feels my sentiment. hehee.

yours truly :: maternity

2010-02-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

i bet some of you were beginning to doubt if i was ever going to do these this time around. it's true we waited quite a bit longer than the last time to photograph the belly but that's due to this pregnancy being completely different. i'm much busier with life in general which has translated into not being as focused on preparing for baby (like getting all that gear and clothes out of storage - yikes) and putting personal projects like finishing paintings and doing portraits on the back burner. yet since we're less than three weeks out from the due date it's time to get crackin!

on sunday, my loyal assistant and great friend, becca, came on out to the house for an early morning session. we lucked out and still had that crisp winter frost on the ground which gave everything in the shaded parts of the field a cool tone and beautiful glisten. this is one of my favorite times of the day to shoot because of the amazing blue, green and gold tones not to mention the priceless morning light that streams in through and eventually over the large growth trees of the forest.

to be honest, i'm quite amazed i look as awake as i do in these images. the night before i was up til 4:30 in the morning unable to sleep then got up at 5:30 to take the dogs out and officially awoke at 8 am to welcome becca. in some of the images that were cut from the session my hair is so badly tossed that it does look like i just rolled out of bed - which in fact, was the reality but no one wants to see that. hahaa. these will serve as a good reminder to at least run a real comb through my hair before stepping in front of the camera.

when photographing people i feel it's best to shoot in series. this means that you're constantly on the shutter gathering as many reactions as possible. this increases the likelihood that you'll capture those moments of the unexpected like when your doodle dane puppy take a large dump right next to the spot you're trying to shoot at. ohhh there's nothing quite like the fresh scent of poo when trying to capture intimate, contemplative photos of a expecting mother. thanks wilson.

you may be wondering - where is christy's husband in all of these? it makes sense that the spouse would be included in the maternity images - he was the last time around but as mentioned above, we're coming down to the wire with time. shaun was on his last snowmobiling trip of the season, off exploring the mountains of eastern oregon and wasn't going to be home until late that night. we're planning to get a few family and belly shots later this week but just in case the lil' one decides to come early, i wanted to at least get a few.

these photos are very casual and truly represent what i look like and feel during this point in the pregnancy. they also depict the season which is that of chilly mornings covered in the last bits of winter frost that give way to sunny, 'spring's-on-it's-way' afternoons. in these types of situations there's no way i'm taking off one bit of this clothing - it's freaking cold! sure, maternity shots are all about showcasing that belly but really? when it's still in the low 40s are you going to walk around outside with a bare stomach - i don't think so.

choosing the right clothing during your pregnancy becomes a fine art - for most of this one people haven't been able to tell i'm expecting. dark, loose fitting clothing in dimensional layers becomes your closest alli because it tends to hide many things. of course, that's no secret to women but when thinking of what you want to showcase and what you want to de-emphasize it becomes ever so important. also picking colors that make your features pop - for instance, i have blue green eyes and know that with the right shades of blue and green in close vicinity to my face those babies are going to really shine. those tones also bring out the auburn tones in my hair too.

the most important aspect i like to focus on when shooting maternity images is to capture the mood of the expecting mother. there is so much wonder, love and hope that fills you're heart before having a child and that sentiment should be completely apparent in the images. of course, there is room for joyful smiles and bursts of laughter because those moments also show who you are at that point in your life but those quiet moments between are what truly define that period. it makes be recall the serene times you spend alone, dreaming of what this new life will bring and how it will challenge, encourage and bring new dimension to your life.

hahaa okay from this angle you can really tell i didn't brush my hair! nice! hahaaa.

i can't emphasize enough the importance of knowing how it feels to be in front of a camera. as a photographer, i'm much more comfortable behind the camera - coaching, observing and moving a session along but knowing how my clients feel on the other side is just as important. it makes truly enjoying the person photographing you that much more apparent. becca is an amazing person who brings any sole to ease - you can tell in these images that i'm relaxed in the environment, comfortable with her and therefore am able to let my true self come through in the images. that's the feeling you should have with your photographer - well, at least that's my opinion. hehee.

in the next post we'll head inside for a few more intimate portraits of your truly and the ever growing belly. thanks for the patience and stay tuned my friends.

The Incredible Expanding Pelland Family :: bebe sprinkle

2010-02-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

i don't know if you have a secret love but mine is party planning! hahha and luckily, i have an equally obsessed partner in crime, my great friend and assistant photographer becca. when it came down to throwing a party to celebrate the new baby she was all over it. the girls tried to keep it a secret but i really wanted to help - that's terrible i know, but i love this stuff and had so many ideas!

i really dislike traditional baby showers with all the games, sheet cakes and sitting around waiting to be directed. i wanted this event to be super casual so we decided to host it at a restaurant instead of someone's home and go with a open house policy versus set arrival time. the Mandolin Cafe in Tacoma located just off Proctor was a perfect fit - they have a private room which fits up to 40 people and the feel we were looking for. it's one of my favorite spots to just chill which made it even more appropriate.

flowers bring color and joy to any situation so we made sure to include them in our decor. prior to the sprinkle, i gathered a few branches from the yard and cut them down to fit in the many random glass vases i found around the house. the vases were missing a bit of flare so i used hemp twine, hot glue and ribbon to add a bit of interest to them. that afternoon before arriving at the cafe, i stopped in at the Metropolitan Market and picked up a variety of flowers in shades of purple and fuchsia (p.s. the Met always has a great selection but is not the most cost effective option - if you have a farmers market open in the area - GO TO IT!). i then popped a bit of ribbon in the bottom of the vases for a splash of color and had them filled with water. kelly and i then arranged them to our liking - adding a few paper hanging flowers here and there. dang, i really feel like martha after describing that - bahahaa!

when thinking of a creative way to welcome guests and provide them with a unique gift we came up with the idea to do flower corsages. we thought of doing them in a few different fabrics at first but landed on organza which came in many fun colors that stuck with the theme of the party. one saturday my mom, becca, grandmother, sister and i (with a lil' help from reese) entered the flower corsage sweat shop and spent hours cutting out shapes, texturing the edges and sewing the bead work on that held it all together. i heard quite a few compliments and inquiries as to how they were constructed which means i'll be highlighting the process in a upcoming blog.

we later attached the name of each guest to a flower made especially for them. they were pinned to an old cork board i had in the garage that we displayed on my painting easel. it was the first thing guests saw and immediately got them into the celebration spirit with a splash of color.

i'm a huge fan of food so when the Mandolin Cafe said we had to do catering through them - it was absolutely not a problem. they have an amazing menu that includes many of my favorites like the blue cheese, strawberry and chicken salad - ohhhh baby! we also ordered many festive easy to handle bites like the cured meats, cheeses, olives, toasty breads and a variety of skewers like the peanut chicken, roasted vegetables and tomato & mozzarella.

another fun facet we added was the baby guessing sheets. since we don't know what we're having guests were asked to make a pick and sign their name to either the boy or girl sheet. my sisters took it one step further with writing a name suggestion for each letter of the alphabet on the backside including such gems as Didi, Ricky Bobby, Oprah, Hobit, Yoda and Redonkulous.

my sister hit it on the head when she said the space felt, 'just like we're in christy's home.' the colors, wood work and art covered walls were the perfect feel we were looking for - comfortable and fun. to add to the party feel becca hand crafted every one of the flags you see hanging from the ceiling (which FYI do not stay up with glue dots - haha) including this special one over the food which read 'Sweet Bebe Pelland.' we display the flags in our own home on special occasions such as reese's party a couple weeks back - which i still need to share here on the blog - i swear, it's coming.

every party needs a favor and we picked a to-go filled with sweet treats. tammi barber of TLB Events was gracious enough to give us about 100 of these great lil' boxes which we filled full of kettle corn, jelly beans and circus animal cookies. becca then made up labels which read 'She's about to POP' haha get it - popcorn. okay we're lame but it's a fun tie in! haha.

you're not going to believe this one but jordan just had her lil' girl kennedy a month ago! she looks amazing and lil' kennedy was such a doll - slept throughout the whole party completely content with hearing happy voices and merry music. hehe. jordan, nikki and jess (all pictured below) are some of my very favorite brides from over the years - i'm so blessed they found me and are now such great additions to my life.

gotta love it when you're kid picks her nose in a picture! yes! haha Melina is my oldest, dearest friend - that one that always knows where you're coming from no matter how long it's been since you last talked. she's amazing and that's equally due to her phenomenal mother, Cherine, who came from Idaho for the event. i love these two - they're truly part of my family.

we left the drinks and dessert options up to the guests because frankly, there's just too many to choose from at the Mandolin. their pastry chef had a tempting variety of delights ranging from cakes to these lil' buggers - cookie dough lollis. these delicious treats are a ball of cookie dough plopped on a stick then dipped in chocolate and rolled in mini chocolate chips. dying to try one yet?! that's what i thought - reese was a big fan.

my lovely prego lady friends - dannielle who is due in July and steph who is due soon after me. jess, pictured below in the teal shirt, just had her second child - a beautiful baby girl named Jane. all these ladies are part of my mom&baby group which formed when we all had our first children. we met through a community group for new mothers at Good Sam hospital and decided to form our own after our kids out grew the guidelines. our get togethers consist of great food, wine and even better conversation - nothing could be more relaxing and helpful as you embark on the journey that is motherhood.

here's the rockstar of this party - becca totally pulled off every aspect of this day as perfect as we planned. as if you'd expect anything less - you saw all the amazing details and unique touches to her wedding which i just featured. she's honestly the best and i couldn't be happier to call her my treasured friend - thank you so much bec!

every once in a while i just feel like being super crafty - this occurs much more often when i am pregnant. i guess it's the need to nest and be homey - haha who knows but i secretly love it! after having my idea of embellishing the paper flowers with beads for the well wish cards at the work party - i decided to do it on my own.

one of the best elements that we've incorporated into every party we've done in the past year or so is the well wish tree. this can be applied to any occasion - birthday, baby shower, wedding or anniversary. it's all about sending your love to the person or people of the hour. for this one we had guests fill out two cards - one for the baby and one for reese, shaun and i. it is such a sweet treat to read through them all afterward and even more interesting when you stumble upon ones like melina's which read, 'remember you can't choose your parents but you can choose your friends.' classic!

the tree is one of the most basic additions we created but has so much visual impact and interest. i simply went out into our woods at the house a few days earlier and cut out a few large branches from wild trees. we then based the large ceramic vase with drain rock which i gathered that morning from the side of our shop (very swank i know!). becca added battery operated mini lights to the second half of the tree to create a lil' extra twinkle and we threw in a few irish bells and paper flowers for color.

two of the ladies that helped pull it all off, amber and hayley.

to cap off the wonderful afternoon, a few of my favorite ladies headed downtown to a sweet speakeasy lounge named Maxwells which has happy hour all day - even on a saturday night! we had a quick appetizer and drink - yes i drank, they made me the virgin special! after lounging for a bit we headed down the street to the Over the Moon Cafe where we indulged in savory dishes including the sage chicken, flank steak, seared halibut and pasta. ohh and don't even get me started on the desserts - even though none of us had room we made it for the chocolate cake with chocolate ganache and strawberry pound cake.

thank you to all the ladies in my life for turning out to celebrate our newest addition. it's finally sinking in that in a few short weeks our family will expand from three (well, six if you're counting all our kids - tony, dozer and wilson - hehe) to four. i truly appreciate your love and support.

35 weeks and counting :: update

2010-02-07T21:56:00.000-08:00

today marks thirty five weeks of pregnancy and that means only five weeks until we welcome our new addition. the time has gone really fast and with that statement you'll understand why i'm starting my self imposed maternity leave a bit early. i got to thinking about all the stuff we still have left to do and well it's a lot. hahaa - so i'll still be blogging but not on a daily basis so keep checking back here and there for new stories which will surely include a few more weddings, speciality sessions and of course, my maternity photos and soon enough a newborn announcement. thanks for your understanding and continued support friends!

becca + chris :: celebration

2010-02-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

there are some very special people in this world that naturally carry the ability to make others happy. the sound of their voice brings joy and the comments they share are both humorous and uplifting. miss laura thompson is one of those people - this North Dakota native has such a charm about her that draws you in and keeps you laughing.

becca and laura met their first year of college at Pacific Lutheran University where they lived in the same dorm. their were many memorable stories laura could have shared about those first few years but she chose one that truly showcased becca's heart of service. you see miss laura contracted lice that first semester of school and was sure this revelation would seal her fate as the odd one out in the dorm. as she returned from the nurse she stopped at becca's room and burst into tears telling her of her plight. becca sprang into action, calling her mother for advice and concocting a homemade cure from mayonnaise, butter and lemon. that foreseen catastrophe turned out to be an humorous exercise in floor unity as all the girls sported shower caps and killer blend for a few hours.

laura emphasized different parts of the story in her signature Fargo accent that kept the entire party in stitches yet when she got to the core of her speech those giggles turned to genuine tears of admiration for the greatest friend in her life. she opened up about all the reasons she loves becca from her constant support to her absolute heart of service. she focused on the person becca was thanks to her amazing family and the person she's grown to be due in large part to her new husband, chris. it was an intimate portrait of the most genuine person i know and it completely had me sobbing - laura's words said everything that a best friend would want to express on a day like this and more. it was truly a gift to witness.

another very unique aspect to the day was the changing of becca's sash throughout the evening. i overheard one table who finally caught on to the change exclaiming about the creativity of it and everything else that took place that day.

there are some moments that stop reality - you know they're coming, anticipate what they'll feel like, try to prepare and then without a whisp you're in them - caught up in every overwhelming memory and uncontrollable feeling. the father daughter dance is one of those - and not just for the bride but for her family too. a family experiences all of life's joys and trials together which is what makes them so rich and strong - in celebratory times like this, all those memories collide with hopes for the future and it's just too much to hold in.

becca's sisters switched up the playlists on the ipod and the party really gotta movin! there's nothing quite like a country party in the great wide open amongst the stars.

as the couple thanked their departing guests i grabbed a few of the girls and prepared the couple's suite for them. the bridal suite transformed into a rustic cabin getaway for these two thanks to many candles, flowers and their favorite tunes.

this wedding experience could not have been more perfect - oh but wait - there's more. get the full Mt. Hood Bed & Breakfast experience on monday. have a great weekend friends and if you're up for some artsy fun check out the opening of my good friend Ada Rosman's show at the Bellevue Arts Museum - i'll be up there on saturday and strongly encourage you to check it out - for more info click here www.bellevuearts.org/indulge.

becca + chris :: party time

2010-02-04T09:00:00.000-08:00

if you know me at all you know i'm gonna start this post with food details! ohh how i adore the culinary arts and love to see how each couple chooses to display their feast. let's kick things off with the centerpiece to the celebration - THE CAKE!

becca's sister-in-law, Rebecca, decided long ago that she was going to treat the couple to a homemade masterpiece. thanks to a good friend at New York's Magnolia Bakery located in the village on Bleecker Street - which you may recognize from a lil' show called Sex in the City - she gathered professional tips and through many baking trials came up with the perfect blend for becca and chris' big day. the multiple layers consisted of white cake with a lemon curd filling and butter cream frosting and were absolutely to die for! i usually don't partake in the cake feasting but i had to try this one a few times - magnificent!

as for the delightful cake topper - that was a special piece hand crafted by becca's father, Jay Stewart, who is a professional potter out of Cannon Beach. the two love birds were a surprise to the couple and are reminiscent of many of the playful creatures Jay has crafted the children throughout the years. talk about a personalized touch huh?

oh and don't even get me started on the buffet! perfect Northwest flare featuring baked salmon, fresh salads, perfect red potatoes, fire roasted and raw vegetables and a variety of seasonal fruits.

as a gift to their guests, chris hand crafted each of the personalized tumblers which commemorated the day with their names and wedding date. the couple got the idea from becca's parents who gave away similar cups at their wedding - in fact, at Jay and Laura's celebration the cups were so popular that people were hiding away extras in their purses! i have to admit, i some how ended up with a full set - tehehehe! due to the generosity of becca and chris though - not the size of my camera bag - haha.

as a special tribute to those who could not be there with them to celebrate - becca and chris chose to salute his brother, michael, and becca's dear family member, bob, with chocolate starfish which brought in their love of the ocean and the symbolic 'falling star' - the table card read, 'For our fallen stars and the sweet memories that we have.'

how a couple chooses to record the guest who attended always excites me - there have been so many great ideas throughout the years. becca had multi-faceted card that contained many of the images from their weekend long engagement session we had months prior to the event. it was a very unique solution and fit the feel of the event - casual, colorful, crafty and of course, creative.

both becca's father, Jay and Chris are professional potters which brought the arts to a forefront at their wedding. their pottery was displayed throughout the event which incorporated such a familiar feeling of home and what the livelihood of the Stewart family has been and what the future holds for becca & chris. it showcased a truly honest craft that has been passed from one generation to the next which is quite a rare thing these days. see more of Jay's work at www.houseofthepotter.com and Chris' at potterchrisjohnson.com.

becca thinks of everything - that's why she is the greatest assistant i have ever had. when it comes to taking care of the ones she loves - she's absolutely got it covered. what's better than rounding off a perfect day of watching two people you love unite as one through marriage? the answer - slipping into a pair of flip flops and enjoying a glass of wine! each of her bridesmaids received matching flip flops to go along with their color gowns, the perfect addition for all that dancing about to happen!

it's time for dinner but when we return you'll hear the accounts of becca and chris' closest friends and see how this party unfolds. laura's maid of honor speech is hands down the best i ever heard, you'll want to be part of this!

becca + chris :: romance in the country

2010-02-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

if you frequent this blog, then you're quite familiar with a few of my favorite things on a wedding day - of course there are the details and unexpected moments but my favorite of favorites is getting the couple alone and just letting them play. this usually happens right after the ceremony in the transition time to the reception area - they're beyond pumped about finally being husband and wife - and have no qualms about letting that love show.

what's truly amazing is photographing a couple like becca and chris - who lets that love hang out on a sleeve in the most honest and endearing way possible. those traits combined with the natural ease of their interactions and a keen sense of humor makes falling in love with them absolutely undeniable.

i've always been told that you're friends define who you are. i am so very proud to call both these two good friends and couldn't be more honored to have their aspirations and character define who i am. these two are incredibly talented artists who live out what it means to 'dream big and love whole heartedly' - who's grip on reason is only loosened by their heart's desire to serve others and live a life filled with purpose. throughout the years i've been catapulted back to my senses by observations made by becca that simply remind me of what's important in life. that's just what great friends do - not push but remind and encourage you to be all that it is you're destined to be.

when you know someone in and out - their childhood stories, their family history, the trials they faced as a youth, etc. etc. you are able to see more to each situation. the 'why' that pops to mind when someone does something you don't quite get - is better understood and you see the true beauty of their character. it also makes the moments of joyful child's play even better, presenting that love of life that they've always maintained and is now even stronger due to finding their life's partner - and forever playmate.

there are times when you look at your spouse and you absolutely fall for them all over again - and can't help but gush, 'i love you so much.' that uncontrollable laugh that spills out of them while sitting around the campfire telling stories or the way they look then smirk at you after your child does something that is so 'you' or so 'them.' they are the moments that take you from day to day - then year to year, soon you'll be looking back over decades of memories that hold your best times and greatest triumphs. that journey began on this day, with the deepest of commitments to have and hold each other for the rest of your days.

tomorrow we'll arrive at the party and get the grand tour of all the amazing touches that truly made this party! if you're into party planning and fabulous details - you will not want to miss this!

becca + chris :: sunset stroll

2010-02-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

one thing i always try to fit into the day is a shoot after the ceremony - which conveniently usually falls right as the sun is setting which is my favorite time of the day. the romance flows and the mood is so much more relaxed because now all you have left to do is celebrate your love!

after a quick stroll in the upper garden we headed for the field which was the part i'd been secretly hoping for all day! hehe - i love to get a couple alone, relaxed and just soaking up the moment - becca and chris had no problem with that, they were constantly joking with us and breaking into uncontrollable laughter. it was awesome and all four of us were having a blast.

i find it so interesting how images can portray such different feelings simply by changing an angle or cropping out a bit of the information. as you can see from the above shots - chris and becca were laughing pretty hard during this time but the image below is that of serenity and togetherness - which of course were present at the time but it was overshadowed for a bit by all the laughter. hehe.

just a lil' warm up for later ... what better way to sweep your new bride off her feet than singing, swooning and dancing with her in a field?

there are plenty more to share from our time in the field - but we'll get to those tomorrow!

becca + chris :: i do

2010-02-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

the moments before the bride walks down the aisle are just plain magical. it's hard to explain because each situation is so different but at the same time the feeling is very familar - that build up to a major event in your life - like going on stage to present an idea to a large crowd but instead it's you and your soon to be spouse standing up in front of everyone you love and declaring you're absolute love for each other. the butterflies in your stomach may remind you of other times in your life but i guarantee you - it's a unlike any experience you've ever had.

as the girls passed through the gardens on their way to the ceremony site - they got a sneak peak at the reception all set up. laura gasp and then praised the caterers for all their hard work - then turning to becca to once again tell her how perfect this experience was. miss laura thompson is one of the most genuine and encouraging people you'll ever encounter. every word from her mouth was uplifting and utterly hilarious - she kept us all in stitches the whole day!

knowing the Stewart family on an intimate level brought an entirely new dimension to experiencing this wedding day. when you have such a strong emotional connection with your subjects the best is truly captured because you know, love and understand them and can more accurately decipher what's going through their head at that moment. i love these folks so very much and could not have felt a deeper sense of honor that they chose me to tell this story for them.

choosing selections of poetry or other written materials to be read at your wedding is a tremendous way to share who you are and what you find most important in this life. becca and chris had two passages read by two very important people in their lives, Katie - a close friend from college and jesse, becca's big brother. as each was read you could see the connection the couple had to each - as her brother read the words, tears welled up in becca's blue eyes that brought most of the audience with her - including me.

as a nod to tradition and symbolism, becca and chris chose to represent their union with the drinking of wine from the Native American wedding vase. it was a unique way to signify their love and brought on quite a few laughs - you see, when chris went to take his sip he quickly found that in order to get a lil' bit from this vase you must tip it back WAY far. it took him longer than expected to accomplish this task which pretty much just looked like he was chugging all the wine! hahaa - it was awesome and got everyone rolling!

that moment when you look at each other - after your first kiss, is absolutely priceless. it's that laugh that you can't live without and that sparkle in the eye of the one you love that says, 'we did it!' these moments are always some of my favorites from the day because the emotion is so pure.

as becca stepped down and proceeded down the aisle - she quickly glanced at her parents and shot them that signature wink of hers that just makes you smile. it's one of my favorite things becca does that says it all from 'it's going to be okay' to 'i love you more than you'll ever know.'

i kinda felt like a creeping paparazzi during these last few shots but the moment just couldn't be missed - becca and chris walked down the lawn, around the farm house and were completely out of site when she pulled him in for a big kiss. moments afterwards they noticed they weren't alone and spotted me on the porch and burst into laughter. sorry guys but you're just so darn cute!

tomorrow i'll lead these two out into the field behind the ceremony site where we'll do a lil' dancing, swinging and of course, laughing. stay tuned my friends!

reese turns three :: MERRY BIRTHDAY BABY!

2010-01-29T09:00:00.000-08:00

today my lil' reesey turns three and we're celebrating with a Dora The Explorer themed adventure which will take us to many of her favorite locations including grandma & grandpa's house, the book store, the Rain forest Cafe and cupcake shop among others. we're picking up items at each location too which will make it even more exciting but the best part is many of reese's favorite people will pop up along the way too - such as a surprise lunch encounter with Mimi Cindy and Great Grandma Nete stopping in at the cupcake shop. the map below will help reese and her best bud mae mae, navigate to each location.

i'm very big on making memorable experiences for the ones i love and figured this would be perfect for my adventurous lil' gal. i can't wait to get started - hehehee!

we're finishing off the day with a special dinner of her favorite things. the guests include some of her favorite couples being mom & dad, mimi & papa (my parents) and grandma kendra & papa greg (shaun's parents).

i'm cooking up a selection of her favorite meal items too which are listed here :

i can't wait to see how she reacts to the adventure we've planned but first i have to finish up all the birthday projects which is why we've got a short blog today - teehehe.

on monday we'll return with the amazingly beautiful and moving vows of becca and chris. have a wonderfully relaxing weekend my friends - oh and if you are a bride or know one, make sure she checks out the Act 3 Catering open house this saturday from 10 am to 3 pm. i am the featured photographer at the event and will be giving away special discounts for all attendees. for more information check out www.act3catering.com.

becca + chris :: anticipation

2010-01-28T09:00:00.000-08:00

after we finished up family photos - becca and the girls retreated to the bridal suite and i found myself wandering around for details. at this point the guests had begun to show up and the ceremony was fast approaching. recognize these flowers? they're the ones from our flower picking adventure the previous day - look great huh!

the mini fans placed on the guest's chairs had all the information that a traditional program would - such as bridal party, pastor and other important information. leave it to becca to come up with unique ways to display the most basic of data - of course, that's what she specialized in as a graphic designer.

this Native American wedding vase was hand crafted by becca's father for the occasion. the couple would both share in a drink from it to symbolize their union.

when i returned to check on the girls they were hunkered down in the bridal suite - when i suggested we get out on those swings and play for a bit - they were all over it! one by one they rushed out the tiny doorway like children going to recess. it was so cute!

as the girls played on the swings out back, the guests mingled and began to find their seats. countless remarks were made as to the beauty of the scene - the picturesque mountain that seemed to rise directly out of the field.

the best of friends are the ones that know everything about you - where you've been, where you're at and where you dream of going. through it all they still love you despite all you've been through - they lift you up when you're down, hold you when you cry and laugh uncontrollably at every crazy antic - becca's girls are just those kinds of friends. seeing the joy flow from all of them on this day was a truly blessed experience. the relationship becca has had with each is so special - each of them could not have been happier to see their great friend marry the man of her dreams on this day.

tomorrow we'll finally arrive at the moment we've been waiting for. if you've ever dreamed of the perfect late afternoon outdoor wedding - you're about to see it realized. stay tuned.

becca + chris :: the guys

2010-01-27T09:00:00.000-08:00

usually the guys aren't as interested as the girls when it comes to playing model - but these men we're up for anything. within a very short time span we buzzed through all the poses i wanted with nothing but smiles and laughter. there's nothing better than a group that you can't quiet down because they're having such a good time.

with the guys - it totally depends on the group as to whether or not the 'buddy shots' are a success. these men had it down - not only were they superb male models but they let that freak flag fly with each persons turn - who doesn't like getting mauled by your friends? ohhh good times!

can you tell these two have been best friends since childhood? hahaa ...

alrighty, here it is - my favorite! hahaa - i know i do it all the time but hey, who doesn't like jumping up and down on their wedding day?! it gets people moving and most importantly laughing - the boys really got into it with excellent facial expressions - they're like freakin' ninja turtles here! amazing!

ohh i just love the warmth in these images - they perfectly capture the mood of the day.

tomorrow we'll be that much closer to the reason we're all gathered here - the union of these two love birds. stay tuned!

becca + chris :: the gals

2010-01-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

there are some days that everything fits together perfectly - this day was one of them. of course, there were a few glitches here and there but the overwhelming feeling was that of love, togetherness and fun. never was that more apparent then when we ventured out into the field for a few group shots - the girls were so eager to get this show on the road and celebrate their treasured friend, becca.

the color selection for this wedding could not have been more perfect with the warm glow of the autumn afternoon. showcasing what you love is so important when planning the details for your wedding and becca did that to a 't'. there wasn't a single detail that didn't hold some sort of sentimental or emotional value to it.

don't you worry - we took 'normal, cutesy buddy shots' too but the silly ones are always a favorite. ecola and becca have been best friends since they were lil' tikes and have countless photos together just like this - cheesing it up!

margaret and alice are becca's two younger sisters - both have such unique and intriquing qualities about them that draw you in and keep you smiling.

becca's one of my very dearest friends and i just had to jump at the opportunity to snag a picture with her on her wedding day. we took a cute one and then i pretended to kiss her on the cheek yet just at that moment she turned into me - hhaha needless to say it got a great reaction!

more often than not the shot i'm directing for is not the one i end up loving the most. it's all those in between shots of the girls laughing at each other or making fun of the suggestions i make that turn out the best because they're completely real and show just how entertaining and joyful these ladies are.

chris and the boys came out and joined us after a bit - you'll notice tomorrow that the girls dress colors were coordinated with what the boys are wearing - very clever indeed.

tomorrow we'll continue to play out in the field and meet the boys. stay tuned.

becca + chris :: just the two of us

2010-01-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

there's nothing quite like seeing your soon-to-be spouse for the first time on your wedding day. i still remember the joy on my husband's face as he climbed the steps to my parent's front door to pick me up on our big day - i don't think i'd ever seen him smile so big. it's a feeling that overtakes you in an instant - all the butterflies spill out into countless bits of laughter and endless smiles. that sure was the case when chris turned around to greet his bride - it was absolutely priceless and you better believe i was crying.

i've known becca for quite a few years now and i can honestly say - i've never seen her so radiant. in fact, i don't ever even think i've seen her with her hair curled! haha - i couldn't get over how amazing she looked and kept telling her throughout the day - which i'm sure started to get old but i just couldn't help myself.

'coaching' a couple is so entertaining because each reacts in their own unique way. for becca and chris, their interactions are filled with gut busting laughter and awesomely funny quips - they are such an immense joy to be around and our time on thier wedding day was no exception.

i'm sure it was extra funny for becca being coached by me seeing as she's usually on the other side of the camera. there were many times when she'd look directly at me and give that signature wink as to say, 'you're doing good pelland.' hahaaa.

there's one common element with all of my couples - they love to play. whether it's running about in a field, dancing in the streets or swinging in a country garden - they truly enjoy each and every moment. laughter is the soul's medicine and it fills everyone of my sessions - there's nothing quite like it to put people at ease and make the situation fun.

i have to admit, sometimes i ruin a perfectly serene moment - take the one above. i finally got these two to settle down and sink into that romantic mode when all of the sudden my banter takes off in another direction and all of us are rolling. hahaa - i love it though because it shows who they truly are and a moment that was filled with humor, love and joy.

tomorrow we'll meet up with the ladies as they frolic in a nearby field - sound magical? it is - stay tuned!

becca + chris :: preparation

2010-01-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

welcome to the wedding day! we woke up to all kinds of hustle and bustle as the family prepared a delicious brunch for guests. there was cinnamon rolls from the local Mt. Hood Bakery, huckleberry muffins, fresh fruits, breakfast casseroles, sausages, salmon, you name it - this was a filling treat and a wonderful way to start the day!

soon enough it was time to start the preparation process - becca has very thick hair but her stylist, Josie Coleman, was prepared for it. She's been cutting becca's hair for years and knew just how to handle it - Josie came all the way from Cannon Beach for the event - if you're ever in the area stop into her salon, Josie's.

the girls were all very fascinated at the transformation process - i couldn't stop laughing at the scene. it was like a group of lil' girls watching their mom get ready for a big night out on the town with dad - so cute! soon enough we were done and ready to pack up the rigs.

i'd never seen becca look so radiant and i don't believe her father has either. this was a beautiful moment.

the wind can really pick up around the river which is exactly what happened as we prepared to leave - made for interesting packing though!

the bridal suite is the original homestead cabin that the founding family built many many years ago. it's been converted into one large bedroom complete with cast iron tub, fireplace and eating area - such a unique space.

i love it when i have time to wander. we where not quite sure when the boys were going to arrive and we had scheduled plenty of time - so as the girls relaxed in the suite i took to the grounds finding all the hidden nooks and special areas i'd want to shoot at later.

this is the entrance to the bridal cabin - the doorway was super tiny and we joked it was made for hobbits. it added incredible charm to the whole situation and helped create that feel that can only be described as magical.

ohh and i do love me some detail shots of the rings - i carely carried them throughout the property finding interesting textures and colorscapes to place them in. i especially love the one of just chris' ring on the fence - one of my favorites.

when i returned from my adventures out and about the Mt. Hood Bed & Breakfast - i found the girls attending to becca. this is the role of the bridesmaids and it is often neglected seeing as the girls have to prepare themselves too. i love it when the bridal party actually takes thier role to heart and serves their friend as they should be.

chris was running a bit late and i could see the composed and gracious becca was becoming a bit nervous - or more so annoyed. we joked to make the situation lighter but her body language and such all attributed to the sense that we needed to find out where mr. johnson was.

we had the time, so we relaxed a bit with the sharing of some fun stories and tales from other weddings. i also suggested a few images i had in mind which we eventually got to.

shooting through a mirror is a great way to spin the dimension on a room. even the smallest space can be transformed by photographing a subject through a mirrored object.

i received word that chris had arrived - apparently he was a lil' unclear on the time which happens more often than not and is the reason we buffer in so much time to play. soon after mom came in to see becca in her gown for the first time. laura embranced her oldest daughter and softly began to cry. there are so many emotions that go into each wedding experience - this one was truly unique for me because i know the family so well.

becca was ready to go so as soon as i said chris was ready for her and waiting in the far garden - she was out the door.

on monday we'll see chris' priceless reaction to his stunning bride and explore the country feel of this amazing estate.

if you're a bride or know of one - i will be involved with two open houses this weekend and would love to see you! Sanders Mansion in Auburn will be hosting an open house from 1 - 4 pm on Saturday and the big Bridal Bash at Laurel Creek Manor is taking place from 1 - 4 pm on Sunday. i would highly recommend both but have to admit Laurel Creek knows how to throw a party and bride's get free swag bags! check it out at www.laurelcreekmanor.blogspot.com

becca + chris :: rehearsal dinner

2010-01-21T09:00:00.000-08:00

the rehearsal dinner is intended to inform the bridal attendants and other wedding participants of their duties during the event. that can take place at the venue or a large park in the middle of a city - becca and chris choose the park. we arrived to a string of picnic tables covered in bright table cloths and decor in the theme of the wedding - which were created by a family friend and a total surprise to becca.

the picnicing scene could not have been more perfect. the unusually warm September sun streamed through the old growth trees onto the party below - the park was filled with people playing lawn games, indulging in bbq and just plain enjoying life. our crew was no different, joking throughout the mock ceremony and setting the stage for the amazing day ahead of them.

the ceremony run through didn't take long at all which was a good thing because people were starving! haha - chris' family provided loads of delicious chinese food from their favorite local restaurant. i ate way more than i should have - so good! after our glorious feast, it was time for gifts - becca gathered her girls around and gave a heartfelt speech about the role they've played in her life and how thankful she is for each. all of us were in tears - how often do you hear your friends tell you how much you mean to them. it was a very special moment.

becca made all the gifts from the clever hand sewn clutches with fabulous tulle flower embellishments and the color coordinated glass bead bracelets. all were constructed over a long weekend away with her mother in which she swears they started a sweat shop.

the girls were joking around that these bracelets were like their super hero markings - this shot reminds me of the power rangers. haha

the most unique gift of the bunch that completely surprised the couple was the hand crafted quilt family and friends contributed to. months before, we'd been contacted by a friend of the family who was constructing this quilt and was looking for loved ones to make a square. there are many skilled quilters in my family but i am sadly not one of them - but for becca, i'd do anything. so one weekend i hunkered down in my mom's sewing studio and hand stitched a foot by foot square ready 'Grow Young Together Love, The Pellands' with a large heart in the corner.

it was wonderful to see the couple and all their guests react to the story behind each square. some hark-ended back to childhood where others were simply encouraging words from one married couple to another. the best ones were those that involved an embarrassing story or two!

becca's sister-in-law, rebecca, is a very skilled when it comes to tackling new projects - such as making an elaborate wedding cake. this was the scene in the kitchen the night before the wedding - you won't believe what she came up with!

tomorrow we'll rise and shine to the beginning of the wedding day. as i've said before, this is a very special one for me so i'll most likely be dropping tears of happiness on my keyboard throughout remembering the moments and writing this! stay tuned for a beautifully told story of the day two amazing people joined together as one.

becca + chris :: flower pickin'

2010-01-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

there are many different ways to build excitement and create the feel for your wedding day. one of them is doing activities with your guests - this can come in the form of dinners, theater, wild adventures or perfectly serene ones ... such as this.

on saturday morning, becca and her bridesmaids: laura - a great friend from college, ecola - her dear friend from childhood and margaret & alice - her two younger sisters, woke up at dawn to a light breakfast. after a few bites, we were out the door and on our way to Rasmussen's Farm located in the picturesque Mt. Hood Valley.

these teddy bear sunflowers are extra special because they were the first type of flower chris gave to becca. throughout this event you will see that each and every detail was chosen very carefully and for a specific reason.

becca has known of the Rasmussen Farm for many years seeing as this is where her family would come each autumn for their pumpkin festival. the kids would pick out the perfect pumpkin and also select apples for the multiple creations they'd concoct upon returning home - including apple sauce and ohhhhh so yummie apple pie!

i like to think these photos portray the beauty and absolute serenity of the moment. it honestly felt as though we were in an impressionist painting - with each breath, taking in more of our surroundings and sinking into the feeling. i couldn't stop thinking this is the perfect way to start any day and most definitely my favorite pre-wedding experience ever.

after filling our buckets and counting the flowers - we had more than enough for under $50! i know, crazy! i believe the final total was $43 - talk about a bargain! i would have paid that just to sit in the field and experience the sunrise!

the colors of the flowers coordinated perfectly with warm fall color palette becca had selected for the wedding. vibrant hues that played on the brightest aspects of the season.

oh there is nothing quite like farm fresh produce - i had to resist buying up a load of tomatoes, beans and the ginormous zucchinis - they all smelled so amazing and obviously got the attention of a few of the other girls too! haha!

after returning back to the house, i picked up shaun and we went for a drive to scout a few locations. this one was tucked back in the woods on your way up to a secluded trail head - very cool!

when we returned from the outing the flowers had all been placed - just perfect!

tomorrow we'll head into Portland for the rehearsal dinner where we'll run through the logistics of the ceremony, eat loads of amazing food and open a few very special gifts.

becca + chris :: arrival

2010-01-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

today we start on the two week blog odyssey that is the wedding adventures of becca and chris. i have to be completely honest with you all and admit this was my favorite wedding of the year. not to demean any of my other weddings or couples but this one had a totally different dimension to it.

becca is family - she's my dearest friend from college, an artist i deeply respect and for the past couple years has been my trusty assistant photographer. she's the most loyal and supportive friend i could ask for and always has a positive spin on any situation - i love her and count her among my sisters. covering her union to chris was the greatest honor because i got to see every emotion, experience the moments with her and know what was behind each.

i knew this wedding would be filled with rich, hand crafted details from favors to flowers and everything in between. when we arrived at the house in Mt. Hood i was surprised to see the home decorated from head to toe in festive paper flowers, handmade strings of flags and bouquets throughout. we then packed our luggage upstairs to find a personalized note on our door and the room made up like a comfy bed and breakfast.

i've never known becca to cut a single corner on projects she takes on and knew her wedding day and the entire experience surrounding it - would be no exception. every special facet was recognized and an exceptional effort was made to ensure each of her guests felt welcomed.

as if all she'd already done wasn't enough - becca had prepared two bags filled with my favorite wedding snacks from nature valley granola bars, spearmint gum and fruit snacks to shaun's favorite energy drinks. i was completely blown away by all the special efforts that were made - but then again that's just how she does things.

i was also given the special task of delivering the custom made jewelry that becca commissioned Ada Rosman to make for the wedding. it turned out beautifully and represented so many areas of becca's life - but you'll have to stay tuned to see the finished product!

tomorrow we'll venture out into the valley of Mount Hood to the Rassmusen Flower Farm. never before have i had a pre-wedding experience like this - it was like living out the lines of a William Blake poem. stay tuned for a truly unique adventure.

Gingerbread Jamboree : Tacoma Children's Museum

2010-01-18T09:00:00.000-08:00

i get weekly updates from volunteermatch.org which is a website that matches willing participants with volunteer opportunities in their area. in november, the Children's Museum of Tacoma popped into my email and i could help but want to be involved in this event. the Gingerbread Jamboree is an annual gingerbread house making party to raise money for the museum. for a fee you get a house, endless supply of frosting and all the candy you can dream of at your disposal to create the candied abode you'll marvel at for the rest of the season.

i contacted the director to volunteer and mentioned i was a photographer. she was very happy to hear i would be willing to donate my time and talents to capturing the event. i had noticed they didn't have any quality images on the website in regards to the event so we had to take care of that. people get inspired by photos because they can visualize what has happened so having great ones that showcase your event is very important for future promotions.

watching the kids go through the large displays of candy, carefully selecting each piece was so delightful. you could see the wheels turning and the creativity about to blossom - there were many interesting combinations out there.

after a delicious lunch at Hotel Murano's Bite restaurant. my mom and reese joined me at the jamboree to decorate a house of our own. when reese entered the ballroom and saw all of the candy lined up on the tables she exclaimed, "for meeeee?!" haha - well sort of kiddo, we can use some of it. haha.

the Gingerbread Jamboree is not only a great way to kick off the holiday season but it is such a unique and creative experience for the kids. what other time are they going to have such an array of choices for candied decor and an endless supply of frosting to construct their ideas with? oh and don't forget the fact that the huge mess they make in the process stays at the event and not in your home. hahaa.

Star Anna & The Laughing Dogs :: Showbox 02

2010-01-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

there really isn't anything more i can say about these four that hasn't already been said. so with that, we're going to try something new today - get ready. open up a new browser window, head on over to www.staranna.com and let the music stream as you scroll down and view these photos. that's the only true way to get a feel for what was really going on. give it a try.

a big thanks to Star Anna and the Laughing Dogs for allowing me to spend the day with them - capturing their art and who they are as people. it was a real treat - i can't wait to see them perform again live.

Star Anna & The Laughing Dogs :: Showbox 01

2010-01-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

after a much needed break for dinner and rest - everyone was ready to go for the big show. we arrived at the Showbox about two hours before the show for sound check. we watched the two previous bands warm up and try to get dialed in - which i have to admit - took forever. one of the artists was quite picky, then Star Anna and the boys took the stage and totally rocked it from the first note.

while the venue filled up we waited around backstage enjoying the sound of folks outside as the buzz built. it was really cool to see the artists getting into their mindset for stage - just like getting ready for a big game.

the place was packed out when Star Anna and the Laughing Dogs took the stage. many loyal fans filled the first few rows where there was standing room only. they we're playing a short set and made sure to start off with a bang.

out of all the reviews on this band the one consistent observation is how real and passionate Star is in her performances. she lives her lyrics and conveys them with every bit of her soul - it's amazing to watch her live.

after talking with all the band mates throughout the day it's very clear that each one of them does this because they love it. spending countless weekends on the road, touring, practicing and performing all because of the thrill of the performance and sharing their art with others.

tomorrow we'll finish up the week with the end of this show - think of tomorrow's post as the encore! haha. see you tomorrow!

Star Anna & The Laughing Dogs :: Sodo part II

2010-01-13T09:00:00.000-08:00

after a few wardrobe changes we wandered around the studio space a bit longer. i loved how eclectic the space was - with the large windows and random furniture pieces - what was best of all is that it all felt real, rough and pieced together much like the music these four produce.

after a bit it was time to brave the cold city streets of Seattle. it's pretty easy to find your motivation in weather like this - 'you're freezing cold, hungry and just want a cup of coffee and yet we're still taking photos!' getting that 'intense artist look' comes naturally you just have to look pissed. hahaa.

you can only look solemn and deep for so long - people love to laugh and let's face it, that's what i love to photograph. people enjoying their life and the moment their in.

and of course, no rockstar photoshoot is complete without the infamous hair toss! yessss!

by this point we'd been shooting for quite a bit and my models were more than ready for a early dinner. they also needed time to get into 'the zone' before their big show so we headed to the Pike Place Bar & Grill for a much needed meal and some relaxation. tomorrow we'll get into sound check and you'll see just how awesome Star Anna and her Laughing Dogs are. stay tuned.

Star Anna & The Laughing Dogs :: Sodo part 1

2010-01-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

meet Star Anna & The Laughing Dogs - a Americana rock band out of Ellensburg. i came across this talent foursome when searching for a band for our annual Hick Party. the connection was made, they rocked the party and i've since been a follower. there's nothing quite like collaborating with other artists to get those juices following.

here's what others have to say:

"Ellensburg’s Star Anna debuted last year with Crooked Path, a promising album of rootsy alt-country, and while the roots influence is still there on her 2nd album, Star and her band have cranked up the electricity, giving her emotionally scarred songs an additional rock ‘n’ roll punch.

Her throaty, aching vocals sound better than ever, and the band earns their co-billing with tight, tough-sounding accompaniment. Crooked Path was a great beginning, but this one packs a mightier wallop".

-Don Yates KEXP

"Some stars burn brief and dim, Star Anna burns like S Doradus gone nova. She and the Dogs deliver passion, grit and rock’n’roll and right now there really isn’t anyone out there to touch them."

- Jeremy Searle, Americana UK

"..a voice full of passionate country soul, has powerful yet simple ballads that become eye-catching. The "spark of Americana sound" becomes overwhelmed with electrical charge provided by the Laughing Dogs ... the guitarist Justin Davis is powerful yet measured, rough enough to satisfy the ear, and the rythm section of Frank Johnson and Travis Yost bring in true rock flavor."

the studio space the band rented was in Sodo - in an old warehouse that has been converted into studio and office space. the building was very unique in it's mix of old decor and found objects. in one corner of this space stood an huge paper mache woman that looked like a prop from a Mardi Gras parade. very odd but very cool.

tomorrow we'll wrap up the portrait session with this crew and prep for their big show at the Showbox. i can't wait to get to those images because up on stage is where they are truly comfortable and just plain rock. for a sneak peak at what they look like check out their website www.staranna.com

Act 3 Catering :: promotional shots

2010-01-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

so for the next few posts i am going to be debunking my portrait files for the past few months. i have a bunch of different projects that i worked on in the months of November and December that i believe need to be shared. haha. this first one is a different kind of shoot for me, product photography is not a specialty of mine mostly because i'd probably kill myself from boredom but it is fun when you're working with something new and for a company you love.

Act 3 is my favorite catering company to work with. their creativity and personalized service are the best i've come across not to mention their food is AMAZING! when i was contacted by them to do a few promo shots i couldn't help but say yes. vendor relationships are paramount to my business and i make a large effort to do what i can to help them out whenever possible.

having sweet shots of your product is the best way to get people's attention. when it comes to any presentation, showcase event or website - the images take the cake. people love eye candy - there's just no way around it. these first few are of the box lunch that Act 3 provides to clients - it's a gourmet sandwich, salad, chips, drink, fruit and dessert. i can personally vouch that it rocks because i took this one home and ate it - muhahahaa delish!

these shots are going to be used on the updated Act 3 website along with other promotional materials.

if you're a bride-to-be and you haven't decided on your catering yet - i would highly recommend checking out Act 3's upcoming open house on January 30th. as if the amazing food wasn't going to be enough they will also have a selection of their favorite vendors there to entertain you - including yours truly. for more information contact them via their website www.act3catering.com.

Jordan Guinn :: maternity

2010-01-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

i love doing only a few maternity sessions each year for select past clients because it allows me to keep the ideas fresh and try new things. working with someone who highly respects your work, knows who you are and is willing to let you play is priceless - jordan came to the session with a totally open mind and was ready for anything. in a very short time we created a variety of different looks and just plain beautiful images.

i have a large studio space on the property that i seldom use - i guess the reason is i get lost in it. when you work in the studio, you have complete control over every element from lighting to textures to mood. it's great every once and awhile but if i worked in there all the time i'd never come out! so many possibilities - i'd be completely consumed! haha.

i don't tend to bring props of my own to many shoots but the studio setting is completely different and requires me to break out the treasure chest. this blue fabric is one of my favorites - it compliments any skin tone and just looks so lush and dream like. who wouldn't like to be wrapped in head to toe in satin sheets? hehe.

on our way back down from the studio, we did a quick wardrobe change and snapped a few casual shots of jord in her 'rock the bump' t-shirt. and yes, jordan always looks this good! even in sweats and a t-shirt! haha! beauty truly starts from the inside out and she's got every angle covered!

another hearty congratulations to the growing Guinn Family! i'm over the moon for you three and can not wait to meet Kennedy! i'd also like to thank you for allowing me to play the role of storyteller in your lives - it is such an honor to capture moments such as these for you and your family. all my love and prayers that miss Kennedy sleeps through the night as soon as possilbe! hehee.

Guinn Family :: maternity

2010-01-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

i am incredibly pleased to share these next few images with you - not only because the Guinns are one of my most favorite couples of all time but they officially became a family this past monday. their lil' girl, Kennedy, came in at 7 pounds 13 ounces, 20 1/4 inches long and one full head of hair. i can't wait to meet her in the coming weeks but first, lets get to these maternity images!

it's important to remember the four legged family members, such as Diesel. people always recommend getting a puppy before you have kids and there's a reason. they show you what it's like from having accidents, acting out and overall just trying that patience meter of yours. i'm living the joys of puppyhood right now with Wilson, who i must admit, is harder to raise than Reese ever was! haha. Diesel's been the baby of the family til now and will assuredly be the brave guardian lil' Kennedy will grow to love.

Jordan and Doug are timeless. they're one of those couples you see in the frames you buy in the store - polished All-Americans living the dream. since their wedding in july of 2007 we've become great friends, seeing each other on a weekly basis and sharing some of the most memorable moments of the past years. they're honest with their emotions, passionate about their love and steadfast in their moral ground which is why i've adored them from the beginning. i have absolutely no doubt in my mind that these two will be the strong, loving examples lil' Kennedy will need throughout her young life.

there's no way around it - Jordan is stunning. all women have a confidence about them, the key is to be able to bring that out to convey their true self in portraits. i've had comments before on how all my female clients are so sexy and have such a confident look - i simply reply, 'it's because they are!' that understanding gaze that looks right into your very being is what is so mysterious and beautiful about women - it's at the top of the list of things that drive men crazy. that look means so much more when you're carrying a life inside of you - the love for the unknown and the strength to become the woman you were destined to be.

as we wandered about in the front field's of my house, the rain softly began to fall. the light barely caught each drop and created a beautiful array of illuminated droplets around jordan. i love the symbolism of rain - that it represents everything from sorrow to a new start. most brides fear the thought of rain on their big day but i am always quick to remind them, 'your wedding day is just like life, no matter how much you plan and prepare - things are going to happen as they will and you just have to roll with it.' the same principle applies for a newborn - those first few months are tough but you take each challenge as it comes and rejoice in the life you've been blessed with.

tomorrow we'll head indoors for a bit more intimate shots and utilize that seldom used studio space of mine. these portraits are absolutely breathtaking - you do not want to miss them.

spankin' new :: website

2010-01-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

two days ago, i found myself on my good friend, faithful blog reader and past assistant - Jenna Boogerd's website. everything looked great and transitioned so smoothly and got me thinking, 'my site needs a facelift - BAD!' i immediately got to work and VIOLA! a day later we've got a totally new site that i'm quite proud of.

what i'd like to ask of you is to take a look at the new home of c.pelland photography and let me know what you think. just head on over to christypelland.com and take a peak. are the slideshows too fast? do the images represent my work best? are there any typos? etc. any feedback is good - well unless you hate it and then you can just keep those comments to yourself. hahaa.

the website starts off a season of changes to my online presence with a newly vamped blog in the near future. i will be sure to keep you posted on all the changes and appreciate you're willingness to grow with me! thanks friends.

website down :: no worries

2010-01-04T12:43:00.000-08:00

hey there friends - just in case you've stopped by the website and it was down - it's okay. i'm working on the new one right now. should be up in the next day or two. i'm cruising on it now but if i don't post a blog tomorrow or the next day - that's why. i'm totally enthralled in the design process and loving it. much eye candy to come! thanks for the understanding.

reece klumper :: portrait

2010-01-04T09:00:00.000-08:00

i think it's best to start off the new year with a new addition! meet reece klumper, the newest member to klumper family. i met jessica and danny a few years ago when i photographed their wedding - i absolutely fell in love with the two of them and their delightful girls, who remind me alot of my younger sister and i. since then we've become good friends and i have been welcomed into their life to record such moments as this.

when i arrived, reece was safely tucked into the arms of this sisters as they played a new computer game. he was completely content and obvious stimulated by all that was going on around him. it's my favorite to photograph families in their natural environment - the home says so much about people and it's where they feel most comfortable.

danny is very proud of his lil' man and was quick to show me just how strong he is at only a few weeks. lil' reece can almost do a full pull up - well, that might have been a bit of an exaggeration. haaha!

the girls are totally in love with this lil' man and are quick to lend a helping hand. the two of them went back and forth over who got to hold him yet you better believe, as soon as the crying starts they're even quicker to hand him back to mom or dad. hahaa.

there's nothing quite like looking into the deep, dark eyes of a newborn child. there's so much promise and hope in their new life - as a mother, you can't help but think about what challenges and adventures they will encounter in their time here. before any of that crosses your mind, you're forever lost in the wonder that God provided you with such a perfect life to nurture. it's overwhelming but at the same time the most beautiful gift you've ever received.

it was amazing to see just how active lil' reece was for being so young. i'm certain it has to do with all the stimulation he gets in this buzzing household. even though his little eyes are not able to make out his surroundings - the changing light, sounds and smells keep his mind twirling.

being welcomed into a home where a newborn has taken over is always a treat. seeing the family adjust to their newest member is a time like none other and something they will laugh about in the years to come. thank you klumpers for choosing me to record these most precious times in your life and welcome to one heck of a family reece!

The Pelland Family :: our 2009 and then some

2009-12-18T09:00:00.000-08:00

A very merry holiday greeting to you all! a very hearty thanks for all those loyal blog readers and a warm welcome to all those who are visiting the blog for the first time to read our 'green' Christmas letter. to read more and see pictures from each event listed just click on the hyperlink.

This past year came on the whirlwind that was 2008. the year's adventures truly tested our ability to balance all the facets that make up our life - work, play, parenting, friendships and family. i traveled all over the country with work from New York and California to the warm beaches of Mexico. Shaun and i were blessed with two trips south of the boarder - the first, for the wedding of Brandee & Wally Miller in May 2008 in Cabo San Lucas and the second, for the birthday celebration of his aunt Carolyn in Puerto Vallarta in December. nothing quite like a warm winter gettaway! reese was more than content to stay with her two sets of grandparents who love spending time with her and must admit - spoil her to bits!

In October 2008 i accompanied my youngest sister, Julie, to Europe where we traveled throughout France and Spain. the nearly month long journey took us from Paris to Barcelona via trains and the near death experience that was renting a car in Barcelona. i'd never drove a stick shift before and had to learn quickly on an odd lil' foreign car on the wild streets of one of Europe's busiest cities. i can almost laugh about it now - over a year later. haha!

for those of you who know Shaun, you know he's got an incredible work ethic - it's just who he is. that drive and willingness to serve kept him busy throughout the year but you better believe as soon as the snow fell he was up in the hills each weekend. we live by the 'work hard, play harder' motto and that's never more apparent than during the winter months. it's our season to play and we can often be found in the foothills of the Cascades bombing around on snowmobiles or cutting up a fresh runs on the ski slopes.

2008 was a huge year for my photography business - i had to cap the amount of weddings i committed to at 30, branched out in many new areas of marketing, was published in a few magazines, was named one of the top wedding photographers in Washington and formed some of the most precious friendships in my life. the spring, summer and early fall of 2008 was a blur of shooting, editing and providing top notch customer service but it all paid off ten fold by the amount of client referrals i have received. from the get go, my focus was to keep the business small and provide exceptional service to a select amount of clients and after refining it over the past few years i've finally reached that point.

2009 was a transitional year for c.pelland photography by finally settling into the business model i'd set out to achieve years ago. i now only shoot 15 weddings a year and only provide lifestyle portrait work for past clients. this change allowed me to keep connected with my very best clients and continue to tell their stories through capturing the most memorable moments in their lives; from expecting a child to life as a new family and beyond. it's more than just business, it's my life and i'm incredibly grateful to all those who have supported my dream.

a very important element to any small business is the relationship you have with your community. i've worked very hard to build a network of creatives in the area that have similar goals and a true heart for service. this past may, i decided to spearhead a contest that would recognize one high school senior for her contributions to the community and unique ability to lead by example. i threw together the entire contest from name, logo, website, advertising and submission form in one night and watched The Standout Prom Contest catch fire. many vendors i work alongside with in the wedding industry came forward to contribute and made the contest much more than i expected. The winner, Claire Tran of Roger High School in Puyallup, received countless gifts, a prom experience like none other, a model fashion shoot, stylish makeover by Che'mel Salon and an amazing graduation party designed by TLB Events, catered by Act 3 Catering and hosted at the fabulous Robert Daniel Art Gallery in Tacoma. the experience was an absolute treat and laid the ground work for this years which will include a scholarship.

Participating in many volunteer projects and creating new ways to contribute to the community such as The Standout Prom Contest and our Hick Party benefit created a bit of buzz and ended up in some recognition. I was named Brotherton Cadillac's Community Champion which has put me in the running for a large scholarship and allowed me to be in a commercial. i've never been a fan of my own voice so hearing it a few times on the radio was pretty weird but very cool at the same time.

back in the summer of 2008, our newly formed group of friends made up of many past clients started a tradition that's come to be known as MND or Monday Night Dinners. each week we pick a different theme to base the food on, send out text messages with the location and all contribute to one heck of a home cooked meal. we all recognized the need for community in our lives and made a commitment to make it happen. our weekly dinners have ranged from lakeside bbqs filled with swimming and jetskis to winter feasts where we play board games and donn ugly Christmas sweaters. it's our fondest tradition and something we always look forward to.

there were many awesome events and activities that took place this year from a few wine tours, the St. Patty's Day Dash, countless Seahawks games, hitting the slopes from Mission Ridge to Crystal Mountain, multiple snowmobiling trips from Cle Elum to Halfway, concerts, camping on the coast, hiking, gardening, hosting parties and many others but a few stood out.

In June, we got our closest buddies together and attended the Masquerade Ball which was a benefit for The Breast Cancer 3 Day. we completely took hold of the theme making masks and coordinating our attire - we even had my friend and fellow photographer, Julie Watts, meet us in downtown for a photo shoot. it was a wonderful event and a memorable experience for all involved!

The big undertaking of the summer, beyond it being my busiest time for work, was turning our annual Hick Party into a full blown benefit for The American Cancer Society. for the past year, it had been on our hearts to make this get together mean something more and this year we took that step. with help from many friends we were able to raise over $5,500 for ACS and still throw one killer party with pretty much the most entertaining theme ever! to see more about what happened at this year's party click here: HICK PARTY or visit the website.

more than any other piece of advice we've focus in on - when it comes to parenting - would be 'live by example.' both shaun and i know that's how our children are going to learn, grown and become the people we wish them to be. that being said we make a huge effort to show reese just how fulfilling, rewarding and joyful life's adventures can be. she's been strapped to my back on hikes since before she could walk, rode along in the dump truck for a day's haul with her dad and watched intently as i work away in the studio. we include her in most everything we can and it's noticeably given her a confidence and understanding of the world around her. she's always been an observer and that skill has become quite handy as she seeks to explore more and more of her world. it's an great honor to be her parent - we love her to bits and delight in all the surprises she brings.

we've heard it said many times before - that the well being of the family depends of the happiness of the mom and dad. shaun and i make sure reese knows just how much her daddy loves her mommy - and vice versa, in words and in action. part of that comes with making time for just the two of us. we started off the year with a trip to Hawaii courtesy of our great friend Brandee Miller who treated us to the trip she won after being named top sales person. the trip included tickets to the Pro Bowl which was a memorable experience. we spent a few extra days on Oahu hiking, finding secluded beaches on the North Shore and savoring the island's best foods like the garlic shrimp found at the multiple roadside stands.

in July, we took off for a long sixth anniversary weekend to explore the wilds of the Olympic Coast and in October we traveled to Spain for three weeks of utter relaxation. our time in the Spanish countryside and coastal areas was spent lounging on beaches, exploring back roads, romping around in olive orchards and connecting with each other without any distractions. it was perfect.

In the early part of the summer we found out we were going to have a new addition to the family. we'd hoped to have our kiddos three years apart and that's going to be the case - our new baby is due March 15 (the day before shaun's birthday). and no, we don't know what we're having - we're keeping that one a surprise!

As if things were not crazy enough around our house we finally found the large breed dog we were looking for. In November, we adopted Sir Wilson, a six week old Doodle Dane which is half Golden Doodle and half Great Dane. he's definitely our own Marley and has brought new life to the situation - having him is almost more trying than a newborn! at least you can throw a diaper on a child! he's a lil' slower to learn than our boys (Tony & Dozer - our four year old Boston Terriers) but is catching on. Reese adores her 'bebe dog' and we can see he's growing into the loyal companion and intimidating defender of the household we'd hoped for. in fact, just tonight we heard that deep bark that will definitely send shivers down the spine of any unwelcome guest coupled with his expected mass of over 100 pounds.

i believe that sums most of the past year or so up. too see how we've been celebrating this holiday season, continue to scroll down. we've sure kept busy and are looking forward to the changes to come in this new year. may this season allow you the time to reflect on your love, life and purpose in this world. we wish you joy, peace, hope and the energy to make all those crazy dreams your reality. cheers my friends!

oh and faithful blog readers, this marks the start of my Christmas vacation so check back in the New Year for new posts.

Christmas cookies :: mimi's kitchen

2009-12-17T09:00:00.000-08:00

who can resist the sweet scent of Christmas cookies? i'm definitely not one and neither is reese. when i told her the other morning that we were going to mimi's house this afternoon to make cookies she apparently took that as 'make cookies.' after a few minutes upstairs in my office, i came down to check on the unusually quiet kiddo and found her preparing a cookie feast of her own.

she loves Natural Valley granola bars and decided they would make a wonderful cookie treat for her and mommy. she unwrapped about a dozen of them and placed them on her special Santa plate and told me to take a seat at her lil' table - it was hilarious.

time for some real cookies - that's more like it! after a day of meetings, errands and the last of my Christmas shopping, i met up along with my other three sisters at our parent's house for a night of cookie baking.

my mom let each of us pick out our favorite cookie recipe for the baking extravaganza - my absolute favorites are Spritz. similar to sugar cookies but you push them out of a tube to make interesting designs and then cover them with sprinkles. of course, reese loved the sprinkle part which is why this year's batch is very colorful. haha.

watching kids do an activity that is new to them is very interesting. observing how they make their selections and placements is quite fun - it's even better because reese's vocabulary is increasing and she is more likely to tell you why she's doing what. haha even if you can't quite make out the words. haha.

everyone knows the best part of baking is cleanup because that's when you get to lick those fingers and if you're super lucky, the batter bowls! reese had been decorating cookies for quite awhile and her hands were covered in colorful spots which she gratefully cleaned off herself. although when she was finished with her hands she decided those lil' round balls of sugar were quite delicious and proceeded to eat a few handfuls out of the sprinkle container before we caught her. haahaa.

by the request of the family, i brought over my arsenal of Christmas clothing including many ugly Christmas sweaters. every year we either host or attend an ugly Christmas sweater party and it is often the highlight of the party season! we rummaged through the box in search of items for the Santa Run we are participating in on saturday - my mom found the perfect Christmas Snoopy sweater to compliment her striped tights and red tutu. reese found a variety of sassy items and of course, high heels!

tomorrow i'll be posting our annual Christmas letter along with a ton of photos from though out the year. i have to admit i haven't finished it yet so forgive me if the post doesn't release right at 9 am. hehe. this weekend is filled with many more Christmas adventures including the Santa Run in Tacoma on saturday morning, our ugly Christmas sweater party that night and a full day at the Seahawks game on sunday. Christmas cheer abounds - stay tuned!

Santa Train :: a truly Northwest experience

2009-12-16T09:00:00.000-08:00

when you think of the Northwest - endless mountain ranges filled with towering evergreens come to mind, along with cascading waterfalls and picturesque mountain glaciers, magnificent bald eagles soaring above and the irreplaceable scent of pure, undisturbed nature. haha okay so maybe i'm a bit dramatic when it comes to my vision of my life long stomping ground but hey, it's pretty much as close to perfect as you'll get. when Dannielle mentioned she was treating us to a trip on the Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad's Santa Train - i was excited both for reese and myself. the last time i road the train i was a lil' tike and had very fond memories of the experience.

trains fascinate children. i think most large moving vehicles do - reese absolutely loves trains, planes and of course, her dad's dump truck and various heavy equipment machines. there's a magic about something that big and capable of moving so fast and have so much power that's just beyond what they are used to. reese was totally captivated by being on the train and seeing the world pass by - you'd think i was posing her, these are just so perfect.

these images make the trek look much more scenic than it actually is. in the past three years the Mount Rainier Scenic Railway had to change it's route from Elbe to small (or i should say smaller) town of Mineral. the railway does not head up into the mountains as it once did but instead takes you from the old logging yard where it is based and back into the town of Mineral. along the way you pass some remarkable mobile homes where, i'm not kidding you, there were two men, sitting in lawn chairs, under a Bud Light beach umbrella, drinking beer, in the snow at 10:30 in the morning. it was amazing and made me really regret not bringing my zoom lens!

when we arrived at Santa's village, our window was the first to encounter Santa who was hanging onto the side of his train car and mere feet from ours. as the cart slowly crept next to his the girls spotted him and he gave them the weirdest wide-eyed stare ever! it was so creepy - i was dumbfounded and couldn't even muster my wits to pick up my camera and capture it. hahaa - reese then said, 'me no see Santa!' 'Santa scary!' i have to admit - he was! she then buried herself in between the seats, under my backpack.

we were at the back of the train - so we had a bit of time to kill before attempting to introduce ourselves to Mr. Santa Claus. the girls jumped from seat to seat, singing and asking questions. all the while we were entertained by the live musician that had been serenading sweet Christmas songs to the train throughout the ride. it was a very pleasant addition to the experience - especially because he sounded a bit like Willy Nelson.

one really cute feature to the Santa car was as each child entered they had to sign their names to either the Nice or the Naughty list. it was really cute and i think would be fun to apply to our next Holiday get-together.

Santa's train car was filled with plush toys, mini trees, lights and other trinkets to keep the kid's attention as they waited for their turn on Santa's lap. the girls especially liked the stuffed abominable snowman - go figure.

then it came to be our turn to meet Santa and the girls were less than thrilled. in fact, neither of them would even get close enough to take the free toys he had for them. i guess the whole, 'don't speak to strangers' thing has really been taken to heart. haha. i told reese it was okay to shake his hand and did so myself - she just looked at me like i was crazy. i'm not one for perpetuating the myth of Santa so her not taking a liking to the fat man is totally cool with me.

after avoiding Santa's jolly greeting, the girls b-lined toward the hot cocoa and cookies. we filled our pockets with more than our fair share of the chocolate covered shortbread cookies and headed out into the falling snow. it was a very light sprinkling but still counted and made our Santa Train experience whole. we took up cocoa camp right next to the abominable snowman and managed to find another train patron who wasn't scared off by my camera - who actually got my explanation of the focus point! yeah!

the train experience was one for the books! haha - it wasn't quite what we expected but still was incredibly entertaining and humorous! if you're looking for a uniquely Northwest Holiday experience i would recommend checking out the Santa Train - if anything, you get to see an old fashion steam train in action and they feed you hot cocoa! for more information check out www.mrsr.com.

family photos :: a Christmas must!

2009-12-15T09:00:00.001-08:00

every year it's the same - we want to give a great family picture to our parents, grandparents and other family & friends yet when i start milling through the archives the good ones are either too old or non existent. then there's the rush to get a good one! luckily, i'm not the only one who hits this wall, my great friend and hair stylist extraordinaire, Dannielle Matison, is the same way. this sunday we teamed up to make this holiday must happen!

this was hilarious! all of these photos were taken in our front field at our home which means the dogs were out and about exploring right along with the kids. as reese took off with her 'bebe dog' - wilson, she ended up right in the shot with the Matisons. she looked like a lost kid and when she realized it, started to laugh and ran off. haha.

if you're doing a family portrait session with all the kids and such make sure you get a couple of you and your hunny. that's something that i always try to do at weddings - get a great shot of each couple during the family section. so once the group shot is done asking each grandparents and parents if they'd like a photo of 'just the two of them?' most times it hasn't even crossed their minds and they are very happy you asked.

miss macee was a bit uncooperative during the Nutcracker shoot the day before so we called in the reinforcements - papa! if there is one person that can always get a smile out of this lil' one it's her papa dean. this is a great trick if you have a kiddo who just doesn't want to 'make happy' for the camera. have their favorite person/people, in our case grandparents, tag along to the shoot. have them stand directly behind the photographer and coax that genuinely happy smile out of them. it may be a bit of extra work to get everyone there but i can make a world of difference - i promise!

sometimes you've got a kiddo that just doesn't want to take a picture at the moment - if all gestures fail go ahead and let them have a lil' down time. this gave shaun and i the opportunity to possibly take a nice picture of the two of us but we kinda failed. hahaa i started poking fun at shaun and before you know it reese wanted to be in the picture too.

we promised papa a few pictures with macee if he came out to help us - what he didn't know is that all the dogs would be helping too! haha the only four legged friend who isn't featured in this one is poor 'cone of shame' tony who recently had surgery on his ear and was off sniffing nature.

dean's newest addition to their family is this two year old german shepherd pup named Bear. he's a good companion and has a very funny personality - when i speak for him it's always in a doopy, fun loving tone because every part of him exudes that. wilson immediately took to bear - following him around throughout the property and wanting to play with someone bigger than a cat. the two were really getting into it when they decided to crash our mini session - it was awesome and really got macee laughing!

we were in quite the rush this morning seeing as we'd been up way too late the night before and had to make the Santa Train in Mineral by 10 am. we were planning on starting this shoot at 8 am which turned out to be more like 8:30 by the time we got everyone out to the fields. the whole mini shoot took less than 15 minutes and most of that time was spent running dogs out of the photo or looking for my husband who thought he had time to start the wood stove in the shop before the shoot - really hun? haha. we wanted to make sure we got 'the one' of the matisons so we did a few more although macee wanted to stay with papa - so cute!

throughout the last part of our time in the field, dean started promising the girls a special treat if they would smile. we all thought he was totally joking with them but when we finished and he took off with the girls toward his truck we realized, 'whoa, he actually has a treat and wasn't just pullin their chains.' haha - turns out papa had stopped for special Christmas donuts on the way out getting two red & green sprinkled maple bars for the girls.

this is awesome. as soon as my sister saw this she exclaimed, 'that's a mommy face!' i don't know - you decide! hahaha. oh and just in case you can't decipher, that's me on the far left. hahaaa!

tomorrow we'll continues this day's adventures by rushing off to the Santa Train in Mineral. this was not quite what we were expecting but was absolutely entertaining! stay tuned for more holiday fun!

Nutcracker :: a holiday tradition

2009-12-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

welcome to the last full week before Christmas! a time to kick that holiday cheer into high gear by doing all things in the Christmas spirit whether that's shopping, playing in the snow, singing along with Bing Crosby in the car (by yourself - haha) or carrying on a family tradition - it's all done in the true spirit of the season. since reese came into our lives we've refined what this time of year means to us as a family focusing in on the experiences we create for our children because those are the things they will remember in the years to come. one specific event i remember as a kid was going to the Nutcracker with my sister, mom and grandmother. it was always one of the highlights of Christmas - getting all dressed up, going out to eat, seeing the show and spending time with some of the most influential women in my life.

this year, we decided it was high time reese got that experience and after showing her and macee Youtube videos of the performance i was sold! the two of them clapped, pointed and starred at my mac display in amazement as the flawless ballet dancers floated along to the sweet sounds of Tchaikovsky. minutes later i purchased third row seats for the four of us.

i knew we wanted to make this a big deal for the girls - something they'd remember for quite some time. both reese and macee have grown to love all things girly - don't get me wrong, they still cut it up outside but they're wearing tutus along with those muddy rain boots. we've embraced this fascination with encouraging dress up, kitchen creations and the occasional foray into makeup artistry. for this special event, some new additions to the wardrobe were in need such as sparkling tights, glittering ballet slippers, fashionable headbands, bracelets, necklaces, earrings and of course, a new handbag.

oh this was so random but awesomely cool! as we coaxed the girls into endearing smiles (or at least attempted to) this man stood behind us observing the situation and laughing. he then suggested an idea he had that would make them smile and proceeded to play his Australian didgeridoo. the girls watched intently and then reese started to laugh. you never know who you're going to encounter when shooting on the streets of Tacoma!

i also couldn't resist getting reese a new dress and pea coat. the 1920's inspired ruffle tiered dress in deep purple was acquired at a recent side trip to H&M (one of my favorites for kid's clothes). it was one of those items you see and just must have - i knew she'd love twirling around in it and although clothes are just another distraction in life - they sure are fun! haha - so a new dress was added to the list of 'Christmas Gifts Reese Will Be Receiving Before Christmas.'

one compliant i've heard over the years from moms is that they are never the ones in the picture. inn most cases they are the storyteller of their children's adventures and hardly ever included in the visual storyline. knowing this and taking into consideration it's what i do for a living, i make an effort to be part of the action from time to time. for this occasion, i called upon the skills of my trusted and ever faithful assistant, Becca who was more than happy to help out. i can't thank her enough for spending the time with us to capture moments like this. i love you becca!

just yesterday i came across a video of reese when she was just about a year old. it was Memorial Day weekend and the three of us had been working in the yard all day - needless to say, reese was covered head to toe in mud. after stripping off her clothes and bathing in her kiddy pool she took off across the lawn wearing only her muddy socks. as she ran without a care in the world, frolicking with her boys (our two boston terriers) i followed along with the camera. her squealing was pure joy and i remember thinking, 'i hope she never looses this feeling.' in a very short time she's grown up in so many ways and i am so thankful to be able to experience this journey with her.

as anyone with kids knows, getting them to cooperate for a somewhat organized group picture is near impossible. haha - even with the best behaved tikes you're still going to have the excitement brewing and short attention spans. these two had been anticipating the Nutcracker for weeks and we're finally less than a few hours from it's start - their excitement was spilling over!

sometimes a bit of convincing and the occasional bribe is needed in order to render some form of cooperation. we were minutes away from our reservation at the Over the Moon Cafe so promising a delicious cup of hot cocoa was one card i was willing to pull. it still didn't convince mae mae to take a picture with her mom but then again that strong constitution will pay off in the years to come - or at least that's what my mom used to say about me. hehee.

wow! there are some facial expressions that your kid makes and they just stop you - and all you can think is 'wow, she looks just like her dad!' haha and you know it's true when all your friends see it and say the same thing. reese has always made a few signature looks - these are a few of my favorites. hahaa.

alright grandparents - here it is, the one i know you'll want framed and on the mantle. Merry Christmas!

photographing kids can be very trying - hahaa. if they do not want to do what you suggest then you just have to keep trying until you find something that works. in macee's case, it was a game of hide and seek. i crept up behind her as she sat at the top of the steps and continued to joke with her - when she turned to see me she flashed this grin which is just the one i was looking for!

at this point in our mini session (mind you, all these took place in less than a half hour) the girls were done with their moms and decided it was time for a sit. the perched themselves on the window of the cafe and talked amongst themselves. despite every attempt we made they were done - and when a kid's done with a shoot your only option is to feed them and try again later. haha.

when i gave reese her new items my mom was on the phone with me - as i handed reese each glittering surprise from the shopping bag she exclaimed, 'for meeeee! tanks mommy!' my mom couldn't stop laughing and commented countless times on how precious reese's response was. i have to admit giving your children gifts is much easier when they are truly grateful for them. surprising reese with special gifts throughout the year is something i love - from a cocoa date with mommy to an unexpected trip to the book store to pick out a new fairytale adventure. she knows she's loved in many ways but these times make her feel it that much more - kinda like coming home late from work and finding your husband's made dinner, cleaned the house and put the kids to bed. it doesn't take a lot of money just time, effort and that showing of love through giving of the gifts you have.

as we waited on our delicious entrees from the Over the Moon Cafe, i realized we'd had our coats on for the entire shoot. of course, the temperature was in the low 30s which would call for wool coats but still - our dresses were so cute so we had to run outside for a few more.

we had less than 45 minutes to eat and get to the show - and were able to do it thanks to the impeccable service at the cafe. our waitress catered to our every need quickly and with precise care such as preparing specialty hot cocoas for the girls with just a touch of half & half to cool them off and of course, whipped cream on top. i love the cafe for business meetings and romantic dinners but fell in love all over again when i saw how gracious they were to our group of five including two exuberant toddlers. thank you Over the Moon Cafe for making our night that much more special!

the show we beautiful and reese was truly taken by the falling snow of the sugar plum fairies and the multiple dancers in the parade of nations. it was a memorable night me and and i'm certain for the girls. tomorrow we'll continue our Christmas season adventures with a few family photos followed by a trip on the Santa Train - stay tuned my friends!

sandra + marland :: lets celebrate!

2009-12-11T09:00:00.000-08:00

sunsets in the fall are some of the most gorgeous sights to savor here in the Northwest. the way the colors fade from bright orange and red to purples and blues could not be better depicted in a fantastical painting. this scene provided the perfect mood for a night of enjoyment.

many couples are finding different ways to showcase the guests at their weddings in comparison to the traditional guest book. sandra and marland chose to do a serving platter with guests signing their names and leaving a message.

you know you're in trouble when grandma takes the mic! haha - marland's grandmother shared some telling tales of the young marland that gave insight into his character and charm. she was a riot and got the whole barn rolling.

i have to be honest - the smashing of the cake in each others faces is my least favorite tradition of the wedding day. that comment probably comes from a bitter place though - because my husband pummeled me with cake on our wedding day messing up the hair & makeup i'd been so careful to preserve throughout the day. ehhh - it brings back my disgust and feeling of revenge every time but i'd probably like it if i were the first to strike - way to be sandra! haha!

the barn was adorned with glittering white lights from top to bottom when sandra and marland took the floor for their first dance as husband and wife. the warmth of the old wood pillars and glowing lights created the perfect romantic mood for these two - just stunning.

thank you sandra and marland for allowing me to tell the story of your wedding day. each experience is unique and special - it truly enjoyed the time we spent together!

get out there and enjoy the holiday season this weekend! we're starting this weekend off with a family trip to Fantasy Lights in Spanaway tonight, then the show Reese is over the moon about - The Nutcracker on Saturday. this is going to be extra special because we're treating Reese's best friend, Macee, and her mom to a girls only photo shoot and lunch before the show. then Sunday we're going to attempt family photos and traveling to Elbe for the Santa Train to Mineral Lake. it's a full weekend jam packed with holiday adventures and i absolutely can't wait!

sandra + marland :: i do

2009-12-10T09:00:00.001-08:00

the moments right before you walk down the aisle are like nothing you've ever experienced before. sandra was alone, waiting in the bridal suite before her father came to get her. it was quiet and i'm sure allowed for a few much needed moments of peace before walking down those steps, out the door and onto the carriage ride that would take her to the biggest decision of her young life.

the horse drawn carriage rounded the property, made it's way down the beaten driveway and to the double doors of the barn where everyone was awaiting her arrival.

sandra had wanted an outdoor ceremony because of the natural surroundings and beautiful light but i believe this was truly the next best thing. this historic barn lent warmth, character and a romantic light cast behind them from the fading autumn sun.

after their vows the couple paraded out of the barn to a fitting tune and were whisked away by the carriage for a few moments alone. what a perfect time to take in what just happened and celebrate together before welcoming all the guests.

when they returned, the couple was greeted by a showering of bubbles produced by their guests which was a great way to transition people from ceremony to party. the break gave the venue staff a chance to change up the barn and got everyone in the same place, ready to welcome the newlyweds.

tomorrow we'll finish up this adventure with some food, dancing and kind words from those closest to the couple. stay tuned!

sandra + marland :: those who mean the most

2009-12-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

who you choose as your bridal party is an important choice because those are the people that help you prepare and aid you throughout the day. they should represent a collection of individuals that have shaped you into the person you are today. the siblings and close friends sandra and marland choose were both lively and willing to join in whatever antic i suggested.

what country wedding would be complete without the finishing touch of a horse and carriage? it was sandra's dream to arrive to her ceremony by carriage and that became a reality on this day.

family photos are pretty straight forward - you get everyone together, make sure they are paying attention and take multiple frames hoping to get one everyone agrees on. haha. it's those moments in between that i always love - like this one, where sandra's mother was complimenting her on her dress and how beautiful she looked. when a comment was made, they burst into laughter, looking more radiant than ever.

the historic barn is by far the most impressive staple of this venue and has seen the most work with tiered staircases, lighting and a full service bar. sandra wanted to keep things simple with just a splash of her favorite colors - red and tiffany blue.

tomorrow we'll witness the ceremony and the fairytale entrance the couple made to their party.

sandra + marland :: just the two of us

2009-12-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

the build up to seeing your soon-to-be spouse for the first time on your wedding day is priceless. no one ever really knows what to do and looks to me for a bit of direction - it's as simple as walking out that door, whispering in his ear and gently turning him around. no matter how the approach unfolds the reaction is always endearing.

marland and sandra had quite a bit to be happy about - not only was this the day they've been waiting for for months on end but it was working out just as they'd planned. the rains that had fallen in days prior were holding and we were able to shoot outside. the only element that didn't work out was having the ceremony outside because as you all know, that beautiful blue sky can turn to a downpour in seconds here in the Northwest.

sandra felt the celebration location fit the two of them perfectly. with the historic barn, small cottage and open fields creating that relaxed country feel they love.

tomorrow we'll meet the boys and girls that make up their best of friends and take a look at some of the finer details of the celebrated affair. stay tuned!

sandra + marland :: getting ready

2009-12-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

welcome to the wedding day of Sandra and Marland which took place at the beginning of September. these two were a direct referral from one of my favorite couples, Doug & Jordan Guinn, who's wedding i photographed on the luckiest day of the year July 7, 2007 (07.07.07. for all you not savvy to gambling superstitions. ahha)

the country estate was chalk full of interesting objects that added to that rustic romantic feel. although, i'm not sure having saws out in the open is totally up to code. hhaha.

inside the cottage, we found the bridal party who were quietly preparing for the day. the bridal suite is a loft style room which makes up the entire second story of the home. it glitters with bead work on window trimmings and vintage furniture all fitting the pink theme.

watching a bride prepare for her big day is very telling of how the rest of the day will go. sandra was completely relaxed and obviously letting the everything sink in. there is so much to ponder on your wedding day from the right amount of makeup to the dynamics of family members - it's way more than any one person is used. yet as everyone knows, everything worthwhile in life takes much effort, commitment and has it's share of ups and downs. the wedding day is an emotional roller coaster that marks the beginning of a grand adventure - these moments are par for the course.

tomorrow we'll beat the rain and take a stroll around the grounds with these two love birds - stay tuned!

Oliver McLaughlin :: newborn portraits

2009-12-04T09:00:00.000-08:00

meet mr. oliver mclaughlin. this lil' bundle has been welcomed into one amazing family and by the lil' glimmering smiles that showed upon his perfect face - he knows it! in september, i visited the mclaughlin's home where i was introduced to oliver for the first time. of course, i arrived just in time for feeding time and a diaper change; so as his mother attended to him - i explored his stylish nursery which is filled with many unique items from original books of his namesake to an image of the family member he's named after.

having your favorite clients turn into great friends is one thing - watching them as they transition from blissful newlyweds into loving parents adds a whole other dimension. being there to record the stories of some of the most meaningful moments in their lives is an experience unlike any other but truly connecting with the moment they're living is the greatest blessing. the whole session i couldn't wipe the smile from my face and at times, couldn't even spurt my trademark banter because i was so wrapped up in the moment with them.

my role as photographer is purely observer when it comes to sessions like these. i'm there to experience the moment with them, take in the surroundings and tell the story as i see it - as it unfolds in front of me. in just a few short months, even weeks, oliver will have changed so much. getting all the lil' aspects of what make up his life, his parent's routine and his surroundings is quite important.

that perfectly satisfied sigh after a feeding is a sight all new moms savor. not only is their great joy in knowing you've provided your child with everything he needs but everything is peaceful and you have a quiet moment to relish the beauty that God has trusted you with.

there are times in life that you can't quite find the words to define what just happened. when a newborn baby silently opens it's dark eyes and seemingly stares right at you - you're struck with wonder. unable to know what he's thinking or even what he is able to define. it's been researched and reported that newborn children come into this world knowing the voices of their parents. i can vouch for that one - as soon as reese was placed into shaun's arms in the hospital room and said his first words to her - there was a spark, an immediate recognition that the arms that now held her were that of the man she'd been hearing for the past months. i believe they can sense so much more than we know and in turn, have the ability to open our eyes to so many new aspects of life.

i love to focus in on the size of the child in comparison to their parents. the time will pass so quickly and they will grow like beans. sooner than you care to admit, you'll be talking about how tiny they once were, how their entire body was no larger than a football and how amazingly small all their features were.

during this time is when i almost lost it. hehee. not in a sobbing fool kind of way but i felt the tears welling up. i'm not even sure why or if nik caught it but seeing these two interact and knowing in a few short months i'd be in the same situation just hit me. i let the soft silence of the moment take over and observed as nik cuddled her lil' man in closer and whispered loving reassurance to him.

just look at that lil' grin. hehe. it's amazing to me to see how bits of this lil' man's personality are already beginning to show through. it will be such a treat to see him grow over the years and see what characteristics he gains from both of his parents.

when photographing a newborn session i always like to do it in the home if it is an option. that is where the family feels most comfortable and is their natural environment. those first few weeks of having a newborn seem like a blur between hourly feedings, changing diapers and getting whatever sleep possible. capturing all the facets to that setting are important which includes the ones where your peaceful, beautiful child just won't stop screaming.

nik and ryan are truly unique individuals that appreciate life in a way that encourages others and draws people to them. whether it's hosting dinners in their home or cruising out on the lake in their wakeboarding boat - there is a zest for what life has to offer that is admirable. their son has great examples in the two of them and i'm certain will mature into a caring, intelligent, joyful young man. time will tell and i hope to be there to record the moments that will define his adventure. welcome to a world of possibility oliver - your journey has just begun!

McLaughlin Family :: maternity portraits

2009-12-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

this week is turning into the 'c.pelland experience' blogs - haha. as mentioned in previous posts, i offer portrait work strictly to past clients as a way to continue that relationship that started with the day they became one, their wedding day. it's an honor to be trusted with these moments and be welcomed into their lives.

the idea of maternity photos has really caught fire within the past decade. before then the thought of taking artistic images of that stage in a woman's life was not very popular. i'm so glad the sentiment has changed because preserving the times in your life where major changes occur is so important and helps tell the story of who you are. images relay so much more than words can.

if you've been following this blog for a bit you may remember nikki & ryan's wedding last September which took place in seattle at Pike Place Market's Top of the Market venue. the day was one of the best wedding experiences i had that year and i still receive countless compliments of the images captured.

after our time in the studio, we got ryan to take a walk with us and capture just a few as the sun was setting. everyone talks about the glow a woman has when she is pregnant - i always joke that it has much more to do with sweating profusely but there's no doubt about it - women have a radiance when their growing a life inside of them that is unlike anything else. nikki is naturally a woman that brings joy to others but there was something else, something special this time around that i noticed and just couldn't stop smiling about.

a few weeks prior to this shoot, nik and her sister, jessie, and i had dinner together just to catch up on life. the two of them were both pregnant and due within months of each other. both were joking that i needed to have another one soon and that i should drink some of their water because there's obviously something to it. haha. a few short weeks later we found out that i was indeed pregnant with our second and the girls were very pleased with being able to claim it was their prediction that led to it. haha.

tomorrow we'll meet nikki and ryan's lil' man, oliver, in a peaceful afternoon visit to their home. stay tuned.

Sir Wilson :: our family's newest member

2009-12-02T09:00:00.000-08:00

meet sir wilson, our new puppy! we've been planning on getting a large dog for quite awhile now and it finally happened. the cause of it all - because miss reese is now fully potty trained and getting a new puppy was her reward. haha, i'm not ashamed to admit i bribed my daughter, a person can only handle so many dirty diapers!

wilson is a Doodle Dane. i know you're asking yourself, 'what the heck is a doodle dane?!?' well, a doodle dane is part Golden Doodle (Golden Retriever and Poodle) and Great Dane. The story behind this strange breed came about when Amber, the great dane breeder, rescued a golden doodle. one day at work, amber received a call from the neighbor reporting that the new dog had scaled the kennel fence and was in with her female dane. a few months later VIOLA fourteen puppies!

when i saw the listing for 'Doodle Dane Puppies' on Northwest Classifies i couldn't stop myself from laughing! i just had to see what these lil' guys were all about.

that next day we stopped by the breeders home to see them in person. two of the pups had already gone to their new homes but believe me - 12 puppies still know how to make any situation crazy! the pups were going in all different directions, playing with toys, greeting reese, eating dinner, etc. etc. etc. it was hilarious but one lil' guy stuck out.

before we had reese, i read up on many different subjects concerning children and their development. i tackled it like a college assignment - searching out research papers, articles, interviews, etc. one of the topics i found most interesting is the research that has been done on the relationship between young children and dogs - more specifically puppies. all observations concluded that they are a very positive addition to a child's life teaching them compassion, responsibility, friendship and many other aspects of life. they grow together and have an understanding of each other that's unlike any other.

this image below of reese carrying wilson through the field is going to be a real treat when he is full grown! haha his father was 85 pounds and mom was 150!

when people find out we have a new 8 week old puppy and i'm 6 months along with our second child - their first reaction is 'whoaa that's crazy!' or 'you're a brave one!' haha there are definitely times when i believe them, like when we hosted dinner at our home the other night - the doorbell was ringing, new people were over, reese wanted me to dance with her, the skillet had dinner cooking (borderline burning), the boys (our two bostons) were barking up a storm and of course, wilson had an accident on the carpet! hahaa - it's a crazy life sometimes but as i told my good friend hayley the other day, 'it's a full life, but that's the only kind i want to live.'

Miss Ella Hamrick :: portrait

2009-12-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

over the past year i've been able to refine my business so that the clients i gain through weddings get the best experience possible. there are many different ways this is achieved when going through the wedding process but it is the continued relationship that i cherish. i only offer portrait sessions to past clients because the connection is already there and is quite strong which allows me to capture the most tender moments in their lives such as preparing for a new child (maternity), the arrival of the kiddo (newborn) and their story as it continues to grow.

meet miss ella hamrick, trey and kelly hamrick's first child and an absolute doll! i shot the vow renewal of trey & kelly back in the summer of 2006 and have since been their photographer covering everything from family portraits to specialty shoots. there's is the relationship that sparked many others in my career and personal life too - i dearly thank them for having that confidence in me when i was just getting a hang of all this.

since i only do a selection of newborn shoots each year, i come into each one with a fresh vision which is completely directed by the moods of the lil' model. as any new parent knows, babies are quite fickle when it comes to changes in temperament so we go with the flow. on this warm August morning, kelly, ella and i took a stroll in the fields outside my home and nestled in for a few moments of laughter. ella was absolutely perfect - with the mesmerizing charm and beauty of her mother and the endearing stare of her father.

with children, the key to understanding their world is through observation. it's how i like to photograph them by simply taking a step back and letting the situation unroll. i recently completed a child's photography book for a client and found a quote the perfectly sums of the influence of children, "While we try to teach our children all about life, Our children teach us what life is all about." by Angela Schwindt

capturing the moments in life that mean the most is what i define my career to be. it's a blessing and a true honor to be allowed into my client's lives - to have them become the best of friends is just one of life's unexpected blessings.

baby shower :: mrs. jordan guinn

2009-11-30T09:00:00.000-08:00

i have to admit, i'm a sucker for planning parties for people and causes i love. there's something about knowing how much an event means and the 'feel good' vibes it puts off that makes it all worth it. this summer, we found out that our good friend, jordan guinn and her husband, doug, were expecting a lil' one at the end of december. immediately, our group of friends started brainstorming ideas and creating excitement around the baby's arrival.

before we get into too many photos of the party - we have to start with the idea for the theme which we gained from the baby's room. jordan and doug have had the nursery finished for months now and decided on a jungle feel with hues of green, yellow and brown. from there, i designed the invites to give that playful, outdoor feel yet still giving us plenty of room to expand on the theme. they were printed on 5x5 watercolor stock from my custom color house and were marked on the back with my signature design series logo - now doesn't that sound official. haha.

okay, i promised mrs. ashley o'brien that these lil' miracles would make it on the blog - and here they are! doing a wonderful job of sticking to the color scheme, ashley prepared her turkey wraps with spinach tortillas - very clever my dear!

one element that i absolutely love and try to incorporate into every party possible is the wishing tree. we first created one of these babies last year for kelly's baby shower - i simply went out into our woods, snapped a few branches, spray painted them black and placed them in a large vase anchored by decorative rocks. this one was done in much the same fashion but we left the branches natural. hayley made up all the wishing tags and guests filled out one for baby and one for the parents. it's a perfect way to show the love!

okay, here it is - my favorite part of the celebration - jordan's sweet treats bar! i've seen this idea throughout the years at weddings and other events and it was due time to start implementing it into our parties. keeping a strict budget in mind and the desire to create something truly unique, i had the girls gather items from their homes in the color scheme of yellow, green and orange. i then stopped into Value Village on my way to brandee's home, where the shower was hosted, and picked up a few other embellishments such as the small punch cups, creamers and retro serving ware.

i found three of these leaf like serving platters at Value Village that morning - the date stamped on the bottom is 1958 and there was a piece of tape labeled 'church' which most likely was their last home. they added that vintage feel we wanted and only cost $3 for the lot of them!

when constructing the area, i decided a bit more variation in height was needed so i wandered around the Miller's home gathering items that would work - glass candle holders, large vases and bowls. it was an eccentric mix of items but that's the look we were going for.

this was the most unexpected part of the shower - jordan's 8110s. when lacie arrived to help with setup and saw that i was building a treat bar - she came over to check it out. as she's perusing the candies she exclaims, 'oh you got 8110s!' haha - i didn't know what she was talking about - she went onto explain that the small green frogs have always been jordan's favorite candy and that she even calls them by their bin number at Top Foods - 8110. haha here i was just trying to keep with the theme - it worked out perfectly!

probably the best gift i received during my baby showers was all the diapers! i honestly did not purchase a package of diapers until reese was well past 7 months old and that was such a blessing. we've done a 'diapees & wipees' drawing at every shower i've been involved with since - it's simple: you drop a lil' card in the invites that informs every guest of the drawing and poof! diapers and wipes abound! then at the party you have everyone fill out a slip of paper, place it in a bowl and draw a name or two for a fabulous prize.

jordan and doug have decided not to find out what the sex of their baby is which i am quite a fan of. we didn't find out with reese and we're not going to know with this one until the day of delivery too. it's just such a surprise and really, how often are you positively surprised in this day and age?

group shot - here's all the lovely ladies (sans Ms. Hayley Hines) that contributed to making this party a special treat for jordan.

here's jordan with her mom, gail, and sister, chelsea. i've been honored with photographing the biggest days in this family's legacy and therefore they've become so close to my heart. it is friendships like this one that remind me just how important it is to show others who you truly are, come to them with a heart of service and treat them better than your highest expectations. i treasure their friendship and am truly thankful for their presence in my life.

this was pretty darn funny! amber and reese were sitting at the sweet treats bar enjoying some candies and picking out the perfect cupcake. reese found hers and went to work - meticulously swiping every last bit of frosting off the cupcake - then a few moments later it was gone. the surprised amber asked reese where her cupcake went - and to that, reese pointed back at the plate she got it from - 'there!' haha she was finished and figured she'd put it back - just like her toys i guess. hahaaa!

throughout the party there was one other facet i forgot to mention - the slideshow of my favorite images from jordan & doug's maternity session. this was a surprise to jordan seeing as the session had just taken place that tuesday - to see a few teasers from our time together click on over to my facebook and find the album 'connection :: portraits'

a big thanks to all the ladies who helped pull this one together for jordan - i know how much it means to have friends like you take time out of their busy schedules to celebrate who you are and where life is taking you. you girls are the best and life truly wouldn't be as interesting or fulfilling without you. jordan, your most amazing journey is about to begin - i'm so thankful to be here to share it with you and doug.

candice + drew :: party time!

2009-11-27T09:00:00.000-08:00

there are many elements that make up the success of a party - there's big ones like the people, music and food but it's the lil' ones that give it that extra flair and make it unique. one way to add a memorable touch is to have a signature drink for the night - candice and drew choose 'Pink Love' and adorned each glass with these labels.

another great addition to the party was the photo booth which allowed guests to share a bit of love with the couple and take an extra set of the prints home with them as a souvenir. there was glue sticks, markers and other embellishments out for guests to create their own entry. this makes for a unique way to capture all the personalities that made up your celebration, allows them to leave a personalized message and your scrapbook-style photo guest book is complete at the end of the night!

in order to create the perfect dance floor, candice's father along with family and friends, removed a few trees, built a stage and constructed a light canopy in the weeks leading up to the event. the morning of, when the rain was coming down, they decided to add a roof to the dance floor just in case. the entire afternoon and into the evening was flawless with not even a hint of rain - the warmth of the scene is reflected in these images.

by far, the most popular trend i witnessed this wedding season - when it comes to the celebration - was the addition of unexpected dancing. by that i mean, father and daughter are dancing along to a classic tune when EEEKKKKKKK the music halts and a thumping dance beat blasts out of the speakers. this is exactly what took place when candice and her father, dennis, took to the floor. everyone was cheering the two on as the pulled out unexpected twists and the occasional sprinkler - it was awesome!

the band of the evening, 24-7 out of Portland, has a way of getting everyone out on the dance floor - at the band's requests everyone makes their way to the dance floor for a large group picture then as soon as the photographer is done clicking away they slip into their first song. hey - it works and kept the floor full all night long!

a mighty congratulations to candice & drew for allowing me to capture the beginning of their love story. it was such an honor to be part of a day that holds so much promise and love for the two of you and your whole family. thank you for choosing me as your wedding day storyteller - may these images help you relive the day that marked the official start to your life long journey.

candice + drew :: sunset romance

2009-11-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

whenever i can i like to steal the couple away during the sunset - it's the most romantic time of the day with soft moody light and an essence that exudes romance. what better time to get the newlyweds out in a field and dancing to their own tune? in this case, the field with the best view of the horizon line was the neighbor's but we'll get to that lil' bit of shenanigans in a few for now we're just jumpin' a few fences - which any country girl is used to, but only a skilled lassie can do it wearing a huge wedding dress ...

breaking a few trespassing rules is nothing new to becca and i - sometimes you just have to do what you've got to do in order to get those amazing shots. besides the fact that we've got a stunning bride and groom in tow which is usually a free pass because who's going to give a set of newlyweds the second degree? oh well you're about to find out...

there is lil' coaching needed when you've got two people straight from the ceremony of the most meaningful commitment they've ever made. that feeling of FINALLY being husband and wife permeates every bit of their bodies and ignites their connection with each other. throughout our entire time in the field, candice's hands wouldn't stop shaking. she said repeatedly, 'i don't know what's going on - my hands just won't stop shaking!' it's that electric energy that love, hope and so much promise create - and it is absolute magic to witness.

there are times when all you want to do is stare at the face of the one you love. the person that has brought a completely new dimension to your life by bringing true love and complete devotion to it. it's amazing to me to think of how these types of images will impact the couple and their families in the years to come. i'm sure candice and drew will be just as dreamy eyed and excited about each other when they tell the tale of their beginnings to their children and grandchildren. knowing that these images contribute to their legacy is the reality of my work and the true reward of having my artistic abilities capture the moments that mean the most in life.

you know, i've never been a huge fan of using strobes to light my wedding couples. you can get some nice effects but i feel it hampers the mood and makes them feel more like models than a couple wrapped up in their own love. creating the right feeling is paramount and having strobes pop off here and there just doesn't add to it. it also draws unwanted attention to what you're doing as we'll soon find out ...

this image was taken after we were greeted by the land owner, his hunting 4x4 and his trusty dog. he informed us that his wife was upset that someone was on the property and that she sent him to make sure we were leaving - he then followed his forced lecture with congratulations to the couple. the exchange was rather odd and after apologizing for any offense or grief we may have caused to his wife or their grazing cattle - he buzzed off back to the homestead. it was quite funny seeing as the only thing we might have disturbed were the settling cowpies but none-the-less we were in the wrong. although after a bit of joking we decided the mrs. was more than a bit jealous she didn't get an invite to the party of the decade in this neck of the woods. c'est la vie!

tomorrow we'll take a break from the wedding adventures of candice and drew for the Thanksgiving holiday only to pick back up with their amazing party on Black Friday. stay tuned!

candice + drew :: i do

2009-11-24T09:00:00.000-08:00

this is hands down, consistently my favorite time of the wedding day. we're usually finished up with 'formal images' and our portrait sessions - and i get the chance to slip into a truly photo-journalistic mode. scouring the grounds for all the facets that will paint the picture of this beautiful day for years to come. one of the most important - setting the scene, which couldn't have been more picture perfect.

i knew something was up when i heard the girls from the porch where i was standing - so naturally, i had to investigate! all of the bridesmaids and candice were on top of her parent's bed, peering out the window as guests arrived. it was quite entertaining to overhear their comments about outfits, dates and how people were acting.

after the procession of the bridal party, the french doors leading out onto the back porch opened and their emerged the flawless candice. with over 300 guests in attendance, you could hear a slight 'ohhh' when she stepped out onto the steps leading to the lawn. i guarantee you, it was the vision she'd dreamed of for many years - and for everyone she loves to witness it was a very magical moment.

with all the planning and preparation that goes into the wedding day one element that can be overlooked is personalizing your ceremony. there are many formal aspects to the ceremony but bringing it all together with genuine love for the couple, personality and even a few stories from their pasts - helps to show every in attendance where they've been, who they are and where they're going.

the ceremony was officiated by the Folden's close family friend, Lance Heck - in fact, it's almost inappropriate to call Lance a friend of the Folden's because they are truly the closest thing you can find to family. the two families have been inseparable throughout the years spending countless weekends at their cabins in Cle Elum, vacationing together and even venturing into business. Lance has seen candice grow from a roll-with-the-punches tomboy to an elegant young woman - and was able to share much insight into her personality and character with his signature humor and charm. it was a delightful addition which truly made the ceremony as genuine as it could be.

these looks are my favorite - that glance you give your sweetie that says it all.

as the announcement of husband and wife was made - the two embraced, kissed and drew promptly swept candice off her feet - literally. haha - the large audience cheered the two on with a roar of clapping and whistles.

tomorrow we'll follow these two out into a neighboring field where we catch the last few minutes of the fading August sun. these are not to be missed!

candice + drew :: extra ideas

2009-11-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

i always encourage the couple to bring in elements of their personality or ideas that they have to include in their wedding. it's even more fun when they have ideas to add to our time together while doing portraits. candice's mother made the covers for these chairs to match the rest of the wedding decor and she wanted to include them in some of the photos. we also used them in the portraits of all the bridesmaids.

drew was truly a great sport when it came to taking as many photos as we did. most guys would have tired out ages ago but he knew how important these were to candice and made the best of efforts to make it all happen. there were times when i was shooting images of the girls, that i turned around to see drew gazing upon his bride. his adoration of candice is remarkable, in every glance the love they share is conveyed and obvious to others. i love catching those moments for them to enjoy for the rest of their lives.

after buzzing through family photos and whisking the couple off into the house - i had a bit of time to concentrate on the physical representations of the vows they are about to commit to each other. i love being reminded of the significance of the ring - that it does not end and is whole because of all the elements put into it.

tomorrow we'll get to the reason we were all gathered in this place - the ceremony of these two coming together as one through marriage. it's not to be missed!

candice + drew :: just the girls

2009-11-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

there were a few things that candice was quite insistent about for her wedding day - one of them was making sure she got plenty of photos with her girls. all of these women have played a unique role in candice's life - contributing to the woman she is today. seeing this kind of genuine friendship is rare - it was a true blessing to be able to capture this time in their lives.

the chances of you stepping on something odd when you're barefoot in a field are pretty good. on a warm August afternoon in Washington after heavy rains in the morning - you're chances of stepping on the notorious banana slug are stellar! here's what that reaction looks like! haha!

buddy shots are always a favorite with the ladies whether you're on a junior high volleyball team together or taking booth photos at the local fair. they are special because it's just the two of you and reflect the unique elements of your friendship. we try to take a 'nice one' of each and then highly encourage to 'get a lil' crazy,' - it's really fun to see how each interprets that request! haha.

throughout our time with the girls, they had a few loyal admirers who pulled up couches and enjoyed a few beverages while taking in the show. surprisingly, they were rather well behaved and helpful when asked to assist in moving props. thanks boys!

this time around, the girls got control over their transportation, taking over the farm chariot and rallying it all the way back to the house. luckily everyone arrived safely!

have a deeeeelightful weekend my friends - i'm looking forward to getting much accomplished on the ever expanding 'to do' list which includes everything from finalizing the designs of my personal travel books to creating unique Christmas gifts. on sunday, some of my best friends and i are throwing Mrs. Jordan Guinn a baby shower which is going to be sweet! last time we all collaborated on a party (kelly's baby shower) it turned out fantastic - it can't wait to see how all our ideas come together. it's going to make for one heck of a blog post! haha.

candice + drew :: all together

2009-11-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

shooting in a wide open field is one of my favorite locations because there is just so much room to play. of course, getting there can sometimes be a challenge - especially if you're wearing cute heels but hey, that's what the ranch hands are for! haha.

candice's bouquets for the girls were delightful! the black feathers added so much drama to the bunch. great call candice!

typically, the guys are not the biggest fans of playing it up for the camera which is why i always work real quick when it comes to their time in front of the camera. it's always a test to see just how quick witted each group is - key words like 'staggered' or 'randomly disperse' can get really confused reactions - of course, that may have had a bit to do with those black cups of beverage being consumed on the way out to the field - who knows? hehe.

candice had prepared for everything including rain showers by purchasing a selection of color coordinated umbrellas in pink and black. fortunately, we never had to use them for their real purpose!

tomorrow we'll finish off the week with candice's lovely ladies - who absolutely mean the world to her. this energetic group couldn't have been more fun to photograph - heck, they even had an audience watching them the whole time! stay tuned!

candice + drew :: just the two of us

2009-11-18T09:00:00.000-08:00

i absolutely love it when i am given more than enough time to play with the couple. candice and drew made sure to schedule tons of time for their photos which meant they were completely relaxed and under no time constraints at all. what better way to spend an august afternoon than frolicking in a forest with the one you love?

there is a fair amount of 'coaching' or 'prompts' that go into each session but the reactions are all them. there is no to tell how each suggestion is going to turn out - a kiss on the cheek can result in a shy smile or a burst of laughter - either way, it's incredibly entertaining and genuinely you!

'whoa' is usually the response when i ask a couple to look at each other when in close range - really close range. haha.

these two could easily be on the cover of a magazine with these looks but...

... this is what we were really looking for. those signature smiles that show the joy their experiencing.

even in a field with heels on miss candice pulls of stunning and graceful as the two danced along to their own beat.

i have to admit this is one of my favorites - it reminds me of a wedding day Halmark card - so youthful, fun loving and full of promise.

when you've got a dress like candice's - that's full of layers that float around her like a cloud you've got to play with it! i asked candice to whip it up a bit - tossing the dress from side to side and spinning about. the whole time she was laughing and looking at drew - it made me think of my daughter spinning about in her fluffy tutus.

tomorrow we'll meet the bridal party - brace yourself, there's quite a few of them!

candice + drew :: first look

2009-11-17T09:00:00.000-08:00

there's nothing quite like the rush of anticipation. you imagine what the moment will feel like but nothing compares to actually being in it - the butterflies in your stomach can't help but go wild as you step closer to the one you love - then with the slight touch of your hand, he turns and flashes that smile you instantly loved.

you're going to get the most genuine reactions when you're looking and interacting with the one you're closest too. i make a huge effort to get to know each of my clients but nothing will compare to the relationship they have. that electric connection that sparks their best qualities and brings true joy - many times i will have either the bride or groom stand with me or behind me in order to get those looks they love.

these two are incredibly photogenic and interact with each other flawlessly. as we wandered the family's back field, drew carefully guided candice's hand as a true gentleman avoiding questionable areas. you can tell so much about a couple by the way they conduct themselves physically - they way their hands effortlessly find each others, how they gravitate into each other without hesitation and the way their eyes meet and say everything. it's beautiful.

candice's family builds custom homes - in fact, they built ours. they definitely know how to make dreams a reality and add little touches that make a house a home. on their private estate their are many elements that contribute to that feeling including the bridge over their private fish pond. the beautifully crafted board walk spans the middle of the pond and makes for a dramatic addition to the large forested area. this is also the spot where drew caught their dinner before asking candice to marry him. there's nothing quite like a man who can bring home the meal and cook it too! way to be drew!

tomorrow we'll continue our stroll through the woods with this dashing duo and get some of my favorite portraits from the day - well at least until we hop a fence and spend the august sunset dancing away - but we'll get to that soon enough!

candice + drew :: preparations

2009-11-16T09:00:00.000-08:00

welcome to the wedding day of candice and drew which took place on the last saturday of august at candice's family ranch in graham, washington - in fact, minutes from my own home. this union was blessed from the start and everything came together when it needed to including the weather which broke from a solid rain at 2pm and was blue skies from there out.

this wedding was a beautiful success in 'do it yourself' planning - candice and her mother, gayle, are very organized, creative women who knew what they wanted from the start. every detail was perfectly placed by their team of dedicated friends and family members who spent the days leading up to the event finalizing stages, lighting and the rest of the elaborate setup which all took place in the family's backyard.

candice dressed and completed her final preparations in her parent's bedroom which overlooked the ceremony and reception area. weddings that are done at the family's estate always have a special meaning. a home is so much more than a building where people live - it is the structure that holds countless memories and the place where that family's love comes together. i'm sure watching candice perfect her look in the full size mirror was a sight that had happened throughout the years - whether it was playing dress-up in mom's clothes or getting everything just right before heading out to a high school dance.

candice had a great pair of hot pink Guess stiletto heels to wear for the event but decided to change the footwear up when i reminded her we'd be shooting out in the field. lets face it - even country girls have a hard time getting around in a field wearing fancy shoes. hahaa.

drew was facing east toward Mt. Rainier as candice approached him from the backside. with each step her smile grew wider knowing that within seconds she'd surprise the man of her dreams - there are few times in life where the anticipation is so great as on the wedding day. tomorrow we'll meet drew and spend some alone time with these two. stay tuned.

harvest party :: family time

2009-11-13T09:00:00.000-08:00

welcome to our lil' harvest party which shaun and i hosted at our home on halloween night. we'd just returned from Spain a few days earlier and were not up for attending a big community function or hitting the streets in search of candy so we opted for a more creative solution. called up some family and friends - told them for a low-key, good ole time that they could join in the feast and fun at our place. i made the biggest pot of chili i've ever concocted and a pot roast fit for a king (well at least a king size appetite) and aunt sheila brought these ...

... pretty cute huh?! haha i saw an image online of a similar idea and forwarded it to sheila. she came up with making mini pumpkins out of sweet potatoes and using fresh cilantro and chives for the stems. the ghosts were made from plain jane mashed potatoes having pepper corn eyes and olives with the occasional cheerio for mouths. both were constructed by putting the potatoes in large plastic bags, cutting a hole in the corner and squeezing them out just like frosting. they were perfect when covered with the pot roast!

meet tucker! this is hayley's new baby which she just got from our mutual friends, The Romes Family, which breed shitzus. this lil' buddy was an absolute hit with the girls who i'm sure thought he was some sort of fantastic stuffed animal. throughout the visit they got much better with handling him 'gently' and were soon filling his bed with baby blankets and toys.

i don't know about you but i live for pumpkin pie! ohh it's my favorite - well possibly second only to my grandmother's homemade apple pie made with apples from their backyard orchard. i've always been such a fan and am so spoiled during the fall season because not only do pumpkin pies abound but so do the specialty Starbucks pumpkin spice lattes! heheh. below, are the jalapeno corn muffins and hand-churned honey butter aunt carolyn brought over - ohhh i love these lil' buggers too! they remind me of my favorite restaurant during college - From the Bayou in Parkland, which has since gone out of business. oh so delightful!

when macee got to the party she'd already stopped off at a few locations including great grandma's house, grandma's and a few others. her sack was filled with goodies that she had to show reese - she also came bearing gifts that great-grandma had sent along for reesey.

taking care of 'bebe dog' is very important to reesey. hayley and tucker arrived a few hours early to catch up and help us prepare - reese spent the whole time learning how to care for the lil' guy from hayley. she particularly needed help in how to hold the puppy when trying to carry him - ohhh geez what a wonderful sign that was of the challenges to come with our new baby (of the human variety).

i'm not a huge fan of treat-or-treating or at least not at this age so dannielle and i came up with an idea that would still be lots of fun, involve everyone and of course, include getting goodies. the week prior, we gathered all kinds of treats from dried fruit packets, chocolates and cookies to my lil' ponies, plastic rings and crazy hats from Value Village (yes mom, they were washed extensively). we then divided them up into over 20 plastic grocery bags and tied them off with flagging tape.

the dads then went outside and hid them throughout the property - tucked in the gardens, hanging from trees and coiled up in hoses. the girls, armed with mini flashlights and their helpful grandparents, quickly caught on and ran about the yard, squealing with every bag they found - then promptly handing it off to one of their assistants and searching out the next.

after about ten minutes all the bags were found and the girls headed inside to divvy up the loot.

dividing up the treasure was surprisingly easy which was not expected with two toddlers - i guess all that emphasis on sharing is working out. the two especially loved the crazy hats and party blowers we threw in the mix that were left over from a past party.

happy as a clown because she's downed more than her fair share of chocolate treats and halloween sugar cookies as told by the leftovers on her face. haaha.

oh and i forgot to explain reese's costume - shaun and i picked up the mini flamenco dancer dress on our travels in Barcelona along with the special black earring she's wearing which are actually one of my few finds from the adventure. the matching shoes were her gift from my Spanish trip last October with my sister and luckily still fit. i found the clip in flower in my stash of dress up accessories and thanks to miss Hayley the whole ensemble and hair came together perfectly. reese had to show everyone her 'dee dee' (which means 'pretty' in reese speak) dress and earrings. it was really cute - even the day after when she refused to wear anything else. haha.

have a great weekend friends and we'll see you on monday!

ashley + patrick :: it's party time

2009-11-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

what are the ingredients to a great party? a great mix of music, tons of food and beverages and of course, all the people you love - combine that with the fact that minutes before you married your best friend and you've got yourself one heck of a night!

as mentioned before, ashley and her mother poured hours into making their own decor and special details for the ceremony and celebration. ashley's mother, barbie, is quite skilled when it comes to designing and arranging floral displays. the entire room glowed with soft light and warm hints of pink - just how ashley had envisioned.

i have to admit - photographing the cake is hard. for one reason - it smells so good! oh my gosh - i can't begin to tell you how many times i've spent an extra few minutes taking in the heavenly scents of butter cream frosting. delicious!

as night fell upon us, guests finished dinner and the toasts began. ashley & patrick have a strong network of loved ones to support them from immediate family to old friends - it was a treat to hear what this couple means to them.

awhhhh the first dance as husband and wife. a traditional heartwarming slow dance that symbolizes the way they'll gracefully travel the road of life together - right? haha - not so fast ...

... suddenly the music cuts and the ultimate dance mix picks up. ashley makes way for her man who busts into some of his signature dance moves - then she takes over as the song switches up. this battle royale on the dance floor surprised and delighted guests covering a range of music from Sir Mix-a-Lot's 'Baby Got Back' to Michael Jackson's 'Thriller.'

as many couples, ashley and patrick have aspects of each other that uplift, encourage and bring out a certain something in the other. for ashley, patrick is the one who really gives her the wind in her sails - by that i mean, there is a whole new side to her when patrick is around. she's more outgoing and has a sparkle to her that only he can trigger.

i say it all the time but that's only because it's so true. the best aspects of weddings are the ones that truly reflect who the couple is whether it's arriving by boat because you sail together or joining your climbing clamps to symbolize unity during the ceremony because you met through a mountaineering club. when it's truly unique to you - it's amazing and brings something no one else could to the celebration. these two know how to have fun, make people laugh and enjoy life - that was evident in every part of their day but shone brightest during the dance off.

the two then joined back together to finish out the song they'd started out to - accompanied by the roar of applause coming from their guests.

this party could have gone all night long but unfortunately had to end just when the dancing was kicking into high gear. i swear there was no possible way to fit anyone else on that dance floor!

i had to get one with the lovely Mrs. O'Brien before she drove off - as did two of my very favorite brides from 2008, Amber Moceri and Brandee Miller. all three of these ladies have become great friends of mine over the course of the past two years. it is an amazing reward to gain such people in my life due to my business.

Mr. & Mrs. O'Brien left for sunny Cabo San Lucas, Mexico a few days after the wedding events. they stayed at one of my favorite resorts, The Melia Cabo Real, which happens to be the site where Brandee and Wally were married at last year. i have to admit, i was insanely jealous as were the rest of our friends that experienced the luxury of the highly rated, full service, all inclusive resort last year. they, of course, had an amazing time aside from their luggage being lost but hey, you can't complain when your day consists of sitting poolside with an endless supply of margaritas.

a loving congratulations again to you two. you know that i had an absolute blast covering every part of your wedding day adventures and experiencing this past year with you. i am so happy to hear that the images were all that you hoped for and allow you to relive that day - the beginning of your legacy. i love you guys and even though it's hard to share you - Alaska needs a lil' light in the form of Ashtrick. haha. you two soak up every moment of being newlyweds and know that the memories you make in these first years as husband and wife will be the ones you laugh about for the rest of your journey. congrats!