A: My first cameras were those drugstore film point-and-shoots on family vacations. In highschool my parents bought an early digital camera, and I fell in love with imagery and composition. After a college degree in Visual Communication, I found a passion in documenting portraits and events, first for my friends, and eventually for clients. Wedding photography was the perfect vocation for my love of art and the beautiful PNW! 

 TLDR: The first wedding I photographed was in 2009, but I've been chasing people around with a camera over 20 years!

A: I've photographed over 250 weddings as the lead photographer, and I've had over 500 portrait sessions. My weekends have been basically filled with love stories and late-night celebrations ever since I became a photographer 10+ years ago!

A: There are a few factors that go into determining if a second photographer is necessary for your wedding day. If you have more than 150 guests and a large bridal party, I would definitely encourage a second photographer. If your wedding day is taking place at more than two locations for getting ready, first look, ceremony, cocktail hour, & reception, having a second photographer can be really helpful. If you have more than 6-8 attendants each, for a total bridal party size of 10+, or an extensive list of family photo groupings, you may want a second photographer. If, however, you have fewer than 100 guests, your whole wedding is taking place at a single location, and a smaller bridal party, a single primary photographer (me!) is more than enough. 

A: The most important aspect of an engagement session is getting the chance to feel what it's like to stand in front of a person with a camera. There's always a moment of "what do I do? Where do I put my hands?" I know exactly what that feels like, and I consider it my job to help you forget there's a camera pointed at you! I always want you to feel relaxed and comfortable in front of my camera, and ideally you'll. forget it's there! An engagement session is the ideal way to get comfortable in front of the camera, and get some great images that you can use for Save-the-Dates, invitations, social media, and whatever you can. dream up. 
An engagement session is a great idea for so many reasons! Not only does the session allow all three of us to bond and get to know each other in preparation for your wedding day, but it gives you a chance to warm up to me taking your pictures, which most couples have never done before. Another perk of doing an engagement session is that I get to see how you two interact which gives me a better idea of how best to work with you on your wedding day. And lastly, engagement photos are a great way to document this special stage in your lives together! So whether you're into a formal sunset session outdoors or in the city, or a cozy, intimate shoot in your own home, I encourage every couple that I work with to consider participating in an engagement session.

A: My gear includes professional-grade Nikon bodies, a variety of lenses + external lighting equipment. Be forewarned I can get real nerdy if you bring up this topic in person, but I'm happy to talk about the details of my equipment if you really wanna know! This might start getting a bit technical, but I personally use two Nikon DSLR camera bodies +  1 mirrorless DSLR with a variety of prime and zoom lenses. My favorites are 35mm, 24-70mm, 50mm, and 70-200mm. I love breaking out the wide 24mm for epic scenery shots, and getting in close on emotions and expressions during the ceremony with the 70-200mm. My gear is optimized for low-light photography, so romantic candlelight receptions, dark interiors, and dance floors are no obstacle. I use on and off-camera flash when the situation calls for it, but I'll always choose natural light first when it's available. 

A: Absolutely! The only thing I love more than capturing your wedding day images is seeing them come to life in prints, canvases, and albums. You can add artwork to your package of options prior to your wedding day, or wait until you have all the images in your hands to decide. I love helping to dream up beautiful gallery walls, storybook albums, and heirloom artwork for you to treasure.
There's nothing like seeing an image in tangible printed form, off the computer screen. I offer heirloom albums, framed and unframed prints, & canvases all produced through a professional lab, which ensures the highest quality materials and accurate colors. What I think people don't often realize is that a high quality professional print will last for decades without fading, whereas a cheap print from a drugstore will often be badly faded and UV damaged within a year. 

A: Yes, I do! Traditional payments are 50% due at the time of booking (within a week) and the final 50% is due 30 days prior to your wedding day. But, if you wanted to do the payment plan, I can stretch it into equal 1/3's or 1/4's if that works best for you. Just let me know what you prefer, and I will make it happen. It's that easy.

In the super unlikely event that I am too ill, injured, or there's some other emergency, I have a list of colleagues that I can call on to replace me that have similar styles of photography. If possible, I will handle the editing and delivery of the images to ensure the final gallery is in keeping with my standards.  That said, in the 10+ years I've been doing this full-time, I have never even been 60 seconds late. You're in good hands. I promise!

Once you have secured a date + venue we can move forward with booking! To reserve your day with me I require a signed contract and retainer. Shoot me a message to get started! 

YES! While most of my travel takes me throughout Western Washington, Seattle & the Puget Sound, I love new adventures and would be happy to join you in any city, state, or country to document your special day. My passport is current and I'm ready to pack my bags!