A DAY ON THE OLYMPIC PENINSULA...

Sometimes you just need to get out and shoot. To get out of your comfort zone, your groove, your norm. And sometimes you drive 4 hours to a location, and there's gale force winds and rain, so you have to find a new location. I'm looking at you, La Push. All part of the adventure, though. 

I loved getting to shoot this and do something different for me. Emily and I wanted to photograph something softer and more feminine that tied in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Thanks to Taylor for being up for running around and freezing, and to McKenzie Powell Floral & Event Design for the amazing floral crowns.

JAMIE & JORDAN // DERU MARKET

I've known Jamie since around the time I got my driver's license. Even then, you could tell she was going to do something with her life. Now here we are, years later (probably more years than I'd like to admit) and it's so amazing to see how that hard work has come to fruition. I can't imagine a better team, for life and work, than her and Jordan, and it's been a huge blessing to Emily and I to have them in our lives.

It's been fun - not to mention delicious - to get to work with them. Jamie and Jordan own and run DERU Market & Catering, and are focused on creating artisan food with organic ingredients from around the Pacific Northwest. If they could cook for every wedding I shoot - or just for my whole life - I would be ridiculously happy.

We've been making photos of the incredible things they create in the kitchen, but it was about time I got them in front of the camera. So we headed out to one of the farms in Fall City where they source a lot of their ingredients from. It was great for me to be able to put a face and a location to where my food comes from.

photographer's note: except for the few food images near the end, this was all shot on film - kodak portra 800, fuji 400h, and ilford hp5.

RACHAEL & JOEL

I knew this wedding was going to be amazing when the first thing we did was meet at a cliffside park overlooking the Puget Sound and islands, covered by forest and an old military fort. That, and a couple hours just to make photos of these two. I love when couples collaborate like that with me and create time and space to make the best images possible.

From there, the day was all about family and friends, and intentional time celebrating together.  Oh, and some pretty awesome light.

Ok, story time: Joel has more than a few siblings. It so happens that these siblings were apparently born comedians (or maybe that just happens when you have a big family.) A couple of his brothers dressed up in wigs and track suits, SNL-style, and proceeded to lead a sketch/roast/game session that involved blindfolding the bride, and having her feel all the guys chests to guess which was her husband. It's actually hard to shoot when you're laughing so hard you're crying.