Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 11:57 AM
I was contacted by Ketti last year about doing a family session and time and schedules just got away from us, but this year she reached out to us again and we made it happen. I am so glad we did! Ketti is a photographer as well & what typically happens is photographers don't end up actually IN any photos with their spouses & kids so I'm always overjoyed to be able to capture families, especially for photographers. 

When I was growing up my dad was always the one who stepped out of the frame to get shots of my sister, my mom & me. I figure there is always someone in every family that ends up taking on that role. Unfortunately, that means I don't have many photos with my dad actually IN the picture and now that he's no longer with us, I really wish I had more of those moments captured with him. This is the very reason I love working with families. The different seasons you walk through in life with your family are precious. Even if you have a grumpy & crying two year old, you (and THEY) will be happy that you captured this time along the way. I am not interested in capturing the "perfect" family photo where everyone is flawless and wearing their perfectly pressed matching outfits. I am interested in capturing the honest moments, the joy and spontaneity of life as it unfolds in the moment. I love this session because it is exactly that. Enjoy...


Thoughts
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Whitney Schey says: Wednesday, September 28, 2011, 11:59 AM

This is the best family session ever. Not kidding. WHOA.

dorothy says: Friday, September 23, 2011, 01:16 AM

these are so beautiful sarah, love them.

Abbie Kressner says: Thursday, September 22, 2011, 04:30 PM

Awww! Love it!

rich says: Thursday, September 22, 2011, 11:33 AM

oh my goodness - these are so so beautiful! you guys captured this family in such a fun, natural, beautiful way!

Melissa says: Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 06:04 PM

These are just gorgeous Ketti!!!! Your family is adorable!!

Keri says: Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 05:08 PM

These are just gorgeous!!! Ketti, your family is so beautiful!

Cassandra says: Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 02:32 PM

Love how raw and natural these are...beautiful. One day when I road trip across the US you will be one of my stops.

Julie says: Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 01:57 PM

LOVE these Ketti!! I can't wait to see these on your wall!! Great location choice too :)

Janet says: Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 01:00 PM

LOVE these! what wonderful captures!

Jen K. says: Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 12:59 PM

You just plain rock Sarah.

Aimee says: Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 12:34 PM

Ketti your family is so cute! LOVE all the wonderful moments Sarah captured!

Jeff Frandsen says: Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 12:33 PM

Love the one of him crawling through the bike rack (i'm guessing that's what it is!).

melissa zihlman says: Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 12:33 PM

I adore this family...you did such an amazing job capturing them! K, you look stunning!! xx

the detailed life says: Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 12:31 PM

oh, and wanted to add that your words in the last paragraph- I think I've had exactly those thoughts!

the detailed life says: Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 12:29 PM

Love these! Family photos in general are my favorites. Really like the colors this family chose to wear.

Laurie Sachs says: Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 12:27 PM

One of my favorite families ever and you captured them so well!!! Love, love, love. K you look gorgeous.

Angela says: Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 12:24 PM

Love these!! Ketti, you look gorgeous and I LOVE the outfits you chose! Great work Sarah!

molly says: Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 12:23 PM

love these so much! and i so agree with capturing real family moments. xoxo

cherron says: Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 12:21 PM

Oh, these are brilliant!!! Ketti, you look so beautiful and your family is gorgeous. Sarah, you did an amazing job. Love it.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011, 09:41 AM
Chris & I are coming off a crazy couple of weeks of travel... NYC to San Fran and just returned to Seattle this morning. It has been a whirlwind and we are hitting the ground running now that we're home for a short stint. So excited to share with you this sweet wedding!

Galen & Jeff got married at Seattle Tennis Club on a beautiful Friday in Seattle. We have had such a blast working with these two. They are down to earth, easy going, and sweet people to the core. These two have been living on the east coast but were both west coast natives. Their wedding had to be planned bi-coastally since it took place here in Seattle yet there have been living out east. That always comes with a unique set of challenges, but you would never know for a second by looking at how beautifully they put everything together for their day. These two put their stamp on their day, it was clean, classy and beautiful & fit them to a tee.  

These guys had us bring our Smilebooth to their wedding and had some seriously funny moments in the booth, you guys can check those out here. Enjoy a little bit of Galen & Jeff!!!

Photobooth: Smilebooth
Caterer: Seattle Tennis Club
Makeup/Hair: Christina Rose @ Lux Agency




Thoughts
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Steve Shipman says: Wednesday, October 5, 2011, 08:27 AM

Great compositions, and excellent post-production.

McKenzie Powell says: Friday, September 16, 2011, 08:59 PM

Ah! Your photos are always so beautiful!

yana says: Thursday, September 15, 2011, 10:47 AM

Fabulous. Love the dress. And your b&w processing is lovely.

Caitlin Sullivan says: Wednesday, September 14, 2011, 04:42 PM

I rarely (if ever) use this word, but the shoes in this wedding are rad :) You captured them perfectly!

the detailed life says: Wednesday, September 14, 2011, 01:10 PM

such beautiful light in these!

Valerie says: Wednesday, September 14, 2011, 08:39 AM

You are such an inspiration. Love love love these and can't WAIT to meet you in october! :))))

chatti says: Wednesday, September 14, 2011, 01:08 AM

brillant. i love you guys!

Friday, September 2, 2011, 09:32 AM
Lizy & Skyler flew into Seattle from Arizona on one of the most beautiful weekends Seattle saw this summer. We will be shooting their wedding in Arizona next year and these two came into town for their engagement session with us and we had an absolute blast with them. I'm always a happy camper when the yummy light comes out to play. It's not every day you get light like what we had on their session, I sort of go full geek when that happens. "Full Geek" looks a little like a child who can't wait to get his ice cream cone so he starts jumping up and down in anticipation... yeah a little like that. It's the little things, guys. 

Lizy & Skyler are just darling and oh so kind. Lizzy is just that right* amount of shy... the kind where it is just adorable, and then you put a sangria in her & she's all giggles, she is definitely my kind of gal. Skyler is the funny guy, confident, collected and smart. They make a great team together. We found out we like a lot of the same shows, Mad Men, Design Star & Secrets from a Stylist to name a few. Skyler loves that Mad Men style so he and Lizzy dressed the part in his suit and her pencil dress for the last part of the shoot and we had some fun at the sculpture park in Seattle.

Enjoy the lovely Lizy & Skyler..


Thoughts
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Nina Grace says: Friday, October 14, 2011, 06:58 AM

What a beautiful couple! It is so funny how a laugh or a smile is contagious, even through a photograph :)

Rensche Mari says: Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 04:16 AM

They are a stunning couple, you've captured their love beautifully!

Derren says: Monday, September 19, 2011, 07:34 PM

Such a great shoot! Love all the natural moments, and especially enjoying the shots that frames them beneath the sculpture!

arenda says: Sunday, September 18, 2011, 11:46 PM

aw, sweet photos! he's a mark ruffalo look-alike!

dorothy says: Wednesday, September 14, 2011, 05:08 AM

you blow my mind away ;)

Suzy G says: Monday, September 12, 2011, 03:52 PM

Simply stunning. What a cute couple capture in such a fun and romantic way. Love it.

Tim G says: Monday, September 12, 2011, 12:24 PM

Amazing and beautiful as always!!! :) Thanks so much for sharing!

ashley o says: Wednesday, September 7, 2011, 09:02 AM

adorable couple and beautiful way to capture them!

April Russell says: Wednesday, September 7, 2011, 07:31 AM

I love these. I'm a sucker for big plaid shirts. Gorgeous light!

Anda says: Saturday, September 3, 2011, 10:00 AM

ohmygosh, i LOVE that shot of them running across the shadows on the wall. so amazing -- it needs to be a HUGE canvas.

Jessica says: Friday, September 2, 2011, 02:39 PM

beautiful couple, love the colors! :)

Jessica says: Friday, September 2, 2011, 02:38 PM

beautiful couple, love the colors! :)

the detailed life says: Friday, September 2, 2011, 11:25 AM

looking good ;)

Chantal says: Friday, September 2, 2011, 10:00 AM

Love the color in these!

Chantal says: Friday, September 2, 2011, 09:59 AM

Love the color in these!

Monday, August 29, 2011, 06:35 PM
I have a camera that fits in my purse and literally goes everywhere with me. To me, it is as important as carrying a wallet. If it's not on my person, I just feel all kinds of weird. There have been so many moments that I have been so incredibly grateful I had "my pocket camera" (as I call it) on me. And there have been moments in the past where I have panicked and realized I left it on my kitchen table at home only for a moment to fly by never to be captured. When that happens it totally bums me out. Although I typically don't share the frames I take from my pocket camera on this blog, I feel really passionately about photographers carrying a camera with them, in this post I want to speak to that. I figure what a better way than with a few frames from some of the recent rolls I just got back from the lab from the camera that goes everywhere with me.

My pocket camera is a 35mm rangefinder camera that I shoot almost exclusively in black and white film. This is just a personal preference for me since so much of my work is in color and color is my natural preference. Shooting in black and white is just one way I can differentiate my every day life photographs from my other work. It forces me to see things with different eyes. In our waking life we see things in color which is why I think black and white photos have a way of transcending us to a different time and place. Now I'm on a tangent... let me get back on track... ahem.  
I believe there are a few things to look for in a good pocket camera:

1) Light and easy to pop in a small purse or murse (man purse for you men out there reading).
Well duh. you want this to be something you WANT to carry with you, not a camera you make excuses not to carry out. ie a Contax 645 would NOT be a good option here. LIGHT & EASY are key.
2) A camera that challenges you in some way.
This can mean a variety of things. Maybe you are used to shooting digital, you may want to shoot film for your pocket camera. Or like me, maybe you are typically drawn to color images.. challenge yourself to just shoot in black and white or visa versa. Or pick up a toy camera that leaks light & surprise yourself. There are a TON of ways you can challenge yourself with your pocket cam.
3) Choose a camera that is non-discript & doesn't draw attention. 
This one is important because if you want to ask a stranger on the street if you can take his/her photo it is a lot easier to do with a camera that doesn't scare the hell out of them :) You would be amazed at how many people turn me down for a portrait when I'm doing street photography with my Contax 645 or Canon 5DmkII... but with my Leica I don't believe I've ever been turned down by a stranger for a portrait... most are more curious about it than anything. The key here is to chose a camera that doesn't intimidate. A couple that I have used that are pretty unassuming and good: Yashika T4, Fuji x100,
4) Use it! 
It's really easy to get shy about taking photos in a public place, or shooting strangers or even friends, but remember, everything gets easier with practice. My personal photographs of my everyday life inspire me on a daily basis. I hope this little tid-bit inspires some of you to pop a small camera in your bag next time you go out with friends or go on a walk... I think you may surprise yourself.


Thoughts
Add a Comment View Comments (49)
Daeng says: Monday, December 5, 2011, 06:25 PM

I love your idea, impressive for me

francis says: Friday, October 21, 2011, 06:05 PM

so honest. so pure. love this idea. you truly know what you are and I love that. you are not afraid to share. that is so honorable. you continually expose yourself and your craft. thank you for that.

/fa

Kirsten says: Wednesday, October 19, 2011, 10:57 AM

If you came out with a photo book, I'd buy it.

Stephanie Motz Skinner says: Wednesday, September 28, 2011, 03:34 AM

I love your creative eye. You are amazing. Thanks for sharing!

Abbie Kressner says: Sunday, September 25, 2011, 01:24 PM

Great collection here!!

JENNIFER SKOG says: Sunday, September 25, 2011, 12:34 AM

very cool stuff guys!!!! OK, you may have already seen this but... if you are scrolling sideways past the chair shot and back and forth - the chairs move! Or maybe its just me that can see it! lol

Danica says: Thursday, September 22, 2011, 06:15 PM

I just visited seattle for the first time a few weeks ago (love it!!) and took my (big 5dmarkii) everywhere and snapped away. I recognize so many locations in your images because I took similar shots while in seattle! It's fun to know where you were for the shots because the sounds and smells and the feeling of the crowds come back to me when I look at your images. So fun. I think I'm going to put your shots next to my shots just to see how we look at the world similarly/differently. Anyhow, thanks for the inspiration to carry a pocket camera! I carry a small digital one that I don't enjoy taking pictures with but I think if I heeded your advice and carried one that challenged me in a good way I would use it more often! Thanks :)

Jenn says: Monday, September 19, 2011, 06:36 PM

As always....GORGEOUS stuff lady! I'm all kinds of inspired after this post!

dorothy huynh says: Monday, September 5, 2011, 10:24 AM

you are amazing

jeff ambrose says: Thursday, September 1, 2011, 04:54 PM

couldn't agree more. i carry a t3, just a great way to capture life.

fer juaristi says: Thursday, September 1, 2011, 04:38 PM

love this set of pics guys.

fer juaristi says: Thursday, September 1, 2011, 04:35 PM

love this set of pics guys.

Jackie Lovato says: Thursday, September 1, 2011, 03:10 PM

you're amazing.

daniel says: Wednesday, August 31, 2011, 10:49 PM

I try to carry a small pocket sketchbook in my pocket, especially when working on a large project. I like to call it my "inspiration lightning rod" You never know when inspiration might strike so it is best to be prepared to capture those moments.

Alejandra VIdal says: Wednesday, August 31, 2011, 01:58 PM

Augggh. The intensity of the inspiration is incredible. The hill with the kite? Breath taking.

Alejandra VIdal says: Wednesday, August 31, 2011, 01:54 PM

Augggh. The intensity of the inspiration is incredible. The hill with the kite? Breath taking.

Jen K. says: Wednesday, August 31, 2011, 12:56 PM

I spy a toy poodle! :)

Christiana Childers says: Tuesday, August 30, 2011, 11:00 PM

Love these. I keep coming back to the hill with the silhouettes and kites. Beautiful.

Richard says: Tuesday, August 30, 2011, 09:44 PM

Enjoyed this post! Great photos!

April says: Tuesday, August 30, 2011, 06:15 PM

I get your updates in my RSS feed reader, but I love coming to your site to see your posts because of how they're laid out horizontally...
Anyway, this post is so inspiring me to load a roll of b/w in my film camera (vintage Canon FT QL) to have on my person at all times. I get scared with film because it's expensive to develop, but it's worth it if you stop and capture things that really matter. Which you do!

April says: Tuesday, August 30, 2011, 06:12 PM

I get your updates in my RSS feed reader, but I love coming to your site to see your posts because of how they're laid out horizontally...
Anyway, this post is so inspiring me to load a roll of b/w in my film camera (vintage Canon FT QL) to have on my person at all times. I get scared with film because it's expensive to develop, but it's worth it if you stop and capture things that really matter. Which you do!

chanel says: Tuesday, August 30, 2011, 04:14 PM

Thanks so much for the inspiration! Can't wait to see what I come up with...

Cathy R says: Tuesday, August 30, 2011, 01:28 PM

So beautiful! I've been wanting to find some batteries for my old gear and bust out some film. Thanks for the inspiration.

McKenzie Powell says: Tuesday, August 30, 2011, 10:08 AM

Those are beautiful. Thanks for sharing a peek into your everyday life.

rich says: Tuesday, August 30, 2011, 07:51 AM

beautiful work! definitely added the pocket camera on the "to get" list, haha

allison suter says: Tuesday, August 30, 2011, 04:55 AM

Not only are these images amazing, but oh so cool. Now, to find me my own pocket camera since my iPhone just isn't doing it for me anymore!

Arya Ng says: Tuesday, August 30, 2011, 04:26 AM

Nice daily life shots!

Michael Porter says: Tuesday, August 30, 2011, 01:44 AM

Inspiring; this is a great post.

Michael Porter says: Tuesday, August 30, 2011, 01:42 AM

Inspiring; this is a great post.

Laura says: Monday, August 29, 2011, 11:11 PM

These are amazing! I agree about bringing a camera everywhere - never leave without one!

Laura says: Monday, August 29, 2011, 11:07 PM

These are amazing! I agree about bringing a camera everywhere - never leave without one!

mhsu says: Monday, August 29, 2011, 10:34 PM

This is all well and good, but the real question is how to fashionably rock the man purse and / or Batman-style tool belt.

ben blood says: Monday, August 29, 2011, 10:09 PM

Chris' hands and the wine glasses is incredible. Incredible.

Derren & Lisa says: Monday, August 29, 2011, 08:36 PM

Beautiful, as always!

kathleen says: Monday, August 29, 2011, 08:28 PM

(Geez, sorry about that barrage of duplicate comments. My internet is wonky tonight.)

kathleen says: Monday, August 29, 2011, 08:25 PM

I love everything about this post. So cool to see what catches your eye when you're out and about! Thanks for always being so inspired and inspiring.

Kevin Hanson says: Monday, August 29, 2011, 08:21 PM

great insight into your creative self, both the description and the pictures! do you develop your own film? or send/take it to whom/where?

kathleen says: Monday, August 29, 2011, 08:21 PM

I love everything about this post. So cool to see what catches your eye when you're out and about! Thanks for always being so inspired and inspiring.

kathleen says: Monday, August 29, 2011, 08:17 PM

I love everything about this post. So cool to see what catches your eye when you're out and about! Thanks for always being so inspired and inspiring.

Steve Babuljak says: Monday, August 29, 2011, 08:15 PM

Thanks for the encouragement! My M6 has been sitting and collecting dust for years!

chatti says: Monday, August 29, 2011, 07:55 PM

So great. I haven't taken my camera out so much or had time to blog and this is my motivation to go out and do more of that. You're so awesome sarah!

Andria Lindquist says: Monday, August 29, 2011, 07:17 PM

such a good challenge. and such a good idea. i love this, so much easier to catch things rather than w a mkII. i love love this and what'd it mean for catching everyday things. I'm on it!

celine says: Monday, August 29, 2011, 07:03 PM

so nice to know that you always carry a camera with you even after all these years of professional photography.
it warms my heart. This is so inspiring.

Valerie (Colibriphoto) says: Monday, August 29, 2011, 07:03 PM

You are such an inspiring artist. Thank you for reminding me how important it is to carry that camera on me. Batteries are going on the charger NOW! :)

Valerie (Colibriphoto) says: Monday, August 29, 2011, 06:59 PM

You are such an inspiring artist. Thank you for reminding me how important it is to carry that camera on me. Batteries are going on the charger NOW! :)

johnwaire says: Monday, August 29, 2011, 06:59 PM

these are awesome sarah! thanks for sharing them.

michelle johnson says: Monday, August 29, 2011, 06:56 PM

love post. love pics x.

michelle johnson says: Monday, August 29, 2011, 06:55 PM

love post. love pics x.

Bethany Raelene says: Monday, August 29, 2011, 06:49 PM

These are my new favorites! So personal and raw and just beautiful. Thanks for sharing!