Patience | Seattle, WA Photography

I have been challenged-challenged to sit and wait for the shot.  It is easy to overshoot, right?  I want that perfect moment, the emotion behind the shot, the candid, the real, the MOMENT…  But in the meantime, I snap snap snap to get the in between.  I remember watching a little girl wiggle her tooth-I was looking through the viewfinder and I knew it was going to pop out any moment.  I wanted the moment badly-to get the “pop,” it came out moment.  I remember watching through what seemed like my little peep hole.  Then it happened. 

I am trying to be patient, to wait for the moment.  When you see someone or something you just know that moment you are waiting for-the real moment.  It is the moment the camera sees reality-not the push.  Here, on the side of a dock was a spout.  I noticed the slow, oh so very slow, drip.  I loved the contrast when standing above, getting the darkness below and the one small drip of water.  BUT, I had to wait.  DANG water.  I had to learn the rhythm and see what that moment would look like before I knew what I was going after.  There is nothing special about this picture and technically it probably is low on my pole.  BUT I caught the water.  I caught that motion-the moment-I was waiting for.  I was patient and it was so hard to be patient.  I just wanted to continually snap snap snap and hope I get lucky.  ; )  It was like being a proud mamma…, “Everyone look, I got a picture of the dripping water.”   Boring to everyone else but not to me…   Ok, so I am easily entertained, what can I say?

Squirrels | Kirkland, WA Photographer

Have you ever come this close to a squirrel?  My dad played this game with squirrels when we were young and out camping.  He tied a peanut to a string and let it out about 50 feet then waited patiently for the squirrels to come.  Slowly the squirrel approached the bait and a game of tug-o-war began.  Eventually, the squirrels became more confident and came closer and closer.  Squirrels are determined, stubborn little creatures with strong wills.  BUT, the good thing is that it leads to some great entertainment.  This past weekend, we decided to play that tug-o-war game again.  This time, we could play in my own backyard. 

Holy cow, it’s hilarious! | Kirkland, WA Photographer

For other photographer’s out there!

Eyes | Kirkland, WA Photographer

I am always looking in eyes, looking for the catchlights, looking for what the light tells me as well as the subject.  Her eyes are amazing, bright, clear, and blue.   Eyes tell you so much, not just about light but about the soul.  Isn’t the saying something like “Eyes are the window to the soul?”    

She’s EIGHT | Kirkland, WA Photographer

Kids are the true tale of time!  If you watch kids, you will learn that you are growing up (and older) too.  ; (  Sad news?  I will always feel young at heart and its hard to believe that time isn’t stopping.  I was with my daughter the other day, helping her shop for clothes.  I looked at myself in the mirror and realized that I am the mom.  I am the older one-I love to shop and I remember those school shopping sprees with my mom.  I remember what she looked like as she was presenting ideas and combinations to me.  She always seemed older-always my mom.  There was no possible room in my brain to believe that she once was in my young school age shoes-she was always mom to me.  That’s how my daughter will look at me…  I am always mom and OLD to her.

Her eighth birthday is a very special one.

A good dad | Queen Creek, AZ Photography

He loves his daddy, his daddy loves him.  There’s not much to come between them except for the motorcycle :) I was just happy to capture this moment full of realness.  (I looked at the original version and decided to convert it to black in white because it is timeless and tender.)  

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Lindsey | Queen Creek, AZ Photographer

Funny how I always have my camera with me and funny how somebody in my family is always in need of something having to do with my camera.  : ) Meet Lindsey.  She’s a little goofy, she’s a little serious, and she is a very busy wife, mother, student, and employee (well, and aunt, sister, daughter, friend, neighbor, etc.).  I always love when we get together-we have some serious competitiveness going on.  She wins at Scrabble, I win at Qwirkle.  ; )  Honestly, I never thought the day would come when we could mature beyond our sibling rivalry-we always seemed to be on two very different pages.  Then, we grow up-amazing how that happens to all of us.  Marriage, wifehood, motherhood and the like can put us all back on the same page.  Linds, I love you-you are beautiful.

Missing Teeth | Bellevue, WA Photographer

I love when 6-9 year old (ish) kids smile-there is bound to be some missing teeth!  It is adorable (ok, not always but here it is!)  You can see that she is a little timid- but not for long.  Not only is she proud of those missing teeth, she is creatively wearing Mrs. Potato Head’s earrings. What happened to my imagination?  Just curious…

This sweet face | Kirkland, WA photographer

Maybe this puts a whole new light on the term “Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed”

Cuddles | Queen Creek, AZ Photographer

It is rare that this little boy sits still.  He has appeared several times in this place, mostly in the shape of weapons and activities!  : )  But when mommy wants to cuddle, he usually agrees.