This affair felt more like an elegant 3 course meal preceded by a wedding ceremony that gave Amy + Matthew’s event a unique feeling of intimacy and style. Part of what elevated the event to Style Me Pretty status was the incredible flowers by Seattle event design and floral boutique Finch & Thistle by Rachel Bowes.

This was a wonderful day full of wonderful people at a wonderful venue… I’m so happy and honored that I was included in the festivities. Below is a brief selection of some of the images that set the tone and tell the story of the day. Please feel free to view Amy + Matthew’s Wedding Album or see all the images from their event online in their Proof Gallery. Please also visit Style Me Pretty and show your love in the comments section. Thank you!

Credits

Venue – Sorrento Hotel, Seattle
Flowers – Finch and Thistle
Favors – Fran’s Chocolates
Cakes – B&O Espresso
Hair & Makeup: Intermezzo Salon
Jewelry: EE Robbins
Men’s Attire: Men’s Wearhouse
Officiant: Len Smolen
Pianist: Jerry Frank
Photography: Kip Beelman Photography
Wedding Boutique: La Belle Elaines

With a 7 year old girl at home and being tied to a mixing board week upon week, I’ve never set my sights or travel or destination weddings.  Until now.

This is a gesture to the good graces of karma, luck and serendipity to notify the world that I am ready, willing and able to accommodate a few select commissions over our Pacific Northwest bad spell of inhospitable weather spanning the months of November through April.

What does that mean?  It means that my passport is up to date, film is in the bag, my wandlust and yearning to travel runs unabated and that I am only a day away from anywhere with a smile on my face.

Perhaps I’ll be seeing you for your wedding in Mexico, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Hawaii, the Bahamas, Aruba, Australia, Bali, Turks & Caicos, Costa Rica, Belize or Tahiti soon.  It would be both my pleasure and an honor. Please begin your inquiry by visiting my Contact page. I can’t wait to hear from you.

We had fun tooling around the Eastlake neighborhood, which was where Kristin was living at the time they met and the backdrop for their courtship.

Please have a look. Feel free to comment at the bottom, vote for your favorites or share via Twitter, Facebook, StumpleUpon or Pinterest. There are also links at the bottom to where you can see the entire collection and order prints. Enjoy.

Entire Collection – http://su.pr/7lMtWV
Photographer Favorites – http://su.pr/2jfATD
Image Gallery – http://su.pr/6puqer
Image Gallery Slideshow – http://su.pr/1NOrnJ
Free Facebook Downloads – http://su.pr/1m9aEs
Guest Sign-in Album – http://su.pr/2x8iyd
Guest Sign-in Album Slideshow – http://su.pr/5sZ6dg

I recently had the pleasure of traveling to Pendleton, OR to photograph the wedding of Courtenay + Allen. You may remember their Rainy Engagement Session on Camano Island.

It was a beautiful day with perfect weather. Wheat fields surrounded us and they had their wedding reception at a youth camp cabin 35 minutes into a mountain valley. Awesome.

Hearing from my clients is always one of the brightest spots in the effort that I make to produce fantastic wedding images, capture timeless moments and serve both my clients and myself.

Kip, Kip, Korah! Kip, Kip, Korah!

Thank you Kip for all your help & travel for this wedding. You deserve a lot more than we can give honestly. You not only take great photos & have an eye for capturing moments, but you have a great heart & joy for life which many can see.

Blessings on your life Kip & talk to you soon!

Allison and Mark. Yowzah. What can I say? You two are so easy going and effortlessly cool. I had such a thrill joining you on your wedding day and am still glowing as I think about all the wonderfully warm people you surrounded yourselves with. Hats off to a beautifully simple and elegant wedding with plenty of time to make portraits and one of the nicest receptions I’ve ever been to. Not a surprise really considering Mark is a killer wedding photographer himself.

And then there is Christine. Christine is originally from the Seattle area, but now hails from mean streets of Canberra, Australia. The previous weekend she had enlisted myself and others to participate in the Shore 10K, my first such effort in any kind of run. Her energy and spirit are infectious. If you meet her, you will love her.

Please check out their portraits along Dallas Road / Beacon Hill / Beach Drive, the ceremony at the stunning Glendale Gardens & Woodlands followed by their warm and intimate reception at the Fireside Grill. Thank you to Christine for inviting me along and especially for the wonderful chocolate and Vegemite all the way from Oz. See Christine’s Mark + Allison (Victoria Wedding Photographer) too. Enjoy!

As non-native Seattleites, the aim was to incorporate as much of Seattle and the surrounding Puget Sound views into the set as we could without crossing over into cheese land. We started in Pioneer Square, did a series at Kerry Park, hit Parsons Garden, grabbed their adorable dachshund Fudge from their place in Magnolia and finished on the sandy beach of Golden Gardens in Ballard. I haven’t busted out a strobe on a portrait session in a looong time. It is also my aim to try and fail on each session; Try to capture something that is difficult to do or or execute an idea with a high amount of likelihood that I will fail. The aim is to be fearless. The last two frames of Sarah + Shawn’s set are my attempts at trying to push it. Thoughts? Winning? FAIL? Fire Dancers for the win?

Contest!

It’s my standard practice now to offer portrait subjects a free 11×14 mounted lab print of their choice from their session if they can drum up 30 original comments on their blog post. Sarah and Shawn are no different (in that regard). Please take a moment to vote for your favorites, ‘Like’ the images on Facebook and MOST DEFINITELY add a comment at the bottom of the post so these two can score a free print.

And finally, please note the links at the bottom of the post if you are interested in buying prints, viewing a slideshow, downloading your favorites for free from the Free Facebook Downloads section or would like to see their engagement album design. Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy.

View the Entire Image Collection online.
View the Photographer’s Favorites online.
View a Slideshow of the Image Gallery online.
View a Slideshow of the Engagement Album online.
Access Free Facebook Downloads online.

Please meet April + Ryan. I’m sure you’ll love them as much as I do. I joined the lovely couple at their new home in Queen Anne, my much-loved and former stomping grounds. From there we cruised up and down Dexter Avenue to hit some spots that have long been on my radar from constantly jogging or cycling by.

Please let me share a MAJOR thank you to the Fabulous Fashion and Senior Portrait Photographer Michelle Moore for introducing me to these two. Michelle and April are BFF’s from way back in the day. I can’t wait to join these two in Spokane this August as their friends and families come together to celebrate their union.

Contest!

Not much would please me more than to give April + Ryan a free 11×14, mounted lab print of their choice from this session if they can drum up 30 original comments on this post. Please take a moment to vote for your favorites, ‘Like’ the images on Facebook and MOST DEFINITELY add a comment at the bottom of the post so these two lovebirds can score a free print.

Also at the bottom of the post are links to the Image Gallery, Album Design, Free Facebook Downloads and some faves at the end of the post. There is a 20% discount on prints and products through June 21st with APRILRYAN as the coupon code.

Can’t wait to spend more time with these two as they get get hitched later this summer.

The image gallery
The image gallery slideshow
Free Facebook downloads
Album Slideshow
The entire collection online

Two week discount of 20% on all prints and products. Checkout code: APRILRYAN Discount expires on 6/22/11.

Much has been shared on the blog already about shooting with film and what some of the positive attributes are.  I think it’s important to state that I wouldn’t be here without the influence and knowledge shared by Jonathan Canlas.  Jonathan, hailing from Lehi, UT, has started something of a cult revolution among wedding and portrait photographers that are running to film in droves.

The genesis of this movement can trace it’s origins back to Jon’s first Film is Not Dead workshop in Hawaii back in March of 2008.  Since then he and his workshop have been all around the world and are due to be stopping in Seattle for two sold-out, back to back weeks of FIND workshops.  I am attending week 1 at great expense.

Near the beginning of this year Jonathan released his Film is Not Dead Guide digital booklet.  Weighing in at 96 pages and chock full of information that answers a range of questions such as:  What cameras do I use?  Where do I buy them?  How do I meter?  What film options are there?  And a ton more.  Here’s the official blurb:

If you want to enter the world of film photography in an easy-to-understand, painless way, the FIND Guide is your solution.

You’ll learn to shoot the good stuff starting today if you’ve got a film camera, and in a few days if you need to scour eBay for some gear.

We’ll tackle the types of cameras on the market today, the film stocks available, and the most frequently asked questions those new to film (or returning to film) ask. Then we’ll move on to rules of shooting film, tips for making the most of your film shooting, developing, post-processing, and storage of negatives.

We’ll discuss the importance of personal shooting and of finding YOUR unique vision.  As we continue our film journey, you’ll find yourself spending WAY less time post-processing and way more time enjoying your cameras and your freaking LIFE.

The FIND Guide is 96 pages of e-book goodness that will make jumping into film with both feet incredibly easy.

It’s the affordable alternative to attending one of my sold-out Film is Not Dead workshops.

At $149, the guide is pretty much all you’ll ever need to get started on the right foot for using glorious film for your work.  I wish this thing existed before I elected to shell out nearly 1,400% more to attend the workshop.  Don’t get me wrong – The workshop is going to cover things that the FIND Guide doesn’t in a live-shooting context while surrounded by a bunch of fun and talented colleagues, but dollar for dollar and looking at the nuts and bolts of the knowledge needed, the FIND Guide is a steal.  In fact, it’s even better… In honor of King Kamehamema Day, Jonathan is reducing the cost of the FIND Guide 47% if purchased on June 9th, 10th or 11th for a 72-hour sale!  47% works out to $79.  A huge bargain peeps!

I’ve been through this thing front to back about 10 times and still find something that sparks a revelation. Here are a few screen grabs from the guide. Feel free to click for a larger view.

You may be interested in a 10 question Interview with Jonathan Canlas that appears on the blog to find out more about the man behind the movement.

To view more of my work with film, please check out any of these posts: Century Ballroom Wedding, Seattle Engagement Photography, Hawaii Travel Photography, Pacific Northwest Engagement Photography, Family Camping at Lakedale Resort, and Seattle Family Portrait Photography.

I live in the Pacific Northwest. My job is to photograph weddings, engagements and portraits here. Due to the unrelenting rain and short sunny season, I often find myself in the uncomfortable situation of rescheduling shoots in deference of a sunny day that HAS to be looming on near future’s horizon. Hope sells… Ask Obama.

Enter: Courtenay and Allen. Our goal for this engagement session was to capture them in their element and nothing more. They are outdoor people. They are in love. There is a family cabin on Camano Island that is part of the fabric that defines them as a couple. Sometimes it rains. A lot of times it rains. We chose to embrace it.

Here is what a day with two lovebirds looks like during a typical rainy, spring day in the Pacific Northwest. We hit the Stanwood Cafe, some choice beaches on Camano Island and the family cabin. Clam shells, moss, rain-soaked wetness, North Face and Marmot anoraks, and a couple in love. It’s all here.

Contest!

I’d love nothing more than to give Courtenay and Allen a free 11×14, mounted lab print of their choice from this session if they can drum up 30 original comments on this post. Please take a moment to vote for your favorites, ‘Like’ the images on Facebook and add a comment at the bottom of the post so these two lovebirds can score a free print.

You can also visit their Online Proof Gallery to view/purchase all images from the session, download free images sized for Facebook, choose from a variety of prints and products or view a Guest Sign-In Album predesign slideshow. Enjoy a 20% discount with the code CRISWAHL thru midnight on June 9th. Enjoy!

You made it to the bottom of the post – Good for you! Please feel free to click the ‘Like’ button and add a few words about these two lovebirds so that the rest of the Face-world can feast their eyes on the fun.

A huge shout-out to the frighteningly talented Mr. Ben Blood. Without you sir, I would not know these two great folks nor would I be in the esteemed position to be photographing their wedding in Pendleton, Oregon. Thank you Ben.

And a debt of great thanks to the equally as talented Mr. Jeramie Shoda. Without his willingness to spend a rainy Sunday morning curled up with his girl and mine in his PJ’s and slippers, I would have had a serious logistical situation to contend with other than rain. Ella loved her time with you guys – Thank you so much.

Also, your comments matter – Courtney and Allen need 30 original comments to win a free 11×14 print of their choice from this session. Help ‘em out if you’re feeling it.

Technical Notes

This session was shot digitally on a Nikon D3s. The robustness of and weather sealing on this thing saved the day… It was dumping hard. The majority of the session was shot on a Nikon 35mm f/1.4G, with a few other frames done on the 45mm f/2.8D PC-E tilt/shift, the 85mm f/1.4G and just a few with the 70-200 f/2.8G tele-monster. I love my Nikon gear; Visit my Wedding Photography Gear Kit page to see what else I tote around.

It was a true pleasure to join Neenah + Andy for their vintage-inspired Seattle wedding as it spanned three unique venues: The University of Washington Waterfront Activities Center in the shadow of Husky Stadium on Lake Washington, Mars Hill Church in the University District, and the gorgeous Century Ballroom atop Capitol Hill. And what a beautiful day! Rarest of the rare in March around these parts.

The couple readied at the Waterfront Activity Center with Andy’s modern take on the vintage groom decked out in black with a vest, striped tie, caramel brogues and boutonniere of astrid, pussy willow and silver coins. Neenah had an elegant Vera Wang gown crowned with a birdcage veil and a unique, dried bouquet of pussy willows, astrid, wheat, baby’s breath, silver coins, and status with the wrapped stems adorned with a gorgeous Victorian ivory broach.

First look, details, wedding and bridal party photos were made here before moving over to Mars Hill Church for the ceremony and family formals. As a relatively recent acquisition in the Mars Hill family, the church needs some TLC and is currently under renovation. Some of the pocked walls upstairs proved to be an excellent backdrop for making artistic modern wedding photos of the bride and groom.

Our final stop of the day was the amazing Century Ballroom, currently one of my favorite Seattle wedding and reception venues. The hardwood floors surrounded by the mezzanie and stage provide unique opportunities for any party or celebration. Neenah + Andy’s was no different with some truly moving speeches by the best man, father of the groom and father of the bride.

A testimonial from the beautiful bride..

Oh let me just start by saying THANK YOU!
We are LOVING the photos! I can’t stop looking at them and we’ve gotten so many compliments! We love you work! Thank you for being there that day to help preserve the memories!

Wedding Details and Vendors

Getting ready venue: Waterfront Activities Center
Ceremony venue: Mars Hill Church, University District
Reception venue: Century Ballroom
Dress: Vera Wang
Shoes: Steve Madden
Veil: Brenda’s Bridal Veils
Hair: Kristin Rowles
Make-up: Kim Adam
Flowers: Pike Place Market
Florist: Bride & Friends
Jewelry: Neenah’s Nana
Cakes: Nica & Sebastian Falcon of Twin Sheets
Officiant: Pastor Nick Bogardus
DJ/Music: Family
Decor: Thrifted for the win!

If you’ve made it this far, please click the Facebook ‘Like’ button and say a word or two so your friends can get their eyes on the awesome. Thank you to my dear and talented friend Kristen Tourtillotte for bringing me along. Please check out her amazing perspective of Neenah and Andy.

Whether captured moments by way of simple wedding photojournalism or casual and fun experiential portraits, the majority of the photos above were made on gorgeous medium format film. You will see a few charmingly blurry Holga photos captured on Kodak Ektar 100 with the rest captured on a Contax 645 on Kodak Portra 400. All film processed and scanned at the FIND Laboratory in Lehi, UT.

Interested in using film for your personal or wedding work, but don’t know where to start? Look no further than Jonathan Canlas. Go read up on his FIND Workshops, visit his Formspring or click the banner below to get his exhaustively informative FIND Guide.