Ava Van Photography

kylie | class of 2012

2012-01-21T14:16:00.000-08:00

For the last several weeks, I've been keeping myself busy by working on new designs for my business and planning a few photography projects for 2012, but I'm back and I'm ready to blog again!

Here are some sneak peaks of Kylie's lovely senior pics :)

ella bella

2011-12-21T10:26:00.000-08:00

Over the summer, I met this precious baby named Ella. My family and I call her Ella Bella. She was four months at the time, and now, she's almost 10 months and already standing. They grow up so fast...Too fast! Hopefully I will see her more often before she's all grown up. (And by "see," that could also mean babysit ;)

karen | class of 2012

2011-12-13T19:56:00.000-08:00

Fall has been one of the busiest time of the year for me. I've been spending most of it shooting and editing a lot of senior and family sessions, so I haven't been able to blog as often as I want to. I promise to try and post them all before 2012 :)

One down, six more to go!

Here's a sneak peak of Karen's stunning senior pictures.

And I'll be photographing her little one when she comes :)

the wing's | family

2011-12-12T11:51:00.000-08:00

If you're a frequent visitor, you might remember this little sweet pea. I took pictures of Kailyn when she was two months old and I still can't believe this, but she just turned one this Saturday. Ah, K is growing up too fast. I'm going to miss those tiny toes and the cute bubbles she makes with her lips.

At the same time though, I've also enjoyed watching her blossom into a beautiful big girl over the months. Now she full of personality and just so lovable. I remember right after this session my heart completely melted when she reached her arms out to me and then rested her head on my chest as I held her...Yes, K will always have special spot in my heart along with her family.

This has been the third time I've photographed the Wing's, including K's birthday event this past weekend. Honestly, I am truly blessed to have wonderful and generous friends like Helen and Derek. They cheered me on from the very beginning when I first started out, they continue to believe in my work, and of all people, they trust me to photograph their family's milestones. It has been more than an honor to be their family photographer, and I look forward to spending many more years with them.

Before you start looking at these photos, like mentioned in my first session with K, please be prepared when viewing these photos. Severe gushing may occur.

And I'm not kidding...She's stinkin' cute.

And a few holiday ones

heidi | modeling headshots

2011-11-25T00:03:00.000-08:00

When Heidi asked me to update her modeling photos for TCM Models and Talent, I was so excited. For one, TCM is one of the major modeling agencies in Seattle, and Heidi, she is simply gorgeous. Plus, who doesn't like to play dress up? I can't wait to see her make it big. I know she's going to do great!

Here are a few sneak peaks from our session.

If you are interested in doing modeling headshots with us, please e-mail me at avavanphotos@gmail.com

christmas special

2011-11-23T19:36:00.000-08:00

To schedule a session with us, e-mail avavanphotos@gmail.com

stell's burger | commercial photography

2011-11-09T21:03:00.000-08:00

Although most people know me as a portrait photographer, I also enjoy taking photos of food, and eating them as well :) Last month, I had a fun and rare opportunity to do menu pictures for my friend's restaurant over at Stell's Burger. At first, I was a little nervous when he asked me to do this since I've never done professional food pictures before. But he had faith in me and I had the equipment so I thought, why not? Plus, I'm always up for a challenge. It makes life exciting.

On the day of the shoot, I spent three hours photographing 12 different meals, which mainly consisted of American and Greek food - Stell's serve a variety of ethnic foods. To be honest, the most difficult part of it all wasn't photographing the food, but being being up close to it and smelling it. Also, it didn't help that it looked so yummy. It was hard not to drool the entire time.

P.S. I kinda gave in on the fries...And I have to say, they were d e l i s h.

Looking back at this shoot though, I had a blast and I would love to do more food photography in the future. Maybe my next clients could be Cupcake Royale or Molly Moon's...That would be awesome.
Anyways, if you're in the Queen Anne area, you must stop by Stell's Burger. I promise you won't be disappointed. There's so much to choose from, and they have the best gyros and french fries ever. But for now, enjoy four of my favorite photos. I hope you had dinner already!

mary | class of 2012

2011-10-18T12:22:00.000-07:00

When I'm feeling sick, what do I do? I rest on my bed all day and edit pictures. Then blog them of course. It makes me feel better.

This is my second post and it's only been two days. I'm on a roll. Schweet!

lana | class of 2012

2011-10-17T20:47:00.000-07:00

With 3 different jobs and being a full-time student, my life has pretty much been like a rollercoaster for the past couple of weeks. So with the extra hour I have now, I am going to blog for you tonight. Pinky promise :)

the mcphersons | family

2011-09-28T09:28:00.000-07:00

Goodbye summer. Hellllo fall!

carmen | class of 2012

2011-09-19T10:13:00.000-07:00

When I select the top photos to edit, it's usually easy-peasy. I pick the top 50 pictures, narrow it down to 30, and then I edit around 15-20 pictures in the end. But when I was sorting through Carmen's senior session...it literally took me f o r e v e r to even finalize the first round. I just wanted to do was edit every single one of them! Seriously, I couldn't get over how stunning she was with her pretty brown eyes and long luscious hair. I'm not exaggerating. She's a little stunner and I gotta admit, I am kinda jealous :) Just look below to find out what I'm talking about!

Some extra pics

athima | headshots

2011-09-06T07:50:00.000-07:00

Although Athima doesn't like to brag about her amazing job, I always like to brag for her. Athima is a regular contributor at MSNBC where she writes, edits, and produces for the technology and science section. She's also the national secretary at Asian American Journalist Association, which was where I met her from. She's a busy and successful woman - also one of the most hard working people I've ever met, yet she's consistently humble about it and always willing to help others. That's one of many things I admire about her.

Back in the day, before I was a photographer and a newbie to AAJA, Athima along with Sanjay Bhatt (Seattle AAJA president and Seattle Times writer) tried their best to make it possible for me to attend a networking banquet (which completely changed my life weeks later!). I didn't have a car and she didn't want me to miss out this great event, so she went out of her way to make sure I could have the same opportunity like other students. Athima's been doing this for me for years now. I know I can always count on her.

So from these banquets to other AAJA events, I've met many professionals who eventually mentored me and opened doors for me at the NW Asian Weekly, KING TV, KOMO TV, and starting my photography business. I've came a loooong way and I know all of this wouldn't have been possible without her support and encouragement. Athima, you are such a beautiful person inside and out. I promise to one day help others the way you've helped me.

sister love | family

2011-09-04T15:46:00.000-07:00

The day we took these pictures, it was almost 90 degrees outside. It was burning hot, but you could barely tell because these girls were such naturals! Seriously love my Osborn girls. They were a joy to work with and I'm very satisfied with these photos.

P.S. how do you like the letters? I'm going to invest in more, so please send me any word ideas you would like to see :)

One of my favorites :)

I've never seen flowers like this before, but I totally love them!

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

quinn | class of 2012

2011-08-30T23:09:00.000-07:00

I'm aliveeeeee! I recently got back from Colorado and my schedule was packed with shoots. I'm still trying to get back in the groove, but don't worry, I won't give you a heart attack like that again. I promise to blog more often :)

A few weeks ago I met a lovely girl name Quinn and if you notice, she has that kind of smile that can light up the entire room. But wait, there's more. She also has a sister who is just as cute and sweet like her. Yes, double threat. Therefore, you must stop by in a few days to see their gorgeous sister session after you check out Quinn's senior photos.

Thank you for all the fun girls! You two are definitely my favorite sisters to photograph!

Up Next: Kaitlyn joins Quinn for a fun sister shoot!

sweet dreams | newborn

2011-08-01T12:17:00.000-07:00

Although I've been having a blast doing senior pictures lately, I have to admit, I kinda like doing newborn sessions just a little bit more. It's my new obsession.

So, here's an eye-candy present from me to you. Meet baby Daymien. Sweetest baby ever! And his mommy Tori.

love

Look at that precious smile...

One of my favs

ZzZzzz...

Some fun black and white pictures

anjanette | class of 2012

2011-07-21T15:30:00.000-07:00

This was the second shoot where I used my new reflector and I absolutely LOVE it. Thanks to one of my assistants, Alec, he did an great job with the lighting. And Anjanette looks amazing, don't you think? :)

If you're interested in doing your senior photos with us, feel free to send me any questions at avavanphotos@gmail.com.

I can help you decide on a location, assist you with the best on-camera outfits and accessories, and prepare you with preparation tips.

Senior Portraits: $100

15 professionally edited photos

1 - 2 outfits

Location of your choice

And best of all, you get to keep all the photos from the session!

Stunning smile :)

My fav.

alyssa | class of 2012

2011-07-18T17:12:00.000-07:00

VIEW WITH CAUTION. Don't say I didn't warn you...

Alyssa = Gorgeous eyes + beautiful curls + stunning smile.

'nough said.

Look at those eyes....

Alyssa and her mommy, Rita. Awww

Alyssa and her two exchange students from Europe.

Timeless

That's my girl!

Lyss' favorite necklace since she was little :)

Congrats Alyssa. I hope your senior year will be amazing!

little angel | newborn

2011-07-03T12:03:00.000-07:00

Tiny hands and tiny feet,
Someone new for you to meet.
Introducing a little angel name Mason and his mommy, Sarah.

Baby Mason was such a peaceful baby. He barely cried and constantly smiled in his sleep when I was taking pictures of him...(sigh) Just thinking about it makes me melt. I wish I could hold him all day long! Congratulations again Sarah. What a perfect baby you have!

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a baby photo session, please e-mail me at avavanphotos@gmail.com

I love his tiny toes

Dreaming...

One of my favs

Precious

martha | uw graduation

2011-06-21T11:10:00.000-07:00

Remember Martha? A while back, I did an awesome couples photo session for her and Justin at Gas Works. Now, she's back and officially a huskie alumna! Congrats Martha! Looking forward to doing your engagement pictures one of these days ;)

If you're interested in doing graduation portraits, e-mail avavanphotos@gmail.com

My fav

Cute couple huh?

Just for fun :)

birthday girl | special events

2011-06-16T15:35:00.000-07:00

Big thanks to Gerald and Alma for choosing me as the photographer for Alexis' birthday. I had a blast! The weather was perfect and the food was delish! Filipinos know how to throw a good party :)

So here we go. Let me take you inside Alexis' big 7!

I didn't even have to pose her. Tyra, she's ready for America's Next Top Model :)

Musical Chairs: 1

CUTE

Ready. Set...

GO!

Pinata time!

close :)

Awwwww.....

If you liked these photos or would like me to photograph a special event for you, feel free to e-mail me at avavanphotos@gmail.com. I'd love to hear from you!

my fav's: yoga special

2011-06-15T20:01:00.000-07:00

Check out this poster I made for Mat Quest Yoga and Wellness :)

Make sure you tell your girlfriends about these specials and start signing up for classes! First class is always free.

For more information, check out their website matquestyoga.com

<3 Mat Quest Yoga

pageant days

2011-06-11T13:26:00.000-07:00

After my latest pageant post, a few of my beauty queen friends asked me to share some pictures of me when I competed for Miss Washington Teen USA, so here you go ladies :)

You'll find a few old headshots, red carpet events with my family, and one with some of the contestants.

Big thanks to all my sponsors and friends for supporting me again. Common Ground Coffee and Cupcakes, you are the best! And to all my pageant friends, thank you for voting me Miss Congeniality!

If you are considering to compete or have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me at Ava@pageantsnw.com

DVM Photography

pageant news

2011-06-08T10:25:00.000-07:00

Aside from doing photography, I am also the coordinator at Pageants NW where I represent Miss Washington USA - Miss Washington Teen USA, and

Miss Idaho USA - Miss Idaho Teen USA.

I would like to invite you to add my facebook page at

Ava-Pageants NW Coordinator where I keep you updated with the latest pageant news and get you started if you want to compete!

Do you want to be the next Miss USA or Miss Teen USA?

Don't just dream it, LIVE it. Be a state title holder and also star in a reality show!

For more information or to become a contestant, e-mail me at Ava@pageantsnw.com

www.pageantsnw.com

www.misswashingtonusa.com

www.missidahousa.com

www.mrkd.tv/miss_usa

Preliminary to Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, and Miss Universe

www.missuniverse.com/missusa

www.missuniverse.com/missteenusa

www.missuniverse.com

dj romo | commerical photography

2011-06-07T17:29:00.000-07:00

Ross is an awesome beatboxer and a really good DJ. If you're planning an event around the Seattle area and need some good music, you must check out DJ Romo!

For more information, visit www.djromo.com

morgan | graduation

2011-05-26T12:01:00.000-07:00

You've seen her all over my advertisements...Now the pictures are finally here!

Morgan is my art buddy. I'm sad that I won't see her everyday anymore, but I am very happy that she's graduating and starting a new chapter in her life. Morgan is graduating from Seattle Pacific University with a BA in biology and she hopes to become a doctor one day.

Congrats Morgan. Four years have finally paid off! Thank you for all the fun memories :)

One of my favs

LOVE this headshot!

Morgan, you are so cute! :)

seattle pacific university | editorial

2011-05-23T10:03:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures I took for Seattle Pacific University to be used for media purposes. I am truly honored again to have this rare opportunity to photograph these honorable people in the community and looking forward to many more ;)

Thank you for visiting SPU Dr. Deforia Lane and congrats to each of the award recipients!

Dr. Defora Lane - Nationally recognized music therapist

Carol Clement named "Staff Member of Year"

Kevin Neuhouser named "Professor of the Year"

Leigh Hopkins named "Staff of the Year"

graduation pictures

2011-05-21T20:50:00.000-07:00

It's time to send out those graduation announcements!

Graduation Package includes:

DVD with all raw images

15 professionally edited photos

2 outfits

Location of your choice

new editing effects and styles

2011-05-16T20:00:00.000-07:00

If you're a regular, you should know who this pretty lady is by now :)

So when I was editing Janet's pictures, I wanted to try something new. Rather than going for the natural look like I usually do, I explored other editing effects and styles. Take a look at the pictures below and tell me which one you like best!

And I must warn you. She has the coolest eyes in the world. They can change from dark blue to light green depending on the lighting. If you're jealous, it's totally understandable. I am very jealous as well!

Style: Bold and dark look

Style: Vintage

Style: Natural

Style: Black and white

giveaway!

2011-05-07T22:40:00.000-07:00

I am giving away a free photo session! This is PERFECT for anyone in need of senior pictures or grad pics.

All you have to do is "like" our Facebook business page. Once I reach my 200th fan, I will do a drawing starting with the 150th person to most recent. So get your friends together and start adding our page! Add us now by clicking on the link below:

Ava Van Photography Business Page

For more information or to schedule a photo session, e-mail avavanphotos@gmail.com

etc magazine | editorial

2011-05-02T19:48:00.000-07:00

When I was asked to photograph Shane Claiborne for etc magazine, I'm not going to lie, it was hard to not do a victory dance!!! Shane is one of my favorite inspirational authors, so to have the honor to meet him and photograph him for a magazine was a huge blessing.

Below are some pictures of Shane speaking at Group, a worship service at Seattle Pacific University.

For more information about Shane, visit The Simple Way. P.S. I highly recommend his book The Irresistible Revolution!

happiness | family

2011-04-28T19:05:00.000-07:00

Happiness: The Birley's

'nough said.

This pictures makes me happy. It reminds me of old times with my cousins when I was younger.

One of my favs

Take one

Take two

Jenna is still that sweet and pretty girl I remember from high school :)

They are such a fun family.

senior pictures special

2011-04-19T13:02:00.000-07:00

Are you going to be a senior or do you know of any soon-to-be seniors? Tell them about Ava Van Photography's awesome deals!

Package includes:

Two outfits

Location of your choice

15 photos on DVD

Rate is $100

Get two friends to sign up for senior pictures and get YOURS for FREE.

To book a session, e-mail Ava at avavanphotos@gmail.com

joy | family

2011-04-16T18:21:00.000-07:00

If you're a regular, you would know that I love kids and babies, so to have the best of both worlds that day, I couldn't complain! The Barnes welcomed me into their family to meet their newest addition, baby Klaire. Boy was she adorable with her dark blue eyes. And Kate, their eldest daughter, was so sweet. She gave me a tour of her toys and even made me a yummy meal from her play kitchen. They were truly a joy to photograph!

Breathtaking

10 perfect tiny toes

Kate and her favorite frog :)

CUTE! Sister love

thin mint cheesecake

2011-04-12T08:53:00.000-07:00

My roommate, Janet, makes the BEST thin mint cheesecake in the world! Had to share a piece of it with you :)

love | family

2011-04-09T18:41:00.000-07:00

Dylan's pictures are finally HERE. I released more pictures than usual due to the requests, so prepare yourself for a big treat!

P.S. Thank you for introducing me to such a sweet family Athima. Dylan was a darling!

Pictures were taken at University of Washington.

I wanted to kidnap him when he did this :)

cute boots

The cherry blossoms at UW was so beautiful.

I love detail shots

Now Dylan's turn

Don't you just love his umbrella? :)

Aww...

!!!!

senior pictures special

2011-04-08T20:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks for stopping by!

To see more senior pictures, simply click on "Seniors" or "Lifestyles" under categories to your right. Also, don't forget to take advantage of inviting to friends to sign up for senior pictures and get yours for FREE!

mat quest yoga and wellness | commercial photography

2011-04-05T00:38:00.000-07:00

The minute I walked into Dianna's yoga studio, I knew that I would never go back to doing yoga in the gym or anywhere else. The studio looks beautiful. It's clean, quiet, and I love the relaxing atmosphere. You can't get this kind of experience at the gym :)

Dianna is a good friend of mine. She's the owner and yoga instructor at Mat Quest Yoga and Wellness located in Renton. I've gone to her yoga class a couple times and honestly, each session is an amazing experience. I always leave feeling rejuvenated because Dianna is such a great instructor! I highly recommend her if you're looking for a yoga teacher.

If you can't make it to the classes in Renton though, no worries. Mat Quest also travels to your workplace, school, community center, or church to teach yoga. First class is always free. So, invite your friends for a yoga party!

For more information, check out http://matquestyoga.com/

Matquest' studio

Time for relaxation

Powder room

Dianna, owner of Matquest and yoga instructor

Some equipment provided at yoga studio

Grace | lifestyles

2011-03-28T19:36:00.000-07:00

Spring is finally HERE. That means warmer weather and more pictures :)

This is my good childhood friend, Grace. She is a nursing student and a make up artist at XoXo Make-up. Grace is a MAC girl and she's so talented at what she does. I've worked with her the past and honestly, I'm always satisfied with the results. If I could afford it, I would hire her to glam me up everyday!

So, if you want to have your make-up done professionally for an event, check out XoXo Make-up!

Her smile is contagious

My favs

caroline | lifestyles

2011-03-17T18:25:00.000-07:00

Meet Caroline - she's the editor at Earthwalkers Magazine. Caroline is the girl you want to be friends with. Not only does she know all the hot spots in Seattle, but she also knows some pretty awesome places to travel to around the world!

Caroline started this one of a kind magazine a couple years back where anyone can share their traveling stories, have their work published, and get paid. It's hitting off great so far. Pretty soon, the magazine will be distributed globally. I'm very excited for her.

If you travel often or have any friends that do, here's your chance to keep those memories alive and get a special treat in return. See link below:

Earthwalkers Magazine

I envy her curls!

And some extra fun photos

Thanks for showing me this hidden gem Caroline!

tim | headshots

2011-03-03T19:12:00.000-08:00

Tim and I have known each other for almost 8 years now. I could still remember it was just yesterday when we took the yellow school buses to school! Time flies by quick, doesn't it?

After the session, Tim and his girlfriend, Chris, took me out to my favorite Greek bite and spoiled me rotten with gelato! YUM. My mouth is watering right now as I think about how good my moca-chip was...

Tim & Chris: For the record, I am very available to do your engagement photos one day ;)

Had to get the cute girlfriend in :) Thanks for all the fun Tim and Chris!

king tv flashback | behind the scences

2011-02-24T09:50:00.000-08:00

I was asked by some of my fans in the UK and Malaysia to release some photos of when I worked at KING TV. Because you guys rock, here you go!

(all photos taken with my Canon point and shoot)

Josie Bissett - Known as Kathleen on The Secret Life of the American Teenager

Josie Bissett with New Day Executive Producer Tracy Green

New Day NW Host Margaret Larsen

Jim Dever- Evening Magazine Reporter at Cirque du Soleil

Jim Dever takes us behind the scenes

Eric Riddle - Evening Magazine Producer

Kim Holcomb - Evening Magazine Reporter

Michael King - Evening Magazine Reporter

Michael interviews local photographer on his famous shark photo

The Twilight crew stopped by the show and I had to show Jake some love. Didn't know Bella was in the background! :/

Zary couldn't decide!

Joan Kinsey - Evening Magazine Producer

Kim Holcomb interviews Anna Kendrick, Michael Cera, and Edgar Wright for Scott Pilgrim Vs The World

With my girl Jessica

Getting ready to fly in a helicopter for a breaking news story

Mark Hansen - SkyKING Pilot

Flying back into Seattle

Jim Dever hosts show

With one of my favorite photographers, Darrell Benedict - Evening Magazine Photographer

little sweet pea | baby

2011-02-20T18:19:00.000-08:00

I fell in love with baby Kailyn the minute I met her. She's so sweet, bubbly, and such a happy baby.

For this photo session, I was going more for candid look and focused on the detail shots. Kailyn was a natural when it came to taking pictures. In fact, she was always camera ready. If you look closely, in almost every photo, she looks directly into the camera!

Kailyn's mom, Helen, said she likes the camera just like her daddy (Helen's husband was a former anchor at Q13 news), and you know what? Its true. She loved dancing around and constantly smiled. At times when I was lucky, she also tried talking to me...Did I mention she's only 2 months?

P.S. Please be prepared when viewing these pictures. Severe gushing may occur.

Doesn't it feel so peaceful to watch a baby sleep?

tiny toes! :)

Kailyn and mommy

Smile for the camera Kailyn!

She loved making bubbles

My heart is melting. Right. Now...

bellevue patch news | editorial

2011-02-17T21:04:00.000-08:00

Starting this year, I expanded my business to doing editorial work and my very first client was the Bellevue Patch news. To be honest, I'm still jumping up and down about it!

This all wouldn't have been possible without my friends Sanjay Bhatt and Venice Buhain. Thank you very much for all your love and support.

Here is the link to the event I photographed:
St. Louise Catholic Church Celebrates 50th Anniversary

aaja banquet dinner | special events

2011-02-05T21:24:00.000-08:00

Rarely do I ever shoot special events, but I had to do it for my good friends at Asian American Journalist Association (AAJA). They are the reason I had the opportunity to work at NW Asian Weekly and KING TV :)

Throughout the night, I had a blast taking pictures of everyone. It was very nice to catch up with old friends and meet other local journalists. But I must admit, the best part was seeing the chapter board officers rock the stage to karaoke! It's not so often that you see a professional journalist boogy down.

Besides taking candid shots, I also had a photo booth for some fun portraits. Given the proximity, I was only able to use one studio light, which was a challenge, but I'm happy with how the pictures turned out.

Below are some of photo booth portraits.

Special thanks to Lori, Sanjay, Athima, Mai, Venice, Caroline, and Owen for choosing me as the official event photographer. Happy New Years everyone! Or as my grampa would say, "Chuc Mung Nam Moi!"

Mai Hoang - Reporter at Yakima Herald

Athima Chansanchai - Reporter at MSNBC

Sanjay Bhatt - Business reporter at Seattle Times

Venice Buhain - Editor at the Patch

Caroline Li - Editor at Earthwalkers Magazine

Maureen Francisco (right) - News anchor, reality star, actress, and model with friend.

Tanya Woo - KING 5 with Caroline

Caroline is so adorable! Her smile is contagious.

Meet mai's husband, Jerome.

Karen Brewer Food writer at PCC Natural Markets

Jerry Brewer - Reporter at Seattle Times

Isn't she so adorable? :)

olesya and marta | commercial photography

2011-01-24T19:48:00.000-08:00

Cheers to the first blog of 2011!

Olesya and Marta are in a worship band at their church and I must say, I am blown away by their talent. Olesya plays the tambourine. Marta plays the guitar. AND they both have such a beautiful voice. Currently, they are recording music, so remember their names because they're going to be big one day.

As I promised, I will link up their blog soon. In the meantime, enjoy!

LOVE this :)

And this one.

And this one! I just can't decide...

ava van photography best of 2010

2010-12-25T19:10:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the best photos from 2010. My photography business wouldn't have been possible without all the generous support, so this one goes out to everyone who believes in me and inspires me everyday! And...

the tekola sisters | family

2010-12-23T11:04:00.000-08:00

Nothing is more precious than four beautiful sisters.

Tanesha (3rd one to the right) and her sisters have been taking pictures every Christmas for their parents; however starting this year, I am going to be their official photographer! I am more than honored to be part of their sister tradition.

Thank you for all the fun girls!

Look at Nataly holding onto that flower. I LOVE this one!

My favorite :)

martha & justin | couples

2010-12-20T21:28:00.000-08:00

Meet the very first couple I have ever photographed and hopefully, with many more to come :)

Since Gaswork's is a special place to Justin and Martha, I was thrilled to make this a memorable shoot for the both of them. Luckily, the pineapple express died down and the sun came out, but don't be fooled. Although it looks pretty warm in the pictures, let me tell you--it was freezing cold! And the grass was so soggy and muddy when we moved to the art structure, but they were such good troopers. They made it seem easier than it actually looks!

P.S. Thank you for the awesome Christmas gift Justin and Martha!

One of my favorites!

Such a CUTE couple--don't you think?

justin | lifestyles

2010-12-10T15:07:00.000-08:00

Most of my clients that I've photographed lately have been ladies, so it was really fun to try something new. I had to think like a guy and guide Justin to pose like one, which is harder than you think!

Justin is a pre-law student and is part of his church's worship band. You might also recognize him from Youtube where he sings pretty awesome songs!

Check out his channel below and don't forget to subscribe to it.

Jakiranz

pearl | lifestyles

2010-12-07T10:24:00.000-08:00

Although I usually have a natural effect in all my photos, I wanted to change it up and bit and show you my bold side as well.

The last time I saw Pearl, she was still a baby! Now she's all grown up and blossomed into a very pretty young lady. Time flies by fast doesn't it?

These are my favorite! I love the background.

lyssa | lifestyles

2010-12-05T00:52:00.000-08:00

Last week's photo shoot at Experience Music Project was so perfect. The sun was out, the breeze was just right, and Lys looked absolutely gorgeous. I was a happy photographer.

chelsea | headshots

2010-11-24T00:18:00.000-08:00

Chelsea was a natural when it came to taking pictures. I barely had to instruct her!

Chelsea is a fashion merchandise major and serves hall council. Thanks to her wonderful decorating skills last year, my charity event looked great. It was good to see her and catch up again.

Thank you for the fun Chels! Here are a few pictures from our short session.

janet | lifestyles

2010-11-22T19:49:00.000-08:00

Janet + snow = happy Ava!

Let's admit, today was a gorgeous day. And even better, I had the opportunity to work with Janet. Janet is a good friend of mine that I met last year. She's sweet, funny, and so delightful to be around.

I hope you enjoy the pictures because I know I did! Doesn't she look like an American Eagle model?

Some extra fun photos

bandolier | music artists

2010-11-18T18:45:00.000-08:00

Part two

bandolier | commercial photography

2010-11-13T23:39:00.000-08:00

On the day of this shoot, I remember how excited I was to work with Bandolier because their music is amazing. The first time I saw their performance was at a journalism dinner that I attended, and immediately after the first song, I said I want them to perform at my next charity event. And they did :)

Bandolier sponsored my event called Couture Exchange where dozens of students came together to donate their clothes, exchange them, and then donated unexchanged items to the Seattle's Union Gospel Mission. Because they invested their time to perform during the entire event, I wanted to return the favor by donating my commercial photography services to them. So glad they took on my offer because they were so much fun to work with.

For more information about their music, go to http://bandoliermusic.com

never before seen pictures

2010-11-11T09:56:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures I wanted to share since I had a couple requests to release more photos. Below are my girls Emily and Jenny.

denisse | headshots

2010-11-10T22:09:00.000-08:00

Let's see, I started to shoot Denisse around the evening today and I'm already blogging about it (usually it takes me a few days to a week). I am very weak when it comes to photography as you can tell. I literally came home, dropped everything, and went straight to my computer. You could call it a good obsession :)

Denisse and I knew each other through college and I can still remember the first time I met her. We immediately became friends because she was friendly and down-to-earth! It was really good seeing her today. I love the feeling of meeting old friends; it makes you feel at home all over again!

My next project with Denisse is doing her engagement photos. I can't wait! I will keep you all posted.

NEXT SHOOT: Denisse's Engagement

jenny | headshots

2010-11-05T23:01:00.000-07:00

The first time I met Jenny, I knew I had to photograph her one day and you know what? My wish came true!

She has that alluring classy look that I like; bright blue eyes, long blond curly hair, and her mile long legs, but the best part about her is her charming personality. She was so fun and easy to work with. If you ever get the chance to meet her, you would be in for a treat!

Enjoy Jenny's modeling pictures.

amollia | lifestyles

2010-11-04T19:42:00.000-07:00

This past Tuesday was such a gorgeous day. The sun came out, the weather was warm, and Amollia brightened up my day with her pretty smile. I couldn't have asked for a better day!

Amollia is a close friend of mine and she is an amazing at playing the viola. Every now and then she would play for me while I eat dinner and I think that's the sweetest thing ever, so I made she bring it with her for out shoot. I wanted to share with you a little bit about who this remarkable person is.

Here are some of my favorite shots of my Mol. ENJOY!