One Year Anniversary

I can't believe it's been a year. Actually just one month over since I upgraded to the d200. I consider the d40 a fantastic camera, but I just purchased it to look cool and take photos of my friends. I'm not sure if the former ended up happening, but the latter did.

It's been quite the journey. I've been gone for 6 months and tried to try out my photographing skills... but alas, wasn't able to exercise different tools. So maybe we'll just call this a 1/2iversary? Nevertheless... it's been a year.

What do you think? I'm considering sharing my photos from the past year from the d40 to the d300 and everything in between... and you all can laugh as I dipped my toes in several cs3 techniques. We could also do a Q&A...

You got any questions about what I've been doing? Business side/ advertisements, camera and post processing techniques? Ask away. I will try and answer as best I can, and with the ways that have worked best for me. I have SO much room left to learn and I'm excited to see what this next year will bring.

How's about a few Thailand photos? My heart aches to go back and also to actually sit and LOOK through the photos I took. There are so many. I need to take a week and just reminisce as I look at the beautiful people God placed in my path.


A bit of a background on these... I took these during our 10 day stay in Ratchaburi, Thailand. In the same village we were staying in (a middle class gated village), there was a Burmese Refugee Camp. A slice of absolute heaven. Slums. Dirty, rusty, smelly, BEAUTIFUL slums filled with kids HUNGRY for Christ. All of the kids there were believers in Jesus. We did a few open airs for the parents and then put on the childrens' church a couple of times. I had the opportunity to go in and just hang out with the kids. No words were spoken but I got to sing to them "Jesus Loves Me", played leap frog, simon says, we taught each other hand clapping games, we danced, laughed, tickled and just had a glorious time. A full hour of no comprehension of verbal language, but complete understanding of what love is.

I love this photo... Since it is SO humid and hot, all of the kids get powdered hourly. The Burmese kids would instead have swirls of cooling paste on their faces, while the Thai kids who lived in this village got prickly heat powder just smeared on their faces.

Kristen Tourtillotte, Wedding Photographer.

It's official. First wedding photographed. 13 hours, beautiful bride, hilarious groom, dancing and extremely sore feet.

Kendra and Marcus, Congratulations! You two were wonderful, thank you for putting up with me. I can't wait to share the rest with you.

Chosen randomly:

I can has love?

Only 6 more weeks until I get MY love back. Until then I get to watch other couples love each other. Oy vey...

Bethany, Rick and I trespassed in Discovery Park. We were unauthorized... Woopsie daisy. But to get a good looking location... go on and cite me, officer! No, but really, please don't.

i am the queen of previews.

this session got even more lovey. more soon!

aw... young love.

aren't they cute? more from this session soon. i pwomise. 

for heather and brooks

A quick preview.... 

I've got a lot to catch up on. Happy Sunday!

"hey jill, wanna do a photoshoot?"..."yeah!"..."can you be ready by 7:30?"...."yeah!"

And so it went. I had a couple sessions tonight that fell through, so I zipped back over to the plateau and spent an hour at sunset with my sister. She's such a beauty. And she's fun. And she deserves a suitable man in her life. I will be looking over applications.












We took a lot, so chances are there will be more posted.

Happy 4th!

dear beh-aw,

I miss you! I can't wait to see your lovely face and we can go on walks again and talk with God. I was so lucky to experience Cambodia, Thailand and Montana with you and I just hope you are so so so well. I hope to see you in one month for a Texas reunion! Lots of love, Kissen.

craig, whitney and tagg

Oy vey... When Whitney contacted me to have her photos done while I was in Cambodia, I was so antsy because I knew I had to wait over a month... Well not only did a month go by, but also a few weeks after the shoot. After a long wait, here they are! 

For this weekend I rented Nikkor's 17-55mm f/2.8 from Glazer's in Seattle. It was my second time renting the lens and it just keeps getting better. Oh my goodness... Compared to my 18-70mm, this baby is a dream. So creamy, so colorful, so SHARP. Every picture I fell so in love with, the quality is amazing. So nice to step out of my 50mm f/1.4... after a while you just feel so constrained!  I was praying during YWAM that God would give me this lens. Is that bad? Perhaps God is giving it to me in his own way- with every paycheck I just put a little bit of money aside for this bad boy. God's teaching me responsible spending :).

These photos were taken in my new favorite spot near Westlake Ave and Aloha Street in Seattle.  

How beautiful is this family?

How AMAZING is that quilt!?