Stephen Wagner | Photographer

Patty & Caleb's Wedding

2011-09-13T22:10:00.000-07:00

I had the great opportunity to photograph Caleb's brother's wedding a while back. Having got to know the family a bit, I knew this would be an enjoyable time working with this couple. Postlewait's Farm was a great choice for Patty & Caleb's summer wedding.

When it comes to taking photos, risk is often associated with reward. When I saw the interior of this barn, the inside wall just reeked of texture and character. Props to Caleb and the groomsmen for following me in there. It wasn't long before Mr. Ed (the horse) began to inquire who was invading his space. The result was a very real moment, my favorite kine of photo.

When it comes time to hire good people for your wedding, I have to give a shout out to Dan Moe @ www.dmoefunk.com. His DJ skills were the best I've seen so far. While some DJ's sit there and let the iPod play, you won't find that here. Dan had people on their feet with some of the most addicting mixes.

Beth & Justin: Wedding Pictures

2011-08-27T22:52:00.000-07:00

Beth and Justin chose the Blue Heron Herbary on Sauvie Island for their wedding. We took the opportunity to make some special wedding photos that encompassed landmarks and unique features of the island, including the Sauvie Island Bridge, Howell Territorial Park and the fields and barns. Making the wedding pictures into art was part of the fun...

The relaxed pace of the wedding allowed me a chance to pull out my Holga lens and make some unique pictures:

Kim & Adam - Hood River Wedding

2011-07-24T23:24:00.000-07:00

Kim and Adam came all the way from Chicago to the beautiful surroundings of Hood River for their wedding. They came to be closer to family, and they brought the style with them. Although I've photographed in Hood River before, making each day special is something I strive to do.

Sharon & Jeff : Maui Wedding

2011-06-29T23:34:00.000-07:00

Few events have got me as excited as being able to attend and photograph my mother-in-law Sharon and Jeff's wedding on Maui. The special day started with Nicole doing what she does best - makeup. Emotions could barely be contained when Sharon got to see her makeup for the first time.

This is also the first time our daughters got to be flower girls in a wedding. You can't imagine how excited two little girls can get to be a flower girl on Maui!

Rena and Ryan's Wedding

2011-06-21T21:38:00.001-07:00

Washington Park Engagement Pictures

2011-06-04T10:54:00.000-07:00

Double Wedding Pictures

2011-05-10T21:47:00.000-07:00

Having never shot a double wedding, I knew I would need to bring my "A" game. With the unpredictable weather in Portland, capturing the formals for these two sisters (soon to be wed to their respective fiancés) was going to be fun... and was it ever!

Thanks again to Michelle Cervo for her help!

Kelsey & Eric Wedding Pictures

2011-04-13T23:12:00.000-07:00

I'm posting these pictures a bit differently today - reverse order. Just thought it would be fun.

Kelsey and Eric got married at the LDS Temple in Portland OR, and managed to get the one nice day of weather this week. We spent some time downtown taking pictures, and in conversation Eric mentioned how fun it would be to go see a movie. "Lightbulb." So we contacted the manager at Regal Cinemas Broadway to see if we could take pictures in an empty theater. Unfortunately they have policies, but we were allowed to shoot in their awesome lobby... Pictures below.

While taking pictures in Director Park, the coolest live band appeared out of nowhere and performed an impromptu song for the newlyweds. I think it was entitled "Kelsey."

Big props to the Whitney Myer Band

Also, a big shout out to Michelle Cervo for her help with pictures today. It sure is fun collaborating!

Kendra & Rick Wedding - Portland

2011-04-11T23:34:00.000-07:00

Kendra and Rick celebrated their wedding at Oaks Pioneer Church in Portland, with their reception at Portland City Grill. As each of them had 2 girls, it was special to see the new family come together - the girls interacting and having fun together. Everyone had a great sense of humor.

Hockey Pictures

2011-02-09T20:24:00.000-08:00

I had the chance to shoot my nephew's hockey game recently. Not being a sports shooter, it was something new to try - just for fun. The kids played hard... If you want to know the score though, you'll have to ask one of them. Enjoy.

Megan & Joel : Newlyweds

2011-01-07T21:49:00.000-08:00

Just a few quick pics to throw onto the blog from Megan & Joel's recent wedding in Beaverton OR. Amazingly photogenic couple, and an absolute pleasure to work with.

Frosty Day

2010-12-05T23:37:00.000-08:00

Cold weather hit Portland for a day or two recently. It was a great chance to go outside with my girls, and snap a couple of pics at the same time. Enjoy.
Ahh it amazes me how fast these kids grow up.

Britnee & Alan Wedding

2010-11-23T20:21:00.000-08:00

Britnee and Alan could teach other couples a thing or two about how to get good pictures. Not once were we rushed for time, because they budgeted enough time for everything. When it came to getting a few different locations into their day, again time wasn't an issue. Whether was less than perfect, but color coordinated umbrellas became an accessory, instead of just functional apparatus. When Britnee spotted a great location off the beaten path, she jumped at the chance to shoot pictures while standing in a pile of dirt amongst fallen leaves. And you know what? The pictures show it. So here's to this new couple, married for time and eternity at the Portland LDS Temple. Enjoy the pictures. You made them great.

Family Pictures: Portland OR

2010-11-14T18:45:00.000-08:00

Family Pictures: Downtown Portland OR

2010-10-06T22:22:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since the Poytress family got their family pictures done. It's really rewarding to see how kids grow up, just by comparing pictures.

Family Pictures: in the city

2010-10-03T10:50:00.000-07:00

Well it's that time of year again. Weddings are done, and family pictures are starting up. Some of you may recognize Jordan (my right hand man/2nd shooter at weddings). As we've done wedding pictures at many different places around the Portland area, one area he's always been drawn to is this industrial area - and I couldn't agree more. It makes a great backdrop for family pictures. There's something to be said for the contrast of a warm loving family against austere surroundings.

Nina & Nikhil Wedding Pictures

2010-09-26T21:45:00.000-07:00

Nina & Nikhil, whose engagement pictures I took not long ago recently got married. This wedding was lavishly full of traditions and rituals - a visual festival full of colors and textures. While getting ready to shoot their wedding, I was excited to submerse myself if all of the colors, but surprised to see how the black and white photos emerged.

Lisa & Calvin's Wedding

2010-09-06T21:49:00.000-07:00

Michelle & Matthew

2010-08-26T20:48:00.000-07:00

Michelle & Matthew were married at the LDS Temple in Portland. One of the most fascinating parts of their celebration was the wonderfully diverse multicultural atmosphere of it all. After the temple ceremony, a separate ring ceremony was performed, followed by some of the best toasts I've heard in a long time. Enjoy the pictures.

Family Pictures: Washington Park Portland

2010-08-17T00:26:00.000-07:00

The Cason family wanted to get some new pictures done, so off to Washington Park we went. Here are just a few quick picks from this busy weekend.

Wedding Pictures Katie & Charlie

2010-07-31T17:48:00.000-07:00

Katie & Charles got married. It was a wonderful relaxed atmosphere amidst mid-90's summer heat. Everyone was in high spirits. I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking. (Hair & Makeup by Nicole Wagner)

Holga Canon lens makes debut

2010-07-30T22:31:00.001-07:00

Before I post some pictures from the recent wedding, I thought I'd throw this up. It's the latest addition to my working kit.

What do you get when you take a plastic junk lens off of a Holga camera and mount it on a Canon digital body? Take a look:

Creativity and unique images - that's what. A few pictures taken with it during some slow moments during the wedding can spice up any wedding gallery. Be sure to check back to see the results.

Beavers

2010-07-15T09:01:00.000-07:00

Just thought this was amusing while walking around Crystal Springs yesterday. Beavers.

Engagement Pictures Cathedral Park Portland

2010-07-10T21:58:00.000-07:00

Nina and Mikhil contacted me recently about their upcoming wedding and wanted to get some engagement pictures done. Due to their Indian heritage, I was extremely excited to see them dressed formally for the pictures (and now I'm even more excited for their wedding). The colors are so invigorating. Nina picked Cathedral Park in Portland because of St. Johns Bridge which makes a wonderful vista. For me it was welcomed news as I'm always ready to take pictures in new locations to take me out of my comfort zone.

Wedding Pictures Lavender Garden Oregon City

2010-06-24T14:51:00.000-07:00

Mike & Angela are high school sweethearts that got married at a recently developed wedding venue in a Lavender Garden in Oregon City. I'm told that Angela planned almost every detail of the day. Everything went smoothly, including the weather (with a small exception). It was a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere with big open skies, a wonderful fragrance, and landscaping that was well thought out.

Angela's Hair was done by Chrystal Waddell. You can find her work here (LINK) or under portfolio here (LINK). DJ by Rich at Pro DJs.

Family Pictures: Sauvie Island Howell Territorial Park

2010-06-07T17:00:00.000-07:00

Katie & Charles are getting married this summer. Instead of doing engagement pictures we decided that some family pictures would be a great way to get to know each other prior to the wedding. We headed out to Howell Territorial Park on Sauvie Island to take the pictures. Their son Carter was told he was going to see "Uncle Steve Wagner" so he wouldn't be so shy. We cracked up several times as he referred to me as his uncle and we had fun as we all warmed up and got to know each other.

Sherri & Matthew Wedding

2010-05-26T10:11:00.001-07:00

Sherri & Matthew have a knack for picking good weather as they did with their engagement pictures. In one of the rainiest times in Portland, they managed to find a beautiful day to celebrate and get married.

Getting Ready at Hotel Vintage Plaza
Hair and Makeup by Nicole Wagner

The only hiccup of the day was a small wardrobe malfunction with one of the wedding party which necessitated a trip to Nordstrom's for some new shoes.

And now to get to the Church for the wedding!

The Old Laurelhurst Church in Portland OR

Girls at the Park

2010-05-06T23:30:00.000-07:00

First of all, let me say that I have the cutest girls. Today we ran across the street to play at the park, and I just couldn't resist taking some pictures with one of my favorite lenses... the Canon 24mm 1.4. If you know little about cameras and lenses, then technical stuff won't mean much. And if that's the case, just enjoy the pictures. Comments as usual are appreciated.

By the way, if those faces look familiar, that's because they are some of the cute faces from another outing where I took pictures (HERE).

Erin & Sam – Engagement Pictures

2010-04-24T12:09:00.001-07:00

Just a quick post today. Erin and Sam recently got engaged.

Engagement Pictures Pearl District

2010-04-10T21:05:00.001-07:00

Meet Matthew and Sherri. They're getting married soon.

We had a lot of fun, hitting a few locations around Portland to do their engagement pictures. As is often the case, it takes a few minutes for people to warm up in front of the camera - a great reason to do engagement pictures and let us get to know each other. Look forward to their wedding pictures in the near future.

Bridal Pictures Portland OR

2010-03-13T17:33:00.001-08:00

Janell and Tom : Wedding

2010-03-08T23:09:00.000-08:00

Janell and Tom got married. As part of their day, time was scheduled for us to go downtown Portland and capture some memories: candidly, spontaneously, and even a few posed. Here are some of my favorites.

Everyone wants to help the bride with her dress.

I never mind it when other people take pictures at a wedding. I always figure "more pictures for the bride and groom." But this was even better.

Wedding pictures at Saturday Market.

We made our way to Kells Irish Pub, where Tom used to work. Although I tried to pry out of him how they stick the money to the ceiling, he answered with a disappointing "Irish Magic."

Pictures - Downtown Portland

2010-03-05T23:20:00.001-08:00

Mount Hood Morning - Lake Trillium

2010-02-20T11:42:00.000-08:00

Those who know me well, know my passion is photographing people... But once in a while it's nice to slow things down and take pictures of something that doesn't blink. I woke up early (5.15am is early for me) and headed out to Trillium Lake in the Mount Hood National Forrest.

As you can see, the lake was mostly frozen over. It was absolutely peaceful, not seeing another human the whole time I was there.

Eagle Perch:

Finally I tested the strength of the ice (away from the melting edge), and walked across it. These shots were taken ~20 feet away from shore. In retrospect - walking on a frozen lake in spring when you're miles away from help - not the brightest idea I've had. But this blog post is proof I survived.

And finally, a short time lapse of how the morning looked:

Comments are always welcome.

Time Lapse Wedding

2010-01-28T09:54:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd try my hand at doing a Time Lapse shoot of the last wedding. Here it is, the wedding set up and ceremony in a few minutes.

Time Lapse Wedding from Stephen Wagner on Vimeo.

Wedding at the Old Church Portland

2010-01-27T00:34:00.000-08:00

I never get tired of learning the story about how a couple fell in love. And while it's not my story to tell, helping the story along with pictures to document those moments is an honor.

Russ & Annie got married at the Old Church in Portland earlier this January. Thankfully the sky cleared up just enough for us to get a few shots outside. Scheduling time in your busy day to just leave the wedding party behind and focus on your new husband or wife is a great way to celebrate the special moments in a little bit of privacy - just don't mind me behind the camera :)

Annie's hair & makeup was done by Nicole Wagner.

Country Inn Wedding - Eugene OR

2010-01-17T00:48:00.000-08:00

There's nothing quite as fun as someone who pours their heart out, and that's one of the things that made Taron & Libby's wedding so special. I was honored that they contacted me to take pictures of their special day after having taken pictures for Taron's sister. The wedding was at The Country Inn in Eugene.

Near the end of the evening, we were given an awesome rendition of Michael Jackson's "Thriller." This is one of my favorite pictures from that.

Bogdanov Family Pictures

2009-11-24T21:18:00.000-08:00

More Tolmans

2009-11-17T21:52:00.000-08:00

Nicole & Rob

2009-11-05T14:31:00.000-08:00

Nicole contacted me to see if we could fit some pictures in while Rob was home from Iraq. We had some fun walking around Portland and finding some great places to get pictures.

My thanks to Rob, and all those serving in places like Iraq for the rest of us.

Enjoy.

Cannon Family Pictures

2009-10-27T21:25:00.000-07:00

Poytress Family Pictures

2009-10-25T19:04:00.000-07:00

Another installment of fall family photos.

Tolman Family Pictures

2009-10-19T22:38:00.000-07:00

Lots of family pictures happening this time of year. Here's one of the first:

Wedding pictures: Broken Top Club Bend OR

2009-10-14T23:23:00.000-07:00

Every wedding has surprises built in. With Tracey & Job's wedding at Broken Top Club in Bend OR, part of the surprise was the variety of weather that graced the day. It started with sun, then clouds, then blue skies, then snow... YES I said SNOW! The challenge of dealing with the unpredictable nature became part of the fun.

Hair & Makeup by Nicole, and DJ by Star Productions.

Crystal Springs Lake - Family Pictures

2009-10-05T21:47:00.000-07:00

Fall is fast approaching, and it couldn't be a better time to do family pictures. Treva & Chad chose Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden to do theirs. The only bad thing I have to say is "Why didn't I think of it first?"

Wedding Pictures: LDS Temple Portland

2009-09-12T13:58:00.000-07:00

For today's post, I've done away with colors.

That's right... today's pictures have been brought to you by the letters B and W. I've always loved the classic look of black and white photos and how they can add passion to even the most boring of pictures. (Note: These are NOT boring pictures - even in color).

The lovely couple, Tchelsey and Brandon, made my work fun and easy as you can see.

Also: a special thanks to Jenny and Steve who helped me out by lugging around some equipment and holding up various light modifiers to help make these pictures what they were.

Hair and Makeup by Nicole Wagner.

Other LDS wedding pictures can be seen here. LINK

Annual Shoot Out : Oaks Bottom

2009-09-05T11:13:00.000-07:00

What is happily becoming a (semi)annual tradition, it was family pictures time. Chris Becerra (of whom I'm a friend and fan) and I actually got behind AND in front of the camera. If you're a photographer, you already know how scary the second part is for us.

Family Pictures : Pearl District

2009-09-05T07:47:00.000-07:00

Adults become kids & Kids become traumatized

2009-08-10T22:46:00.000-07:00

All I can say is: "I'm cracking up as I post these pictures. My family is so fun."

Kim & Ried : Pearson Air Museum Wedding Pictures

2009-08-08T23:27:00.000-07:00

What a day! As hot as it was at Pearson Air Museum on their wedding, an energetic, fun couple like Kim and Ried did not let the heat stop them from celebrating. You should have no trouble at all seeing how much fun they had... The pictures tell the story.

Kara & James : Silverton OR Wedding

2009-07-22T22:00:00.000-07:00

Not long after doing their engagement session, it was time for the big event: Kara & James wedding. This time, I'll let the pictures do the talking:

Kristi & Brent: Lakeside Gardens Portland OR Wedding

2009-07-15T22:12:00.000-07:00

(Time to get a few images up from the wedding. A big thanks to Becki who helped with pictures.)

Last Wednesday, I had the priveldge of shooting Kristi & Brent's wedding at Lakeside Gardens in Portland. Everything was absolutely gorgeous...

Nicole did her usual magic with the bride's makeup...

The rains held up for the day so Brent the groom could arrive to the venue in STYLE.

The first look:

Marcus made some last minute changes to his toast.

Just before showtime.

In what had to be one of the best delivered toasts, Art kept it short, and hillarious.

Ashley & Garrett

2009-05-20T20:29:00.000-07:00

I thought it's about time I threw up a couple of pictures from Ashley & Garrett's wedding last Saturday. We did some pictures in the Pearl district, an area that's not foreign to photographers. This time, however, I was determined to keep it fresh, and avoid the safety of shooting with familiar backgrounds. Ashley & Garrett were great company, and never let the heat get to them as we strolled around the area. It seemed that wherever we placed them, things just came to life as soon as these cute newlyweds were introduced.

Kara & James @ Edgefield

2009-05-13T10:27:00.000-07:00

Whenever I'm photographing at a place I've already taken pictures, the challenge is to make it fresh. I'm not a fan of doing the same thing over and over just because it's comfortable.

Kara & James' engagment pictures was just that opportunity. We walked around McMenamins Edgefield, a place I've been a few times, but this time I found some new areas that I hadn't used previously.

These two made the day a lot of fun, as you can see.

April Showers brings May Flowers

2009-04-28T11:11:00.000-07:00

With weather reports indicating a 20% chance of showers, of course it would have to fall during the ceremony. And it did.

But the weather didn't stop the celebration of Heather and Gregg's wedding.

A big thanks to Jeff for his help with the photography, and capturing some of the images that I couldn't.

Nicole was on hand to do Heather's Makeup. After that, it was to the Abernethy Center for the ceremony and reception, where Shawn from Event Team Entertainment, one of my new favorite DJ's got everyone involved in the fun.

One of my favorite moments was when Gregg had a father daughter dance with Avery their one year old.

Tricia & Rian

2009-04-02T09:07:00.000-07:00

From an traditional ceremony at St. Patrick's to a contemporary reception at the Adrianna Ballroom filled with surprises, the pictures explain it all.

Tricia's Makeup by Nicole Wagner.

Headline: Elephant crashes through home

2009-03-28T10:22:00.000-07:00

What do you do when one of your kids spontaneously grabs a Halloween costume, and it's only March? Well one thing is for sure. You get your camera quick.

Product Shoot - Hot Model

2009-03-15T20:20:00.000-07:00

Time to get back to what I love - photographing people.

I was recently asked by a friend and owner of Lady M Designs who designs and makes some very impressive children's articles to take some pictures for a poster and website. Part of the deal was that our model (my daughter Megan - 4) would get to keep an apron for her hard work. Well she worked it.

Sunrise at Haleakala - Maui Part II

2009-03-13T22:27:00.000-07:00

One of the greatest experiences (for me, not Nicole) was driving up Haleakala. We were up well before dawn to make the drive up the mountain. Being semi-informed of what we were in for is putting it mildly.

As our abused rental car ventured up the windey road through layers of cloud cover we approached 1000 ft, then 2000, then 3000. As we passed 4500 ft I thought "Almost there." Little did I realize that we were less than half of the way.

Mount Haleakala is 10,023 ft by the sources I found, and I think I got on top off all of them for some of these shots. We left the safety of the parking lot turned skating rink in preparation for what we came. Using my iPod as our light source we navigated the ice glazed rocks that made a treacherous trail leading to the top. For nearly 15 minutes we gawked (editor's note: Actually WE didn't gawk - Nicole's teeth chattered, and I took pictures) at the beauty of the location before anyone else figured that they would leave the visitors center below and hike up the last bit to the summit.

You can see for yourself if a few minutes of cold numb fingers were worth the experience.

Now the obvious inclination is to think - "Good job at Photoshop Steve!" The truth is that I really didn't manipulate these pictures that much. That's pretty much how things looked.

Ok, this last image is the exception. Using a tripod, I shot 3 images exposed differently and combined them using HDR software to give the final result. In some areas, cameras just don't see things the way our eyes do, and we gotta work around it.

I want to go to there. Maui Vacation Part I

2009-03-07T21:32:00.000-08:00

One of the funniest lines ever delivered in contemporary sit-coms comes from Tina Fey's "30 Rock."

Once in a while the character Liz Lemon enters a dream phase when she sees something she likes. "I want to go to there," she utters in a childlike staccato cadence. Cracks me up every time.

So that's how we felt about Maui. Now that school's pretty much done, and busy season is coming for Nicole and me, we decided to get away for some much deserved pampering (actually a few days in a swamp without the kids would have seemed like a vacation - don't tell the kids I said that).

So off we flew leaving the kids in VERY good hands. Very. Good. Hands.

Anyway, to make things more visual, and less blabby, here's some pictures to show you how things looked through my eyes. More pictures in another post coming real soon.

School of Rocks. Smith Rocks!

2009-02-12T16:51:00.000-08:00

A while back I was enamored with the beautiful scenery of Smith Rock, and decided I had to get there for a photo shoot. Although I love capturing images of people and raw emotions more than anything - pictures that tell a story - part of me just had to take pictures of the beauty at this location.

First - The drive down:
The light was great, we just wish we could have made it to our destination while this light was still out...

And then in the dark of night, I captured this exposure taking 26 minutes.

Obviously the camera was held still on a tripod, while I did exactly the opposite - running on the spot, jumping jacks, shadowboxing Rocky impersonations and whatever else I could to stay warm.
With little sleep (and cold hands) we rose at 4.30am to eat omelet in a bag (jeez I love that Ziplock taste) and capture the morning light.

Now some of you might be thinking that this whole day was just a walk in the park. OK, you've got me on a technicality, it was... but the magnitude could only be captured with this "Where's Waldo (aka Jeff)" picture:

And as if that wasn't enough, we found an old building on the way home that was just begging to be photographed. We gave in.

Anyway, can't wait until the weather warms up a bit so I can start doing engagement pics etc for those who have already contacted me.

Wedding @ Viewpoint Inn

2009-01-13T12:19:00.001-08:00

Well the first wedding of the year was underway... and Flavia and Andrew couldn't have picked a more beautiful venue, the Viewpoint Inn (famed set location of "Twighlight").

The day was perfect; clearing low clouds making way for a beautiful view of the gorge.

Nicole was on site for hair and makeup and brought out Flavia's beautiful features.

Getting in to her gorgeous dress.

The First Look

Preventing a wardrobe malfunction.

As we were losing light on the evening, we were able to grab this shot of the gorge at night.

My Friends: Wind & Rain...

2009-01-07T20:22:00.000-08:00

Do you remember any random lines from an unremarkable movie? I do.

My Blue Heaven (Starring Steve Martin & Rick Moranis): "And into every life, a little rain must fall."

Or something like that. Well as December was closing out, I was hired to shoot some pictures for Charity and Matt at the LDS temple in Portland. Nicole had done a great job with hair and makeup as usual (you can decide if I'm biased or not).

We only did pictures outside for less than an hour (using the overhanging roof wherever possible - to protect the newlyweds from the relentless misting rain and wind). Through it all, we managed to get some great shots, and stayed more or less dry.

Snow Day (Part Deux)

2008-12-28T15:00:00.000-08:00

After playing out in the snow I came in to find that Laura & Kyle's family was in town, and was wondering about the chance of some family pictures in the snow.

Even though it didn't look like the snow was going anywhere soon, we decided to get out there and make it happen. We picked McMenamin's Edgefield as the location, and I geared up. Never having done a shoot like this, I must say it was a blast. Every part of my body was warm and protected except my right hand (so I could feel the buttons on the camera) and I ended up either trodding through deep snow or lying on the ground for several of the shots. This one will definately be remember for the fun we had.

Beauty in Adversity

2008-12-22T22:06:00.000-08:00

From Snow Day

It was probably someone like Mr. Rogers that said that there's beauty in adversity. Then he proceeded to put on his sweater and talk to "trolley."

I'm here to say it's true. Despite the weather we've been having, the fact that I have some time off, and can get out and shoot some things in the neighborhood has been fantastic.

And the fact that my wife came with me for some of it made it even better.

From Snow Day

Even the mundane becomes exotic.

From Snow Day

Heck, even I look better.

From Snow Day

Somehow my brother and I managed to create something equally as surprising. A snow fort for my daughter.

From Snow Day

Hopefully, everyone is warm and cozy, and managing to enjoy the snow just a bit. After all, there is beauty in adversity.

From Snow Day

Laura & Kyle

2008-11-30T00:21:00.000-08:00

Once in a while, the god of "props and other cool stuff" delivers. At least that's how I explain the fact that there was a bale of hay on the sidewalk in the pearl district - during today's engagement shoot. Sworn to never let a oddity escape my creative abilities (whatever that means), Laura & Kyle helped me by swooping into action.

Although not native to the environment, the bale of hay made a great contrast to the concrete and bricks of the area, and made for some fun ~~looks~~ shots.

Worth a Click.

2008-10-24T15:16:00.000-07:00

Ever have a down day? Once in a while I do, but I'm proud to announce that there's a cure.

While sifting through the blogs I follow, I came across this rather meaningful video. I'm sure you can interpret on many different levels, but more than anything, it was a gentle reminder: "We're all human, and we're all connected." Maybe you feel the same.

Enjoy.

Oh, and by the way... I think he stole that dance move from me. I'd recognize it anywhere, because it's the only one I have.

Pictures from Megan's Birthday.

2008-10-20T19:52:00.001-07:00

So just in time for Erika's birthday coming up this Saturday, I'm proud to announce that I've g0t around to editing pictures from Megan's Birthday. In case you can't tell from the pictures, it was a ballerina birthday. I was severely outnumbered by a count of 17:1 until the Matsons showed up.

Anyway, enjoy the pictures, and if you want to download any, just click the slideshow and it will take you to the web gallery where you can download them.

Parents: think quick!

2008-10-18T13:34:00.000-07:00

As Megan gets older, I find myself having to substantiate more and more of what I say. Gone are the days of solving minor childhood dilemmas with offhanded comments. Today I got caught.

Here is how the convo with Megan and me went:

Megan: Get out of here you stupid bug! (angry)
me: Megan, don't use that word. It's not nice.
M: Well he's ugly.
m: Sure it's a little weird looking, but I know lots of weird looking people, and they're not stupid.
M: Really, who?
m: uhhh... (brain scrambling to avoid any names of people she might know.) Uh... you don't know them.
M: Really, well what are their names?
m: (conceding) Darva and Larry.

Crisis averted. So Darva and Larry, if you're out there. My apologies. One day my oldest daughter just might approach you, put her arm around you and say: "It's okay. You may look weird, but you're not stupid."

I.O.U.

2008-09-10T22:29:00.000-07:00

After telling you that pictures were forthcoming after trading family pictures with Chris Becerra, I've finally made good. To Chris: Thanks so much, we love the pics you took. I'll be putting up some of your work here real quick. For the other 4 people out of 7+ billion in the world here's some of what came out of the shoot.

We call her "the Moosh"

2008-08-25T21:13:00.000-07:00

Nicole once found a blog where this lady refers to her kid as "the Moosh." It cracked us up, and somehow the name stuck to our second offering Erika after she was born.
It has come to be used as part of our vernacular when she just has one of those days... Let me give you an example of how to use the name:

Erika	Moosh
Hey, Erika napped for 2 hours while you were gone.	Guess how long the Moosh napped for.
Erika ate all of her green beans today.	Moosh, how did you get toilet paper in your mouth?
Erika, you smell like a baby should (hug, hug)	Moosh, can you please stop trying to roll over while I'm changing your bum!

So anyway, the day finally came when the Moosh learned how to stand up in her crib. Now when she wakes up, it's like a spring has been unleashed... and here's the pictures to prove it. Darn the moosh. She's so cute you can't get angry at her.