A fun day at the zoo with the Hischler Family

Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my.   Monkeys and elephants and Hischlers, oh my.  A call from a friend of mine from High School had us meeting at Woodland Park Zoo for some new family portraits.  Cathy, her husband Gabor, and the newest little Hischler, baby Livia, met me on a beautiful day at a special spot for them, the scene of the couple’s second date.   The park has been experiencing its own baby boom lately with lions, tigers and bears, no, really, but also otters, cranes porcupines and penguins.  And, the weather was fantastic.  We had a wonderful time strolling through the park with its many updated habitats and enjoying Livia’s reaction to the animals.  She was particularly intrigued by the monkeys and elephants.   It was a wonderful day, and this lovely family was such a pleasure to work with!

 

To enjoy more from the Hischler Family session check out the video below!

www.nickimcquillenphotography.com

Kelvin and Silvia's Saltwater State Park engagement session

What could be better than a beautiful evening filled with sunshine and beach combing?  A beautiful evening filled with a fun couple to photograph and ice cream straight from a charming little beach-side stand!  I met with Kelvin and Silvia at Saltwater State Park for their engagement session; it was a beautiful evening, which was topped off by the gorgeous backdrop of a newly setting sun.  The setting for their pictures was perfect.  Salt Water Park was founded in 1926 as a symbol of peace and togetherness for the cities of Tacoma and Seattle.  What better place could we possibly have visited as Kelvin and Silvia begin their journey together? 

While we were there we did some beach combing and found some baby crabs, along with sand dollars and tiny mussels.  Finally, after all of the walking, exploring and posing, we figured some ice cream was in order.  These two were so much fun; I am really looking forward to their wedding next month.  

 

To see more of Kelvin and Silvia's session check out the video below!

Keri and Noah Olympia Engagement

I met Keri and Noah at Percival Landing Park in Olympia where the cherry trees were still in bloom.  This is a scenic little park on the water front with a fantastic view of the Washington State Capitol building. The park is also home to several wonderful restaurants, grass playing fields and an amazing kids' area.  Just down the way from the park is the spot where Noah proposed to Keri. I was thrilled when they told me this is where they wanted to do their engagement session because it just means so much more when the setting holds special meaning for the couple.  We were also lucky enough to have the rain hold off until the very end.  Avery, Noah's and Keri's daughter, and the cutest baby girl you've ever seen, also came along to the session.  Once she got over her shyness, she brought an extra special energy to this wonderful session.

Baby Linda Lauren

Welcome to the world baby Linda Lauren! Congratulations to my sister Shawn South and John Schasteen. She gave birth to my brand new niece on April 24, 2014 at 2:12pm. She was a tiny baby weighing in at only 5lbs and 3oz and was only 17 inches long .  I went to my sister's house and did this newborn session when Linda was just 8 days old. She was being visited by both grandmas and aunties!! I had a great time, and she was such a great little model. It will be so much fun to watch her grow.

Carla and Michael

Carla and Michael arrived looking as lovely as the day for their engagement session.  We had canceled once because of rain and the dreaded spring cold.  How lucky that cancelation turned out to be for us because the weather on the day we rescheduled was fantastic, a perfect northwest spring day!!  The sun was shining, and the people were out at Coulon Beach Park in Renton.   You could smell the "new spring" smells of Kidd Valley and feel the joy of north-westerners enjoying the sunshine. These two are so in love, there is just a glow about them. I had not met Michael, but Carla and I had talked on the phone, and I knew that we were going to get along great!! Once I met Michael, I knew right away this was going to be a great session.  We started by just taking a walk through the park and stopping at different spots. We talked, and I got to hear all about how these two met and fell in love.  Later these two football fans put on some jerseys, and we played a little catch. It was a pleasure getting to know Carla and Michael, and I can't wait to hang out with them again at their wedding in July!

                             

Chris and Kayla Dalton Reception

They go together like cookies and milk!! That was the theme of Kayla and Chris's reception.  I was privileged to attend and photograph the occasion at Lake Wilderness Lodge.  Chris and Kayla were married a week prior in Utah, but chose to return to the Seattle area to celebrate with local family and friends.  Their reception featured three different kinds of milk, a variety of cookies, plus cupcakes and a beautiful cake provided by Kim's Kitchen!   It was certainly a good time, and I am sure everyone left with a suger high!! I would like to give a special shout-out to Christy Dunn. She is a great photographer who helped me get some great shots. You can check out her work at  http://www.christydunnphotography.com, and "like" Kim's amazing carbohydrate creations on facebook at www.facebook.com/kimskitchenwa.  My best wishes to Kayla and Chris on many, many happy years ahead!

                                Check out more from Chris and Kayla's reception below!




     

Sidney Barrett Class of 2013

I would like to introduce Sidney Barrett - class of 2013!  I met Sidney and her sister Brittany at Pt Defiance park.  As soon as I could see that the cherry trees were in bloom, I knew this was going to be an awesome senior session.  We had already canceled once due to the lovely Washington weather, but sometimes waiting is worth it.  (That said, we still didn't escape the liquid sunshine). We were nearly finished when it started to drizzle, and really only got rained on for about ten minutes.  Sidney is a beautiful, bright young woman.  I couldn't ask for an easier subject to photograph.  She is a Senior at Tahoma High School and involved in the running start program.  She aspires to be a graphic designer, and I have no doubt she will be able to do anything she sets her mind to.  I had a great time capturing Sidney's "day in the sun," and offer her my sincerest thanks for her willingness to risk life and limb climbing trees for the perfect shot!  Good luck in the future Sidney. I know you will do great things!!

                             

Check out more from Sidney's session below

                                  

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

During spring break, the kids and I escaped for a couple of days of R&R with my mother at our family cabin.  It is located north of Seattle at the base of Mt Baker. It rained a lot during our stay, but we journeyed up to the ski area and let the kids play in the snow.  Driving home we stopped to explore the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival.  It happens every year from April 1st to the 30th.  The trick is to catch the flowers in full bloom. There are many growers and during the peak of the festival the entire valley is a sea of color.  First come the daffodils and then the tulips show their color.  This year our timing was perfect.  If you plan on making the trip to this festival I would suggest going during the week to avoid the large weekend crowds.  You can check out the festival website for all kinds of related information.

www.TulipFestival.org

My Awesome Husband and His (not so) Awesome Beard!

As an airline pilot, my husband cannot have facial hair. So when he had surgery on his ankle in February, he decided to let his beard grow out.  I will say that he was the only one in the house (the neighborhood) who liked this new look.  The kids would go running every time he came around and I was not far behind!  I think over time we all got used to it...but never really liked it.  When a company photo-op compelled him to finally shave, I agreed to take his portrait so that he would have something to remember - and not feel the need to experiment again!  I have to admit that he does look pretty good in his pictures.

A Kindall Easter

Easter here in The Pacific Northwest was actually amazing!  We had summer-like weather with temperatures in the 70's!  It was the kind of day that sends photographers scurrying for models, so when Kim requested I take Easter photographs of her girls, I was delighted. Their carefully-picked dresses captured the excitement of Spring. These girls are so much fun. I just love to have them model for me! 

Baby Shower Time

Last weekend I had the pleasure of throwing a baby shower for my sister.  Her baby girl is due via c-section on May 1st, and the family is excited. She chose pink and brown for the babys room, and the shower mirrored that theme.  We had amazing strawberry and chocolate cupcakes provided by the best neighbor ever - the one and only Kim Kindall.  I also served chocolate-covered strawberries.  For lunch we had ham and cheese sliders with a very nice spinach and strawberry salad.  I have never been a huge fan of shower games, so I only planned a couple. The first involved baby trivia. We learned that in the 1700's a woman gave birth to 69 children!! (nobody seemed to be jealous of her).  I also had the ladies match baby names with their celebrity parents.  All in all, we had a good time and the mom-to-be walked away with some nice gifts for my new niece.  

Playing Tourist in Your Own Town

Last week we enjoyed the company of Will's mom and stepfather.  They came to visit and help out since I was busy with training and Will is still on crutches.  It was great to have them around and it also gave us the excuse to be tourists in our own town.  We seized the opportunity and took the kids up in the Space Needle (something they have never done but have asked repeatedly to do). We also bought tickets to visit the new Chihuly Garden and Glass Exhibit at the Seattle Center.  It was amazing. If you ever get the chance to experience his art, it is worth the money.  Next time I visit, I really hope the weather is nice. That garden would be unforgettable in the sun.  The weather did clear in the late afternoon, just in time to savor the views and a great dinner at Ray's Boathouse in Ballard.  The final event of the day was to return to downtown Seattle, and take our seats at the MythBusters Live on Stage Show.  Sometimes the best times and sights CAN be found right here at home!

Sarah and Pat's Beach engagement session

Sarah and I met through a mutual friend (thanks Annie!) and I was thrilled when she contacted me to take some engagement photos.  We chose to meet at Sarah's family cabin in Gig Harbor, on the shores of the Puget Sound.  We had a glorious sunny, but cold, early spring day.  From the cabin you could see clear across the water to Mt. Rainier. You couldn't ask for a better backdrop for these two fun people.  Sarah is a meticulous planner, and came ready with tons of props and great ideas for their session.  I love days like this where the session just "flows." Good luck with all the wedding planning Sarah and Pat, the two will make a wonderful bride and groom. 

                           

Check out more from Sarah and Pat's e-session below 

Vanessa and Nick

Sunny winter days here in Seattle are rare and celebrated.  On this occasion, I celebrated with a great couple!  Vanessa and Nick both hail from Eastern Washington, but met at the University of Washington.  The campus is a fabulous place to take photos and was the perfect backdrop to capture their engagement photos.  I had so much fun exploring the campus and waterfront through the eyes of this sweet couple.  Congratulations on your wedding Nick and Vanessa, I wish you both all the best for your future!

New Photo Friends

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of meeting some new photography friends. We meet through a Facebook group that was set up for people to meet and share photography ideas.  A group of us got together to do a practice couples session.  It was a great chance to meet, share ideas and learn from each other. Our gorgeous models  Natalia and Brent were fantastic.  Thank you SeattleRestart, I had a great time and learned so much.  Hope we can get together again soon!

2012 in Review

Time to post my favorites from 2012. First I want to thank all my clients in 2012 it was a good year and I have all of you to thank. I am so excited to see what 2013 brings.  Lots of new stuff in the works that I am looking forward to sharing with all of you.  I apologize for the lack of entries on this blog, I have had some tech problems with the blog that should be fixed now.  :)

Sophie Turns 2

Candy and Balloons what else could a 2year old want!  We had such a fun afternoon with Sophie eating candy and releasing balloons.  My idea was to have her enjoy the candy and run and have fun with the balloons.  Well that is almost what happens (as is the case with most photoshoot ideas)  Sophie loved that candy so much she was very distracted and just wanted to eat all of it!!  Then what adults think will be a great idea, is not what a 2 year old thinks is fun.  I thought she would love to have all the balloons to hang on to and run and have fun, not so much.  She was a little afraid all those balloons were going to take her up to the sky and she just wanted them off.  I did however get her to laugh a couple of times while holding the gallons.  Afterwards we let her let go of all 24 balloons and watch them fly up in the sky without her.  I think this is the part she enjoyed the most!