I had the honor to be the winner of "Best in Fields" in the annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival/Columbia Bank photo contest. I received my award at the Burlington Columbia Bank Contest reception. Everyone was so warm and friendly.  A bonus for me was meeting Dan Lewis, retired KOMO newscaster and avid photographer, whose photo was a finalist in the "Close-up" division.  

My photo was taken in April on Best Road during an early morning sunrise. 

Photo I took of my grandson playing on the beach graces the cover of 2017 Whidbey Island Almanac

One of my daffodil photos was featured on eSanjoaquin.com/Blogs in an article called "LaConner and Skagit River Valley; waterfront, seafood and spectacular colors of daffodils and tulips!"

Spring equinox is a favorite time of year for photographers from around the area to shoot Deception Pass Bridge on Whidbey Island.  One of the most sought after pictures is capturing the sun in the middle of the bridge at sunset.  Often the weather does not cooperate but when it does, the photos are breathtaking. Here are some that I have snapped over the years. 

Cara and Mike had their wedding at their home in a beautiful, wooded setting with mountains towering over their venue.  As Cara always says, "It is like we live in a park". Between the majestic scenery and the fall colors, the location was the prettiest place that I have seen for a wedding. Here are just a few of their photos. Click here for more photos. 

I had gotten an old school desk at a local secondhand store for my "Back to School" photo sessions.  I was able to photograph children from ages kindergarten to seventh grade. My theme was "Have desk will travel".  To see more photos, CLICK HERE.

Paige - 7th grade   Mya - 3rd grade Addy - 3rd grade              

Northshore gymnasts working hard to perfect their skills take some time out to pose for some photos. CLICK HERE to see more.

High school students need to own who they are and appreciate their individualism.  Often teenagers do not understand that their personality, traits and values are what make them unique and important. Believing in one's self will inspire each person to take action and tap into their strengths.  I sat down with a group of Oak Harbor High School cheerleaders and asked them to write down on a sheet of paper some positive characteristics about themselves and what they liked. Next, the coach read out loud each paper and their teammates guessed who each was. After that, each person's paper was passed around so their fellow cheerleaders could write what they admired about each one. At the end, each cheerleader wrote on a chalkboard , "I am ____________ and I like___________" statements.  They proudly displayed their characteristics and I photographed them. Here are the results. In the end, I think the group found a new sense of confidence in who they are. Be brave, be confident, be YOU!

So honored that 2 of my photos were selected for the covers of Whidbey Island Almanac and Whidbey & Fidalgo Islander/

Last fall,  I took photos of Kim, her family and her boyfriend, Andrew.  At the time, I could see how much they loved each other.  A few months later, Andrew proposed to Kim and within a half a year later they go married on a sunny, warm July afternoon at a picturesque family farm with a white barn and a colorful flowered landscape.  I was so happy to capture their special day with family and friends. Click here for more photos. 

Meghan just got engaged to a man in the Navy. They asked me to take engagement photos of them at the Coupeville Wharf where they had their first date. He is from Oklahoma and also wanted photos in his cowboy hat.  A friend of mine was kind enough to let us take pictures at her family barn. Meghan and Dominic were the perfect family to snap lots of fun photos. Here are just a few.  I got plenty of formal photos with him in his uniform at the Coupeville Pier including a replay of the iconic V-J Day of a sailor and a nurse. My favorite photos were at the Engle Farm. See their love through their photos.

So excited to learn my photo of my grandson Finn was selected as the grand prize winner for the 2016 Kids in Nature Photo Contest.  Playing In The Waves