White Veil Happenings » Day to Day Happenings at White Veil Studios

A sign the rainy season will soon be here in full force.

Friday, Sept. 12th at Wright’s Park in Tacoma.
I learned many years ago that for the best landscape photography you need to either get up at the crack of dawn or be out there for the two hours before sunset. Well, the same applies to outdoor wedding photography. The light has such a soft and golden hue that is extremely flattering to the skin tones of our brides. Combine that sweet light with a beautiful park setting and you have the recipe for some dynamite photography. Of course a beautiful bride and groom obviously enjoying themselves can only help!

The on-line slide show is here.

Holding Tightly Together

A Kiss For A Smile

sunset In The City

Leifer Mansion, Marysville, yesterday.

And now to push the creative boundaries a little with a special lens that Dan used, and work with it to produce a whole new look and mood seldom seen with wedding photography. You may or may not like the “look”, but as I’ve said before a camera is an artist’s tool and it is a means of expressing an inner vision, in this case to add a dreamy and nostalgic feeling to the images. After all, there is so very much of that going on during and following the wedding day, isn’t there?
Click to enlarge.

Bryan and I had the honor yesterday of doing some promotional photography of some truly awesome jazz musicians. Mike is the main man in the ensemble. Greta Matasa, Jazz singer was included, as well as Jack on saxophone and Clifford on Bass. Mike’s web site is here. Naturally he offers CD’s of his music for sale on the web site, and you can even preview the songs before you make your purchase. These guys have a very sophisticated and moving rhythm to their music. I loved the little snippets of their tunes and singing as we went through the shoot. Sweet!

Mike Strickland at the piano.

This was a two day shoot for us. Saturday for the Hindu ceremony at Union Station, and Sunday the American style reception at the Tacoma Glass Museum. What a beautiful and colorful ceremony! It was very traditional and elaborate. Pauline has an excellent link on her wedding web site that explains the rituals that were involved. Highly recommended reading. This is only a small sampling of what we captured from the two days. Update: We now have an on-line slideshow for each day posted for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

Pauline’s expression as she said I Do.

Pauline and Karry with the bridesmaids.

“Bidayee” - Family and friends bless the couple and say goodbye. Very emotional!

Youthful Exuberance

First Dance

A hot and muggy summer day at Lake Tapps for this one. Seldom does a wedding challenge a photographer as much as this one did. The light began with intense sun and ended in pitch darkness for the departure of Chris and Tammy in a vintage Jaguar. From my macro ringlight, to Profoto strobe on a lightstand, to handheld off camera TTL “flash on a stick”, to video lights, I was never so grateful to have the tools in my kit to do a job like this right. The photos will speak for themselves.
And a special “Thank You” to Tammy and Chris for just being themselves and sharing their wonderful day with us!

Friday we had one of the best backyard weddings we have ever seen. What it lacked in size it made up for in scenery and an exuberant family and wedding party. A wedding with attitude!
Click on the image to see it larger.

Diana and Jesper’s friends from Sweden had a few parting pranks with the house before they left for home. They were locked out of the bedroom, the bed sheets were sewn together, all their shoes, clocks, and faucets wrapped in plastic wrap, the cat was painted orange, and the bathroom was covered in 700 Dixie cups full of water. And for good measure their folding extension ladder that Jesper needed to get up to the bedroom window was tie-wrapped, duct taped, locked together with a bicycle lock, and the key frozen inside an ice cube in the freezer! Fun!

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Here are some images that I took during our daughter Diana’s wedding day in Seattle on Sunday, plus those of Bryan Valiant of Amore Studios who did a great job with the wedding photo coverage.

Monday we did an engagement shoot with a local family from Tenino. I chose several locations that fit in with their country western style, plus a few locations for young Gavin’s benefit. The park at Tumwater Falls also worked out well, with the water level low enough there in the Deschutes river that we were able to get access to a smaller waterfall that ordinarily could never be photographed so easily. Though I might mention it did require some courage from Kristine to get across one side channel to the falls. She displayed that true pioneer spirit very well!

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