I love working with couples that are high school sweethearts.  Usually, these couples have been together for so long, they are so in tune with one another.  They can just look at the other person and immediately know what the other is thinking.  Jamie+Khiem are no different.  They knew each other in high school but didn’t start dating until their senior year.  They then went to the University of Washington together, which held significance for both of them and that’s why they picked it as their first shooting location.

Jamie is quiet, shy, and sweet.  But a totally classy lady.  There’s actually 10 years that separate Jamie and me, but I feel like she’s one of the most mature ladies I’ve met at her age.  She’s just one of those gals that seem like she’ll stay calm, cool, and collected through anything.  And those are the type of gals I love working with.  Khiem is one of the “laugh-iest” grooms I’ve ever worked with.  There’s no middle ground for Khiem.  If he smiles, he SMILES!  With ALL CAPS.  His face lights up every time we told him to smile and it’s such a great feeling we get behind the camera.  People like Khiem make ME smile behind my view finder and that’s something really special.  Check out their engagement session sneak peek for yourself.

Play the slideshow below for more of Jamie+Khiem.  If you are on an iPhone or an iPhone, click HERE.

Whenever I mention the word “boudoir” to girls, I always see their eyes light up.  And just as fast their eyes light, they immediately dim.  Boudoir, for good reason, make girls nervous.  Heck, it makes ME nervous!  So I totally understand.  The thought of being in a room with only lingerie on can be daunting.  Add on top of that, a photographer pointing a large black lens in your face.  Horrific right?  But I can tell you one thing: most girls I’ve talked to have thought about getting a boudoir shoot done.  However, there’s usually a couple of things stopping them from truly doing it.  The major factor being how they view their own bodies. 

 Before I get into this, let me just say that this post isn’t to talk about body image nor am I going to make you change your minds about how you think you look.  I’ll speak to my own experiences a little bit, but this post is mainly to introduce you to the PROCESS of a boudoir shoot.  At the end of this post, my goal is for the girls reading this to think maybe boudoir as something not as daunting as it seems. 

 In my idealistic early 20’s, I had a vision for myself.  I knew I needed to be a certain size and I knew when I should get married to leave time to have two children.  The married and children thing, let’s not go into that in this post.     But in my younger years, I remember feeling like I was never thin enough.  Now fast forward a decade later (OK…now you all know my age…grrrrrreat), when I stumble on pictures of myself in my 20’s, I think, “Wow, I looked pretty good back then!”  And I now know this will only continue throughout my years.  In my 40′s I’ll yearn for my 30′s, in my 50′s I’ll long for my 40′s and so on.

 Look, I’m a lot more mature than when I was in my 20’s.  But somewhere buried deep inside my self confidence is still a little bit of that 20 year old’s insecurity.  I know I’ll never be my ideal size, but I know for a fact that I can’t dwell on it.  Because before I know it, my 30’s is going to just pass me by while I’m spending it thinking about how I could look.  My goal this year is to put my insecurities aside and finally bite the nail to do a boudoir shoot for myself.  The thought of it still haunts me a little bit, but I’m ready to face the experience. 

And it is an experience.  When I do a boudoir shoot, I tend to talk about it as an experience for the woman.  I encourage my clients to not only look classy (and sexy) but also FEEL sexy from within.  Whether it’s getting hair and make-up professionally done before the shoot or going out and hunting for new lingerie or getting a facial and a massage the day before.  This is all a process in itself to help us not only look, but feel beautiful from within.  I don’t know about you but whenever I get my hair professional blow dried, I instantaneously feel 10 pounds thinner and prettier. 

 The process doesn’t end there and it’s not just your responsibility.  As a photographer, I’m responsible for making you feel at ease during the shoot.  If you don’t feel at ease, your guard comes (swooping noise) way up and you immediately lose confidence in yourself.  When I’m in a room with you at your most vulnerable, trust is a huge thing.  And trust me when I tell you that through tricks in lighting, posing, camera composition, and my skillful ninja maneuvering that I will make you look your best. 

The honest truth is we as women are so concerned with how we COULD look, we often forget how beautiful we DO look.  Let’s not waste time self criticizing for another 10 years before looking back and realizing how beautiful we truly were.  Let’s capture this moment, at your best, to cherish forever.  Boudoir sessions are one of my favorites to shoot because I feel that it EMPOWERS women. Whether you are a size 2 or a 22, you ARE beautiful.  Trust me and let me show you how stunning you can be.  Email me for more information on a Boudoir with Cindi session and if you’re interested (and brave), I might share my own boudoir pictures with you.

I’ve been into fingerless gloves lately.  I’m not a normal glove wearer.  I actually have this really interesting condition where my hands are almost always warm.  Well, maybe it’s not a condition.  But whatever it is, I’m one of those lucky ones that always have warm hands.  Weird huh?  Or maybe I’m blessed.

The weather’s turned in Seattle in the last week.  It’s as if winter has finally come and the weather dropped into the 20′s…in the day time.  When it’s that cold and we’re out shooting, I tend to grasp my camera until my knuckles turn white!  I’m pretty sure doing this will eventually give me arthritis, but what the hay!  I love shooting…so I’ll risk it.  Fingerless gloves help with this though and I was able to found these cute gloves on Etsy.  They come all the way from Turkey!!!  That’s right, I’m an international shopper.  I love these so much, I GLOVE them!  Corny, I know.  But this is the best you’re gonna get out of me on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

We’ve had pretty good weather in Seattle this winter.  I won’t complain, other than wanting a white Christmas.  But it’s nice to walk outside and not shiver my tail off.  That was until the weekend we were scheduled to shoot Jody+Joe’s engagement photos.  Jody+Joe really wanted their photos to focus on a couple of famous locations that represented Seattle.  So when they said they wanted to check out the waterfront and the new ferris wheel and then ride a ferry to Bainbridge island, my heart fluttered.  I LOVED those locations and felt it fit them perfectly.  Little did we know that it would be one of the coldest days we’ve had in Seattle thus far this winter.

As you can tell from the photos and their slideshow, Jody was one dedicated lady!  No cold weather could have phased her.  Whatever we wanted her to do, she did…regardless if it was in a sheer top or a sleeveless dress.  And Joe was there every step of the way, keeping her warm in his big arms in between shots.  And the result?  Awesome photos!  Just take a look at their engagement sneak peek below.  Oh and Jody+Joe, I’m so sorry we had to put you through two hours of dreaded coldness.  But I hope you love your photos!

Play the slideshow below for more of Jody+Joe.  If you are on an iPhone or an iPhone, click HERE.

New years brings new beginnings and on this New Year’s Eve, we’d like the world to be introduced to Olivia.  We were lucky enough to have the chance to photograph Olivia and her family right before Christmas.  Olivia was just two weeks young and she was the sweetest little baby girl.  Her mom, Cynthia and I used to work together at an Accounting firm and it has been almost 3 years since we’ve last saw one another.  I remember when I left the firm, she wasn’t even pregnant with her first child, Teddy.  Now he’s over two years old and oh so handsome.

Tonight Chris and I are staying in with our family to bring in 2013.  For the last couple of years, we’ve laid low for new year’s eve because we enjoy celebrating with the people closest to us.  Even if it’s just being infront of the TV waiting for Space Needle fireworks.  Family is everything to us so while we’re celebrating with ours, here’s a sneak peek of Olivia and the family that loves her.

Just look at that face! Even when she cries, she's adorable.

I remember my first Christmas in the United States.  It was 1987 and I had just turned 8 a couple of months before.  My parents and I settled in the lovely little town of Pullman Washington and we did not know anyone!  When we were in China, we didn’t really know what Christmas was so when December 25th rolled around, my parents didn’t know what to expect but knew we had to celebrate with food.

Our apartment was a one bedroom  basement unit.  To save money on heating bills, my parents oftentimes left the heater off.  Instead, we had a little space heater that kept us fairly warm.  My mom shopped the day before at the local Dissmores and got as many ingredients as she could with the limited supply of vegetables there.  I recall watching TV that Christmas day while my mom was slaving away in the kitchen.  The smell of tossed ginger and garlic in fried oil still brings me back to that exact place whenever I’m over at her house and she’s cooking.

We ate that day and we ate good!  My mom was proud to show case her chicken that she bought for just $0.39 per pound at the store.  My dad was a poor PhD student and my mom was a kitchen helper at the local Chinese-Americanized restaurant and we had absolutely no money.  But that Christmas was one I will never forget.

Now…25 years later we still continue the same tradition.  We eat on Christmas day and my mom slaves in the kitchen.  Except now we’re in Seattle Washington where asian markets are abundant and we’re not left with 0.39 cents a pound chicken.  We have an occasional roast duck with a side of Hoisin Chinese broccoli.  And as we sat around the table this year, I remembered that for as long as I can recall since childhood, it’s been my parents and I braving the unfamiliarities of America.  We’ve come so far from that lonely family in a small college town.  I’m thankful for all that my parents and I have been through all these years that’s brought us closer.  And for the next 25 years as my husband and I start new traditions, I will never forget my first Christmas.  And as long as my parents are still around, I will make sure we will continue our Christmas day tradition.  So from the our families to yours, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Disclaimer: I would just like to say that I was using my dad's empty beer can to "gan-bei" with. No, I did not drink WITH my parents at the age of 8. Happy holidays!

There’s no gift in the world that can top a gift of a baby to a couple that so want to be parents.  Ali+Tyler welcomed their little bundle of joy on 12/11/2012 but two weeks before her entrance to the real world, we got together with them to capture Ali’s beautiful belly.  Ali+Tyler are going to be such great parents…I just know it.  Like many couples, they tried for a long time to have her.  Even after some less than happy moments throughout their journey, they never gave up hope.  Chris+I are excited to see Vivian grow up.  At the same time, we dedicate this blog post to Ali+Tyler’s little baby boy, Zachary.

Ali+Tyler had a bench dedicated to their first son, Zachary. It sits infront of a playground at their favorite park, Marymoor in Redmond. I'm sure they will sit there for many years to come watching Vivian play at that playground.

We had so much fun with Ali+Tyler that I had to insert this photo in. My husband LOVES being a photo crasher! Obviously!

The Thanksgiving holiday has Chris and I stuffed like two lazy turkeys because we are OH SO behind on blogging the remaining of our 2012 weddings and portrait sessions.  We’ve got a lot of exciting things coming up so I thank you for sticking around and being patient with us!

Now that I feel a little less lazy and a couple (or three, or four…or…) of pounds heavier, let me introduce you to Bre+Casey.  These two got married in Winthrop, WA at the Sun Mountain Lodge  on a brisk, but sunny October day.  Bre’s vision for her special day was to wed in a remote location, surrounded by her closest family and friends, embraced by the essence of fall.  Her beautiful decor and color scheme screamed “Autumn Chic” and I think she definitely succeeded.

Hanging out with these two for the whole day on top of a mountain allowed Chris and I to really get to know them as good people.  Bre’s the type of girl I felt immediate chemistry with.  She talks to you like she’s known you for years when she first meets you and that’s a gift that’s hard to come by.  Casey is a man’s man.  The whole day he was cool and collected.  I guess someone that’s bravely served our country for so long has been trained to stay calm.  You see, Casey is a hero, having served our country overseas for almost 4 years.  So it was an honor for us to be in his presence to capture his wedding day with Bre.

Take a look at their beautiful wedding sneak peek below and enjoy!

Bre's mom, Denise and Bre share one of the most beautiful relationships. They are truly each other's best friends and we are so glad we got to meet Denise.

A place with a stuffed polar bear AND a stuffed buffalo? Oh my!

THE most favorite shot. Thanks, girls for following along with our crazy idea!

Play the slideshow below for more of Bre+Casey.  If you are on an iPhone or an iPhone, click HERE.

Everyone, please meet Brittany.  Chris+I had the opportunity to meet and hang out with this young lady on one Sunday mid-morning/afternoon and we both realized how much we missed being in high school.  Brittany was the ultimate senior portrait candidate.  She was willing to do anything you ask her to do AND she had a natural smile to die for.  In addition to being the cutest senior in her class, she’s also the most stylish.  I should know because I own almost everything she wore that day.  Ahem, I like to stay young at heart and I love Nordstrom BP!

Brittany is graduating from South Kitsap High School this year and she has a really bright future ahead of her.  She’s one of those smart chicks who’s already decided what she’s going to be when she grows up.  And that is a cosmetic chemist (?).  I might have gotten that wrong because it’s a field that is way too smart for me.  But maybe the next time you step into a Sephora to pick up your anti-wrinkle SPF 30 foundation, the person that helped develop the concoction might just be this cutie pie.  Enjoy this sneak peek of Brittany shot in Georgetown.

I LOVE Brittany's natural smile. She passes with straight A's in the smiles category.

Brittany received an "F" in these shots. F...for FIERCE!

When I was a senior in high school, I didn’t really know the importance of senior portraits.  My parents were immigrants and they’ve never heard of PAYING for expensive photos for high school graduation.  To my parents, graduating from high school was expected of me like I was expected to breathe if I wanted to live.  So needless to say, I did not ask them for senior portraits.

I did, however, work when I was in high school and I had some money in my pocket just ready to burn a hole through it.  I still couldn’t afford the popular Yuen Lui photos, so I found my own substitute somehow.  I say somehow because I don’t really remember how I found him.  And now as I’m thinking back to this experience, I really should have been more careful!  This place was a little sketch…because it was in a house…in upper Queen Anne…and the photographer was some old man that had a backdrop and camera set up in his living room.

I won’t date myself too much, but let me just tell you the photos I have from that experience are not digital, making it easier for me to spare your eyes from them.  But believe me, my keen 90′s fashion sense that prompted me to wear a jean shirt with…you know it…jeans (insert sarcasm), coupled with a pink feather boa the photographer had me wear around my neck, makes for an embarrassing visual that I’m not going to allow to float around on the internet.  Just trust me that it was really, really bad.

With that said, I can’t stress enough the importance of senior portraits.  High school graduation is a true milestone and it should be celebrated.  And it is just as important to choose the right photographer that’ll capture the subjects’ youth, fun, and innocence.  We love shooting (and hanging out) with seniors because they’re filled with youthful exuberance.  Confident,  yet self conscious.  Free, yet restrained.  They’re a walking conundrum!

Brittany is graduating from South Kitsap High School this year.  We had so much fun spending a great Sunday with her and her father.  More of Brittany coming soon!

An "in between" moment from Brittany's shoot. I think we told her she started to look sad before she gave us this beautiful smile!