Sheena & Jason...

Okay, seriously. These two crack me up. Sheena and Jason are two very funny individuals, and together, well, just check these out...

They were celebrating "3" happy years of marriage last Saturday night...

...I think they have been happy...

They really do love each other! Don't worry! :)

Thanks for allowing me to practice on you two!

Happy 3rd Anniversary, you old married couple, you! :) 

More of Julie & Tyler...

I thought I was going to see my first photo shoot injury...
Thankfully no one was hurt after that shot! :)
They were SO much fun...hard to pick just a few of my favorites! I am almost done editing them all...I am sure I will post just a few more when I am all done.

Julie & Tyler

I had the privilege of doing a pre-wedding practice session with Julie and Tyler on Wednesday night. It was a blast!

Here are a few things that I learned from the shoot:

1. Julie & Tyler are SO in love (and SO darn cute)!

2. Giving direction during a shoot is harder than I thought (even though I knew it would be something I needed to work on...a lot!)

3. Julie & Tyler know how to laugh!

4. Always pack extra batteries for your flash (I totally thought about it the day before, and forgot the day of...ugh! That shouldn't happen again!)

5. I miss having Julie as a co-worker (she is so much fun)!

6. Getting great shots on a stormy Seattle night is not as hard as I thought...when you have great subjects! :)

7. Julie & Tyler are SUPER in love!

8. I had a blast doing my first couples "shoot"

9. I have SO much to learn!

10. I have SO much more to learn after that! :)

As soon as I get my external hard drive set up (correctly, that is...my poor mac is on picture overload right now), I will be able to download the rest of the shoot...and will post more of these two love birds!

Julie & Tyler: Thank you SO much for allowing me the opportunity to "practice" on you guys! You were the perfect subjects for me! I can't wait to get you the rest of your pictures! I also can't wait for your wedding...you two are so in love...it will be a wonderful day!

Hiking!

Greg and I had a great weekend enjoying the hot summer weather! Greg thought it would be fun to do a little day hiking trip, and I was totally up for it after a long week wrapping up my International Business Final, and Biblical Exegesis homework!

We headed North to the Lake Serene Trail.

The weather was perfect, still being pretty early in the morning...

As you start to approach Bridal Veil Falls, there are some steep steps to assist your hike...

Bridal Veil Falls were beautiful! It started getting a little warm by the time we reached the falls, so the breeze and cool misty spray from the powerful falls were VERY refreshing! Because of the heavy mist from the falls, there were only a few spots I was able to hide to snap some pic from without getting my camera too wet.

I wish I could have got closer because the falls go so much higher than you can see here...there was just too much spray that made me super nervous for my camera!

As always, the hike back down was very enjoyable with great views!

The hike took us less time than we thought, so we headed North another hour to Leavenworth. The last time we were there was last December when we took the Snow Train up from Seattle. This is the authentic German resturant that we ate at back when there was tons of snow. We had a MUCH different experience this time! It was 101 degrees when we arrived! We walked around a little, but decided the heat was not so enjoyable.

I wish I would have got a better shot of this guy...such a cute little old German...I just wanted to give him a hug, or something! 

We had such a great time just getting to hang out together. I have been so busy with school and such the last few weeks that we would have had a great time doing just about anything...as long as it was together! I am SO thankful for such a wonderful, loving and amazing husband!

Love you, baby! Thanks for a great weekend!

I am spoiled...BIG time!

I waited a year and a half for my wedding band... it was WELL worth the wait!

Book a Session...be a hero!

I am so excited to be doing this...

I am still looking for more people to photograph!

(Click here to see my original Casting Call)

Book one of my practice sessions between now and October 5th, and you will get 1-2 hours of shooting at a location of your choice as well as a CD of all your images in exchange for a donation (of any amount) to the East Side Women of Purpose's "Tee Off Against Trafficking" event to fight Human Trafficking!

To read more about the cause, just click HERE, and learn all about how you can become a hero!

If you are interested, contact me at kara.hicks@northwestu.edu

I will give you all the details, and let you know what dates I have available, but hurry! I only have a few spots left!

I can't wait to hear from you!

Hangin' with Levi & Greyson

Last Saturday Greg and I got to hang out with Levi and Greyson. Since it was a nice day, we decided to have Josh and Sadie bring the stroller (aka BOB!) over so that we could take them to the park. Knowing me, I couldn't go on an outing with these two precious ones without my camera! Here are a few of my favorite's out the the, oh, 300 or so that I took in a matter of an hour or two (hehe)...

They played a little at the park, and then came snack time...Levi reaching for more :)

We left the park and walked a little further till we spotted a "Digger!" (this is what Levi calls excavators :)) This was a HUGE hit with Levi, although he was a little scared. He warmed up to it, just not enough to get a pic of him in the drivers seat. I was totally bummed he didn't want to sit on it...maybe next time?

Aparently we wiped Levi out...he fell asleep in BOB on the ride back home. I love how he has quite the tight grip on that truck of his, even in a deep sleep!

Thanks for the fun day at the park you two! We love you!

Inspiration...

As most of you know, blog-hopping is a serious addiction of mine. I love finding inspiration and great tips from seasoned photographers, and blog-hopping is a great way to do this! It all started with Airika & Gerald Pope's Blog, Gerald Pope Photography.

(Click on the logo above to check out the Gerald Pope Photography Website!)

I followed their blog after they captured our wedding so beautifully back in February 2006, and I have been hooked on it ever since! It was with their blog that I became addicted to perusing great photography! Check out my new list of links off to the right of "Photographers Blogs I Love" to see all the photog blogs I keep up with.

During my blog-hopping one day, I ran across Smith Gallery Photography Blog. I can't remember exacly how I arrived there, but I sure am glad I did! I was completly taken, and fell in love with Emily's work! Her blog design, web design, photos, the amazing color and lighting grabbed my eye immediately! It became another daily staple in my blog perusing.

So this is super cool...

I left a comment on Emily's blog one day about how much I loved her work. I also asked her what program she used for her post processing. I was very curious because I was trying to make a decision on what I was going to purchase myself. Honestly, I didn't really expect a response. I was not sure how much photographers like to share that kind of information (especially with random people they don't know!)? Well, much to my delighted surprise, Emily promptly send me a comment back not only telling me what program she used, but a full explanation of the process that she follows when using that program, to let her know if I had any questions, and wished me luck! I was in full on shocked delight! It was not so much the actual information she gave me (although is was very helpful), but the giving and helpful spirit that delivered that information. I responded back letting her know how much I appreciated her sharing spirit. She then let me know that it was giving and helpful photographers that helped her out when she was starting her photography business that inspired her to share with people like me. Wow! How cool is that! I only hope that someday I will be able to do this for someone else!

So like I said, Emily's blog is another staple in my daily blog-checking library. Well, this Sunday Emily did a post about her new studio. Check it out! This would be the definition of one of my long term goals as a photographer...

CLICK HERE to see her post called "the studio..."

Isn't it just gorgeous!?! I just LOVE it! It brings me to goose bumps! Something I would like to work towards having someday!

(Click on Emily's logo above to check out her web site)

I am so thankful for people like Airika and Gerald and Emily! They give me such encouragement during the times that I convince myself that I can't do this photography thing! 

I also have to thank my good friend, Sheena. Sheena owns Totally Tabletops and The Invisible Hostess. She also has a smashing blog! We met for dinner last week to catch up. Sheena gave me so much encouragement, I left our almost 3 hour dinner feeling like a new person! I shared with her my thoughts and fears. One of them being, "I am so nervous, I just want to do this the right way." Her response, bless her heart, was "Is there a wrong way!?! No! Just go for it!" Thank you! I soooo needed to hear that!

I have to also add that even though I have never met her, MeRa Koh has been an encouragement to me as well! Her blog is filled with with amazing tips for photographers that make me so excited about this new journey I am on. I also purchased her instructional DVD series, "Refuse to Say Cheese" and "Beyond the Green Box". They are amazing and have given me SO much great stuff to work on! Her "Refuse to Say Cheese" motto speaks to me so, and the "Beyond the Green Box" makes using that Manual Mode on my camera so much more approachable, it is just crazy! I have watched it at least 8 times and I am still picking up new things each time. Attending one of her workshops is on my "LIST", one thing that I CAN'T WAIT to check off!

So this post is WAY longer than I anticipated, but I had to post one more inspiring thing for me...

This is the athlete in me coming out, but if you want to check out one more thing that is inspiring to me, and gets me choked up every time I see it...

CLICK HERE! 

(get your Kleenex box out!)

More Wedding Fun!

Last weekend was a fun weekend for Greg and I. Cory and his girlfriend, Katie were in town for the weekend from Missouri for a visit and for Brian and Keri's wedding.

Cory and Katie arrived Friday night and we headed out to Palisade for dinner...wow! We had a wonderful time, and amazing food. Greg and I are looking forward to having an excuse to go back!

Saturday was Brian & Keri Newton's wedding. It was a beautiful day, and a gorgeous setting out on the Puget Sound. We had some of the best wedding food we have ever had...pizza! It was catered by the Bride and Groom's favorite pizza joint. Seriously, the food was awesome! They started off each table with their own yummy tray of apps. Warm flat-bread, cheeses, meats, roasted bell peppers, olives...it was delicious!

There was nothing left on this tray after a few passes around the table. After the yum-o apps, there was specialty salads and pizza after pizza after pizza brought out, freshly made in their portable pizza oven on wheels! SO good! Such a fun idea for a wedding!

A few more of my favorite pics from the day...

It was a great time, and a great weekend! Looking forward to your next visit, Cory and Katy! :)