So I hope you enjoy this tiny glimpse into Heidi+Petter’s time-tested love with these super cute, fun, and uber romantic photos.

I’m pretty excited about this next series. During one of our consults, Heidi and I got to talking about the wedding details and themes. She mentioned how trees and what they represent are really important to her and Petter. She showed me a picture of the wedding venue and after seeing it, I’m just a tad bit excited to make beautiful photos there. So, in honor of that appreciation, George and I set out to find an awesome looking tree in the area where we could tie that theme into their engagement session. Trespassing aside, I was pretty happy with what we found…

The light on this day was incredible simply because we were outrunning a heavy rainstorm. The wind gusted and the clouds loomed behind us while the diffused light was absolutely perfect! My favorite kind of light! And you wonder why I love Seattle so much?

Around this time, the storm finally caught up with us and we escaped back to the  car… Of course, I was still itching for more of these two and their sweet chemistry… So…

Omigosh, I love you guys so much!!! And I cannot wait for your wedding!

*  *  * And now for some announcements! Or, updates? Or just information in general? Either way, here’s some more stuff… *  *  *

I just wanted to let people in the Seattle area know that I’m still booking and quite open this wedding season. The move across the country prevented more bookings until I knew more about our living situation. Now that we’re here, we are proceeding with business as usual! And we’re feeling pretty freakin’ awesome about it!

So if you’re a potential bride or groom and you have questions, you can fill out the wedding form under the “For Wedding Clients” tab above or you can email your inquiries and questions to info@carlybish.com!

You have no idea how excited we are to be here! I got sick just one day after we arrived, so I am excited to feel better and hit downtown Seattle as much as possible! So if anyone feels like a shoot down by the dock? The Market, perhaps? Let’s do it!

“WHY?!,” you ask?!?!

Because these two are so frakin’ adorable but I won’t be there for the wedding!

Sigh…

At least I had the privilege of photographing their love and their beautiful connection. The chemistry between Alena and David is simply undeniable. If I’m lucky, maybe I’ll get the chance to be there for their vintage-inspired wedding. They have such fantastic taste and the details that will go into their day will be jaw-dropping for sure!

Alena… David… I love you both.

And Spring… You’ve been so good to me. I adore you too.

This next series was by Alena’s request. The wedding will have a vintage theme, so Alena and David brought vintage outfits—eeeeek!!! I love it!!! She also requested they be taken in a field and of course, that was no problem! I love a good field shoot any day!

Yeah… Alena makes it sexy… I just make it…

Well…

Not sexy…

Goodness! Someone could use a tan!

I am not anyone else and that is quite magical for me.

On to Colbi&Ian! These two have been smitten since junior high! Now, they’re looking forward to a beautiful November wedding and I couldn’t be happier for these two! And what a fun duo! As you’ll see in these photos, these two share the love and the laughs!

Thanks for a great afternoon, guys! I had a blast!

Now, I just want to visit each of those places. I don’t really feel called to live there, but I wouldn’t mind seeing them, getting to know them, making photographs in them… To call myself a destination wedding photographer would be a real dream come true.

I got a little taste of the destination photographer’s life last weekend when I met up with Vicky&Michael in Nashville. Of course, by now, I should know Nashville all too well.  After going to the city for various reasons in the last few months, but no… still don’t know it that great. But this visit was way, way, WAY different because I actually got to see Nashville and it’s amazing textures! I’m about to go on record and say that if I ever moved back to the south (a big, fat IF, that is), it would definitely have to be to Nashville. It feels like someone cut out a tiny piece of California and transported it to the middle of Tennessee. Artsy, cool, fun, and stylish. I don’t think I’d mind it… Except the summers. I’ll never get used to Tennessee summers…

Vicky&Michael, thanks for taking me all over Nashville, going along with all my shenanigans, and making me laugh! I had an incredibly fun day because of you, so thank you!

As you’ve probably gathered, these two are unbelievably fun. They went along with just about everything I asked of them… They even—gulp—shared their first kiss. YUP. You read me right people! So there I was, taking their picture, and I was like, “Alright, guys! It’s about time I saw a kiss! Let’s go! Go for it!” And the two looked at me, then at each other, then at me, then at each other and I was like, “Cmon, guys! I know you wanna! Just go for it! Don’t be shy!” And they leaned in and gave each other the sweetest little smooth. Just the one, but it was precious. And I thought, Well maybe they’re just not that into PDA. No big.

So the next morning, I get an email from Vicky and she’s all, “So, I’ll let you in on a little secret… That was our first kiss.”

At first, I was mortified! I felt so guilty! Like I had pressured them into doing something they totally didn’t wanna do and I should have never forced them or even asked them and I started torturing myself over it… It didn’t even cross my mind that it might be their first kiss! Luckily, Vicky wrote me back and said, “No worries! It was overdue!” And after that, I felt better. Not to mention, how often does a couple have their first kiss recorded forever to look back on??

So, Vicky&Michael, you’re welcome.

Oh, one last thing. I totally forgot how hard it is to take a picture while looking into direct sunlight. You guys are way too nice when I tell you to open your eyes, regardless of how bright the sun is…

No, srsly.

A little more about Cyndi&Jesse… When the three of us first met for some coffee before their session, I asked how the two met. They looked at each other and shared a grin, like they weren’t sure how to start…

“You tell the story,” Cyndi said to Jesse.

Jesse turned to look me in the eye and said, “Match dot com.”

Now, did I act surprised? Well, yeah! But only because I thought it was cool! I think it’s becoming more and more “the norm” when it comes to the Internet being a viable place for people to meet and fall in love. I mean, do I have to remind you of my younger brother’s Twittermance? I personally believe that falling in love, whether if you met in person or via the web, it’s always important to be objective and smart. And for Cyndi&Jesse, that was exactly the case!

Near the end of their session, I pulled Cyndi aside for some portraits since she just launched her own photography biz, which you can check out here: Cyndi T. Photography. Cyndi has a passion for photography unlike any I’ve seen in a while. I mean, I know people who love photography and wish to have their own business, but Cyndi is chasing photography down! Like a cheetah! And I want nothing more than to see her succeed in her pursuit! (And I have no doubt she will…)

Photo time!!!

Lucky me! Cyndi actually took a picture of me (as you can see from the last photo above)!

I’ve had a haircut since this session. Looking a bit shaggy in the picture above… Oh, well! I love having pictures of me workin’! (LIKE A BOSS!) Thanks, Cyndi!

This entire shoot was directed by Cyndi&Jesse! I barely had to ask them to do anything at all! All the cuddling, snuggling, laughing, carrying, dancing, and dipping! That was aaaaaaaaall them! And I couldn’t love them MORE for it! Stay tuned for Part 2 coming tomorrow—I swear not to be late! Promise!

Leah&Steve came ready, armed with jackets, prepared to snuggle, and toting their “Honey” pup! Driving around with this tiny family was lots of fun and I loved getting to know Leah&Steve, although I may have been quite a chatterbox. We got to explore parts of town I’ve never gone to before and found some pretty cool locations! I love it when couples just go with the flow. Makes for really fun photoshoots! Eventually, we made our way into downtown Cleveland and took some photos there, too. Overall, a very good day!

Thanks, Leah&Steve, for coming up from Chattanooga, enduring the cold, and putting up with my stories! Let’s hangout again sometime, k?

Real quick, I just wanna give a shout out to all the great clients I’ve had so far this year! 2010 has really taken off and I’m thrilled with the work that’s been produced so far! I mean, I have to give credit where credit is due and that’s to you, the client! Your enthusiasm and trust in me is what really makes great moments and great photography. So thanks again for being awesome and totally cool and cute and fun and… Well… I’ll stop there.

Oh! You wanna know some random facts about me that I picked up on this week? Okay, I’ll tell you!

1. I take two childrens Flintstones Gummies every morning but I have to have two different colors.
2. I’m pretty sure this week marks the twelfth time I’ve watched the first season of “Glee” on DVD start to finish.
3. I take more baths than I take showers. Weird? Probably…

Have a great weekend!

Again, if you have a photography-related question, please email me at info@carlybish.com with the subject line “Photography Question” and I’ll try to include it with my future post/posts!

Now to enjoy the wonderful love and smiles of Jeff&Melissa!

In recent years, I haven’t been too thrilled by Valentine’s Day. I’ve never been good at gift-giving and while I enjoy receiving gifts, it’s not exactly something that speaks directly to my heart like a sweet note, a date night, or breakfast in bed.

But this year, I’ve really enjoyed experiencing the love of others! With Valentine’s Day less than a week away, I think I’ve channeled my inner Saint Valentine by taking pictures of two people in love! Couples, engagements, and weddings have always been my favorite thing to photograph because there’s something about the chemistry between two people that I find absolutely intoxicating! You think I’m just saying that, but it’s the honest truth! Chemistry is so important to me, it’s the reason I won’t take on every wedding inquiry that sails through my inbox. It’s not that I’m snobby—I just want every couple seeking a photographer for their wedding to find the right photographer for them. It’s that vital!

Chemistry is something that Jeff&Melissa have in spades. I could’ve hung out all day with these two but in 30-degree weather and stray snowflakes flying, we had to limit our time outside. I wish I could be there for their June wedding, especially since Melissa told me they’re getting married in a castle—uh, yeah!—but George and I will be in Seattle by that time.

Congratulations to you both! I wish you the happiest and genuinely thank you for letting me in on some of the awesome inside jokes! I really had a wonderful time!

My current Facebook profile picture. Because I’m so cool.

__

Mirek&Rachel are probably one of my all time favorite couples ever. Mirek is from Prague and has the best accent ever (no, seriously) and Rachel is sweet, gentle, and has the most beautiful spirit. Together, they make one adorable (and might I say ridiculously good looking?) couple. There were little looks they’d give each other throughout the day and those are my favorite.

Haha! Griffen looks like he’s hanging upside down!

I loved so many of the following, I couldn’t choose between them, so… You get ‘em all!

I cried this week. Hard. And the reason will surprise you. It was pure joy. I was in the middle of editing Heather&Griffen’s photos when I reached this one. I really don’t know what came over me. Luckily, I was on Gmail video chat with my brother so he was witness to my emotional state! He can vouch that upon seeing that picture, I crumbled into a heap across my desk and just cried, “I’m just so happy! I can’t believe I get to do this!” My reaction came as a surprise to my brother who responded, “Aww, Car! Are you okay?!” Of course, I was more than okay! I felt better than I’d ever felt! And I guess what I’m trying to say is…

Thank you, Jesus. Not everyone is so lucky, so thank you for it all.