What Happens in Vegas ...

Ken and I just returned from an amazing trip to Vegas where we had the honor of photographing for the MGM Grand Signature Wedding campaign, as well as meeting up with some of our far-away friends who joined us for the WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) 2013 Conference. It was a busy week, but an awesome opportunity to spend some time planning our goals for the upcoming year, starting with the complete revamp of our website (yay!) We'll be keeping all the good stuff, adding lots of never-before-seen images, useful info, and as much entertainment as one little url can handle. :)

In the meantime, enjoy a few of the images from our photoshoot with MGM ... it was such an honor to be chosen to participate in this, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed to see some of the images on a 50-foot billboard!

Simply gorgeous ...

In Search of Destination Inspiration - Azzura in Paris

Last April I joined a group of amazing photographers from all over the world to photograph in Paris, and I've been saving the images for a rainy day like today. This trip was an inspiration to me, and I'm especially grateful to the Boudoir Divas for putting the workshop together. Looking at the images have ignited my wanderlust ... if anyone has a great idea for our next destination photoshoot, feel free to leave a comment with your recommendations. :)

An Unexpected Kiss at Pike Place Fish Market

On a wedding day, anything can happen! Samantha won my undying adoration for this little kiss.  :)

Skansonia Wedding on the Ferry at Lake Union

I grew up in the midwest, so perhaps my land-locked childhood makes me gravitate toward the water ... there is something so lovely about the expanse of the lake as the background for this ceremony. When I look at this image, I can hear the waves gently lapping along the side of the ferry, and I feel peaceful, hopeful, and happy.

Skansonia Wedding | Seattle Skyline at Night

I love the twinkling lights of the Seattle skyline in the background, contrasted with the velvety-blue richness of Lake Union. Beautiful.

Skansonia Ferry Wedding | Daily Shot of Inspiration

This image reminds me of a sailor returning from his years at sea to finally embrace the woman he loves, the many years of waiting finally culminating in one beautiful, perfect kiss ... did I read too many romance novels as a teenager? 

Columbia Tower Club | "First Look" Wedding Style Event 2013

With only a few months to plan, Seattle Metropolitan Bride & Groom created an amazing Style Event at the newly remodeled Columbia Tower Club. An hour or so before the doors opened, Ken and I photographed a whirlwind fashion shoot with two stunning brides as models. I'll be sharing more from this event in the weeks to come (including some truly inspiration decor ideas), and I'm kicking it off with a "double-shot" of Daily Inspiration featuring A Princess Bride Couture wedding gown ... gorgeous!

Emerald City Applause Awards 2013 Winners Announced!

Last night was incredibly exciting for Ken and I when we discovered that two of our weddings won the 'Emerald City Applause Awards 2013'! The Emerald City Applause Awards is one of Seattle's most prestigious events, and it was such an honor to be the photographer for the winning weddings. Erin Lindeman from Lindeman Events and Geoffrey Gilmore from Geoffrey Gilmore Signature Events were the brilliant coordinators who made these two events spectacular, and its was great to see all their hard work and talent recognized. 

Congratulations to all the winners, and thank you for a wonderful (and thrilling) evening!

Seattle Wedding Photography - A Quiet Moment

I love the detail and the stillness of this image ... something about it strikes me as so romantic, but in a very subtle, gentle way. 

Dodging the Drops at Pike Place Market

No matter the time of year, it's always smart to have an umbrella on hand for a Seattle day ... and who couldn't love a red, white, and blue wedding?

Kerry Park, the Seattle Skyline, and a Couple in Love = Magic!

Twilight (the moment, not the movie) is fantastic for soft, moody, romantic photography. It takes some special equipment (very fast lenses and high ISO capabilities) to capture moments like this, and the result is absolutely magical.

Sweetly Sleeping ... Bellevue Baby Portraits by Azzura Photography

This image is simply too cute for words ...

A Father's First Look at The Golf Club at Newcastle

I think every Dad dreams of the moment he gets to see his little girl in her wedding dress ... even if you aren't much of a crier, it's hard not to get teary when you see his expression of pure delight. The moment Jennifer embraced her father, everyone in the room reached for the nearest tissue (including me!) 

Happy Valentine's Day and the return of an old love ...

The last six months have been some the best (and the busiest) in our studio's history. In addition to photographing over 45 weddings in 2012, we've traveled from France to Hawaii, booked extraordinary weddings for 2013, and even managed to take some time off for romantic strolls in the woods together. It's been a whirlwind, and as I look at the many ways we've spent our time, I realized that one of the things I've missed is sharing our 'Daily Shot of Inspiration.' In my own little way, sharing these images is my personal contribution to bringing a bit of joy and art into the daily lives of our friends and clients. 

To kick off our 2013 'Daily Shot of Inspiration', I chose one of my most-loved destination wedding images. When Heidi and Peter hired us to capture their wedding on the Big Island in Hawaii, I knew it would become one of our favorites. This image was taken just moments after they had their "First Look" on the beach, and I feel a sense of joy and freedom every time I see it. It is a perfect photograph to wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day, and to symbolize the excitement we feel for the year to come.  :)

Azzura Photography & The Seattle Bride Best of 2012 Awards

                     

We are so excited and honored to be awarded the Seattle Bride Best of 2012 Award!  Thank you, thank you, thank you to all our wonderful clients and wedding professionals who made this possible - we honestly can't express how grateful we are.  We promise to make you proud, and will continue to create artwork that is both beautiful and inspiring.  :) 

Have a wonderful 4th of July!

Daily Shot of Inspiration | A Dip at the Downtown Seattle Library

Thank you to all my faithful readers for being patient with me while I am working on the website and branding updates! I have much to share, and will soon be resuming the 'Daily Shot of Inspiration' on an actual daily basis.   

This upcoming weekend I will be at a wedding that is particularly special to me.  After many years of bachelorhood, my little brother is marrying my high school best friend. I introduced them over 20 years ago (could it really be that long ago?!?) and now I have the honor of being the officiant at their wedding! I've never been on the altar side of the camera aside from my own wedding and a few bridesmaid cameos, so I'm excited and nervous all at once. I can't wait to see all my friends and family, and I hope that you are also able to share the Memorial Day weekend with those you love.  :)

Au Revoir, Paris!

I am back from my adventures in Paris, and it was a wonderful trip ... I met some great people, created some stunning photographs (including a few of the Eiffel Tower that I'm quite proud of), and ate more than I thought possible. I'll be sharing the images from the trip over the next few weeks, once I get caught up from my travels. In the meantime, Ken and I are busy with booking appointments for 2013 weddings - next summer is filling up already, which is exciting! 

As always, thank you for taking the time to visit our little corner of cyber-space ... our blog has been receiving an unprecedented amount of traffic lately, and I know it is from all of our great clients sharing it with their friends and family.  In case I haven't said it lately, Ken and I are appreciative beyond words, and are looking forward to an amazing year.

Daily Shot of Inspiration | An Alki Beach Engagment

This is such a classic engagment photograph, I had to share it - the warm spring sun, the city in the background, and Emily and Trevor looking absolutely fabulous.  I'm excited for their wedding already!

Daily Shot of Inspiration | Seattle Fairmont Olympic Hotel Wedding

Another unscripted moment that made me smile ... I love the contrast between the formality of the buttoned-up concierge and the playfulness of Julia & Brandon's ear-to-ear grins.