Jessica Watson Photography

MOVING DAY!!!

2008-12-18T13:32:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to say that my new blogsite is up, so I will no longer be posting on here. Please update your bookmarks. I will be posting on: www.jessicawatsonphotography.com.

Thank you, and I hope to see you there! :)

~Jessica

Home from surgery.

2008-12-16T18:47:00.000-08:00

I'm home from surgery, and everything went great. I'm actually able to walk pretty well, but am taking meds for the pain, and have to rest for a few days. I will be able to fulfill orders starting tomorrow or Thursday. Thank you, everyone, for your e-mails, texts, and well wishes, I really appreciate it. I have to especially thank Diane for watching my boys today, and finishing up my housework. I really don't know what I would have done without you and Angela, you both have been so amazing to us, thank you. :)

Hope everyone is staying safe and warm!

~Jessica

Another WPJA win!

2008-12-12T08:39:00.000-08:00

An image from Lula & David's wedding placed 16th in the emotion category of the latest WPJA contest. I loved this image, and was really hoping it would place. The woman in the back is the officiant.

I think this one from Lanisha & Tyler's wedding should have placed, too. Oh, well, I guess I'll have to live with just one winning image. lol

Thanks for being such awesome clients that win me awards! :)

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Surgery it is.

2008-12-11T08:47:00.000-08:00

Well, after many weeks of physical therapy, the Dr. has decided to do surgery on my knee. The physical therapy definitely helped with my patella tendinitis, but not with my meniscus tear. They would have done surgery before, but the Dr. said my pain was coming from something else (the tendinitis), but once that went away, I could feel the meniscus tear and my physical therapist sent me back to the Dr.

So, the surgery is Tuesday morning, and I really don't know yet how long it will take to recover. They say I'll be able to walk on it that day, but that people don't go back to a desk job for a week or so, or an active job for several weeks. I've been working with knee pain since July, so I'm sure the surgery won't slow me down for long (hopefully).

In the meantime, I'm doing whatever I can to get albums ready, orders sent, and editing finished (oh, and a little house cleaning and xmas shopping done) before then. I will be checking my e-mail, and Spencer will fulfill orders if I cannot. I just won't be doing any shoots for a couple weeks.

Thank you for your patience an support!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Holiday Bunny

2008-12-07T16:53:00.000-08:00

Look what I got to play with in the studio today! A couple from waaay back came in for a holiday portrait session, and brought their bunny. He was so sweet! They were ok, too. ;) lol

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

4 More Days!

2008-12-02T19:50:00.000-08:00

Only 4 days left to purchase a Finao Elements mini-album for yourself or a family member in time for the holidays. I recently discovered this album company, and everyone who has seen my sample albums have loooved them. In fact, I currently have six 4x6 and 5x7 Finao Elements albums sitting on my desk waiting to get put together. If you think you'd like to purchase an album of your engagement, wedding, bridal, portrait, or day after session images as a gift, let me know, and I'll send you the pricing information. I do have all of the swatches for the cover materials, as well as sample albums, if you'd like to see them first. If you order them by December 6th, you are guaranteed your order will show up before the holidays.

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Studio Update/Out of the Office

2008-11-26T09:54:00.000-08:00

The studio is coming along...slowly, but since the flooring was put in, I think it'll go faster now. Here are a few pics I took after my friend, Lisa's, maternity session.

I'm going to be enjoying this Thanksgiving weekend with my family, and will be back in the office, returning calls and e-mails, on Monday.

The client meeting area with a kids corner...

The entrance...

The entrance hallway will be turned into a small art gallery...

With my back to the door...

My back up against the storage closet...

The view from the other end...

Have a safe and happy holiday!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

A fresh start?

2008-11-24T10:14:00.000-08:00

I was ready to do something drastic, but my hair stylist and I decided not to freak Spencer and Noah out. So, I compromised, and am going to ease into a new style. Spencer did a mini-session in our front yard...

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

A fresh start.

2008-11-20T19:02:00.000-08:00

Although surgery still isn't off the table, my knee is doing a lot better since starting physical therapy in October. We're about half way done setting up the studio, and my new website complete with a new logo, should be unveiled soon. I feel like with all of this new and exciting stuff happening, I should also do something drastic to myself. So, I made a hair appointment for Saturday, and I'm considering a whole new look. Ok, maybe a new hairdo isn't something "drastic", but it kind of is to a girl! I've had long hair for several years now, and have never dyed my hair, but I feel like I've grown so much in the last couple years, and I think a new hairdo would be the next step. I've gained a few pounds since my knee injury, and I'd like to feel good about myself again. Maybe a cute new haircut would motivate me to lose those 10-15 pounds I want to get rid of. I don't know how Spencer would feel. What do you think??

~Jessica

Shannon's Bridal Session ~ Sneak Peek

2008-11-16T21:50:00.000-08:00

Shannon and Mike are getting married early next month in the Virgin Islands, and Shannon decided to do a surprise bridal session for her mom who has been asking her to do one. One of the first things she said to me was how nervous she was because she didn't like being in front of the camera, but she loosed up, and had we some fun. I really really wish more brides would do bridal sessions. I usually only get about 5 minutes with the bride alone on her wedding day, but I could get so many more creative, awesome photos at a bridal session. I'll blog the rest of Shannon's session later. I just wanted to give a sneak peek because there may just be enough time to book me a ticket to shoot the wedding! ;)

The weather was beautiful today, so we were able to walk around McMenamin's Edgefield. Here are just a few of my faves...

LOVE this one!

And this one...

So dreamy...

Shannon, I hope you and Mike have a wonderful wedding. Thank you for trusting me and letting me get creative with the session. I can't wait to do a day after session when you return!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Gracie is 3 months!

2008-11-15T12:39:00.000-08:00

I'm heading out to go shopping for the studio, but wanted to share a quick photo of Gracie's 3 month session today. She was such a sweetie, and I can't wait to do her 6 month session!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Moving Day!

2008-11-15T09:18:00.000-08:00

We finally got the keys to the studio last night! I'm so anxious and excited to start setting it up, but mostly to start doing some portraits in there. I'll try to blog some pictures as we're setting it up so you can see the transformation.

Anyway, I'm off to shoot a family session, then going out to look at some flooring for the studio, and this evening we're having Noah's 9th birthday party at our house. Tomorrow will be just as busy with a bridal session, then a portrait session, and even more shopping for the studio.

Have a great weekend!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Yes We Did.

2008-11-05T22:25:00.000-08:00

Congratulations President Elect, Barack Obama!

Taken from Jesh de Rox's blog.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-31T08:44:00.001-07:00

We're just getting the boys ready to go trick-or-treating. I hope the rain stays away! I'm also looking forward to former clients now friends, Eowyn & Greg's Halloween party tomorrow night. Then Sunday Spencer's band is playing a show at Ash St. Saloon!

I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Halloween!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Have you voted yet??

2008-10-28T16:38:00.000-07:00

I got this video in an e-mail today from MoveOn.org...I'm sooo glad I voted already! Have you? If not, maybe they'll substitute my name for yours.

I wasn't going to blog anything partisan, but this video was just too good not to post. So, vote by next Tuesday. Even if you disagree with me, your voice should be heard.

~Jessica

Margot & Jon ~ Sneak Peek

2008-10-27T13:16:00.000-07:00

Margot and Jon booked without meeting me, so it was nice to get to go have lunch with them and their parents before shooting their engagement session. Margot's parents live on Sauvie Island, and so we walked to Krueger's Farm having fun and enjoying the beautiful Fall colors.

Here's one of my favorites, but there are more to come!

Btw, I used Spencer's new 16-35mm 2.8L lens a lot for this shoot. I think I will be stealing it more often! ;)

Margot and Jon, thank you so much for spending the afternoon with me. And, a huge thank you to Margot's mom, Molly, for such a wonderful lunch! I can't wait to see you all again next August!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Don't forget to check your junk mail!

2008-10-22T08:35:00.000-07:00

I've posted this before, but wanted to mention it again for people just finding me. I get a good number of people calling me or e-mailing a second time telling me they never received an e-mail from me, but when I tell them to check their junk mail, they find my response to them. If I don't have a phone number for you, then I can only e-mail, so, depending on your security settings, you may have to look through your junk mail for my e-mails. This seems to happen the most with people using Hotmail, btw.

Anyway, hope you're having a great week!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

No pictures this time!

2008-10-20T10:28:00.000-07:00

For the first time in over 4 years I attended a wedding. Just attended it, and I didn't even bring a camera...EEK! It felt very strange, and I was pretty anxious but also excited, and it was nice to be able to sit and enjoy a ceremony for once. I did know the DJ, so I talked with him some, and he kept teasing me for asking him when things were going to happen at the reception. If someone sends me any pictures of my friend, Laura, and me dancing, I'll post them for some laughs.

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

My day at summer camp!

2008-10-14T16:18:00.001-07:00

I swear, there is a reason I haven't been posting much lately! Jeanne & Mark had their wedding at Camp Namanu. I was sure the weather would be crummy, since it had been all week, but the clouds parted and the sun came out (although it was still pretty cold!). Jeanne was such a sweet bride. If all brides were as calm and sweet as she is, the term "bridezilla" would never even exist. (Not that I've ever had a "bridezilla", but some people do get a little more stressed than others...and I'll leave it at that. ;) )

Anyway, here are just a couple of my faves from the day. I'll post more later!

Being in the cabin made me feel like a kid again...except this time the camp counselor didn't play favorites and left me out! lol

Jeanne was smart. She saved money by purchasing the flowers online, but had someone else (her dad!) put them together. I had to get one shot of the girls with their muddy shoes and boots. I'm glad Jeanne told me to bring rain gear, because my boots came in handy, too! (they did wear heels for the ceremony, though)

The flower girl was so cute. She was too shy to unload her basket of petals when she walked down the aisle, but had fun with them during the ceremony...

Jeanne and Mark were both so sweet and patient during the bride and groom session, which made it so much fun for all of us, and we got some cool shots around the camp!

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Exciting News!

2008-10-01T19:19:00.000-07:00

I mentioned earlier we had some cool stuff coming up, and I'm sooo excited to finally say that today we signed a lease for a studio! The building is in SE Portland, on the corner of SE Water and Taylor. In the same building as Olio United, and across the street from Clarklewis. I will still mostly be shooting on location, or around the studio (because there are so many cool spots around there!), but it'll allow me to shoot anytime if needed, shoot things like boudoir and maternity sessions indoors, as well as give me a place to meet with clients. It will be kid friendly, too, but more on that later. Spencer will also be doing more portraits and bands there. We don't get to move in until November 1st, but stay tuned for specials, and an open house invitation once it's all set up! I can't wait!!

Thank you to all my wonderful clients who have made this possible. I'm so excited to show you all the amazing things we have planned for you! Also, the studio isn't the only cool new thing, but I'll let the awesomeness of this sink in before I throw another curve-ball at you. ;)

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

I'm Back!

2008-09-30T11:10:00.000-07:00

I got back from Lancaster, PA yesterday, and now I'm trying to get caught up on orders and e-mails. I made lots of cool friends that I miss already, and ate way too much food that I'll have to work off, so all in all it was a good trip! Unfortunately, today I'm going to get an MRI done because my knee is still bothering me. My regular Dr. said that if it comes back abnormal I'll have to see a knee specialist, but even if it comes back normal he'll put me through physical therapy. I just want it to heal so I can work out again!

EDIT: My Dr. called today already and said that I tore my meniscus, and I have an appointment to see a knee specialist on Monday. :( I hope I don't have to have surgery!

I obviously have a lot more to post, but here's one from Sherry & Bryan's wedding at Lauxmont Farms in PA! Isn't she just gorgeous!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

A random post before I go

2008-09-24T16:06:00.000-07:00

I found my old picture album awhile back when I was organizing my closet, but never got around to posting a few images I had scanned in. I stumbled across them on my computer and figured, why not? lol Here are a few of me when I was little!

Btw, I am just about to leave for the airport to go to Pennsylvania until Monday. I will have e-mail and phone access after tomorrow morning, but will not be able to submit any orders until I get back.

The beautiful women in my family...

Left top: my dad's mom (still alive), my mom is holding me, and to her left is her mom, my Nani (still alive). My Dad's grandma is sitting front right, and my mom's front left. One was in her 90's when she died, and the other was 101 and a half (she wouldn't let you forget that half!).

My room, and my doggy, Logan...

Ah, good times...

Me being shy about people singing to me...

My fave...

Me, with my "chocolate ice cream grandma" because she would always give us ice cream when we went to her house (she died at 101 1/2, and had a great sense of humor till the end)

Being sick with my Strawberry Shortcake doll...

I still like to eat dry oatmeal!

First day of Kindergarten (that's my brother, Joey)

With my best friends growing up...

Thanks for traveling down memory lane with me! Have a great rest of your week!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Behind the Scenes

2008-09-22T19:09:00.000-07:00

Spencer has been shooting with me since last year, and eventually he'll be added to most of my packages. I LOVE shooting with him. For the first couple years I thought I was fine shooting by myself, and I am, but it is SOOO much better with him there. It's more fun, I have someone to confide in, he makes it possible to get even more creative shots since he's so willing to be my human light stand and personal slave (hehe), and the couple's really enjoy getting to know us both. What drives me nuts, though, is that at every single wedding he ends up getting my favorite shot of the day. He has a unique eye, and although I'm still training him, I learn a lot from him every shoot.

Here's a shot of him photographing a cute little girl at Lanisha & Tyler's beautiful wedding in Madras on Saturday, and then the shot he got of her...

Here's me, and the beautiful Lanisha, having fun doing some bridal portraits...

I will definitely post more pics soon!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Out of the Office!

2008-09-19T11:05:00.000-07:00

We're getting ready to go to Sunriver this weekend because Spencer and I are shooting a wedding in Madras tomorrow. Also, I'm leaving for a wedding in Pennsylvania Wednesday night, and will return the following Monday. I will have my laptop to answer e-mails on both trips, but it may take a little longer to get back to people, and I won't be able to submit orders while I'm gone.

I'll leave you with one image from Randi & Travis' awesome wedding on the 6th!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Gadget Pr0n - what we've been waiting for!

2008-09-17T09:47:00.000-07:00

My primary camera is the Canon 5D, which I LOVE. So, when we (Spencer and I) found out Canon was going to be announcing the Canon 5D Mark II, we could hardly wait to hear all the geeky specs for it. Well, after waiting impatiently for what seemed like forever, they've FINALLY announced it, and although there are a few extra things I was hoping for, we will definitely be getting one as soon as it's for sale...and then we'll fight over who gets to play with it (until we buy a second one, lol).

Image was taken from Gizmodo (a great site for tech geeks, btw).

EDIT: We just pre-ordered it!!

Isn't she purty...

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

PWCL - Safety in Numbers

2008-09-16T17:34:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I was on the Board of Director's at PWCL until my term was up in June. I still support them, though, financially as well as photographically, and I volunteered to shoot their annual gala and auction on Friday at the Crystal Ballroom. I was very happy to see so many people supporting PWCL, and their cause, and am very proud to have been part of such a great organization. Besides, they have the most awesome items up for auction! Sadly, I didn't win anything this year, though.

Here's just a few photos from the evening...

I don't remember the band's name, but they were great...

The Executive Director, Rebecca Peatow-Nickels, speaking with Nick Fish...

Before Nick Fish became city commissioner, he was on retainer as PWCL's lawyer (for free!). I actually sat next to him during Betty Roberts' speech, and spoke with him for a few minutes (not while she was talking, of course), and he is a very nice guy.

They raised about $17,000 just during the 5 minutes or so of the live auction. It was awesome to watch people be so generous...

Betty Roberts was a great speaker. You should definitely check out her book...

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Avery's 1st b-day

2008-09-08T22:37:00.000-07:00

I went to my former couple/now friends, Kara & Jared's house to celebrate their daughter, Avery's, 1st birthday. Avery is such a sweet little girl, and she made Calvin seem so huge to me. I realized he's not my baby anymore, he's my big boy. That's ok, though, it's nice to get to enjoy other people's babies without actually having a baby 24/7! Here's a few from the party...

The birthday girl...

This was taken BEFORE Calvin stuck his finger in the cake...sigh

Yum!

I love this because neither of my kids would get messy with their 1st b-day cake. In fact, Calvin refused to eat his without a fork! lol

Calvin trying to steal Avery's new birthday present!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Cassie & Brad ~ sneak peek

2008-09-05T23:00:00.001-07:00

Just a couple shots from Cassie & Brad's beautiful wedding at Cannon Beach today. I would like to post a lot more, but I need to get some sleep to shoot my good friends, Randi & Travis, tomorrow.

Have a good weekend!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Fun new toy

2008-09-04T11:29:00.000-07:00

Spencer and I attended the OneLight workshop a couple weeks ago (I'll eventually post some pics), and afterward Spencer, being the crafty guy he is, made a 10 degree grid for my Canon 580 EX out of cardboard and cocktail straws. I don't think you would know it wasn't an expensive grid without looking really closely. Here's a couple shots taken in my office that I thought were cute. Photographers, it's just direct, on camera flash, but we plan on using it for off camera flash, which I have some examples of from Dawn & Brian's Day After session, that I'll post later.

Noah was getting ready for bed when our fun distracted him...

If Spencer hadn't done a good job making it, it wouldn't have turned out perfectly round. ;)

If anybody would like to know how you can make your own grid (including other degree grids), feel free to e-mail!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

A shot from Dawn & Brian's wedding

2008-08-30T21:02:00.000-07:00

I was just going through my images from Dawn & Brian's Ah-freakin-mazing wedding, and loved this shot. This shot right here is THE reason photographers LOVE to shoot just before sunset. You really can't get better light than this. I'm definitely going to do a full post on their wedding later (get ready for a Chinese tea ceremony AND a traditional Christian ceremony, salsa dancing, as well as their "Day After" session we're going to shoot Monday!).

Click on the image to see it full size...

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Minnie & Andy's "before I start showing" session

2008-08-28T16:34:00.000-07:00

Minnie & Andy have been married for awhile now, and are expecting their first baby! They had a more traditional style photographer shoot their wedding, and never did an engagement session, so before Minnie got too big, she wanted to have a session done. It was on one of our 100 degree days, but they hung in there, and I know when the guy says he had a good time, that I must have done a good job. :) Here's a few from the evening...

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Lisa & Jason's Wedding ~ the personal post

2008-08-26T20:51:00.000-07:00

One of my very best friends got married on Sunday at my in-laws house in Oregon City. Like I mentioned before, I was the MOH, coordinator, AND photographer! Wow, that was definitely difficult to juggle all three jobs, especially with my kids there, but it turned out great, and I was more than happy to do anything I could for my amazing friend. So, here are a few personal pics from the wedding. I'll have to blog a normal wedding post another time.

Lisa & Jason in my in-laws front yard. My mother-in-law worked so hard to get the fountain area ready in time for the wedding, and it looked beautiful.

Such a beautiful and photogenic bride!

Some strange red-head wanted pics of herself...

I have a pic like this of us at MY wedding :)

Jason took the first decent family photo of us, using our lighting set-up - thanks, Jason!

Me giving my toast. I think that was when I was saying that I told my makeup artist that I wouldn't cry! lol I love Calvin's little eye at the bottom of the frame. He was probably wondering why mommy was crying.

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Thank you for your patience!

2008-08-21T12:25:00.000-07:00

My knee is healing (slowly), and I'm not as gimpy as I was even a week ago. I appreciate everyone's patience as I heal and take care of my family and business. Turn around times right now for gallery notifications and orders is about 2-3 weeks, and albums are about 3 months. This month is my busiest month of the year, and my knee injury certainly hasn't helped me stay ahead of the game! Thank you also for being so sweet to me. I'm thankful for your e-mails, phone calls, and kindness during each shoot. Everyone has been wonderful to me.

I have some exciting news I can't wait to share soon (no, I'm not pregnant!).

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

My surprise b-day party!

2008-08-19T18:03:00.000-07:00

My official birthday is tomorrow (Wednesday, the 20th), but Spencer threw me a surprise party Friday night, which was awesome because I've always wanted a surprise party! I couldn't party too hard, though, because I had to shoot Jason & Aimee's wedding the next day, but I still had a lot of fun with my friends and family.

P.S. pics were taken by multiple people at the party, but I took the last ones of my boys...
P.P.S. I didn't have any makeup on, so no close-ups of me on here! lol

We're STILL eating this cake...it was SO good!

I was totally surprised to see what was in this present...

This lens. :) I knew I wanted it, but I didn't know it would become one of my favorites!

My best friends...

Very busy boys after everyone went home...

Lono is getting so big...

Tomorrow I'm going to Todai's for lunch, then maybe some shopping, and dinner with the fam!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Quick one from Aimee & Jason's wedding

2008-08-17T09:47:00.000-07:00

Just a quick one from Aimee & Jason's HOT but fabulous wedding yesterday at Mt. Hood Organic Farms. I'm off to shoot Rebecca & Scotts wedding now!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Another win in an [AG]WPJA contest!

2008-08-16T00:01:00.000-07:00

One of my images placed 8th in the engagement portrait section of the [AG]WPJA contest! Everyone likes to win contests, but I feel that the [AG]WPJA has some of the best wedding photographers in the world. The organization is about mixing photojournalism with fine art, which is what I strive to do whenever I shoot, and it's an honor for me even to be a member, let alone place in the top ten. .

This is one of my all time favorite engagement images. Brad and Cassie, who are getting married Sept. 5th, let me have a lot of creative control over the images, and we got some great images that evening.

Here's the winning image...

I'm off to shoot Aimee & Jason's wedding now!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

08.08.08

2008-08-15T11:33:00.001-07:00

Here's a quick one from Lula & David's wedding on 08.08.08 in Lincoln City. I took so many pictures at their fabulous wedding, I'm going to wait until I've finished editing all of them to blog, but here's one of my many favorites.

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Tonight's shoot

2008-08-14T22:34:00.000-07:00

Here's an image I pulled from tonight's shoot with Minnie & Andy...I'll be posting more with the beautiful Minnie soon!

I have a lot of work to catch up on and images to post, and there are some exciting things coming this way, so stay tuned!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Lisa & Jason's Engagement

2008-08-11T16:47:00.001-07:00

One of my best friend's since high school is 4 months pregnant and getting married in less than 2 weeks. So, I'm the matron of honor, photographer AND coordinator! But, Lisa's friendship means so much to me, that I was happy to fill all those roles. She has stuck by my side for many years, and through many ups and downs. Even when I became a mother, and she was a college student, having fun down at U of O, she never let our friendship slip away. She sent me mother's day cards every year, and attended the boys' birthday parties. She even filmed Calvin's birth at 4:03am on a Tuesday! I mean, I really don't need to say anything more to prove how amazing she is, and I'm so happy to finally get to share in motherhood and being married. She's found a great guy, and I can't wait to witness their marriage on the 24th.

Last night, after shopping all day for her wedding jewelry and a dress for me, we went downtown for their engagement session. Spencer was supposed to shoot with me, but he had a bachelor party to attend, so it was the three of us PLUS my two boys. On top of that, it was almost 8pm, and getting dark, but I'm still happy with what we got. Here's a few of my faves, and prepare for LOTS more pics of Lisa & Jason, and eventually the little one!

Oh yeah, the best thing about shooting your friends is that they have to do anything you ask! lol I didn't make them do too many weird things since she's pregnant, though. I'm not that crazy!

P.S. I did her makeup! I think she looks beauuutiful!

There's my Lisa...

Ooh, pretty colors...

We stopped off at her office to use the restroom, and get some water, and I saw this magnet on the fridge...

I loved the lines here...

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Pretty Amazing Grace ~ 08.09.08

2008-08-09T22:07:00.000-07:00

Grace was born to Katie & Roy on Monday, August 4th, and I was super excited all week to meet her. I fell in love with her the instant I saw her because she is just so tiny and beautiful, and luckily Katie was such a laid-back mom that she let me hold her for almost an hour. I think the first days of a baby's life is such an important time to capture, and I'm grateful to Katie and Roy for letting me come over and sharing in their happiness for an evening...their walls are already covered in their wedding pics, and I have a feeling they'll need to make room for Gracie pics!

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Laura & Mike ~ Just Because

2008-08-06T15:28:00.000-07:00

I got the very buttery Canon 24mm 1.4L (photographers know what I'm talking about!) as an early b-day present last week, and decided to try it out with my very best friend, Laura, and her boyfriend, Mike (whom I met only 5 mins before the shoot). It was very short, spur of the moment shoot out in their courtyard, but I had fun with them and the new lens!

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Kelly & Aaron ~ 08.03.08

2008-08-04T12:11:00.000-07:00

Kelly & Aaron had an intimate ceremony with 35 guests at Cornelius Pass Roadhouse yesterday. I really didn't even feel like I was working because they were so laid back and fun to work with. Aaron was the happiest groom, ever. He was beaming all day, which I think you'll know why once you see how beautiful Kelly looked.

Congratulations, you guys, and I hope you have a great honeymoon in Mexico. I'll see you when you get back!

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Erin & Erik's Seattle Engagement!

2008-07-31T09:11:00.001-07:00

What could make me tell the groom I love him 5 minutes after meeting him for the first time? The groom saying, "You can never have enough pictures, right?" I knew I was going to get along with Erin & Erik from the start!

The four of us went up to Seattle a week or so ago to shoot Erin & Erik's engagement session. They're getting married at a tennis club next summer, and I was happy to have a change of scenery for the shoot. I hadn't gotten a chance to meet them before they booked with me, so it was great to be able to spend the day getting to know them, and I can't wait for the wedding and day after session next year!

A shot I got toward the end of the day...

We started at the tennis club where the ceremony will take place. What an awesome view for the ceremony, huh?

It was a Sunday evening, so the Pike Place Market was closing, but I couldn't go to Seattle and not get some shots there! How adorable is this?

Then we walked around the waterfront...

Right about this time, Erik said something else that melted my heart. Out of the blue he said something like, "Your kids make me want to have kids." After about 4 or 5 hours with my boys, that was very sweet of him to say.

And, we found some cool urban settings, too. Look how awesomely obedient they were when I told them to climb in there!

While the boys went up to the Space Needle, Erin, Erik and I hung out and got a chance to talk a little more, and take advantage of the beautiful evening light...

We kind of made them feel like tourists in their own city, but I thought they needed at least one picture of them in front of the Space Needle.

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

My night in the ER

2008-07-27T09:56:00.000-07:00

I went to my in-law's place on Friday to take some pictures of a new cake they're going to be selling soon. My father-in-law, Nick, and I were talking on their back patio when we heard Calvin start to cry around the corner. We took off running to see what was wrong, and I slipped on some wet rocks. It felt like a hammer hit my right knee, and I screamed (I think, I don't really remember). I could see Nick look to me, then to Calvin and back, trying to figure out who needed him more. He came to me because it turns out Calvin just wanted something he couldn't reach. I grabbed my leg and looked down, and I could see my knee cap! I thought, "There's no way I fell that hard, it didn't hurt that much...omg, that's my bone...omg, omg, omg..."

Nick helped me to the patio chair, and propped up my leg. It didn't hurt that much, but the scariest part was when I started to go into shock. My vision started going black, and my throat was closing up so it felt like I could barely breathe. My boys were terrified. Noah just hung back and observed as I clung to Nick's leg saying, "I can't see, I can't breathe, I can't see..."

As Nick called 911, I was terrified my throat would totally close up. I know now that I probably would have just passed out, then started breathing again, but at the time it literally felt like I was about to die. I could feel myself fading away, but I told myself to stay calm, and take slow, deep breaths, and tried to focus my vision because I was so scared to let everything go totally black. I could hear the 911 operator instructing Nick to cover me up, ask me questions, etc... Then, finally, I heard the distant sound of the fire truck sirens.

Luckily, by then my vision and breathing had started to come back to normal, and they didn't have to rush me to the hospital right away. But, I had a new fear...that I wouldn't be able to shoot Lindsey & Jared's wedding the next day. The firemen asked me my name, and where I was, and they cleaned and bandaged my wound. I was even able to crack a couple of jokes. They asked me if they could get me anything, and I replied, "Yeah, my makeup." These (5) firemen, I swear, looked like they came straight out of a calendar. They were all tall, buff, and tan, and I had just been working out, and had no makeup on. I was glad that I had at least shaved my legs that day. ;)

Nick called Spencer, then drove me to the hospital. My brain was still a little fuzzy. I had to think about the city I was born in to write it on the admittance form. The boys came with my mother-in-law, Judy, and I bought them treats from the vending machine to keep them occupied. I wanted to reward Noah for being so sweet to me after he pushed me in the wheelchair to the restroom.

My in-laws took the boys, and Spencer stayed with me while I got 7 stitches and X-rays. Luckily, there was no fracture, but the Dr. gave me a knee immobilizer which covers almost my entire leg.

I'm grateful to Spencer for helping me Saturday while I shot Lindsey & Jared's wedding, and to my in-laws for keeping the boys overnight, then watching them while we went to the wedding. I was sore at the wedding, but I hobbled along, and since it was at a golf club, we got to ride around in a golf cart, which helped a lot.

I'm laying low for now, hoping I don't get too far behind with my work. I appreciate your patience while I recover, but I will try to get back to everyone as quickly as I can.

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Tera & Drew ~ 07.19.08

2008-07-25T08:11:00.000-07:00

Tera & Drew were such a sweet couple, and I really enjoyed spending the evening with them and their families. The weather was perfect, the decorations were beautiful, and everyone had a great time. Here's a few of my faves from the day...

Tera's daughters were super cute...

1st look...

I must have said something pretty funny!

Me and the guys...I was surprised at how appropriately they behaved! lol

They timed the ceremony perfectly. The sun was just going over the trees at 6pm...

The reception...

Drew is a police officer, so I thought these would make a cute ring shot...

I love how Tera is looking at her dad in this one...

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Why don't more people do this?

2008-07-23T10:35:00.001-07:00

I think more people should punch dance out their rage. I think if everyone did this, the world would be a healthier (and coordinated!), more relaxed place to live, don't you?

I can't wait for another season of Flight of the Conchords.

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

"Bat-an kewl"

2008-07-21T17:48:00.001-07:00

Calvin calls Batman, "Bat-an," and evidently he thinks he's pretty "kewl" because he says it every time he sees something Batman related. We've seen quite a few movies lately (Iron Man, Hulk, Hellboy II) which were all awesome, but Batman has been my favorite so far this summer. I was so happy there was no neon, or silly sidekick. It was a great super hero movie with interesting characters and set design, among other things. It's definitely a movie worth seeing in the theaters, if you haven't already. Calvin got a new "Bat-an" toy at the store today, and he won't put it down for anything!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Johnny Mnemonic & Charades

2008-07-15T21:14:00.000-07:00

"Jess!" Spencer just yelled to me from downstairs. "Guess what movie they have on here!" (Talking about the new Playstation 3 video store) "Maybe I should just act it out in charades!" He added. I laughed, "Really? Johnny Mnemonic??" "Yeah! You knew what I meant?" "Of course!" I responded. I thought it was cute how Spencer then proceeded to tell Noah that when we were first dating (8 years ago), we played a game of charades at a friend's house, and I picked the movie Johnny Mnemonic for him to act out. Yes, I know, very clever. Well, he did think he was such a good actor, and I guess I felt he needed the challenge. I don't remember who won the game, but I can recall a lot of giggling on my part. It's fun to reminisce. :)

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Some pics Tiffany just sent me

2008-07-11T18:54:00.001-07:00

Tiffany just sent me these pics, and I thought I'd share them. I told you Noah was a huge hit! I'm thinking about renting him out for receptions as the cute comedy relief!

Me, looking goofy...

So sweet...

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

07.03.08 ~ Tiffany & Jason at Cannon Beach

2008-07-07T13:16:00.000-07:00

Tiffany & Jason are one of those couples I know I'll stay friends with for a long time. Not just because they "love their photographer," but we clicked right away, and they are such a sweet and down-to-earth couple. They even asked me (multiple times) if I would bring my boys with me, and I knew, after she told me she even made favors for them, that I had to make it a family vacation as well, and I'm so glad I did. I didn't feel like I was working at all, it felt like I was part of the family, but just happened to have a camera with me. I kept going back and forth between a regular blog post and a slide show, but here's some of my favorites, and I may still post a slide show a little later.

Tiffany & Jason, thank you for inviting us to be apart of your day. I feel a little guilty that you made it special for us, and I hope these images help you remember how special the day was for you. Although you live up in WA, I look forward to our growing friendship.

A big thank you to my husband and Jon for shooting with me! But I owe them both for more than that...my car got a flat tire in between the ceremony and reception, but my husband was able to make it to Les Schwab, and Jon drove me to the reception, so it worked out just fine. Spencer even made it to the reception on time. :)

Dress shot in the hotel room...

Some crazy person snuck into this one!

Her Grandma's ring she got to wear for the day...

First look...

I think this is the look she gave when Spencer suggested the location for the next set of images...

But, they were stoked about going on the roof for some shots! Luckily we didn't get in trouble, but a guy from the office did tell us to hurry before they got in trouble.

Noah was a huge hit, he's going to miss everybody!

Probably my fave...

The reception at JP's in Cannon Beach...

Jason is one of the sweetest guys ever, but he looks down right scary here!

Since we stayed the night, we hung out with them at their bonfire that night...good times...

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-06T09:31:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th of July! We got back from the beach at about 2:30, and while Calvin took a nap I worked on Tiffany & Jason's images (which I'm excited to post very soon!). Later that evening we packed up the camera and tripod, and and headed downtown to watch the fireworks. We didn't quite make it there, though. In fact, we stopped in the middle of the Morrison Bridge and watched from there. It was so much fun standing amongst hundreds of people on the bridge, hoping cars would drive carefully (luckily most cars were stopped). The bridge was pretty wobbly, but we still managed to get some cool shots...

Then we headed home for a show of our own...

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Featured on Posy Petals website

2008-07-05T10:29:00.001-07:00

I've been featured on Posy Petals website for awhile now, and feel terrible I haven't blogged about it yet. Jodi was great to work with at Kelsey & Josh's wedding last August, and the flowers were just beautiful. Check out her site here (although she didn't pick out my favorite images, but that's alright!).

Here's one of my faves from the wedding...

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Out of the Office!

2008-06-30T21:54:00.000-07:00

The next few weeks I'll be in and out of my office, so I just wanted to let everyone know that it may take a little longer to get back to you and fulfill orders. I'm getting ready to take the kids to the beach tomorrow to play with Spencer's cousins & their kids that came into town. Then I'll be in on Wednesday, editing images, answering e-mails, fulfilling orders, and preparing to go back to the beach on Thursday for Tiffany & Jason's wedding. Friday obviously is a holiday, so I'll be BBQ'ing with the fam (and will try NOT to sit at the computer, but I'm sure I will at least part of the day). :) Saturday I'm shooting Nick & Renee's wedding at Mt. Tabor. The week of the 6th I'll be editing like crazy because I have the 12th & 13th off to relax, but I'm also taking that entire next week off (13th-18th). I will be answering e-mails, but will not be available for any shoots or meetings.

FYI, I am completely booked until October 25th, but have a couple e-sessions I need to schedule, however, I will not be doing anymore sessions in August or September.

Thank you for your understanding and patience. I will work hard, rest up, and be refreshed to finish off the season. :) I hope your summer is going well, and you are able to find time to spend with your loved ones.

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Theresa & Long ~ 06.28.08

2008-06-29T16:59:00.001-07:00

Theresa & Long had a traditional Vietnamese ceremony at Theresa's Uncle's house yesterday morning. Me, with my pale skin, red hair, and huge cameras, I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb, but everyone made me feel very welcome. It was a challenge to follow along since I hadn't been to a Vietnamese wedding since I was a kid, but I went with the flow, and everything worked out just fine. Afterward, Spencer joined us for a photo shoot downtown in the 104 degree weather! Theresa & Long, as well as their bridal party, never complained once about the insane heat, and we were even able to have some fun. Theresa, Long, Spencer & I even snuck into an apartment courtyard across from Tanner Springs Park, but luckily we didn't get caught, and I love the images we got in there. Then, Spencer & I went and had some lunch in NW Portland, and made up most of this slide show for the reception which started at about 6p.

I hope you watch it, especially if you've never been to a Vietnamese ceremony before. It looked awesome with larger images on my laptop, but if I make it any bigger on here it gets covered up by the menu on the right. So, until I figure out how to fix that, I apologize!

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Pace Mobile DJ

2008-06-25T11:47:00.000-07:00

I couldn't find Leslie's business card when I wrote Karli & Nick's post, so now that I've found it, I definitely want to thank him for making the reception an awesome party, as well as helping my job go so much more smoothly. I've worked with Leslie and his wife, Barbara, before, and I definitely would recommend them if you're looking for a kick-ass DJ! Check out the Pace Mobile website!

Here's a pic of Karli & Nick's officiant showing them some love!

Hope you're having a great week!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Aimee & Jason's E-Session ~ 06.22.08

2008-06-24T12:31:00.001-07:00

I shot a fantastic engagement/"day in the life of" session on Sunday. Aimee & Jason wanted something a little different than the normal engagement session. I was totally stoked when they told me what they wanted to do because I thought it was such a great idea, and loved how they thought outside the box. They invited me to their house in Forest Grove, and I took pictures of them being themselves (after drinking some very delicious wine!). I've already been asking couples to choose a place that is special to them, and this shoot is a great example of that.

We started off in their garden...

Then had some fun in the hammocks...

One of my faves...

My other fav...

Hung out and talked on the deck...

Captured them in front...

There was some awesome light coming in through the trees...

Then went inside and made a scrumptious dinner...

I loved their silliness...

I took some pics of them serving dinner, then they made :) me sit down with them, and shared some good wine and conversation. It was so much fun hanging out with them and getting to know them better. On the wedding day I'll definitely feel like more of a friend than the hired help (I will still do my job, of course!).

Thanks you guys, for letting me into your home for the evening. I can't wait for the wedding day!

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Jessica & Greg ~ 06.21.08

2008-06-23T15:58:00.000-07:00

I had my first bride named Jessica on Saturday, which was a little weird at first. I kept turning around every time someone said our name...everyone was whispering about how beautiful I looked (ok, probably not about me...). Jessica & Greg got married at a private residence in Estacada, with a view of Mt. Hood. Jessica was such a beautiful and sweet bride, and they both made the day go by so fast. Congratulations you two, and I hope you have a great time in Hawaii!

Getting ready...

First look...

Sweetest little flower girl...

Formal outtake!

The flower girl showing me books...

The bride right before the ceremony...

The ceremony...

The reception...

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Scott & Rebecca's Engagement Session ~ 06.19.08

2008-06-20T19:39:00.000-07:00

Scott and Rebecca chose to do their engagement session at the rose test garden in Washington Park. It was such a nice night. The sun had already gone over the hill, but it was the perfect temperature, and they were both so easy going. I can't wait for their vineyard wedding in August!

My fav...

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Carlene & Doug ~ 06.14.08

2008-06-18T13:13:00.000-07:00

In the very early morning hours (5am is VERY early to us!), my husband and I got up to shoot Carlene & Doug's fabulous 7:30am ceremony at the Vista House. I was honestly pretty nervous for about two weeks before the wedding, because ever since Calvin was born, I'm not as much of a morning person as I used to be. But, my husband was sweet enough to assist me...and he never muttered a word about how early we had to wake up, which made me love him all the more. Although the morning was hazy and windy, it turned out to be a beautiful day, and Carlene and Doug were such an awesome couple to work with, they totally made getting up that early worth it.

First, here's one of my favorite shots from their engagement session I didn't get a chance to blog...

Now for the wedding day...

Doug was up and ready for pictures at 6:20am!

They chose to see each other before the ceremony...

The inside of the Vista House is really beautiful...

And made for some cool shots...

Everybody looking wide awake!

Just down the road at the Portland Women's Forum...

The drive to the reception at Skamania Lodge...

By the time we got to Skamania, the haziness was gone, and everyone enjoyed a very delicious breakfast reception...

After everyone went to their rooms to nap, we kept Carlene and Doug for a quick shoot. The sun was right on top of us, but we worked with it!

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

It's MY day!

2008-06-13T11:35:00.000-07:00

Or, at least it was 4 years ago today! Luckily, my wedding day didn't start out like today...me getting up at 2:30am to clean up Noah's vomit from his bunk bed, down the wall, and the floor. Yeah, pretty disgusting. Anyway, back to 4 years ago. I've been part of many many weddings, and I hope you'll indulge me a bit as I reminisce about my wedding 4 years ago. If you keep reading, though, I will make this post useful and share what I liked, and what I would have done differently at my wedding.

Btw, I'm posting these without photo credit because the photographer who took them is no longer in business.

Me and my two best friends. I loved that I had a pocket in my dress. I kept my lip gloss and a handkerchief in it.

Noah (who was 4 1/2 at the time), and my dad...Sadly, this is the only shot of the reception area that I have...

Spencer's only two requests about my get-up was that I have long gloves and a choker. :)

Spencer watching me walk down the aisle. My officiant, Rev. Marcie Brewer-McDonald (loved her!)

Noah walked me down the aisle, which I thought added a personal touch to my wedding...

My favorite shot of the day. That's how I remember him looking at me during the ceremony, and so I always try to get that shot in the weddings I shoot.

Since the photog didn't get any ceremony pics in color, here's one that my BM's boyfriend took...

He also took this one...

Spencer and his brother...

Me and my girls...

Hamming it up for the camera. (the post-processing (PP) was something I did in Photoshop just now)...

I asked the photog to use some infrared film. I love this shot, especially the clouds!

The second shooter got this one (my PP again). The photog didn't get any shots of us or the ceremony in color...

I had a boa at the ceremony. It was a big hit, and was passed around throughout the night.

The second shooter's shot...

The only candid dancing shot, but I love it (my mom and her dad, my Papa)...

Thank you for going down memory lane with me! Now, here's some hopefully helpful tips for you.

Things I did that I was happy about (besides marrying a wonderful man, of course!):

-I hired a professional photographer! (I'm not just saying that because I'm a photographer, but I know I would have been disappointed if I had just relied on guests for pictures)

-The ceremony and reception were at the same location, AND, we didn't have to do any of the set-up or clean-up. This reduced sooo much stress for everybody, and made it so we could just relax and enjoy the day. The place also included the food and cake, which was nice. If you do have multiple locations, then delegate, delegate, delegate!

-I kept the guest list to a manageable number. I know how the guest list can go from an intimate 50, to a huge 300 really quickly, but it was nice to be able to talk with just about everyone, and still enjoy being with my new husband. On the flip side, more guests = more gifts! :)

-I spent the money for someone to do my hair and makeup. If you're great at hair and makeup, then go ahead and do it yourself, but if you're like me, and pretty much suck at doing your own, then don't feel guilty about spending the money on professionals. It was so much fun going to the salon and having that stuff done with my girls. Plus, doing that keeps your schedule on track. Usually when people do their own, it takes so much longer than they think, then things run behind, and people get stressed.

-I hired a DJ. So many people overlook this important vendor. The DJ coordinates the reception, and makes sure everything runs smoothly, but most importantly, everyone has a good time. He also did the ceremony music, which was way better than just us turning on a CD player or something. Hiring a band is a great idea, too, though. Just make sure someone else can coordinate the reception schedule.

-I added some personal touches to my wedding: Noah walking me down the aisle, the boa, we got really creative with our music choices, too. The 13th was also significant to us. I wish I would have done more, but the wedding was the weekend after my finals week, so I guess I shouldn't get down on myself about that.

-I had fun with the camera. I am not the easiest person to take pictures of, but I wasn't afraid to show my emotions, or play to the camera. Photographers can try and bring that spark out of you, but you have to be willing to have a little fun...if you don't show it (emotion, happiness, etc), then the photographer can't capture it! However, you do need to find a photographer you feel comfortable enough to do this with.

-I didn't have a train. Trains can be a lot of fun (for the photographer, mostly), but they usually stress brides out, and it was really nice not to have to worry about carrying it around, or bustling it. If you do have a train that needs a bustle, then teach at least two people how to do it before the wedding.

-I ate! I made sure I got a snack before getting to the ceremony location (we stopped off at Safeway, and I got some deli meat). Even if you don't feel hungry, try to eat a little something so you stay in a good mood through the stress.

-We had breakfast with my family that came from out of town the morning after the wedding, before they went to the airport. It was a nice chance to relax and see them one more time before they left (I don't get to see my grandparents and aunts and uncles that often, unfortunately).

I'm running out of time (this post took forever!), so I'm going to quickly list the things I would have done differently, but plan on making future wedding tips blog posts.

-I wish I would have done what I really wanted to do. I'm too accommodating sometimes, and then I end up feeling disappointed. For example, the girls' dresses were purple, and my flowers were purple, not because I even like purple, but because we found an inexpensive dress for one of my bridesmaids, so I changed my colors. I wish I would have told them just to buy a nice black dress. Something that would have been a nice accent, but also something they could have worn again, and then had the colors I really wanted for my flowers. It wasn't her fault at all, it was mine.

-Also, the place was beautiful, but the words "country," and, "estate," aren't really me. I wish I would have found a place that reflected my personality better. Granted, my mother-in-law originally wanted to have it in her living room, so at the time I felt the place that we got married at was a huge step up from that.

-Instead of a unity candle, I wish we would have poured different colored sand or wax beads into a vase.

-If I were to get married today, I would have hired a digital photographer. We didn't get any pics of us or the ceremony in color (at least not from the lead photog), which was really disappointing. Also, although the photographer captured a lot of good emotions, she didn't get as creative as I had hoped with the B&G shots. All of the compositions were the same, and the shots taken from the same angle, and the same spot.

Overall, it was a wonderful day, and I couldn't have been happier. I love looking at the pictures, and remembering how I felt that day. We were surrounded by our family and best friends, and everyone had a great time (we bought extra alcohol! lol). What's even better, is that even though we've gone through a lot of ups and downs through the years, I'm so much more in love with my husband today than I was 4 years ago, and am extremely happy I get to spend the rest of my life with him...but right now I just can't wait until he gets home from work, and we get to go to our favorite Japanese restaurant! hehe! :)

Thanks for hanging in there through this very long post. Have a great weekend!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

06.07.08 - Karli & Nick

2008-06-11T20:12:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a fantastic day Saturday was! I was definitely glad I asked Jon Marshall to second shoot with me at Bridal Veil Lakes for Nick & Karli's wedding. I don't think I ever want to shoot there by myself because it is just too big, and there are too many awesome angles for photos. Anyway, I had a blast working with these two again, and even though the weather was a little off and on (again), the wedding was absolutely beautiful. Here's just a few of my favorites from the day...

The guys getting into the canoe...

Luckily, no one fell in!

I loved the groomsman's ties...

If you went to Jon's blog, here's what he didn't show you. Btw, the guy that crashed was the officiant! (these are Jon's shots)...

Meanwhile, as the officiant was crashing, I was in with the girls getting ready. Here's Karli's sister helping Karli into her dress...

Karli was one of the happiest and laid back brides ever!

She was all smiles!

Some B&G shots (there were so many good ones to choose from)

I love formal out-takes!

The ceremony...

I convinced them to take a canoe ride over to the reception, and I'm soooo glad they agreed...

Love this one...

The groom and his mom. Nick is such a calm, quiet person, but once he started dancing with his mom, another side of him came out!

I don't always see people enjoy the dancing part of the reception this much...

Thank you for letting me be a part of your day. I hope you're having a great honeymoon!

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of

2008-06-10T13:37:00.000-07:00

the...who really cares?? I couldn't even make it through the entire movie! The previews made it look so good, but there goes Lucas and Spielberg messing up another classic! So, the movie was crap, but you know what the most adorable and yummy things are in the (my) world right now?

Indiana Jones Legos, and...wait for it...the delicious crispy mint Indiana Jones M&M's! When I saw those in the store, I grabbed a bag without a second thought to my diet, and they were totally worth it. Yummm...

Isn't he adorable? I got Noah two of the smaller sets this weekend, although Calvin loves the movies too. You should hear him sing the Indiana Jones theme song...pretty freakin' cute!

My apologies to anyone who liked the 4th Indiana Jones movie...but have you actually seen the other 3? :)

Hope you're having a great week in the rain. lol Looks like it should clear up soon, though. I'll be posting some images from Saturday's wedding shortly. I have a TON of images to go through!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Brad & Cassandra ~ E. Session

2008-06-05T07:37:00.001-07:00

It's interesting how life works out sometimes. My first shoot with Brad & Cassandra was canceled because of the weather, then last night we decided not to go to the waterfall we had planned on going to, and even almost totally postponed it again, but we decided that if it rained, then that was Portland! By the time I got to Laurelhurst Park, the clouds parted, and the ground was pretty dry. After the park, we walked around 35th & Belmont, and they let me stop every few yards whenever I found some cool place to shoot. I usually end up liking the images better when we do something like that, and I'm really happy with how these turned out. Thanks, you guys! I had a lot of fun, and am looking forward to your wedding in September! Here's some of my faves...

Sitting on the side of the road...isn't it pretty? :)

I wanted to make it look like they were in a field of long grass (instead of on the side of the road...again)

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Faren & Michael - 06.01.08

2008-06-05T07:22:00.001-07:00

It was such a pleasure hanging out with Faren and Michael on their wedding day at Leach Botanical Garden. They were super sweet and went with the flow, even when rain was a possibility during the ceremony. It was too wet to go into the gardens, but at least the rain stopped before the ceremony. Congratulations you guys, I hope you had a relaxing time at the beach! There was a ton I wanted to post, but here's some of my faves...

I'm listening to Aimee Mann

Faren getting ready...

Faren & Michael with their baby, Marcus...

I even found something to shoot through! Woo hoo!

The ceremony...

Marcus had fallen asleep before the ceremony, but woke up just in time to watch his parents exchange vows. I thought that was so sweet.

The girls were slightly more enthusiastic than the boys...lol

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

When ya gonna ring it?

2008-06-02T16:20:00.000-07:00

I'm so old, I only listen to CDs and talk radio in the car, but for some reason today I turned to 94.7 today, a station I have listened to for years! I almost switched back to my CD, when I heard a commercial, but the tantalizing beat of the White Stripes, My Doorbell came on. It seemed so familiar to me, but I can't figure out why, and now I have that song in my head and I can't get it out! It's so annoying! Just so you can get it stuck in your head, too, here's the video. ;)

Ok, so now for a 2009 announcement!

I am booking for 2009, and the dates are filling up fast! I've decided to only do one shoot MAX per weekend next May - October, so that means we need to schedule e-sessions a little earlier in the year, and only one wedding per weekend (the ONLY exception will be for a Day After session). This goes back to my "Saying No" post awhile ago. I'm doing this in order to provide my clients with the best service possible, and enjoy the summer with my kids.

Happy Monday!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Tera & Drew's Engagement Session

2008-05-31T19:01:00.001-07:00

I had a great time with Tera and Drew today at Cornelius Pass Roadhouse in Hillsboro. Tera said she hated to have her picture taken, but she relaxed after a bit, and even came up with posing ideas toward the end. I look forward to seeing them there again in July!

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Oooh, Yeaaaah...

2008-05-28T16:47:00.000-07:00

Only a little more than 24 hours until the season finale of Lost! I am so freakin excited, but will be super sad to have to wait until February for the next season! Spencer and I started watching the show while the third season was on the air. He got all of the first and second season episodes, and we watched 3 or 4 a night for a few weeks...it was so difficult for us to turn the tv off! Our good friends, Angela & Diane, offered to make us a yummy Dharma cake since we couldn't get babysitters for the finale party they're having. Here's a pic of the last one Diane made (that I didn't get to partake in). I thought it was so cute!

Hope you're having a good "hump day!"

Edit: Diane just brought us this beautiful cake! We're going to have it after our BBQ'd steaks! Yum!

Thank you, Diane! :)

-Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Ettie & Matt 05.25.08

2008-05-27T20:49:00.001-07:00

Another fantabulous couple to work with, Ettie & Matt, were married at Beckenridge Vineyard in Dallas, OR. On the way there I was preparing myself to staying inside all day, but we were able to go out in the vineyard for a bit before it started to rain, then even have the ceremony outside! I had a blast working with them, and Adrienne Kume kept the wedding on schedule and running smoothly, which was a huge help to me! I wanted to hurry and blog some images before they left for Hong Kong and Japan for 10 days (lucky butts...they've already been instructed to show me pics when they get back!). Have a great honeymoon, and I hope you do alright on the plane, Matt! (an inside joke they let me in on) :)

Matt's face after his first look at Ettie...

They're sweetness almost made me tear up!

A beautiful bride...

The ceremony (did I mention we got to have it outside?? Yahoo!)

I didn't show it here, but he accidentally pulled off her veil during the ceremony...lol

Ring shot on top of their cupcake...

1st dance...

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Jeanne & Mark's Engagement Session

2008-05-27T10:14:00.001-07:00

I almost wasn't able to shoot Jeanne & Mark's engagement session because of the rain on Friday, but we were able to sneak it in Saturday morning before they visited family, then went back to Washington, DC. I was stoked that they went with my ideas for where to shoot, because I had been wanting to take a couple to these colorful walls for a long time, and we even had a surprise visitor! (see below in the window) They said they wanted a relaxed, intimate session, and I think we accomplished that...

I look forward to shooting your wedding in October!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Abraham & Christie's Engagement Session

2008-05-27T09:57:00.001-07:00

Abraham & Christie called me early last week to see if they could do an engagement session on Thursday before they went back to Colorado (they had just gotten engaged on Sunday!), but were concerned about the rainy weather. I told them that that it was supposed to warm up as the week went on...ha! Since we couldn't reschedule, we decided to do what we could. I wrapped up my camera, and they sat on plastic grocery sacks! The rain actually let up, though, and so we took the shoot from the Rose Gardens to the waterfront. They were such a great couple to shoot, we had a lot fun, and I hope they fly me out to Colorado for their wedding! ;)

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Pics coming soon!

2008-05-25T21:15:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry I haven't posted any pics in awhile. I've done 2 weddings and 4 engagement sessions in the past 8 days, so when I do finally post pics, there will be a ton at once!

Here's one from Matt & Ettie's wedding today, though!

Hope you're having a great Memorial Holiday weekend!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Lindsey & Jared's Engagement Session

2008-05-22T12:53:00.000-07:00

On the dark and rainy drive to Lindsey's house in Camas, I was thinking of creative ways we could use my car headlights to light up the couple. But, I ended up being able to use natural window light in a room in the house for awhile, and then the rain actually stopped for a bit, so we were able to take some pics outside! I'm so glad we didn't have to cancel (again)!

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

"Optimizing Your Wedding Photojournalism"

2008-05-20T20:31:00.000-07:00

I found this article on the wpja site, and thought I'd post it here since I had a lot of good feedback from the last article I posted. Hope it's helpful!

Do you want to help assure that your wedding photography comes off without a hitch, producing the ultimate in captured moments from your photographer? Do you want the highest level of photographic quality for your money? How about a wedding day remembered as one with maximum joy and smooth logistics?

A little advanced communication and planning with your photographer can go a long way in this regard, smoothing the way for everyone involved—from the wedding party and guests, to the creative pros assisting with the festivities. We’ve asked a few of our top WPJA award winners to weigh in with their own hard-earned advice for enabling optimal wedding day photography.

COMMUNICATE ON CREATIVE EXPECTATIONS

Smooth sailing starts at the beginning. When hiring your photographer, get the relationship off on the best foot with a discussion of his or her working style and exactly what kind of imagery you’re going to end up with. Even within the genre of wedding photojournalism, there is a range of approaches. The photographer’s own shooting philosophy, as well as a host of other factors relating to the venue, the time of day and the style of the event, can greatly influence the look of your wedding day images and your ultimate satisfaction.

SHARE INFORMATION ON WEDDING AND RECEPTION VENUES

Of course, you should choose your venues according to their beauty and meaning to you as a bride and groom. However, you can make things easier for your photographer, and help assure that your wedding day pictures are the best they can be, by carefully considering each site’s attributes—layout, lighting and overall atmosphere, making sure that you share what you know about the venue with your wedding photojournalist prior to the date.

Keep in mind that natural, ambient light is held in high value by most wedding photojournalists, who prefer to work in environments where backgrounds are illuminated and flash is used in limited amounts. “If you have an option, choose a wedding venue that has more light,” recommends WPJA award winner Karen Gordon. “If there’s direct flash with dark background, that’s not good.”

“We talk to people about that a little bit ahead of time, asking them what they’re doing about ambient light-—not necessarily light that would be actively lighting the subject for us, but just as some background to add interest,” notes WPJA medal recipient Anne Almasy, who works every wedding with her husband Dan, who is also a WPJA member.

The fact is that if your wedding is shot outside in the middle of the day, your photographs will not look the same as those taken inside a dark cathedral. “People really need to look at pictures that were shot in conditions similar to what they’re planning,” Almasy adds.

Almasy combined ambient light and flash in capturing her award-winning photo. “As the bride was about to throw her bouquet, Dan positioned himself in front of her with his flash, which was connected to my pocket wizard transmitter. So when she threw the bouquet, the flash in front of her fired as I took the shot from behind, creating a backlit effect,” she notes.

DISCUSS ACCESS AND LAYOUT

Access and layout are additional key factors that should be discussed ahead of time with your wedding photojournalist, especially in regard to the ceremony. Most photographers don’t want to be stuck in the back at such a time. They need to have decent access in order to get quality photographs, and they need to be able to move around a little bit if needed. They also need to know exactly where they’re going to need to be in the room in order to get those great shots.

Yet having a photographer moving around during the ceremony may not be a desirable situation for everybody. So again, you need to communicate with your photographer ahead of time, exploring options for assuring the best possible photos.

Also consider speaking with your clergy person or justice of the peace to determine what rules or restrictions might inhibit your photographer’s access, and then negotiate and plan accordingly with all involved.

SET A REALISTIC SCHEDULE

When planning your wedding day, be sure to set a realistic schedule, especially if the events are spread out across multiple locations. Whenever possible try to make things closer to each other rather than farther.

Consider the traffic in the area where you’re getting married, and if you’re tying the knot in a place that’s somewhat unfamiliar, talk to someone locally to get a real feel of what it’s like to get around the area, as well as the parking situation. Making your photographers spend all of that time in the car could sap their creative energy, not to mention the quality photography time you might lose while they’re fighting traffic.

“We have had a couple of situations where couples simply did not allow enough time to get from one place to another—from the hotel, to the church and then to the reception site,” Almasy notes. “A lot of people think the only way to get great portraits is to go to the botanical gardens, when in reality, if you just eliminate the stress of traveling there and take the portraits at the hotel, everyone will be much more comfortable.”

However, you can’t account for serendipity. One of those car rides between venues actually resulted in an award-winning photo for Gordon.

PLAN FOR THE PORTRAITS

Scheduling portrait sessions, or “formals,” is also a fact of life for wedding photojournalists, even if they work in a documentary style. (See “Surviving the Portraits” in the September/October issue of WedPix.) After all, there are shots of certain people that every bride and groom wants to guarantee for posterity. Again, advanced planning is paramount to taking care of these in an efficient manner.

“Really talk to your family before the wedding. Find out what shots your mom and dad are counting on having, and assume they’re getting,” Gordon suggests. “I usually do some formals, because most people expect that. But every now and then they’ll say they don’t want them, or they just want to enjoy the party…but much later someone will say ‘Oh, my mom’s really upset that we didn’t get a picture of me with Aunt Sally,’ and then that causes problems.”

Advise your photographer upfront on what formals you want, and organize your family (maybe with the help of a friend or relative) so that they’re where they’re supposed to be at a certain time. Pick a time and pick a place, and communicate that to all of the family members whom you want photos of that they have to be there. If you’re expecting guests who aren’t particularly fond of one another, for example, divorced parents, inform the photographer in advance as to not create an uncomfortable situation that would be reflected in the photo. If you want to assure that you get photos of elderly family members, or perhaps those with serious health problems, make sure your photographer is informed and can identify them as well.

BE FLEXIBLE AND OPEN TO INSPIRATION

When at long last the wedding day is upon you, remain flexible. Don’t be so set on the type of photographs you think you want as not to allow inspiration to happen. You may want to shoot in a certain location, and perhaps it will rain or for some other reason will not work out. Trust your experienced wedding photojournalist to improvise, giving him or her the room to get inspired in the moment.

“You could be in front of a red brick wall that doesn’t look like anything special,” notes Gordon. “You might not see the potential, but with a photographer’s eye, I can see that this is exactly where we should shoot.”

— by Michael Roney for the Wedding Photojournalist Association

A fabulous day.

2008-05-15T21:40:00.001-07:00

Yesterday (Thurs.) was fabulous, not because my littlest brother, Kevin, came back from S. Korea (he's in the Airforce), or that the weather was nice, or even because one of my best friends just found out she's pregnant, but because I felt content. I was in a great mood all day. While the boys and I were in a shop at PDX, waiting for Kevin to get off the plane, a woman handed her friend a Caribbean magazine and said she wished she was there right now. I smiled and thought to myself, "There is nowhere else I'd rather be right now." I'm happy and grateful for what I have in my life. I don't need to be on a beach far away because I'm with the people I love most in the world (except my other brother, who is serving just outside San Francisco. Oh, and my relatives in Ohio...and I can't forget my best friends in Georgia and Pennsylvania. Hope I'm not forgetting anybody. lol ). ;)

I love the airport...the smells, sounds, watching people see their loved ones. When I was in high school, I worked there as one of the people that says, "Mr. Johnson, Mr. Johnson, please report to a white paging telephone, and press zero for your message." It was fun. Anyway, here are some pics w/my point & shoot....

I'm listening to FOTC.

Waiting at the airport...

Noah running up when we first saw Kev...

He wouldn't let him go!

Calvin was shy, but Kev is so sweet Calvin took to him right away...

I dropped Kev off at his friend's house on Mt. Scott, which brought back old memories for me because we lived up there for a long time growing up, and I took these coming down the hill (be VERY careful taking pics while driving!).

Today (Fri.) is Kev's birthday, and he wanted to go downtown, so we took the boys to play at the waterfront. We got wet, but were dry in 10mins in the 95 degree heat!

Wow, a pic of me...sort of!

Stopped off for some juice and water...

Then back to play in the grass...

Look at those studs...

Have a great weekend!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Creative Lighting class

2008-05-14T11:48:00.000-07:00

I took a creative lighting class through Newspace, and taught by Andy Batt last weekend. He just let us know that there were some pics of us under the "News" then "Projects" section of his website, so I'm posting the portrait he took of me here, as well as a few I took while we were practicing off camera flash with gels outside.

Me, of course, taken by Andy inside the studio. Just realized it's the first pic with my new glasses (actually one of two new pairs), but you can't really see the pretty turquoise on the inside of them (the other has pink inside).

We each took turns being the model. Here's another of the students...

A candid shot that I kind of liked...

Now, I just need to figure out what other lighting equipment I want to buy! EEK!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Rain, rain, please don't go away...

2008-05-14T10:35:00.000-07:00

I'm not ready for 92 degrees heat! I think this is the first time ever that I'd rather have rain than sun. Man, Oregon weather is strange! I'm so glad we have AC, but for those of you that don't, good luck, and I hope you're able to stay cool somehow! I'll be sitting on the vent all day tomorrow and Friday. ;)

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Happy Mother's Day to Me!! (oh, yeah...and you, too!) :)

2008-05-11T10:23:00.001-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to all of us mom's! Even if this "holiday" was created by the greeting card industry, we still deserve a day where everyone appreciates us! Hehe! So, I hope you have a wonderful day with your families. I'm not sure yet what I'm going to do today, but I know that I don't have any work to do, so I can spend the entire day with my boys.

Noah's Mother's Day card...

The front of the homemade envelope.

The back (he wants one of my mocha protein drinks, lol)...

The card inside...

I am "Magical," "Offers love," and "Magnificent" with an "s." :)

Happy Mother's Day!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

A note from your photographer

2008-05-08T12:39:00.000-07:00

"Wedding season" is just about in full swing, and I've gotten a chance to work with most of my couples so far, and I just wanted to say how excited I am to work with every one of you on your wedding day. I have the most amazing couples, and feel so lucky to have been chosen to shoot your wedding. I'm looking forward to not only spending the day with you and your families, but getting to know you better, and building friendships. I hope the last details are coming together well, and please let me know if there's anything I can do for you.

Much love,

Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Eowyn & Greg: E-Session

2008-05-05T11:32:00.000-07:00

Typical Oregon weather again...it was cold and rainy on Saturday, but Sunday was beautiful! I had a fantabulous engagement session with Eowyn & Greg yesterday. We started on the east side of the river, then walked across the Hawthorne bridge, and around the waterfront and back over the bridge. I had a lot of fun with them, and am looking forward to shooting their wedding in August!

This one is pretty hilarious...an engagement session out-take! (don't worry, there are plenty of good shots from that spot!)

A bicyclist came whizzing by while we were here and said, "That's probably not the best place to sit." Actually, I thought it was a perfect spot to hang out! lol

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Jessica & Greg: E-Session

2008-05-03T23:33:00.000-07:00

Typical Oregon weather today...it rained off an on, but Jessica & Greg were great sports about it, even though it looked at first as though we'd have to stay within a 5 square foot area to do their engagement session (under a large tree). Luckily, the rain let up after about 20mins, and we were able to walk around Laurelhurst Park some, and then to a cool wall I had found on Division.

On the steps near the tennis courts...

The tree that gave us shelter...

The tree was covering a few feet of sidewalk so I made them sit on it! lol

A different tree that kept us dry...

The rain let up and we were able to capture some of the beautiful flowers...

But, I couldn't let a shoot go by without a reflection shot!!

The cool wall on Division. There's a bunch of them around there, that I'm dragging a couple too someday soon since I didn't want to drag Jessica & Greg around in the rain too much. :)

Thanks for looking!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Dear Brides: Love Your Photographer

2008-04-30T15:43:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone is have a good week! I came across this article written by Scarlett Lillian. I've actually started writing a tip list to help couple's make their wedding day as enjoyable and relaxing as possible, but it's not quite finished yet. I agree with most of what Scarlett says in her article, but I'll add some notes to it in *italic.

It’s the day you have been waiting your whole life for.
It’s your day to indulge in everything you’ve ever wanted and look your most beautiful.
It’s all about you.
We get it.

But there are certain things you can DO and DON’T to help enhance the relationship you have with your photographer on your big day.

While you are the star of your day, we are the director coordinating the whole show, stressing behind the scenes not wanting to miss a single moment, yet keeping a smile on our face to provide you with amazing customer service like you deserve. However, we need you to help us help you. Here are a few tips to keep in mind to help your photographer pull off your day as nothing less than fabulous.

1. DO make photography a priority in your budget. Photography is an investment, and just like any investment, you get what you pay for. If you try to find someone cheap to save a few dollars, more than likely, you will be unhappy with the quality of your photos. Yes, in the digital day and age, anyone can whip out a point and shoot camera, as most of your guests will probably be doing, but true photography is an art and worth the little extra you pay for a rock star wedding photographer who delivers stunning and emotionally rich photos. Or sacrifice the extra unnecessary frou frou decoration to pay for a few extra pages in your coffee table album. When your wedding day is over, your photos and album are the only things that remain and last forever. Remember, your grandkids will be looking at these photos one day. You want a photographer who can capture the true emotion of why their grandparents fell in love, not a photographer who can cut you the best deal right now.

2. DON’T just look for a photographer in your market. If you can’t find a photographer you like in your area, don’t settle for one just because they are close by. Most photographers love to travel and shoot destination weddings. Don’t be afraid to pay a little extra in travel fees to be able to hire a photographer who better fits your style. Plus, you are fabulous enough to fly in only the best, right?

3. DO your research, but DON’T compare photographers’ packages. Each photographer offers different packages to best showcase the art we create for you. Just as unique as your photos will be, a photographer’s packages are just as individualized. Photographers can be insulted when you try to insist our competitor offers A, B, and C in their package at X amount of price, and then ask us to do the same. If you want that A, B, and C package at X amount of price, then go with that photographer. We want brides who want us because they connect with our style of photography and appreciate our art, not brides shopping around for the best deal.

*I couldn't agree with that last sentence more. Photographers want the couples to be excited to have us shoot their wedding. If you're not excited about the photographer's work, then you should probably find someone else to shoot your wedding, because neither you or the photographer will be as happy with the photos if you're not.

4. DON’T ask us to make an exception for you on the price of our packages. We don’t care what budget you have and if our price fits in your budget or not. Would you go into Louis Vitton, find the purse of your dreams, go up to the counter and ask the sales person to give a discount on the purse because it’s not in your budget? No! Please don’t do that to us either. Just because it is a service we provide, doesn’t mean the value is any less than a tangible good.

5. DO hire a wedding planner. While the photographer is responsible for how your day flows visually, a wedding planner is an expert in how to coordinate your day to flow with as less stress as possible. It helps us get the best photos when we can concentrate on simply being the photographer, not the director too. And you shouldn’t be worrying about all the details coming together either. It’s your day to be a princess and catered to, not stressing about if the bows are tied on the seat covers or having to track down the florist because the bouquets were the wrong shade of magenta. A general rule: Something will always go wrong, and these minuscule details are worth the stress you can save for the price you can hire a wedding planner to handle it for you. Photographers like brides who are relaxed, not stressed. Relaxed brides make for more beautiful photos.

*It's a very good idea, but I don't think you absolutely have to have a coordinator, but delegate, delegate, delegate...I can't say it enough. Nobody should be asking you what to do, or what goes where, because everyone should know exactly what they're supposed to do and when, and your only job should be to relax and enjoy the day. I would say a DJ is pretty necessary at the reception to help organize the events.

6. DON’T plan your ceremony at sunset. *(Or around high noon!!) A given on any wedding day is that things will always go behind no matter how much you try to plan ahead of time. Yes, sunset lighting is the most gorgeous for outdoor weddings, but set the ceremony time half an hour before in order to actually be walking down the aisle by the time it is actually starting to set. And if you can, start the ceremony an hour before in order to give your photographer enough day light after the ceremony for the required family formal photos that follow.

7. DO see your groom for a First Meet before the ceremony. Yes, it’s traditional to wait for the groom to see you walking down the aisle. And while photographers respect tradition if need be, from our perspective, we prefer you to see your groom beforehand. It will not only help the flow of your day, but also help you get the best photos possible with your groom if you allow time to meet him before the ceremony. Normally, by the time the ceremony is over, you are relieved it is over and ready to party, and it should be your time to relax and mingle with guests and soak in your congratulations. Don’t stress yourself out further by having to further squeeze in your photos with your groom after the formal family photos and before the DJ is ready to announce you. Your guests will be starving and ready for dinner. The more photos you can get out of the way before the ceremony, the more time you have to truly enjoy the experience of your day in the midst of the whirlwind that is swirling around you.

*In my experience, not every couple, but most couples that choose not to see each other before the ceremony are too anxious to get to their reception, and they try and rush through the photo session after the ceremony. Antsy people don't make very good subjects to photograph! However, I would never try and get you to do all the portraits before the wedding (the light is usually nicer after the ceremony, anyway), so if you choose to wait, then consider serving your guests appetizers and drinks to keep them occupied. That way they won't get bored, and you can relax and enjoy being with your new spouse which will result in better pictures!

8. DON’T expect your photographer to tell you every which way to pose for your bridal photos and photos with your groom. Yes, your photographer will be happy to suggest poses, but you ultimately know what your best side is and how you feel most flattering. We love when you work it for the camera! The more fluid and into your photos you can be, the better it looks. This is probably the one time in your life you will have professional photos done, so live it up. Bring out your inner supermodel and pretend the photographer is your mirror that you secretly strut in front of when no one is looking. Watch shows like America’s Next Top Model to see what works and doesn’t work. Study fashion magazines to practice poses in front of the mirror before you are in front of the camera. In the shots with your groom, don’t be afraid to show passion with your man! So what if your grandma is a few feet away watching you make out with your new hubby in a few shots. You are in love, celebrate it! The more you can work it for the photographer, the more your photographer will be inspired creatively to provide you the best photos possible. Anyone can take a photo of you and your groom smiling at the camera. Your photographer wants to see the laugh you share, the sweetness in your eyes when you look at each other, the way you snuggle up together, the sassiness of knowing you look hot on your wedding day, the way your groom knows he’s with the hottest girl in the world, etc.

*I couldn't agree with this more. Something to add, though...don't be afraid to try your photographer's ideas! You hired them because you trust their creative abilities, so let them express that!

9. DO communicate with your photographer what photos are important for you to have, but DON’T give them a list of pre-planned unnatural photos (i.e.: Mom holding veil of bride and smiling at the camera). As artists who shoot from the heart, not by a list, we would rather capture the natural emotion of your mom crying as she’s putting on your veil, not the posey-stop-and-smile-at-camera-in-between-every-move shot. Especially to true photojournalists who capture the day as it unfolds naturally. If your photographer needs you to stop and smile at the camera, they’ll let you know. Trust me.

10. DON’T forget to feed your photographer. By the time your reception starts, your guests aren’t the only ones starving; we are too! Having been on our feet all day running around like crazy, we need a quick moment to rest and recharge before the party gets started. Please remember to include us in your budget for a regular meal when counting heads for the reception meal. Don’t provide us a lunch boxed “vendor meal”. We aren’t in kindergarten. But we will always save room for dessert, so reward your photographer for a hard day’s work with a piece of cake at the end of the night!

*I do love to eat!! :) (although I almost never eat the cake)

I hope this helps you out! Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.

Thanks!

~Jessica
Jessica Watson Photography

Amanda & Brian 04.27.08

2008-04-28T17:39:00.000-07:00

Another successful internet dating story...Amanda & Brian were such a wonderful couple. They met online about 9(?) years ago, and she eventually moved out to Virginia from The Dalles, OR to be with him. Not only did they let me try my ideas, they were excited by them. I had such a blast shooting their wedding, I seriously could have shot at their ceremony and reception locations all day, but don't worry, the B&G session was only about 30mins, and they definitely had plenty of time to enjoy their reception! I hope you guys made it to Mexico alright, and I hope to see you again sometime!

The building next to the chapel...I even managed to get some sun flare! It was mostly overcast, but warm all day.

What a nice guy...

Amanda just before the ceremony...

Making out in the confessional, and lit by my Sunpak video light. Btw, the chapel isn't a catholic church anymore, it's a landmark now. We actually had to clear out a bunch of stuff to get them in there! The coordinator said that she didn't think anyone had ever taken pics in there before. lol ;)

I loved her green shoes!

Oh, yeah, and here's the groom... ;)

I had so much fun shooting at the chapel, but the area around the Windseeker Restaurant was beautiful, too. Amanda used to work there. I don't think they normally do weddings, but the food was really good.

I love this one...

But, I think I love this one even more...

Dancing with her grandpas...

Thanks for looking!

-Jessica
oregon wedding photographer