Misty & her boys....

 I'm such a sucker for happy endings and romance....

Rob & Misty were lucky enough to find each other and have been working on blending their families to create a bigger, happier and  funnier one!  This is my third time shooting with them and they just crack me up.
{We shot these a couple of weeks ago- I'm just ridiculously tardy in posting this}  I'm so happy that this  family has each other- because it really works. {and speaking of things that work.. did you check out the freckles and the amazing eye colors on all four????  I was in heaven!!!!}

Thanks for traipsing all over the planet with me guys it was a great evening! xoxo Didi V.

Who Let the Girls Out Event 2011

The 3rd Annual
Who Let the Girls Out Event
Lake Stevens, WA

What silly, crazy chaos- what FUN!!!  I had the privilege of donating my time again this year to create a dress up photo booth for the ladies attending the event.

My friends Nicky, Trish and Cathy along with a huge cast of additional friends pulled off their biggest bash ever-complete with massage therapists, anesthetists, great beauty and food vendors and dozens of truly amazing raffle baskets donated by local businesses....all to help raise money for their journey during the Susan G. Komen 3DAY event this coming September.  The cafeteria at Hillcrest Elementary was bursting at the seams with women who in between their pampering were busy buying tickets and stuffing the jars in hopes of winning their desired basket.

This year I partnered with L. Sam Samano of Extraordin-Hair for one heck of a basket.  We offered up a pin-up experience.... An hours shoot time with me- and hair and make up by Sam who is a theatrical stylist- (she's pretty darned amazing I must say!) along with a bottle of wine and truffles... and voila! Perfect experience.  Even more fun was watching as my basket come up.... and all the ladies looking on anxiously because they had stuffed so many tickets in that jar (which..... was full!!  Yay!!!!)... and the screams of Joy when Kathleen's number was drawn... it was awesome!  So I got to meet my client right there on the spot- great stuff!!!!

If you haven't attended this event- you will want to get your tickets for 2012- after the new year- get a hold of me and I'll put you in touch with the ladies to get your hall pass to a kick-ass event!

The Bug Life...

You've heard of the Thug Life.... but have you heard of the Bug Life???? 

If not- you will....

My friend John is taking leap of fun and faith and making a total career switch and launching two business at once!  One as a fly fishing guide in places unknown - the other as mogul of a hip-fun-trendy punch at fashionistas with his line of accessories and apparel aimed at the 40-somethings  who live, eat and breathe fly fishing and the great outdoors.

Of course boys and their toys would not be complete without cigars, beverages and smoking hot bikini models.... and we had all three!  Miss Crystal was a total rock star- climbing, bending, contorting as directed... it was a hilarious adventure. 

**You know- you always seem to think you're pretty alone and  remote on some shoots and as soon as someone loses their apparel- traffic comes out of the woodwork... but she totally took it in stride and we just kept on shooting!**

Easter Sunday

I was trying to catch some snaps of the girls before we left and they were cutting up, blowing bubbles and throwing the football WHILE I was trying to shoot....annoying but very funny all at the  same time

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Easter Sunday was flat and grey outside- but we certainly managed to have fun!  The Easter Bunny was very creative and generous to our girls and they had a ball hunting for treats and treasures.  We had to scurry around and get dressed and ready to roll and we met up with Ron's side of the family for brunch in Kirkland.

Later in the day we had our friends the Mc Neeleys join us for supper, egg dying and some hoops games.  It was good day for sure! Gabbi and Steve are the jesters- always wrestling or messing with each other.  Trey and Oni are the quiet cerebral ones- reading or playing board games.  We grown ups- cooked, chatted and watched hoops.  We feel very blessed that we were all brought together- the families fit so well.

 *I Counted our blessings- as they are many*

Chix Pix

 You know- it all sounded good in theory....

One dozen little fuzzy yellow chicks. Check.
Giant plastic Easter Eggs. Check.
Easter Baskets. Check.
One dozen small children (and oodles of excited parents) booked to have photos taken. Check.

Permission to invade the yard of a neighbor, who has the perfect "little old lady"  house with soft dappled sunlight through enormous old growth trees, on the unmanicured lawn that is largely comprised of moss- and it was perfect for my giant Easter eggs, baskets and bunny ears.... and lots and lots of children..... Check.

But as I rose early on that completely dreary Sunday morning... it was pouring sideways rain, sleet, hail and snow greeted me when I opened the front door.  I was praying to all spirits who would listen to bring me sunshine- or at the very least- make it stop precipitating!  But the weather continued to get worse as the minutes ticked by and I took the weatherman's name in vein a number of times while contemplating whether or not it would make me a terrible person if I took up drinking at 8 AM.  I was relatively confident that I may have a heart attack- I was positively nauseous.

I began taking inventory of what I did have... (I had left two of my old studio lights burning over night to keep the garage warm for the fragile little chicks and consequently killed both bulbs....) I knew I couldn't shoot indoors in the garage studios with only one soft box and that many moving subjects. (lesson learned... ALWAYS  have a back-up on hand....) 

Gabbi and I began to brainstorm (she is the best little assistant some days!).  We realized that our front porch- was pretty good sized and with the overhang- well shielded from the rain.  Our house is boring old plain white with white trim... which acted like a natural light deflector and bounced around what light we did have.... so she and began running around gather props, light poles, clamps and back drops and set up a studio set on the front porch.  It was definitely more commercial than I tend to work, but it would have to do!

Thank goodness that my friends and new clients had faith in my craziness- because we got some cute stuff- and as the morning moved along- the sun came out and we had a glorious afternoon.

And I absolutely could not have pulled this event off without my two built in assistantants- Oni & Gabbi you were rock stars!  And a huge thank you to LSHS Senior and fellow photo-geek, Kaitie Jacobs.  It was certainly not glamorous work- but it was essential to making it all happen.

And so- with out further chicken scratch {pardon the pun}... enjoy the cuteness that is kids and baby chicks!   Happy Spring! xoox Didi V.

Steve G's senior session

I know that I have said this before- but some people just blossom in front of the camera- they grow up before my eyes... we start shooting and they are still kids.... and we finish and I get home and start editing and realize that it happened again! I have photos of gorgeous adults.....

Stephen is one of those cases... he's a super nice, great looking teen, who's a senior here at LSHS.  We had fun running all over downtown Everett, looking for inspiration in color, light and texture.  He and his family have become extended family by luck and I'm sure glad!  Stephen G.... you broke out some seriously handsome on me.... Congrats- we're very proud of you!  Thanks for hanging out with me in the sunshine to play! xoxo Didi V.

Crazy * Silly * Fun

There are some families for which mere words simply cannot describe how very funny they are- and this family is one of those families.  I absolutely love Beth, Denny and their gorgeous kids.  Denny's pretty sister Leanne was along on this trip also- and like I said- my sides hurt from laughing.... A rare combo to be this beautiful and this funny!

Thanks for asking me to come and play with you guys!!! xoxo Didi V.

P-Fam Fun!

I had the pleasure of meeting up with the P-Fam recently at the Seattle Arboretum, on the fringes of the UW campus and Lake Washington.  What a gorgeous park!  And what an awesome family ~ so relaxed and fun...and effortlessly gorgeous.... I can't wait to play with them again soon!